DISH Network Tech Forum – 2/13/2006, 6:00pm – 7:00pm PST
First I’d just like to thank all other Moderators on DBSTalk.com that have done these in the past. I never realized how much work it takes to do one of these recaps. Thanks guys.
Hosted by:
Mark Jackson, President EchoStar Technologies
Dan Minnick, Vice President Engineering
Agenda for the forum:
* Echo X
* HD Receivers
* PocketDISH Updates
* ITV – Interactive Television
* DISH on Demand Updates
* Bob Howell from Winegard
* Trivia Giveaways
* Q&A
Echo X:
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Echo X is being launched by Sea Launch
They showed pictures of the facility, and the Satellite in its “shroud”, then towing it out to the ship to mate it with the rocket.
Then they showed it being loaded on an old oil rig. It has been towed out right to equator, where the earths rotation helps you launch, making it require a lower payload, and saves money. Sea Launch has a website with more information.
Hoping to launch on Wednesday, 2/15/2006. This will be EchoStar’s, 2nd Sea Launch.
HD Receivers:
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They have 2 new models, ViP211 and ViP611
ViP211
MPEG-4 HD Receiver
Single Satellite Tuner + 1 OTA Tuner
2 Day EPG Guide
DISH Home
Parental Locks
IR Remote
Outputs: HDMI, Component, Optical Audio, S-Video, 1 Set RCA, Channel 3/4 Modulated out
USB 2.0 and Ethernet for future features.
ViP622 Features
First MPEG4 DVR box
Dual Satellite Tuners + 1 OTA Tuner
Dual TV box (2 different TVs, 1 HD, 1SD)
9 day EPG
Enhanced guide (3hrs programming on one screen)
DISH on Demand supported
Outputs: HDMI, Component, Optical Audio, S-Video, 2 Sets RCA,
One stereo agile output to feed TV1 and TV2 on separate channels
USB 2.0
Ethernet for future features.
FYI: For those of you that saw the picture, it was a mirror image or what the back really looks like in other pictures posted so far.
*** ViP622 giveaway ***
Question: What is the latest specification of USB 2.0 throughput in Megabits?
HD Programming and Upgrade Offers Update:
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Brought in Steve Smith Vice President, Product Marketing, and Leanna Sultan, Vice President, Customer Retention.
Current (Old) Offering: 6 HD channels, + option to buy 10 VOOM channels and HBO and Showtime if you subscribe to those packages.
New Offering:
All channels in the old offering, plus
VOOM channels, now at 15 (5 new VOOM channels)
Added ESPN2HD and UniversalHD
Now have a total of 23 channels of HD programming
1700 Hours a week of HD, 250 Hours a day.
5 sports channels
5 movie channels
7 entertainment channels
6 news and lifestyle channels
Prices:
DishHD Bronze $49.99 per month (AT60 + HD)
DishHD Silver $59.99 per month (AT120 + HD)
DishHD Gold $69.99 per month (AT180 + HD)
DishHD Platinum $99.99 per month (Everything Pak + HD)
(Add locals to any package for an additional $5.00 per month)
$5.00 local price covers SD AND HD where available.
Looking to bring locals to 50 markets in the US (Did not specify timeframe).
HD Locals already launched in New York and LA. Plans to launch in Minneapolis, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, and Atlanta during Q1 2006.
Existing Customer Offers:
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All DISH Network Solutions Includes:
* Leased ViP Series Receiver
* State-of-the-Art Dish Antenna (if applicable)
* Standard Professional Installation
If you need HD for the first time:
ViP211:
Lease Upgrade Fee: $49
Standard Professional Installation (Includes Dish Antenna if applicable): $49
Total Cost: $98
ViP622:
Lease Upgrade Fee and Standard Professional Installation (Includes Dish Antenna if applicable): $299
If you already have a DISH HD Receiver:
For DISH 811/6000 Users:
Swap for a ViP211: Lease upgrade fee (including Installation): $49
* Swapping, requires the return of existing receiver.
For DISH DVR-921/942 Users:
Swap for a ViP622: Lease upgrade fee (including Installation): $99
* Must wait until April 1st, otherwise cost is $299 ($200 rebate offer begins on April 1st)
* Swapping, requires the return of existing receiver.
