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Dish Network Will Broadcast in 1080p, Streaming Blu-ray Quality Video Now Possible (But Unlikely)
Dish Network is upgrading their boxes' firmware to display 1080p resolution. Given the lack of 1080p network source material, the existing 720p/1080i compressed HD signals, and the fact that there's no standard limiting the compression quality--1080p can be compressed to crap like any other picture--it's tough to believe this is going to be really useful for consumers. But maybe we are mistaken, because the company actually thinks that their 1080p quality is on par with Blu-ray discs:
Starting August 1, the recent blockbuster "I Am Legend" starring Will Smith will be available in Blu-ray™ disc quality 1080p resolution, only on DISH Network's VOD service, DISH On Demand, at a discounted price.
Yes. Dish Network is actually promising I Am Legend in "Blu-ray™ disc quality 1080p resolution" over Video on Demand. Presumably streamed in real time, it would be a technological feat even if not part of normal programming. And while we bet Dish will make the image look as good as possible under the pressure to show off, whether or not it's truly as stunning as a Blu-ray disc or meets some minimum 1080p prerequisite is yet to be seen.
In other news, Dish Network is soldiering on with their promise of 150 HD channels by the end of the year, and tomorrow will add 17 must-see HDTV channels including Lifetime Movie Network HD and Starz Edge HD. Read the presser for all the details. [Dish]
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - July 31, 2008 - DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) today set the bar for the next-generation HD standard by becoming the first in the pay-TV industry to offer high definition programming in 1080p, the highest and best HD resolution available.
This new functionality is part of DISH Network's latest and unprecedented expansion in HD services, which includes the rollout of TurboHD, the industry's first 100 percent, all-HD suite of programming packages. As previously announced, DISH Network will also launch 17 more national HD channels tomorrow, surpassing its goal of reaching 100 national HD channels five months ahead of schedule. DISH Network now plans to nearly double its national HD channel count in less than one year and offer up to 150 national HD channels by the end of 2008, made possible by the recent launch of Echo XI, the most powerful satellite in the company's fleet.
"Over the years, DISH Network has maintained a very competitive HD offering in the marketplace, providing customers with a premium HD product including the best technology, signal and experience - at the best value - that no other pay-TV provider can come close to matching," said Charlie Ergen, Chairman, CEO and President of DISH Network. "Our latest system upgrade coupled with the introduction of TurboHD further strengthens our position as the leader in digital television and high definition television, platforms we look forward to enhancing even more with mobile and portable options."
DISH Network's new HD services are supported by a proprietary "turbo-charged" system upgrade that, starting August 1, is being rolled out to all MPEG-4 HD and HD DVR receivers. The upgrade activates a unique feature of the set-top boxes, improving the current standard of HD delivery used by pay-TV providers such as the ability to output 1080p programming. By early August, all DISH Network customers with MPEG-4 HD and HD DVR receivers will have the only set-top boxes in the nation enabled to display 1080p content, allowing them to maximize the full potential of their 1080p-compatible HDTV sets.
To celebrate this new era in the HD viewing experience, DISH Network is offering subscribers a special deal in August to enjoy the unparalleled picture and sound of 1080p HD programming. Starting August 1, the recent blockbuster "I Am Legend" starring Will Smith will be available in Blu-ray™ disc quality 1080p resolution, only on DISH Network's VOD service, DISH On Demand, at a discounted price. Subscribers may order the movie on DISH Network Channel 501. This marks the first time in history a pay-TV provider offers movies in 1080p, the highest resolution format available for HD video enthusiasts.
Consumers can sign up for the best HD programming and service in the industry with DISH Network's new TurboHD programming packages, the only all-HD packages on the market, starting at $24.99 per month. TurboHD is available in three separate tiers and includes DISH Network's award-winning and industry-leading HD technology, advanced equipment enabled to display 1080p programming, and the most-watched HD channels that may be viewed on any TV - analogue, digital or HD.
Current DISH Network customers with MPEG-4 HD and HD DVR receivers are being automatically upgraded and will have their systems "turbo-charged" by early August with all the features and benefits of TurboHD. DISH Network customers looking to add the industry's best HD experience can get a "turbo-charged" HD package for as little as $10 more per month.
