[phrelin]

So I'm reading about the MPEG4 shift, and finally it dawned no me.

By getting 3 times as many SD channels on each transponder using MPEG4, that would leave a whole bunch of transponders for HD in MPEG4. So if one puts 30 SD channels on one transponder, that would free up two transponders for 10 HD channels. And that's not squeezing the bandwidth.

I was just fiddling with charts when it dawned on me that there's enough room on 110° and 119° for all the current SD plus a whole lot of national HD. Right now all the national HD on 61.5° and 129° could be moved to 110° and 119° if all the boxes were MPEG4 capable.

And since replacing boxes is going to happen slowly anyway, why not speed it up as getting more satellites for more transponders isn't exactly cheap. So it makes good financial sense to trade out MPEG2 only boxes and discontinue MPEG2 service.

Do I have it right? And how much leverage does an owner for two 508's have?:sure:

 

[garys]

So I'm reading about the MPEG4 shift, and finally it dawned no me.

By getting 3 times as many SD channels on each transponder using MPEG4, that would leave a whole bunch of transponders for HD in MPEG4. So if one puts 30 SD channels on one transponder, that would free up two transponders for 10 HD channels. And that's not squeezing the bandwidth.

I was just fiddling with charts when it dawned on me that there's enough room on 110° and 119° for all the current SD plus a whole lot of national HD. Right now all the national HD on 61.5° and 129° could be moved to 110° and 119° if all the boxes were MPEG4 capable.

And since replacing boxes is going to happen slowly anyway, why not speed it up as getting more satellites for more transponders isn't exactly cheap. So it makes good financial sense to trade out MPEG2 only boxes and discontinue MPEG2 service.

Do I have it right? And how much leverage does an owner for two 508's have?:sure:

Right now you don't have any leverage at all. HD mpeg 2 is the first to go and will be gone by this weekend, so those boxes get replaced first. The sd mpeg2 to mpeg4 transition will be starting in what is being termed as the "eastern arc", several of the sd channels have been uplinked but Dish is nowhere near having the entire line up ready. You will have to wait to have your boxes replaced as Dish has not started replacing sd only recievers. Being on the West Coast will probably be lower of the replacement list.

 

[phrelin]

Shucks, I might not live that long. So I guess I'm just going to have to pay the going rate to replace my 508's to have a second 722.

Still, in doing the math I couldn't help but notice that there are 1,300 SD locals on 110° and 119°. I recognize that there are spotbeams, etc., but does anyone know if the bandwidth savings of 30 SD MPEG4 channels where 10 were could apply to the locals?

 

[scooper]

It depends - in some cases you might be able to cover more of a spotbeams DMAs if you had additional channel space available, or maybe improve the PQ (always a good thing IMO) where there aren't any missing DMAs. The biggest payoff for the MPEG4 will be for the national conus beams and AK/HI / Puerto Rico.

 

[jclewter79]

Well, Pherlin let we tell you about my little experience looking to get my 625 changed out 722. I checked online at my Dish'n Up thing at the 722, it said $125. I had noticed that at the current moment D* is running their Sunday Ticket promotion which allows a new customer to receive a FREE HR21. You also get 4 months of their premeire package free, all you have to do is pay for the Sunday Ticket divided up into 4 payments of $74.99 during the first 4 months. I decided as much as I dislike D* this was worth checking into. I called D* and their CSR told me everything that I just told you was the truth. He then asked me for CC and SS#'s to go ahead and schedule the install. I told him that I should speak to my wife first before I schedule an install. He replied that he could go ahead and take off another $15 per month for the first 4 months if I scheduled now. At this point I had really only called D* so that I could let E* know what I was being offered from the other guys but, at that price I figured that if E* did not want to deal I would have to switch. So, I went ahead and scheduled the install, I wanted a Saturday morning so I had to settle for Aug. 9th. I then called E*. When I got a CSR on the phone I told the nice lady that I would like to note my account to be closed at 12am 8-9-08. She asked why I would like to close the account, I told her that I was looking to upgrade to an HDDVR and that they wanted $125 for a 722 and, D* was offering a free one. At this point this I was offered $50 off, I politely declined because frankly as much as I like E*, the D* offer was just simply too good. I was then transfered to a person that could note my account for the shut off. An new lady came on the line who was very nice. She asked me why I wanted to cancel and I explained the whole deal to her VERY nicely and then I added that I really did not want to cancel and that I really loved my E* service. She agreed that the D* deal was a good and then told me that she could offer me the 722 for free, $40 off the 1st,10th, and 20th month of my new 2 yr. contract, all 4 premium movie packages free for 3 months, AND another $10 off per month for one year to cover my HD fee. I must have thanked her 1000 times, and she thanked me for being so nice. (She said that most of the people she talks too are rude and some even call her names!) The point is I though that they might be looking to rid the place of some of the 625's and I do not know if that had anything to do with it but, I do know E* does care about their exsisting good customers. I was so happy that they cared enough to keep me and beleive me, I won't ever call D* again. Well, except for that one last call to cancel my install during which I was offered free superfan to sweeten their deal, I politely declined, and they gave me a conformation # for the cancellation.

