Rochester Locals Up

[Nick]

DISH Network Satellite Television Brings Local Channels to Rochester, N.Y., Area

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2004--EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq-DISH) announced today that its DISH Network(TM) will offer local TV channels by satellite television to Rochester, N.Y., and the surrounding area.

The following local TV channels will be available: ABC Ch. 13 (WOKR), CBS Ch. 8 (WROC), NBC Ch. 10 (WHEC), FOX Ch. 31 (WUHF) and PBS Ch. 21 (WXXI).

This is the first time local TV channels are available on satellite TV in Rochester, providing an alternative to local cable TV service. DISH Network also provides digital video recording technologies, international channels and high definition TV to the Rochester area.

more (http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=dish&script=410&layout=-6&item_id=512857)

[Steve Mehs]

This is the first time local TV channels are available on satellite TV in Rochester

Not to nit pick Dish's press releases, but technically not true. Star Choice from Canada has been including Fox 31 in their Buffalo locals for years now. :D

[ERSanders]

I stopped by a local Dish dealer today and saw the channels on a 32" TV and the actual superdish (on the roof).

Despite some reservations about the PQ, I was quite pleased. The PQ was far less grainy than TW but had less color depth (normal). The signal strength was about the same (92/125) as a single Xpdr 110 or 119 signal, but less than a 2x Xpdr. Judging from this I would expect rainfade to be about the same.

The type 2 (plastic) dish was, well, BIG...even on the top of two story building. They have more of these, but mostly type 1 (steel) will be used in ROC...maybe because of the wind and temperature (ability to use a stick-on heater)???? Who knows!

They also had the Dish truck with a 14 X 25 foot sign on it advertising Dish. I guess that they will tow it around town, maybe park it in front of 71 Mt. Hope Ave.* :D


* TW Hq.