The latest national HD channels added to DISH Network's programming line-up are: ActionMax HD (DISH Network Ch. 313), CBS College Sports HD (Ch. 152), Lifetime HD (Ch. 108), Lifetime Movie Network HD (Ch. 109), Planet Green HD (Ch. 194), Encore HD (Ch. 340), HBO 2 HD (Ch. 301), HBO Comedy HD (Ch. 307), HBO Family HD (Ch. 305), HBO Latino HD (Ch. 309), HBO Signature HD (Ch. 302), HBO West HD (Ch. 303), HBO Zone HD (Ch. 308), Starz Comedy HD (Ch. 354), Starz Edge HD (Ch. 352), Starz Kids & Family HD (Ch. 356), Starz West HD (Ch. 351).
For more information about DISH Network's 1080p programming, new HD channels and TurboHD system and packages, visit www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Al
Posted August 1, 2008 3:25 PM
dishnetworks has always lied, they dropped their only great 1080i HD Voom HD! After they did that their HD quality went way down with lower quality clarity. What good is HD if the content is not great? dishnetworks needs to get a clue and bring back Voom HD!
Buzz
Posted August 10, 2008 7:04 PM
Everything following is true and as flame down as I can get it. I'm honestly upset and angry, and here is why..
Not only did Dish Network kill Voom HD, they did it right in the middle of a movie--Wham! I called Voom and found they were in a dispute with Dish Network. The CEO of Dish Network took it out on us customers--He didn't give a damn that we had paid to see these channels. The quality and definition was awesome. It's gone the way of the dodo.
So, now we have 100+ more HD channels jammed into the existing bandwidth. Did they launch any more birds? No? Oh, yeah, We get "Turbo HD"-->Compression! That means jpeg errors and artifacts. Watch a high action film in HD on HBO--it makes the already bad action film "hurky-jerk" camera technique almost unwatchable. I wouldn't be surprised if 5.1 was next to go.
Oh, but somewhere, Dish Network found room for the new picture perfect 1080p payola channels--at the expense of existing HD bandwith, of course. Some tradeoff. I pay the same for less and have the opportunity to pay more for what I used to have.
My Dish Network bill is over $120.00 a month. Since I have seen no customer consideration in management decisions, stable data says that my service will degenerate at every opportunity.
Screw that. There is an alternative.
I'm going to get a blue-ray DVD player, go with NetFlix, and trim a lot of fat from Dish Network's monthly bill. Shoot 'em in the bread basket.
Dish Network is truly an "Ugly American" company, ranking right up there with Big Oil. Capitalism at it's worst. Screw 'em till they squeak would be their mission. Then screw 'em some more.
Just my .02 worth.
Cheers,
Buzz.
Don
Posted August 19, 2008 3:05 PM
OK... since the alleged upgrade I have yet to watch any content in 1080p. My receiver is on the list of receivers that says it's capable and that VOD is 1080p and my TV is 1080p capable. However, after watching a couple of VOD movies and checking the signal, neither were being broadcast in 1080p.
If it's not 1080p then how can Dish get away with saying they have 1080p resolution?
d-
jwardell
Posted 2:13 AM 1/8/08
@PDSM: The quality is noticeably worse than FIOS a dish recompresses the signals. Search for bitrate differences to see proof of how much various companies recompress HD channels.
jwardell
PDSM
Posted 2:04 AM 1/8/08
How does this compare to FIOS ? Who has the best picture quality ?
PDSM
Jitty
Posted 2:53 AM 1/8/08
I am legend is a pretty good quality blu-ray. I seriously doubt this broadcast will be nearly the same quality.
Jitty
Xenocide
Posted 2:50 AM 1/8/08
I wonder if they will be sending the loss less 7.1 surround sound as well. Some how I doubt it.
Xenocide
tulanejosh
Posted 2:41 AM 1/8/08
Fios is great. but its is not available for the vast majority of this country, and wont be for a long long time. Dish/Directv - they are doing what they can with what they have. And that's kinda just going to have to be good enough for now.
tulanejosh
Canoehead
Posted 2:39 AM 1/8/08
Honestly, you can compress a Blu Ray 1080P video to about 60% of its original size and it will still look pretty good (at least I think so played via a PS3 on a 46" LCD TV). One might notice some blur on rapid panning or big movement, but it is still a lot better than broadcast TV (1080i / MPEG-2).
