SHO-HD / HBO-HD

[Glenn]

I just got my 6000 installed over the weekend, and I've noticed that sometimes the HBO and Showtime HD channels don't appear to be broadcasting in HD. I've got a 38" widescreen HDTV, so when I'm seeing high def, I'm really seeing it (and it looks terrific). But occasionally I'll get the side bars and what I perceive to be an SD picture. Is it just my imagination?

[Scott Greczkowski]

Not all shows are in HD on HBO and Showtime. When you see the side bars chances are its upconverted standard def. :)

[Cyclone]

The HBO-HD and SHO-HD channels are simulcasts of their regular SD counterparts.

Sometimes you're gonna see SD material being shown on your HD channel. This is usually stuff like HBO's first look at .. <insert name of lame new movie here where actors are interviewed about how much they can complement the other actors that they worked with>.

This situation has nothing to do with Dish or the 6000. People with HD Cable or Direct TV HD are also seeing the same thing.

Cyclone

[Glenn]

Thanks, guys! That leaves me with one less thing to worry about. :)

[Ken_F]

Glenn,

Also, some of the widescreen movies on Showtime HDTV aren't actually HDTV, but rather upconverted widescreen 480i (like DVD). See the schedule on the Showtime web site.

Everything in widescreen on HBO-HD is HDTV, although the quality of the hi-def transfers varies greatly, depending on the original film source they used.

[DarrellP]

Wait till the Sopranos starts back up, the picture is incredible.

[gjrhine]

Is it possible to get a 6000 just to recieve OTA and subscribe to nothing on Dishnetwork?

[boba]

Gary you can receive OTA HD on a 6000 with the 8VSB module with out subscribing to programming but the receiver must be connected to a working DISH Network dish. If there is no satellite signal there is no over the air picture. You can buy Directv receivers with HDTV OTA tuners cheaper than a 6000 and Samsung HDTV tuners are cheaper still.

[Mike123abc]

Actually I got my 6000 to work without satellite once. I was able to tune all local channels, but it did not even know about the satellite. I had to do a switch test for it to "find" the satellite. I was having a problem and lost the connection to the satellite dish. I did a NV reset on the 6000, and after it rebooted it did not seem to care anymore that it could not see the satellite. But, as Boba mentioned above there are a lot better and cheaper HDTV only receivers out there.