PocketDISH Updates:
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What is PocketDISH? It’s Portable DVR, with 4”, 7”, or 2.2” screens, up to 40 hours of recording space.
RecordLINK, uses technology called XDS. It’s like hooking up a VCR to your non-hard disk based STB (Set Top Box). Basically turns your STB + PocketDISH like a DVR. The STB controls your PocketDISH. Support reoccurring timers, and trick modes. Available on majority of the STBs
Transfer rate on 942 and 622 using USB2.0, one hour of content takes about 5 minutes.
Coming Soon: Transfer rate on 522 and 625 using USB1.0, one hour of content taking about 30 minutes (available 1st week in March)
Questions:
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Martin – The FCC is requiring all must carries on one dish. Will that requirement be met?
ANSWER: June 1st is the deadline, and will meet that. (Technical difficulty with mikes, moving on)
Jody – The 510 records differently than my 942, please explain why.?
ANSWER: Could be because of time based recording (510) vs NBR (Name Based Recording) (942). They went on to explain NBR..
Jason – What is the status of a new nationwide Dish Network Broadband? Is it still going to be offered?
ANSWER: Couldn’t go public with any information right now. Working hard. Then mentioned their partnership with at&t (formally SBC) for bundled services including broadband.
Steve – On the Vip211, local mapdown, and what is HD Priority?
ANSWER: This means Local HD will take priority on the mapdown instead of the SD channel in the program guide.
*** Contest Line is not working tonight, call regular number to answer trivia question ***
What is the status of putting channel 100 on a DISH DVR-921 receiver?
ANSWER: Couldn’t answer the question, would have to look into it. Then said, upgrade to a 622 for $99 to get this and all the new programming and features.
John: When are 121 local channels going to be switched over to the 119 Sat location?
ANSWER: After launch of Echo X, additional capacity at 110, deployed 45 – 60 days later, then migrated to 110 slot, around June 1st timeframe.
Candy: Just got a ViP211 and a Dish1000 in Pittsburgh, why is my 129 like 80% and 119 and 110 are like 100%. Tech said 129 is lower than the rest so he put a 2nd single dish that is not tuned in right?
ANSWER: Pittsburgh, 129 is further west, lower look angle, tech may have seen some obstructions, which necessitated a 2nd Dish installation to get a good signal. 80% is not a bad signal strength on 129.
Interactive TV Update:
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Very energetic Director of Sales, Interactive TV, Scott Higgins. All decked out for the Olympics, screaming about a gold medal.
Mentioned that DISH is providing over 200 hours of Olympics, can go to channel 100 and see the NBC showcase with all NBC feeds. Mentioned NBC HD Highlights channel. He then showed that on the top of the showcase you can select a banner and get up to the minute stats on the Olympics, detailing what is going to be shown, up to date medal count. Also, there is a Team USA report, About Torino, etc …
*** Trivia Update: Winner: Tim from Florida: Correct answer is 480 Mb/s for USB2.0 throughput ***
DISH on Demand update:
Dish’s Video on Demand Service. Currently Offered on ViP622 and DISH DVR-625. Coming in March (maybe early March) will be offered on the DISH 508, DISH 510. In early April on the DISH Player-DVR-522.
When you press the DVR button you’ll have the option for “My Recordings” for your existing DVR events or “Movies and More” for DISH on Demand. You can also press DVR twice to go straight to your recordings.
No waiting for a show, it’s on demand.
*** Another Giveaway: PocketDISH AV500E***
Question: Which 2 PocketDISH models support the RecordLINK feature?
Off-Air Antennas:
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ViP211 and ViP622 models support off-air antennas for HD/Digital reception. In some markets you will need off-air antennas for local HD channels. They introduced Bob Howell, Director of OTA/Winegard to talk about OTA (Over the Air) antennas.
Basics of antenna propagation:
Omni-Directional Antennas: Propagation pattern is 360 degrees. Used in the situation when you have towers in multiple directions
Bi-Directional Antennas: Propagation pattern is front and back (figure 8). Used in the situation when you have antennas in 2 directions.