Canoehead
Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!
Posted 2:33 AM 1/8/08
Looks just like my cable repairman. Gun and all.
Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!
William Hook
Posted 3:19 AM 1/8/08
@Shikestarr: Most likely yes. 1080p video at 128kbps, and 7.1 channel audio at 64kbps (not per channel....64kbps for the whole 8 channels).
:D
William Hook
yelraf
Posted 3:14 AM 1/8/08
I lose DISH signal during extremely heavy rainstorms. And by extremely heavy, I mean that it's raining so hard that TV is the least of my worries. Seriously, it has to be a veritable "frog-strangler" before I lose signal.
yelraf
OMG! Ponies!
Posted 3:10 AM 1/8/08
@92BuickLeSabre: This is why I like this guy. He gives me relevant information in a succinct manner.
1080p quality is moot if I have no picture.
OMG! Ponies!
92BuickLeSabre
Posted 3:07 AM 1/8/08
@OMG! Ponies!: I used to have it with the dish on the roof of a Brownstone in Brooklyn. And if by suffer you mean, no image at all, then yes, it suffered during inclement weather. Often.
So it certainly was a problem, but this was a few years ago. If it is no longer a problem, then there has been some kind of upgrade to the system.
92BuickLeSabre
Shikestarr
Posted 3:04 AM 1/8/08
Hope they don't mean "Blu-Ray Quality" the same way MP3 is called "CD Quality."
Shikestarr
OMG! Ponies!
Posted 3:01 AM 1/8/08
I need FUD correction:
Does Dish (or DirectTV) reception suffer during inclement weather?
OMG! Ponies!
rcme
Posted 3:43 AM 1/8/08
@William Hook: Ha. Right, let me know when they are streaming 1080p movies with a 10Mbps bitrate and I would think about it (still this would be like 1/3 the quality of real Blu-ray).
Likely this will end up being just more craptastic downloads at less than 1Mbps bitrate encoding, just at 1080p resolution.
rcme
lilaliendog
Posted 3:25 AM 1/8/08
I actually hope they do this so people can record it on their tivo like devices and compare it to a screen shot of the bluray version. Would make subscribers aware of the lies they are being fed. I would argue that the 1080i version over dish would be much better in quality considering the bandwidth requirements for 1080p.
lilaliendog
robinandtami
Posted 3:25 AM 1/8/08
@yelraf: I can top that. I was watching DirecTV during hurricane Ivan until about 1AM. The winds at that point were about 90MPH with gusts WELL over 100MPH. Power had been out for three or four hours by that point, but DirecTV was still hanging in (on generator power of course.) It did not last quite as long during Katrina. That was a much "wetter" storm, but DirecTV still out lasted the power by a couple of hours.
robinandtami
avconsumer2
Posted 4:05 AM 1/8/08
Lifetime HD!!! YAY!!! Now to find the time to watch it when I'm not watching the Fishing HD channel (that doesn't appear to have ANY HD content)!!!
:\
phail Dish - phail
avconsumer2
JonnyO
Posted 4:05 AM 1/8/08
The 1080p broadcast doesn't have to be spot-on with Blu-ray because only the likes of Giz readers will notice or care. It's catering to the same people who think they see the difference between 1080i and 1080p at 15 feet away. Just the fact that they can claim it will be good enough. Hell, make it 2160p or NHK Hi-Vision with feel-around!
I'm bitter. After moving two months ago I was forced to switch from Dish Network to Comcast. I've missed my dish ever since, even with a 750Gb TiVo HD.
JonnyO
mercutio879
Posted 3:59 AM 1/8/08
I doubt it will make things look a whole lot better, but I'll see if it's in my 722 later. I've been told that 1080p vs 1080i is moot on my 40" Bravia.
