DirecTV and Dish Network Landscape

Near as I can glean, here are the two companies' present
situations and strategies:

- DirecTV is launching two satellites this year to add HD capacity
including locals, HD sports (they're multiplexed and spot beamed now on
a few channels in the 95/96/97/98 range), and new national network
services (e.g., CNN). HD receivers will continue to be leased, with a
commitment, and an up front charge. That's all been stated, time frame
summer. DirecTV has stated plans for new HD national channel
availability, that few of the national channels themselves have
committed to.

- Dish is now supplying 622 HD PVRs at no charge, given a minimum level
of service. Dish' HD receivers won't output "native" resolution where
DirecTV's HD receivers can. Dish' current capacity edge is being used
to supply HD locals, where they have a significant advantage. Even
though I see HD sports channels on the Echostar Knowledge Base channel
chart from satellite 129, none of them come in or can be tuned directly.
Dish said they're not available and can't/won't say when they will be
available. They also won't say what new HD services will be available
and when.

Questions I have are these:

- Is DirecTV blowing wind on what they will have and when?
- Is DirecTV on schedule for their plans?

- Is Dish being coy about what they will have and when?

- Where is the rest of Dish' satellite capacity going, even assuming
the consolidation into 4 - 6 satellites in the central 105 - 129 range
comply with the "one satellite dish" mandate?

- Why isn't Dish' current capacity advantage being leveraged to supply
additional HD content that DirecTV currently can't, and gain a
competitive advantage?

- Why won't Dish supply HD sports to customers of the regional sports
networks and out-of-market sports packages, assuming the EKB chart is
accurate and the HD services are there? Capacity is certainly there.

- Is Dish is about to become a distant second in the HD game and have
to play catch-up? Everything Dish has had distinctive over or on par
with DirecTV is wilting away, with rumors of an exclusivity deal between
Major League Baseball and DirecTV persisting.

Makes me wonder if those rumors about a merger have some credence.
Echostar is based in Colorado. John Malone and Liberty are also based
in Colorado, and recently took over DirecTV. Ignoring the benefits of
competition where each company has pushed the other, combined a merger
would eliminate duplicate satellite bandwidth and costs.
Beyond that, Dish seems to be spending a *lot* of time in court
(distant networks, TIVO, HBO, etc.), where their lawyers keep coming up
on the short end.
Any corrections or insight would be appreciated.

Thanks and regards,
Eric Nixdorf

Eric Nixdorf wrote:

Makes me wonder if those rumors about a merger have some credence.
Echostar is based in Colorado. John Malone and Liberty are also based
in Colorado, and recently took over DirecTV. Ignoring the benefits of
competition where each company has pushed the other, combined a merger
would eliminate duplicate satellite bandwidth and costs.

Eaxctly. They could address the competition issues of a full merger by forming a
jointly owned transmission company "satco" and each retain the marketing
companies. Each company could retain their own marketing identity and pricing
strategy, but cut costs substantially.

Dish already has easily twice the HD channels as DirecTV.

DirecTV has been making the exact same promise for 2 years regarding
expanded HD channel lineups, and has always admitted that HD locals will be
the primary addition.

If you're intending to make a choice of providers based on EXISTING HD
channels, there's no competition to Dish. Neither of them are offering the
full lineup of currently existing premium and national HD channels.

On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:58:07 -0700, Eric Nixdorf
wrote:

- Dish is now supplying 622 HD PVRs at no charge, given a minimum level
of service. Dish' HD receivers won't output "native" resolution where
DirecTV's HD receivers can.

This is a promised and overdue future feature.

Dish' current capacity edge is being used
to supply HD locals, where they have a significant advantage.

Depends on where you are, but I heard that D* has more locals up.
Dish HD locals: http://ekb.dbstalk.com/hdlocal.htm

Questions I have are these:

- Is DirecTV blowing wind on what they will have and when?
- Is DirecTV on schedule for their plans?

- Is Dish being coy about what they will have and when?

Probably. Probably. Probably. HTH!

- Where is the rest of Dish' satellite capacity going, even assuming
the consolidation into 4 - 6 satellites in the central 105 - 129 range

Dish is on the way to doubling their national HD channel capacity
using existing satellites. This past week they put 6 HD channels on a
single transponder, presumably by using newer MPEG-4 encoders. Viewer
reaction has been minimal, with those commenting saying either it's
about the same or even a little better than before.

Dish also has applied to the FCC to use additional satellite slots.
See http://ekb.dbstalk.com/satellites.htm

comply with the "one satellite dish" mandate?

The "one dish" mandate applies only to locals and, even then, only to
each individual type (NTSC, ATSC). The NTSC locals have to be
receivable by a single dish. The ATSC locals also have to be
receivable by a single dish, but it doesn't have to be the same one as
the NTSC locals. And neither has to be the same as your national or
international programming which may be delivered by as many dishes as
the provider deems necessary. They do recognize that many potential
customers strongly prefer a singlei-dish installation.

- Why isn't Dish' current capacity advantage being leveraged to supply
additional HD content that DirecTV currently can't, and gain a
competitive advantage?

I thought that was currently the case. Two examples: 15 VOOM
channels, no need to shut down a channel for a sports event.
See http://ekb.dbstalk.com/hdchan.htm for the whole lineup.

- Why won't Dish supply HD sports to customers of the regional sports
networks and out-of-market sports packages, assuming the EKB chart is
accurate and the HD services are there? Capacity is certainly there.

The RSNs have been uplinked (there, but not yet available) but seem to
be tied up in contract negotiations.