Directional Antennas: Propagation pattern is front only (Yagi Type). Used in a situation when you have antennas in a single direction.
Choosing the right Antenna:
* Determine frequencies
- Channels 2 – 13 are VHF
- Channels 14 – 69 are UHF
* Distance between broadcast towers = antenna beamwidth
* Determine distance to the broadcast tower
Websites for Assistance:
*
www.antennaweb.org – Antenna Selection
*
www.checkhd.com – Local digital/HD programming
www.antennaweb.org:
* You can enter your address and submit it.
* This will in turn return a list of digital channels in your area. It color codes the channels to help you find the right size antenna. It also gives you details on the channels, i.e. call signs, compass, distance and frequency.
* The color code chart indicates the type/size of antenna you need to purchase. (Personal note, antennaweb.org tends to error on the side of caution for antenna size. I personally use a much smaller antenna than they recommended.)
* Showed more detail on Call Sign, Channel, Compass Orientation, Miles from house, Frequency assignment.
* What is difference between Channel and Frequency? Channel is assigned based on the analog channel to make it easy for consumers, i.e. the digital/HD version of analog channel 2 is 2.1 which the actual channel frequency could be 34. The tuner will automatically map this information for you.
* Site also gives you a street level map showing the direction of the transmit towers and what channels they are.
* Then showed different maps with different locations that would require the various antenna types.
checkhd.com:
* Screenshot of local stations
* Can also give you TV guide listings for you local channels
(Another personal note: If you need assistance with OTA reception in your area, check AVSForums and find the HDTV forum for your market, they are very helpful. The Seattle OTA forum helped me tremendously with picking out and setting up my antenna.)
They noted that on the ViP622 you can record up to 3 things at once if one is an OTA channel. They also update the EPG with your OTA channels where available.
*** Winner: Brian: Answer: PocketDISH 500 and 700 are the 2 models that support the recordLINK feature ***
Questions Again:
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Tim – Do older ARCHOS products work with DISH receivers?
ANSWER: Not with the fast transfer option. DISH installed a separate chip in their models to support their fast transfer and encryption. Then Mark got “waved off” and said you need to have a newer PocketDISH device. Not sure what the final answer was here. Maybe someone else got it.
Tom 1st question – I have a 921, and if I wait until the rebate starts, and want to upgrade to the 622. Do I have to return the 921?
ANSWER: If you want the $200.00 rebate, yes you have to return the 921.
Tom, 2nd question – The 622 is leased, if there are any issues, does he get a replacement?
ANSWER: All receivers have a 1 year warranty, doesn’t matter if it’s leased or owned. If you want longer coverage you need to enroll in a warranty program. Digital Home Protection Plan, for after 1 year. Cost is $5.99 per month. You get reduced price tech visit, free dish mover, and a reduced RMA cost.
Tom, 3rd question – Will his current switches support the 622?
ANSWER: Since he already has a 921, yes all those switches will work.
John 1st question – On the ViP622 is there a monthly recording fee?
ANSWER: Yes, it’s the $5.98 DVR fee
John 2nd question - Do you still need 2 dishes for SD and HD?
ANSWER: Depends, in most cases one will do, but sometimes 2.
John 3rd question - Currently receiving the Chicago SD distants, will he get the Chicago HD distants?
ANSWER: Since they are distants, there are different rules for Digital vs. Analog so not necessarily. If he lived in the Chicago DMA then he would get them.
Lonnie 1st question – Has an 811 with a single coax feeding it. Can he run the ViP622 with a single coax?
ANSWER: Yes, with the upgrade you’ll get a new LNB (Dish Pro Plus) which can feed both tuners with the Dish Pro Plus separator.
Lonnie 2nd Question – Can he upgrade for $299?
ANSWER: Yes at anytime.
Info on the existing HD offers again: Offer is only good for like receivers. 811/6000 -> ViP211. 921/942 -> ViP622. Also, you need to decide which receiver is best for you. DISH is only allowing for one receiver swap out in a given period of time.
That period of time however was not mentioned.
End of Chat
Next Chat is a Charlie Chat, Monday March 13, 2006 9:00 PM EST, Channel 101
Lease Warranty
Owned 942 - keep it or send it back for rebate?
