[James Long]

Charlie Chat Summary - December 11th, 2006​

Charlie Chat Hosted by
DISH Network Founder, Chairman and CEO, Charlie Ergen and
Co-founder Jim DeFranco, Senior Executive Vice President.

Eric Sahl on location with "Pinks" from Speed Channel at the Firebird International Raceway, Phoenix

DISTANT NETWORK CHANNELS
As of December 1st we no longer broadcast the NY and LA channels to customers who live outside of the NY and LA markets.
Look for updates on channels 240 and 250 if you are affected.
Locals in 174 markets - 96% of US Population Local in Local programming.
Local channels, core channels and premiums are unaffected.
Superstations are unaffected.

Recent Local Markets - SD
Sept 21st - Midland-Odessa, TX and Rochester, MN
Oct 12th - Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX (no ABC due to local broadcaster)
Nov 2nd - Palm Springs, CA
Nov 23rd - Dothan, AL (no NBC in market)
Nov 30th - Bangor, ME
Nov 30th - Butte-Bozeman, MT
Free Preview until January

HD Markets - now 28
No extra charge for HD channels (where available)
Dec 7th - Raleigh, NC (ABC/NBC only) 1000+ required
Dec 14th - Pittsburgh, PA (all four) 1000+ required
Early 2007 - Charlotte, NC (all four) 1000+ required

Tyra Banks - Happy Holidays!
Win VIP tickets to her show - including airfare and hotel.
Weeknights 11PM/10C and 12AM/11C on 127 Oxygen

(Later in the show - Nintendo wii gamer's package)

Programming Updates with Eric Sahl
NFL Network - 154 SD / 9426 HD in AT60/DishHD Bronze and higher
HD Preview on channel 287 this month
Exclusive: Six regular season games and two bowls - Texas Bowl and Insight Bowl

ReelzChannel - Channel 299

PPV Comedy Channel 530 - $3.99 per movie

Holiday Music from Sirius (AT120/Silver or higher)
6002, 6062, 6086
Holiday Music on 982 (all customers)

Ultimate Fight Championship - Dec 30th - $39.95
Channel 455/472

WWE Road to Wreslemania 23 - $99.00
http://www.dishnetwork.com/wrestling
Available to order Dec 20th

PINKS - Drag race for pink slips
Season 4 starts February, 2007
Wed @ 9:30pm ET on Speed (Channel 150)
Guest: Rich Christensen of "Pinks!"

Guest: Kevin Pereira co-host "Attack of the Show/G4 Network"
Live hour show on technology. 9pm Weeknights on Channel 191.
Top five gifts:
5) Forever Flashlight - $24.99-$34.99
Shake for 30 seconds to get 30 minutes of light.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/
4) T-Shirt - Graphical EQ built in - $19.95
http://www.paramountzone.com/
3) PocketDISH - AV700E - $399
http://www.pocketdish.com/
2) Nintendo wii - $250-$350
http://www.nintendo.com/
1) Vizio TV - 42" LCD HDTV - $999
http://www.vinc.us/

Giveaway - wii Gamer's Pack and a PocketDish AV700E

Mayor Bill Merrit of Dish Texas - Holiday Greeting

Charlie's Christmas memories ... gag gifts.
Jim's Christmas memories ... burning down the house.

Holiday Story email from customer "Charles"
Family tradition - gather the fixings for dinner then leave for the needy.
Knock on the door and run! never taking credit for the giving.

QUESTIONS! (at the 43 minute mark!)
Q: Email from Wilson - When will the Hallmark Movie Channel be added?
A: Only available in our family pack. We need to talk about that with Hallmark.

Q: Call from Scott - Music on Hold

Q: Email from Steven - Lost distant networks, local antenna doesn't work.
A: Four choices: (really five)
1) Local Channels on Satellite
2) Off Air Antenna
3) DirecTV or lifeline Cable
4) New company - "All American Direct" (Slide shown)
http://www.mydistantnetworks.com/ or call 1-800-909-9677 to see if you qualify.

