Satellites’ Blu-ray Clarity Claims May Be Dubious

[plee]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Dish Network is in the process of forcing customers with MPEG2-based HD receivers to upgrade to ViP series receivers compatible with MPEG-4.

E* has sent out notices to the customers that they must upgrade their receivers. The deadline was August 1. Now E* is slowly moving MPEG-2 based HD channels into "hidden" areas on the satellite. Customers who are waiting for an installer to deliver a new MPEG-4 based receiver can get those MPEG-2 HD channels turned back on. Over the next month or so, all the MPEG-2 HD channels are going to disappear. Then the MPEG-2 SD channels will follow suit.

The switch over to MPEG4 for the SD channels will take a LONG time, if ever, as there are many, many new receivers to get out. Plus, E* has been trying to find a buyer (sucker) so they can make this expensive switch-over.

[Bobby Henderson]

Originally Posted by AliceT

The problem with satellite is they keep adding more channels, but not increasing their bandwidth.

Actually that's not true. Both D* and E* have been launching more satellites into orbit as well as replacing older "birds" with newer, more powerful models.

The transition from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 will save a lot of bandwidth and allow satellite service providers to add more channels and improve image quality.

Originally Posted by plee

The switch over to MPEG4 for the SD channels will take a LONG time, if ever, as there are many, many new receivers to get out. Plus, E* has been trying to find a buyer (sucker) so they can make this expensive switch-over.

You're assuming two things, 1.: that most viewers will stay with SD forever and 2.: that E* is footing the bill to replace those receivers. Neither is really true.

E* is set to do the final elimination of all MPEG-2 HD channels. That may happen later this evening. Right now all of those channels are hidden in the guide and visible only to customers who called in to customer support and were in line to get a MPEG-4 capable ViP series receiver.

Any new E* customers will only be able to get a MPEG-4 capable receiver. New "Eastern Arc" satellite coverage is entirely MPEG-4 based.

People who own or lease certain previously released DVR models from E* have to exchange them due to rulings in the TiVO vs. Echostar case. Those DVR/receiver exchanges will further increase the conversion to MPEG-4 receivers.

I believe it will be sooner rather than later that E* customers with MPEG2-only SD receivers will be in a small minority of the E* customer base. When that specific user base gets small enough in number E* will have no problem eliminating lots of MPEG-2 SD channels from various satellites.