- Is Dish is about to become a distant second in the HD game and have
to play catch-up? Everything Dish has had distinctive over or on par
with DirecTV is wilting away, with rumors of an exclusivity deal between
Major League Baseball and DirecTV persisting.

There are times it looks that way. And it's not just D* as FIOS and
even CATV are making significant gains. We'll have to wait to see
what Charlie has up his sleeve.

... Ignoring the benefits of competition
where each company has pushed the other, combined a merger
would eliminate duplicate satellite bandwidth and costs.

I'd be surprised to see a merger attempt succed. Many think sharing
bandwidth could be done by each company buy channels from a
yet-to-be-created partnership.
--

Charles
Visit the Echostar Knowledge Base
http://ekb.dbstalk.com

Voom channels, Starz, and HD locals for most markets allows those
characterizations. Starz not being available on DirecTV is particularly curious
because they're part of the same company (Liberty) that now controls DirecTV. A
subset of HD locals direct (without having to use an antenna tied into the
receiver, as DirecTV does) is significant.
DirecTV is making available HD regional sports on a multiplexed/rotating
basis that Dish isn't at all. NFL Sunday Ticket exclusivity is significant.
"Native" mode output (where Dish doesn't) is an asset in DirecTV's column.
DirecTV also still supplies distant networks in HD to those eligible where Dish
now can't.
Everything else on both sides roughly boils down to promises of "it's
coming" and what might happen. They and the cable industry are squarely in the
cross hairs, availability of sets to receive HD in the home is advancing beyond
what's being supplied by any of the companies.
My general points a

1) DirecTV is constrained by capacity, needing to launch additional satellites
to provide what they've promised. Then it becomes a matter of whether they will
or not.

2) Dish has the existing capacity with the potential competitive advantage to
provide even more what DirecTV can't, and get a significant leg up on DirecTV.
They aren't.

It's the latter that's frustrating.

Eric

Dan G wrote:
Dish already has easily twice the HD channels as DirecTV.

DirecTV has been making the exact same promise for 2 years regarding
expanded HD channel lineups, and has always admitted that HD locals will be
the primary addition.

If you're intending to make a choice of providers based on EXISTING HD
channels, there's no competition to Dish. Neither of them are offering the
full lineup of currently existing premium and national HD channels.

Eric Nixdorf wrote:
1) DirecTV is constrained by capacity, needing to launch additional satellites
to provide what they've promised. Then it becomes a matter of whether they will
or not.

The 2nd of the two DirecTV satellites that was to go up this year was
scheduled on that launch site that blew up yesterday. The 1st sat
launch isn't affected, but the 2nd could suffer delays (depends on
alternate launch).

--

Bill Henley

http://www.tvpredictions.com/sealaunch013107.htm

Looks like Sea Launch was doing one for Dish this year as well.

Ouch!


"Bill Henley" wrote in message
...
Eric Nixdorf wrote:
1) DirecTV is constrained by capacity, needing to launch
additional satellites
to provide what they've promised. Then it becomes a matter of whether
they will
or not.

The 2nd of the two DirecTV satellites that was to go up this year was
scheduled on that launch site that blew up yesterday. The 1st sat
launch isn't affected, but the 2nd could suffer delays (depends on
alternate launch).

--

Bill Henley

"Eric Nixdorf" wrote in message
...


2) Dish has the existing capacity with the potential competitive advantage
to provide even more what DirecTV can't, and get a significant leg up on
DirecTV. They aren't.

How many HD channels can Dish add with existing capacity?

And how many national channels exist that they don't have now? I see that
one was added today (A&E).

Mudd Bug wrote:

"Eric Nixdorf" wrote in message
...


2) Dish has the existing capacity with the potential competitive advantage
to provide even more what DirecTV can't, and get a significant leg up on
DirecTV. They aren't.

How many HD channels can Dish add with existing capacity?

And how many national channels exist that they don't have now? I see that
one was added today (A&E).

I can't give real numbers for either ? but there are still quite a few
National HD that aren't on DISH. DISH also doesn't have HD RSNs.
DISH did recently get new MPEG4 encoders though. They had been
running 3 HD channels per transponder (with grief and complaints about
green macro blocking, audio skips, and growning pain stuff) but the
recently moved 6 National HD channels onto a single transponder using
the new MPEG4 encoder. From what I've read (I'm back in MPEG2), the
only noticable effect is DVR recording take up half as much disk space
as they used to and look no worse. One would hope they might back off
to 5 as some people complained about sporting events movement. In any
event, both can gain capacity as the MPEG4 encoders improve. They
haven't yet really "doubled capacity", but additional MPEG4
improvement might make the current 6 HDs/Tr more acceptable.

I think DISH may have trouble coming to an agreement with Fox Sports
Nets anytime soon. Some not so good blood there. Obviously
speculation on my part.

--

Bill Henley

In article ,
Bill Henley wrote:

The 2nd of the two DirecTV satellites that was to go up this year was
scheduled on that launch site that blew up yesterday.

I love Sea Launch's press release about that: "The Sea Launch
Zenit-3SL vehicle, carrying the NSS-8 satellite, experienced
an anomaly today during launch operations."

Were it not for the subsequent mention of all personnel being safe,
you'd think maybe the anomaly was something like the second stage
being 15 microseconds late in firing.

The description on Spaceflight Now is somewhat more revealing:
"A commercial Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket disintegrated in a
fiery catastrophe aboard its oceangoing platform Tuesday..."


Patty