Satellite vs. Blu-ray: DISHing up 1080p (review link)

[HDTV1080P]

This is an interesting article to read. BLU-RAY still has a better picture and sound quality compared to satellite since the bit rate is higher for BLU-RAY. Also no rain fade with BLU-RAY that can messup VOD downloads.

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/features/3006/satellite-vs-blu-ray-dishing-up-1080p-apples-to-apples-page2.html

Quotes
"But ferreting out differences is my gig, so I moved closer. From the way-too-intimate viewing distance of about 4 feet, I started to notice a subtle graininess in the DISH 1080p picture, especially in scenes of slow, steady motion. I could see the difference mainly in fairly static shots (of which Speed Racer has few), especially during close-ups, when actors spoke for at least 10 seconds (again, a rarity in Speed Racer )
Of course, different movies will yield different results, but the fact that there wasn't a substantial difference in picture quality between the satellite and the disc bodes well for DISH's new service."

"For now, at least, the DISH 1080p service offers only regular Dolby Digital 5.1. The company won't comment on whether or not it plans to upgrade to the lossless 7.1-channel DTS-HD Master Audio or Dolby TrueHD found on many Blu-ray discs.
As it turns out, it doesn't really matter that I couldn't compare the soundtracks of the DISH 1080p Speed Racer with the Blu-ray version, because (I later learned) the Blu-ray has only a standard Dolby Digital soundtrack. My past comparisons of the lossless formats with regular Dolby Digital have shown in most cases a subtle improvement that would probably be appreciated only by audio enthusiasts with high-quality sound systems."

"Obviously, one 1080p movie per month won't persuade an informed buyer to choose DISH Network, though it may snare those consumers who'll buy anything that boasts a big number in the ad (as in, most consumers). It's unclear how devoted DISH will be to 1080p; company spokesperson Francie Bauer would say only that adding more 1080p content is "a top priority."