 

[KevinRS]

...wow
722 free,
$120 off the bill spread out over the contract,
all movies free 3 months
$120 off over the first year($10 per month)
if I could get just the 722 free and the $10 per month off I'd be calling them right now, but I'm not confident that I'd get them to do it.

 

[jclewter79]

...wow
722 free,
$120 off the bill spread out over the contract,
all movies free 3 months
$120 off over the first year($10 per month)
if I could get just the 722 free and the $10 per month off I'd be calling them right now, but I'm not confident that I'd get them to do it.

I really could not believe it myself, I thought MAYBE I could get the 722 for free, I really did not ask for anything I only told what I was offered. I think the key is to be very NICE, these people get treated very rudely most of the time, I think they really appreciate some respect.

 

[phrelin]

Well, Pherlin let we tell you about my little experience looking to get my 625 changed out 722. I checked online at my Dish'n Up thing at the 722, it said $125. I had noticed that at the current moment D* is running their Sunday Ticket promotion which allows a new customer to receive a FREE HR21. You also get 4 months of their premeire package free, all you have to do is pay for the Sunday Ticket divided up into 4 payments of $74.99 during the first 4 months. I decided as much as I dislike D* this was worth checking into. I called D* and their CSR told me everything that I just told you was the truth. He then asked me for CC and SS#'s to go ahead and schedule the install. I told him that I should speak to my wife first before I schedule an install. He replied that he could go ahead and take off another $15 per month for the first 4 months if I scheduled now. At this point I had really only called D* so that I could let E* know what I was being offered from the other guys but, at that price I figured that if E* did not want to deal I would have to switch. So, I went ahead and scheduled the install, I wanted a Saturday morning so I had to settle for Aug. 9th. I then called E*. When I got a CSR on the phone I told the nice lady that I would like to note my account to be closed at 12am 8-9-08. She asked why I would like to close the account, I told her that I was looking to upgrade to an HDDVR and that they wanted $125 for a 722 and, D* was offering a free one. At this point this I was offered $50 off, I politely declined because frankly as much as I like E*, the D* offer was just simply too good. I was then transfered to a person that could note my account for the shut off. An new lady came on the line who was very nice. She asked me why I wanted to cancel and I explained the whole deal to her VERY nicely and then I added that I really did not want to cancel and that I really loved my E* service. She agreed that the D* deal was a good and then told me that she could offer me the 722 for free, $40 off the 1st,10th, and 20th month of my new 2 yr. contract, all 4 premium movie packages free for 3 months, AND another $10 off per month for one year to cover my HD fee. I must have thanked her 1000 times, and she thanked me for being so nice. (She said that most of the people she talks too are rude and some even call her names!) The point is I though that they might be looking to rid the place of some of the 625's and I do not know if that had anything to do with it but, I do know E* does care about their exsisting good customers. I was so happy that they cared enough to keep me and beleive me, I won't ever call D* again. Well, except for that one last call to cancel my install during which I was offered free superfan to sweeten their deal, I politely declined, and they gave me a conformation # for the cancellation.

Hmmmmm. I'll have to ask them. What could it hurt?