Q: Call from Oscar - Fairbanks viewer, can't get 129° HD.
A: Spotbeams for Alaska to carry Anchorage. Fairbanks from 148° prior to June 2007.
Hawaii is similar - special HD packages for Alaska and Hawaii. (Locals per the new law.)

Q: Call from Wes - Kevin (G4 guy), Favorite game for the wii?
A: wii sports comes with the unit, also Trama Center (allows you to operate on people) and Zelda.

wii winner: Steve Epler of Haleyville, AL (customer since August 6, 2001)

Q: Email from Danielle - Free preview channels?
A: Neighborhood just below channel 300 - resuffled about monthly. Channel 290 area.
Not available to Family Pack subscribers (and other non AT subscribers).

Q: Call from David - ViP-622 DVR enhanced PIP split screen.
A: (Jan Johnson - GM Product Communications) "Not quite yet but it is coming soon."

Q: Email from Vanessa - Password protect on PPV and forgot the password?
A: Call an agent and we can unlock your receiver.

Q: Email from Randy - How do you use a PPV coupon without paper bill?
A: Just mail the coupon to the address on the back of the coupon in a normal envelope.

Q: Email from Daniel - Free updates for outdated equipment?
A: We would like to make a profit. We give you good deals - call us.

Trip Winner: Rey Saban of Pittsburgh, PA (customer since November 3, 2005)

Next Tech Forum: February 12, 2006 - 9pm ET
(No January Chat mentioned)

More information on Charlie Chats and Tech Forums available here on the DishNetwork Website.
Expected Rebroadcast Times (on Channels 101, 490 and 580):
Thursday, December 14th, 9pm ET
Saturday, December 16th, 5am
Sunday, December 17th, 5am & 7pm
Monday, December 18th, 9pm
Thursday, December 21st, 9pm ET
Saturday, December 23rd, 5am
Sunday, December 24th, 5am & 7pm
Monday, December 25th, 9pm
Thursday, December 28th, 9pm ET

 

[ebaltz]

So basically they announced...nothing.

 

[whatchel1]

less than nothing

 

[James Long]

Not entirely nothing ...

HD Markets - now 28
No extra charge for HD channels (where available)
Dec 7th - Raleigh, NC (ABC/NBC only) 1000+ required
Dec 14th - Pittsburgh, PA (all four) 1000+ required
Early 2007 - Charlotte, NC (all four) 1000+ required

 

[TheRatPatrol]

Q: Call from David - ViP-622 DVR enhanced PIP split screen.
A: (Jan Johnson - GM Product Communications) "Not quite yet but it is coming soon."

Wish D* had this on their units.

 

[Dave1997]

YES!!!!! on the Pittsburgh HD Locals

 

[gjh3260]

no mention on HD RSN's and when they MIGHT be available :nono2:

 

[lifterguy]

Does anyone know which satellite will be used for the Pittsburgh HD channels? I currently have a VIP622 with Dish 500 and a second dish pointed at 61.5. The chat transcript says it will require a Dish 1000+. Does that mean Dish will have to come out and install new hardware before I can get HD locals?

 

[Darkman]

I didn't watch the Chat yet.. - What was the duration of the Chat?

 

[SummitAdvantageRetailer]

Does anyone know which satellite will be used for the Pittsburgh HD channels? I currently have a VIP622 with Dish 500 and a second dish pointed at 61.5. The chat transcript says it will require a Dish 1000+. Does that mean Dish will have to come out and install new hardware before I can get HD locals?

Yes, sir. I think you'll have to give up 61.5, too, since there isn't a way to combine 5 satellite orbital locations YET.

 

[James Long]

I didn't watch the Chat yet.. - What was the duration of the Chat?

One hour.

Yes, sir. I think you'll have to give up 61.5, too, since there isn't a way to combine 5 satellite orbital locations YET.

You can have a 500+ (a 1000+ without the 129° LNB) and 61.5° - four locations - if 61.5° is better than 129° at your location.

