Will Dish HDTV users get screwed??

[Rang1995]

Does this translate to DISH willing to dump their 61.5 and 148 sats??if so lots of us with equipment pointed there or only able to get those signals will be left high and dry!!!!

NEW YORK — EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen will
make the sales pitch of his career Monday.

In a meeting with the Justice Department, he must
convince skeptical antitrust lawyers that a deal
he cut to boost Cablevision
Systems' satellite aspirations will give consumers
more competition, not less, if
the department approves his $21 billion merger
with DirecTV.

People familiar with the new plan say that it's designed to convince
regulators
that Cablevision, which has yet to launch its
first satellite, can become a
formidable competitor beginning in 2003.

Cablevision plans to use the latest available
technology to offer more than 320
standard definition channels in all 50 states, 40
high-definition channels, and local
stations in 143 markets. Consumers would use a
13-inch dish vs. today's
conventional 18-inch dishes.


http://www.usatoday.com/money/indus...-echostar_x.htm

READ THE USA ARTICLE

[Nick]

Rand, what is the basis for your grand 'leap in logic', implying that E* subs investment in HD is at risk? IMO, regardless of whether 61.5 or 148 are at risk, E* will continue to support HD and deliver more content. It's the upscale consumer trend of the future.

[Rang1995]

read the article in usa about selling two sats for total usa coverage(that must mean 148) i am in a position that i MUST get 61.5 or no HDTV..cant see others or D* HDTV from east coast due to LOW angles in sky

[brentp]

Rang1995, . . . are you saying you can not receive signals from the 101/110/119 slots? It is likely that if Dish gives up 61.5, it will move HDTV broadcasts to the central core slots. If you can't get those signals, then you might lose your HD from Dish IF this proposal clears the hurdles for the merger.

For most of us, I think the merger will provide more HD content from the CONUS slots, . . . once the 2 companies combine equipment and don't have to duplicate the broadcast of all channels as they do now. More bandwidth should be available, hopefully some will be used for more HD content, which they will have to support if they wish to compete with Digital Cable.

[Rang1995]

my location,bergen county NJ high trees. 61.5 has a 40 degree elevation the others HDTV's D* and DISH regular are at a 23-24 degree elevation..i get my other programing thru D* regular sats..35.0 elevation..a lot of people in the NYC surburbs have to do this i am told,who have my kind of landscape..1 acre tall trees etc etc

[drjake]

Rang1995, you are missing the point here. First off, the proposal is not to get rid of all of the frequencies on the wing satellites, only some of them. That being said, you are the exception and not the rule. The main purpose of this merger is to provide the most programming to the most people. That means that 101, 110 and 119 will be the Satellites used, since they provide the best coverage over the U.S. for the most people. My guess is that HD will end up on either 101 or 119 if the merger happens. You need to pray that it ends up on 101 as that is the D* satellite with the higher elevation

[Rang1995]

i am the rule around here in the northeast US according to installers or i have to chop all trees down (mine and neighbors) look at elevations for the east cost..hey what can i say but i am concerned over ME not the rest of the US

[Mike123abc]

All Echostar users will have to do is take the dish that was pointing at 61.5 or 148 and point it at 101 if the merger somehow manages to see the light of day.

I doubt many dish users point at 61.5/148 exclusively. If cablevision starts to use those frequencies then if they are the only ones you can see, then you get a choice to watch 61.5/148 and not look at ED*.

[toddjb]

...I just want SOMEONE to offer me an HDTV solution worth buying!!! The best video my 61" HD widescreen sees is from the DVD player. Sad.

(In DC I wouldn't get any locals with HD sat, not worth it for me to get HBO/SHO package)

Might have to invest in the antenna setup. Off topic a bit? Sure...but I felt like griping. :)

[Martyva]

There are over 20 HD movies available for DVHS-now.

[Martyva]

There are over air STBs for HDTV-now.

[Just sold my Mot + SA stocks]

And cable will not need STB's for HD in the future.... if this comes to pass:

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021108/4606561s.htm

[MarkA]

So, if DISH quits using 61.5, then won't Sky Angel find themselves with 8 transponders? Four times what they have now... Sounds like an excellent ministry opportunity!

[Rang1995]

and i don't get HDTV anymore..hell i'll go the FCC