As for inclement weather, it really depends on the competency of your installer, and how much he wanted to spend time on your roof. My dad (pro installer) installed mine and it has to be dark as night with the gutters over flowing for my dish to cut out.
mercutio879
dhaberer
Posted 3:55 AM 1/8/08
Oh how good it is to be a Dish Customer. To answer some of the previous questions:
Yes weather can cause issues with your reception. This mostly depends on how well you have the dish aimed though and where you are in the country. With the introduction of yet another satellite, it will probably be even better. The more south you are the better signal you will get. I currently get a 100+ signal from three satellites and only use reception in the worst of storms (ie hurricanes).
FIOS does have a slightly better picture but their hardware/software sucks. I'm not saying it always will but they are years behind Dish in this area. I can't stand navigating through my parents system. I do have a FIOS internet connection (20/5) but won't leave dish until verizon can give me a total all around better experience for less or equal $$$. With the 1080p, dish may get the edge on fios on the quality; we'll just have to wait and see.
dhaberer
iam.gmo
Posted 3:53 AM 1/8/08
The satellite network with most subscribers in [all of] America is Mexico.
The current signal quality is 480p.
Could you good people at dish give them a call and give them a little technological lesson?
Heck, it turns out it is better for me to view downloaded shows over the PS3 than the cable they offer!
iam.gmo
Jon!
Posted 3:49 AM 1/8/08
Come-on Time Warner, 1080p for my DVR, DOOO-ITTTT!!!
Jon!
redman042
Posted 4:14 AM 1/8/08
Reality check here... Dish says '"I Am Legend" starring Will Smith will be available in Blu-ray™ disc quality 1080p resolution'. All this is saying is that ONE movie will be broadcast at the same resolution as Blu Ray uses: 1080p. It does NOT say it will match Blu Ray quality in general, just the resolution. The bit rate is a big open question. It also does not say how much other content will be broadcast this way. Certainly they can't do a lot of movies at once at a decent bitrate without eating up a lot of satellite bandwidth.
So don't expect too much. Certainly Dish's new focus on image quality, even if it's mostly hype, is a good thing. And I'm sure we'll see some improvement. But not to the degree implied, not nearly.
redman042
axiomatic
Posted 4:54 AM 1/8/08
I sure with the FCC would force these companies to deliver a true HD signal or force them to charge less for the "close to HD" signal. As it stand right now it is FALSE ADVERTISING to call these signals "HD".
axiomatic
WizardlyLou
Posted 4:47 AM 1/8/08
I have Dish... question is... does anyone use Free-to-Air boxes? I have a few... they work great. Anyone care to share their experiences? I would assume a tech site like this would know a lot about the free-to-air culture on the internet, especially regarding Dish Network.
WizardlyLou
timaeus
Posted 5:00 AM 1/8/08
@WizardlyLou: I've been curious about Free to Air for a long time now. What are your experiences with it? Is it hard to install? Can you use Tivo or a DVR with it? What sort of timers/program guides are available? How about the porn? Thanks for any info.
timaeus
tulanejosh
Posted 6:27 AM 1/8/08
I have to agree with some of the above statement regarding satellite signal and inclement weather - in my experience it has been largely a misrepresentation by the cable companies. I dont lose it often, and when I do, im not watching TV, I'm hiding in the middle of my house praying that a tornado doesn't kill me. Very rarely lose it, and only in the worst of weather. I have more problems with the power flickering and having to reset the box every 5 minutes as a result than i do with signal loss. I am on Directv, so its sounds like my experience is similar to Dish customers.
tulanejosh
PridgNYC
Posted 6:54 AM 1/8/08
Your average rain shower won't interfere too much, maybe a little pixelation. But a large thunderhead on line of sight between your antenna and the satellite will completely kill the reception. It doesn't even have to be raining where you are.
PridgNYC
racermd
Posted 7:16 AM 1/8/08
It it's anything like DirecTV's offering, the VOD service isn't necessarily streamed in real-time (though that is possible).
The VOD content DirecTV offers is downloaded over an internet connection and stored on a DVR.
As a result, the quality can be significantly higher than the content being delivered over the dish or antenna. After all, they have time to optimize the encoding as well as removing the bit-rate restrictions that normally hinder live streaming.
