ESPN-HD woes

[jackienopay]

Yeah, I hear what everybody is saying, ESPN-HD will cost too much and will be 98% SD for a year, but I'd still pay for it. ESPN has one of the worst PQ's on DishNetwork, just to get it on the 61.5 with minimal compression, like the showtime and HBO SD broadcasts, would be well worth the cost.

I'm seriously considering making the switch to Comcast cable, seems like a greater commitment to HDTV than both the satellite companies, and for that alone I'd pay the added cost. I would just have a hard time looking at myself in the mirror each morning.

I want my ESPN-HD!

[mnassour]

Hey, there's no shame in it despite what some here might think.

I've been tempted by some Time-Warner offers myself.

[Scott Greczkowski]

If my local COX had HD offerings I would considerswitching as well.

While I agree with Charlie in his ESPN-HD dispute I also say something my father said many times.

"Crap or get off the pot" (Ok he didn't say crap) :D

[Ken_F]

I'm seriously considering making the switch to Comcast cable, seems like a greater commitment to HDTV than both the satellite companies, and for that alone I'd pay the added cost. I would just have a hard time looking at myself in the mirror each morning.Comcast has said publicly that it won't pay one cent to carry ESPN-HD, so I wouldn't count on them carrying it anytime soon. If you have one of the 17 CBS owned and operated affiliates in your market, you won't get CBS HDTV on Comcast for the same reason. Of course, as it relates to ESPN-HD, it could all just be a negotiating tactic...

But those who think ESPN will give in, particularly on several key provisions, are in for a long wait. ESPN is already losing money on ESPN-HD, and will be for a long time, and carriage deals with Dish, DirecTV, and Comcast are not going to change that. ESPN is not going to sacrifice the future viability of the channel now just because a provider doesn't like a few provisions, particularly when ESPN deems those necessary for the continued operation and improvement of the HDTV channel.

[durl]

I believe this is a lose/lose situation in the short term for everyone. Let's face it, Disney has had some down times lately (with their television entities being hardest hit) so you KNOW they have to be coming up with ways to make their networks more profitable. So by making the contract to carry ESPN-HD too expensive for DBS companies to carry, everybody loses. Disney loses viewers, DBSs can't make their consumers happy, and those of us at the bottom of the list don't get the programming we want.

I'll restate my position again: I'll pay a negligible cost for a good HD package via satellite, but I don't want to pay $10-15 a month to see 1 or 2 games a week on ESPN-HD. I want the network, but I still have a budget to adhere to. I don't see how providers negotiating for the best deal is evidence of their lack of commitment to HD. We spend hours or days negotiating deals for our cars and homes, so a multi-million dollar negotiation for broadcast rights is going to take time as well.

[tojohnso]

I'm with you, durl. I find it hard to believe that there are people saying they would prefer to go back to cable because they seem to be more serious about HD offerings. Sorry, but how long have the DBS providers had HD? And D*, their boxes come available as HD units that have OTA capability without an add in card. At this time, my cable company doesn't offer HD (yes, COX), and if they did, I wouldn't go back. I have more channels on DBS, all of which are digital. Compared to the 1st 100 on cable that are analog, and look it. Plus, cable is roughly $10-$20 more/month now, let alone when they charge more for an HD package.

I think the DBS providers made a smart move in not going with ESPN-HD at go-live. Anyone in technology knows that when something goes live the first time, there are glitches. How many of you have dealt with the issues local stations have had with getting their HD transmissions to be stable?

I'm for D* and E* going for the best deal they can. Only through business savvy negotiations will that happen. And ESPN lost a big feather in their cap when the DBS companies (and larger cable companies) chose not to carry their HD feed at go-live.

[Paul]

I will probably go back to cable not for HD but because I want the YES NETWORK! Bye Dish Network! I got tired of waiting.

I want my NY YANKEES!