With 22-channel launch, Dish approaches DirecTV's HD channel count
SciFi HD is among the 22 new HD channels launched by Dish Network.
(Credit: CNET)Ever since DirecTV launched a slew of national high-definition channels last October and November, it's been the only place most Americans can get their Cartoon Network, Sci-Fi, and Bravo networks in high-def. On Monday, Dish network caught up somewhat, announcing the activation of a total of 22 new high-def channels, including those three and many other national, high-interest channels--as well as a few lower-interest ones, including World Fishing Network HD. Twenty of the channels are supposed to go live Monday, and the last two, the regional sports networks (RSNs) Comcast Sports Network Bay Area HD and Comcast Sports Network New England HD, will be activated Wednesday, according to the company. Check out the full list of new channels on the official press release.
According to our count, the new additions bring Dish's total number of HD channels to 95, just under DirecTV's 104. Excluding RSNs, on-demand/Pay-per-view channels, exclusives like Dish's Voom channels, and duplicate East/West feeds, we count an even 50 national and local HD channels on Dish Network, and 60 on DirecTV. Dish is still missing some well-known networks like FX HD, MTV HD, and Nickelodeon HD, while DirecTV still doesn't carry World Fishing Network (the nerve!) or ABC Family HD, but overall DirecTV still maintains an advantage in channels we expect more people care about.
For a full breakdown of Dish vs. DirecTV's high-def programming, and how it currently compares with cable and Verizon Fios, check out the big chart.
Of course, just because a channel has a big "HD" stamped next to it in the on-screen programming guide doesn't mean you'll be glorying in full-fledged high-def every time you turn it on. In fact, most of the new channels Dish added, and indeed most so-called HD channels on any provider, deliver a steady diet of upconverted programming that originates in standard-def--and usually doesn't look much better when shown on an HD channel. Worse, many HD channels stretch their squarish 4:3 shows to fill the rectangular 16:9 HDTV screens, resulting in shorter, fatter people, oblong circles, and similar distortions. I flipped by something on HGTV HD and even noticed the tell-tale disproportional stretch similar to some HDTVs' "panorama" or "Just" modes, where the sides of the screen are stretched more than the middle in an attempt to make people in the central area of the screen look less distorted.
For the record, I'm with most people who care: I wish all broadcasters would show all content in the original aspect ratio, and leave it to us to press the "aspect" or "zoom" or "format" keys on our remotes to fill the screen if we so desire. To date, some do (Jake 2.0 on SciFi HD, when I checked, had the proper black bars to either side of the 4:3 image) but many do not. The excellent guide to DirecTV's channels at Digitalcaffeine.com breaks down which channels stretch and which leave the program unaltered--it applies equally to other providers, including Dish. Unfortunately, the anti-stretch-o-vision petition has been closed.
David Katzmaier reviews HDTVs for CNET. E-mail David.
Is there a point to watching cartoons in HD?
Some newer cartoons (mostly anime as far as i know) are animated in HD, so they are widescreen and the image is much crisper
As for the math skills of the first poster...obviously that person's READING SKILLS are what that guy should be worried about. Did you even bother to read the actual article?
As for the ACTUAL number of HD channels involved: on DirecTV's own HD webpage (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=3420007), an even 100 HD channels are referenced (77 channel logos, 23 others referenced in text), with one new channel pending. If the Dish does have 94 HD channels as the article contends (I'm too lazy to check), then YES, the Dish has almost caught up with DTV.
Instead as they say add additional HD channels, they took anyway some those HD channels, such I love and unique about it the DISHHD and they put that stupid fishing channel instead. Anyway after my contract done, will get DirecTV, because would be same and get few more channels too.
Instead as they say add additional HD channels, they took anyway some those HD channels, such I love and unique about it the DISHHD and they put that boring fishing channel instead. Anyway after my contract done, will get DirecTV, because would be same and get few more channels too.
Instead as they say add additional HD channels, they took anyway some those HD channels, such I love and unique about it the DISHHD and they put that boring fishing channel instead. Anyway after my contract done, will get DirecTV, because would be same and get few more channels too.
http://www.voom.tv/
http://www.tvpredictions.com/dishvoom051508.htm
I called three times to talk to Dish about the Voom channel's disappearance and did not get a straight story. I Googled Voom & Dish and found that Echostar, Dish's owner, has been sued Rainbow Communications, the owner of Voom. According to the complaint, Dish, which actually partially owns Voom, claims that Voom had breached it's contract to spend 100 million dollars on programming.
Having watched the Voom channels for four years, I can confirm that the new programming was sparse. On the other hand, all of the rpogramming they did have was the best HD programming available. All of the Voom channels were commercial free which was an added bonus and the HD quality always excellent.
Dish has a history of battling with program providers by sacrificing Dish's customers to prove that they will not accept the terms offered by the provider. Fox comes to mind, as as mentioned in the article, Dish still does not carry all of the Murdoch NewsCorp channels.
Dish bought into Voom, which is majority owned by Comcast, to get the additional transponders when one of their satellite launches failed a few years ago.
I hope that Voom and Dish come to some kind of agreement so that the Voom programming will return to Dish. It is missed, espeically by my son who loved Animania. Someone asked, what can be gained by HD cartoons. When the cartoons are created by today's computer graphics, the difference is startling. Animania also carried many classic cartoons not available elsewhere in beautifully digitally remastered versions. Voom's movie channels had simlarly unique and technically excellent programming.
In exchange for the abrupt departure of the Voom Networks, Dish did comp me a couple of months of HD programming and upgraded my receiver to a dual-mode HD DVR and threw in one year of Cinemax programming, gratis.
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by garys2048
May 18, 2008 2:34 PM PDT
- When comparing DISH and DIRECTV, the author has made two significant errors. The most important is to ignore the former VOOM channels which are in 1080i and include several popular channels - Monster, RAVE, EQUATOR, etc. These are some of the highest quality HD signals available anywhere. Two, DIRECTV uses highly compressed signals which are HD at best at 720. There have been many comparison studies showing the differences in real HD quality among the satellite and cable providers. Don't be fooled - the TV's are better than the signals in most cases. The same types of arguments were made to show that DVD HD was a better system than BLU-RAY. Fortunately the higher quality system won out. The providers are all trying to improve their systems, but some are much ahead right now.
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