Question about HDTV and Dish

[peallen]

I am thinking of buying a HDTV but I am trying to figure out what it will cost me, is there a receiver like the 508 that can receive HD? Like I said I am just curious about the costs associated with it, also is there a seperate charge for getting HD programming? Thanks for the help!

[kornkid81]

The only model i know is the model 6000. As for the cost im sorry i dont know the exact cost of the model. As for HD programming there is CBS HD (in select markets) and Discovery Channel which is like 8 bucks and HD PPV for $5.99 a movie. I believe that HBO and Showtime have there HDTV channels free when you subcribe to HBO the works and SHowtime Unlimited.

Hope it helps
Kornkid

[kornkid81]

also forgot the hdtv demo channel...plus all HDTV channels require another satallite (61.5, 148)

Hope it helps
Kornkid

[cws80us]

The only HD Capable receiver the Dish currently offers is the model 6000, but I have read reports that it is no longer in production because it doesn't meet FCC standards on HD closed captioning. It's also pretty outdated in that it doesn't have any of the newer HD connection types such as DVI and 1394 (firewire). It also doesn't support OpenTV, and thus doesn't support the newer style guide and interactive features either.

There are 2 new HD receivers on the drawing board, the model 9000 and the 921. Both are dual tuner PVRs, the only major difference being that the 921 offers over the air HD reception and the 9000 does not. However, it is anybody's guess when these receivers will be released. Dish has a really poor track record of getting their products released on time, and they have already pushed back the release dates of these receivers several times. The current company line seems to be sometime during the 2nd quarter of 2003, so we're looking at at least another 4-6 months. The really sad thing is that not only does it take Dish and extraordinary amount of time to get their products to market, but it also tends to take them at least a year or more of bug fixes and new software releases to make them work as advertised.

I'm also trying to get into the HD market. I have an HD ready set, and I'm ready to buy an HD tuner to receive my local OTA stations that are already broadcasting a lot of programming in HD. The 921 is what I'd really like to have, but I'm not prepared to wait another 6 months for it; I want my HD programming now. So, I'm looking at other options including the Sony SAT-HD200 which is actually an HD capable DirecTv receiver that also does OTA reception and doesn't require DirecTv activation to work.

[brentp]

I haven't heard that the 6000 has been discontinued (might be, I just haven't heard that yet). It is still available for purchase on the DishDepot website for $619. for the unit with the 8vsb module. This module allows for OTA DT and analog reception. There was an HD model 5000 that was discontinued earlier this year. Right now, the 6000 is the only Dish HD receiver option (I believe the 5000 still works, but you can not get 8psk programming, which is what Discovery HD and likely any future HD programs are/will be broadcast in).

I went through this HD selection process early this fall, and decided to go with the model 6000 instead of waiting for the 921 or going with another OTA STB. The 6000 w/8vsb was a couple hundred more than what a good STB would be, but with the model 6000 I can get the HBO/SHO HD feeds (along with the NYC CBS station and the demo channel) from dish. Discovery HD is available for an upcharge.

BTW, the 921 is rumored to be very expensive, it is very late to market, and when it does come out, it is likely to have a number of bugs like all Dish equipment on first release. The 6000 works pretty good today, IMHO. Although it may be older technology, its Software, like all Dish receivers, does get periodic updates and I would consider it to be a fairly stable platform today. There are a few things I don't like about it, but that is true with any piece of equipment I buy. I will likely upgrade to the 921 some time in the future, once things settle down a bit and hopefully the price comes to a point I like.

Hope this helps.

[dmodemd]

Me too - probably take the next generation after the 921. I originally bought the 5000 when I got on Dish in early 2000 with the intent of upgrading to DD and HDTV. What a joke... about 2 months after I bought it, it was discontinued. I also found out that the DD module was not being made anymore and was very hard to find.

Then when I am ready for HDTV I find out the module is also very rare and very expensive on the gray market. So I ended up having to bail out, selling my 5000 for $150 and applying it to a 6000.

I have friends and family ready to jump in with HDTV but I have to tell them to hold out since Dish now has a BIG tech gap right at the point HDTV starts to take off... too bad.

Dish has spent WAY too much time trying to beat the interactive TV/internet appliance dead horse instead of providing the basic TV capabilities. Dont they see that even Bill Gates has failed after numerous interactive TV attempts?

[DarrellP]

Dish also has a cheap (like $249) HD receiver coming soon that will be satellite HD only(no OTA) and only for the Mits sets.

[Owner of a TV with no \"Off\" button]

Dish & Davetv are non starters when it comes to HD. True Davetv has HDNet exclusively right now, but that won't last long.

It's okay for DBS HD subs who live in cities where HD OTA is available - but for everyone else in non cabled areas - might as well get a BUD - that's where the bandwidth is for all the upcoming new HD services is. Get Expressvu or StarChoice for the US network HD channels

[Eyedox]

Originally posted by DarrellP
Dish also has a cheap (like $249) HD receiver coming soon that will be satellite HD only(no OTA) and only for the Mits sets.

I was curious if you had any more information on this new product coming out that I might research. I have a Mits set and might get this instead of a PVR921. Do you remember what source you received your information from? Thanks ....

[Mike123abc]

From what I have seen, Dish made a bunch of 6000 before the July 1st cutoff. They can still sell 6000s without closed captioning for HDTV provided they were manufactured before 7/1. So, I would assume they made a year supply (or however long they think it will be before they come out with a 6000 successor).

With the merger flopping around still back in July they probably thought the new merger box would be the 6000 replacement. Now they are probably adapting the plans that they had for the merger box and making it the successor for the 6000.