That being said, I'm still skeptical about the quality as I'm relying on someone else's notion of 'best'.
racermd
titolajko
Posted 3:26 AM 1/8/08
Let's face it. Who cares about 1080p. Can you actually see the 1080p picture. Give me a break. Unless you have a 65" or bigger screen, who cares. I am the biggest audio and videophile and can tell you that people are excited about something they can't even see. I have a 720p that does 1080i and I can't tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p if they are sitting side by side. If you want to see the sharpest,clearest and the most engaging picture, meaning it sucks you in, then go to your local Best Buys and watch a movie on blu-ray running on 120hz samsung or sony and be amazed and what 120hz does to the picture. It will make you stop, look and listen. Everything else, 720p, 1080i and 1080p is a gimmick. Reply if you think I am wrong.
titolajko
REIFEL
Posted 3:03 AM 1/8/08
@OMG! Ponies!:
yes it does. thats why i have cable. bad weather= no problem
REIFEL
BanMeAgainBrianLam
Posted 2:13 AM 1/8/08
"In fact, they think that their 1080p quality is on par with Blu-ray discs."
This must be a quote from their marketing team that just got poked in the eye
BanMeAgainBrianLam
elegantelliot
Posted 10:38 AM 1/8/08
i had a dish at my last house and i'm glad to be back to cable. it didn't go out that often but when you're stuck inside on a rainy day the last thing you want is to stare at "searching for signal".
and all this false advertising about hd could really help optical media to hold on longer. if cable and satellite burn customers now they'll have a hard time getting them back when they do have real hd capability.
elegantelliot
robinandtami
Posted 11:11 AM 1/8/08
@elegantelliot: You just had a bad install. I think that is also the problem with the bad rep satellite has. Not every tech will take the time to place the dish in the optimal location, if there is a passable location that is easier to get to. These guys get paid by the job, not the hour.
If you get the dish in an optimal location, you'd be AMAZED at the difference. At my house, I lose signal in a good sized thunderboom. Yet I've watched satellite at my mother's house through two hurricanes when the wind was gusting over 100MPH.
robinandtami
eFish
Posted 2:23 AM 2/8/08
Total BS... from their site...
Resolution formats. Resolutions may be 480, 720 or 1080 vertical progressive lines of resolution or 480 and 1080 interlaced lines of resolution. Our receivers do not support 1080p. Instead, use 720p for fast action, or 1080i for other programming.
eFish
WizardlyLou
Posted 2:56 AM 2/8/08
@ timaeus: I've been using the FTA boxes for about two years now... They are certainly above average... depending on what box you get, the guides differ, but all are similar to what DisNet boxes offer, albeit not as fluid and nice, but they function well. Depending on your dish setup, you may lose a couple of channels here and there, but for the most part I get it all, yes porn too... maybe 2 or 3 channels of it i dont get lol... either way, i've never had a problem... i dont do installations... but if you find various forums on the web and sign up, they are more hen helpful as to what you need and such... In my opinion, if you have Dishnetwork, you'd be foolish not to at least TRY ONE box for ONE room that you generally dont watch tv or such... Some boxes ARE PVR ready... basically you'd need a external drive to make it work... I dont have one, and again depnding on what box you get, testers and programmers will generally tell you if pvr functions are still in beta testing for some boxes...
WizardlyLou
s8ist
Posted 1:53 AM 5/8/08
1080p sounds nice, but won't "I Am Legend" still be a terrible movie anyway?
1080p compressed... if x264's look 'HD', meaning (at this point) better than DVD quality, then compressing a BD can produce favorable results as long as it's done right. I used to be anti-recompression, citing that physical media will have to be the next logical step given the quality reduction involved. Now I am sure people will adopt 'near-HD' in larger numbers to the point where the compression technology will simply have to improve and (on the Internet side of things) pipes will get wider simultaneously.
Consider this also: HD DVR's and streaming video-enabled boxes (360, PS3) are actually a lot more like the VHS in the analogy of VHS versus Beta. They're more accessible on the recording/storing end, and despite their lower quality in comparison to BD, customers have adopted it in much larger numbers. With upgradeable firmware/software and more efficient codecs we could see some improvements in this quality fairly soon. Physical media isn't dead, but it doesn't sound as stupid anymore to predict that it might be closer than we thought.
s8ist