 

[DanB474]

"We will have RSN's in HD very, very soon" (Charlie Ergen, sometime this last summer)

 

[army1]

less than nothing

you got it, same o, same o

 

[gjh3260]

"We will have RSN's in HD very, very soon" (Charlie Ergen, sometime this last summer)

Dish definition:

soon = when he** freezes over (no hockey pun intended)

 

[veeper2006]

Dish definition:

soon = when he** freezes over (no hockey pun intended)

It is understandable to get frustrated at Charlie but we must remember this is a complex technology. I guess what might help would be for Charlie to set some goals and announce them. Personally I would love to see him implement native pass-through with the 622. This has been talked about previously and shouldn't be that hard a software fix.

Problem is Charlie shoots himself in the foot everytime he says "coming soon". Charlie if I can offer some advice --- give us a range of when certain tasks are projected to be accomplished. At least give us an idea or timeline range. The thing of it is -- Charlie can still tag the programmers on most of these timelines -- if they screw up -- blame it on them -- but at least the consumer has hope of fixes to come.

Sorry Charlie, my advice is free though -- take it or leave it.

 

[AllieVi]

James,

Thanks for doing the work to create the post. I liked its concise nature.

 

[ebaltz]

My guess is that they had hoped to be able to announce RSNs in HD and some updates to the 622. But neither of these came true and they didn't want to cancel the chat, so they were left with nothing to really say. since the deadline passed, now I think we won't see any of it until before the next chat a couple of months from now. Anyone want to take bets on that?

And there were betas of NBR for the 500s months ago, but still nothing released yet? Don't get that either. I think it was last May (that is 2005 May) when Charlie said he thought that would be out "soon".

 

[James Long]

Without getting theological, there are some mysteries in life. We don't always know why things happen or don't happen. Is the man in charge trying his best to make our life easy or does he really care? The closer you get to Charlie the closer you come to the answer. You will find that he isn't the all powerful controller of the company able to make anything happen at a click of his fingers. He is just the public face of a company that is facing a lot of challenges.

I believe he has a sincere desire to have his company do what he said they would do. What exactly the problems are that are holding things back are a good question - but not one I expect an answer for until a release comes. It is easier to say "here you go, that took longer than expected" than to answer every month to an audience that is less than forgiving.

Where are the things we desire? The upgrades that have been hinted at or promised? Coming soon. When? It is a mystery.

 

[UTFAN]

Without getting theological, there are some mysteries in life. We don't always know why things happen or don't happen. Is the man in charge trying his best to make our life easy or does he really care? The closer you get to Charlie the closer you come to the answer. You will find that he isn't the all powerful controller of the company able to make anything happen at a click of his fingers. He is just the public face of a company that is facing a lot of challenges.

I believe he has a sincere desire to have his company do what he said they would do. What exactly the problems are that are holding things back are a good question - but not one I expect an answer for until a release comes. It is easier to say "here you go, that took longer than expected" than to answer every month to an audience that is less than forgiving.

Where are the things we desire? The upgrades that have been hinted at or promised? Coming soon. When? It is a mystery.

NOTHING happens, or doesn't happen without Mr. Ergen's blessings. He has absolute operating authority of the company, because he is the absoulte majority holder of voting shares.

Yes, he's the face. He's also the boss. Big time. Whether that's good or bad, is your perception.

 

[Jim Parker]

Q: Call from Oscar - Fairbanks viewer, can't get 129° HD.
A: Spotbeams for Alaska to carry Anchorage. Fairbanks from 148° prior to June 2007.
Hawaii is similar - special HD packages for Alaska and Hawaii. (Locals per the new law.)

I missed the chat. Does this mean that our locals and the HD package will be on 148 and the rest of the channels on 110 & 119? We need 3 dishes when this happens?

Is the "special HD package" the same one that is up now (Showtime, HBO, ESPN, HDNet Movies, HDNet, Discovery and THT for the 921/942 plus Universal for the 622) or will we get more channels?

Jim