I have dilemna.... First of all, new TV, great picture with DVD's.....not so great w/ my Dish Network Satellite. I knew that, I was prepared, but not prepared for my need for HD now! Watched Survivor last nite and almost cried due to it not being HD. Anyhow....get to the point.

DishNet....sux....they are telling me I must put another dish up to receive the movie channels in their HD lineup...and CBS.....

I asked about Superdish....not expected to be ready in near future....and if I buy the other dish now, I can't get HD when the superdish does come out cuz they are moving all HD to one satellite...so I hate to work twice as hard.

so....should I take DirectTV up on their new customer offer? Should I install OTA antenna? I went to antenna . org and it looks like it will work....seems so redundant....I would need Digital receiver someday for dishnet and then would need separate decoder for OTA....

At this point I am quite excited about picture quality and will do almost anything to ge as many channels as possible....but am unclear as to what I should pursue next. Anyone else in same boat wanna share their thoughts!

Thanks in advance.

>>DishNet....sux....they are telling me I must put another dish up to receive the movie channels in their HD lineup...and CBS.....<<

That is true. HBO and Showtime HD along with CBS-HD are located on the wing satellites located at 61.5 and 148. If you subscribe to local channels and some of those locals are on the wings, Dish will install that antenna for you completely free of charge. Look into that.

>>I asked about Superdish....not expected to be ready in near future....and if I buy the other dish now, I can't get HD when the superdish does come out cuz they are moving all HD to one satellite...so I hate to work twice as hard.<<

Dish has come off of the SuperDish idea, except for a few cities, for now. They say all new HD programming will be on the 110 satellites. If you have a Dish500, you can receive all the new HD programming and it already receives the existing HD package (Discovery HD Theater, HDNet, HDNet Movies, and ESPN-HD).

>>so....should I take DirectTV up on their new customer offer? Should I install OTA antenna? I went to antenna . org and it looks like it will work....seems so redundant....I would need Digital receiver someday for dishnet and then would need separate decoder for OTA....<<

The DishNet Model 6000 HD receiver will receive OTA signals from an antenna provided that the 8VSB module is installed, so you don't need to have two receivers. If you are an existing DishNet customer, you are able to purchase the new Model 811 HD receiver for $199 today through the end of January. This receiver has the 8VSB and the 8PSK modules built into it already.

>>At this point I am quite excited about picture quality and will do almost anything to ge as many channels as possible....but am unclear as to what I should pursue next. Anyone else in same boat wanna share their thoughts!<<

I personally have the Model 6000 with 8VSB and 8PSK modules. I have an antenna and get OTA HD. I have a Dish300 aimed at 148. So, I get OTA and all of the HD that Dish has available form the satellites at 148 and 110. IMHO, I'd put up an antenna for the OTA, if you are able to get the signal and try for the free dish to get all of the rest. If you don't qualify for the free dish, it's about $100 installed. It's your best bet. BTW, I'm going to get the 811 as well.

hmmmm....how can I tell if the locals I subscribe to are on the right satellite to get the free dish?

I called them today and they said $149 for the 811.....will the OTA channels be integrated into the dish channel lineup from the antenna or do i have to go to a completely different source to get them?

thanks

Where do you live Tony? What are your locals?

BTW, I just heard in the rumor mill that HBO and Showtime HDs will move to 110 next week. It all may be a moot point. And yes, they integrate seamleesly into the program guide.

i live in colorado springs...my locals are colorado springs and some denver stuff.

If those move, then maybe the cbs will move?

what do you think the timeframe for all the networks to get to HD with dishnet?

I don't like the idea of erecting an antenna...i am in mountains and pikespeak is between me and colorado springs...might be a tuff install

All of your locals are on the middle satellites (110-119) so the free dish is out.

I don't know what the plans on moving the CBS-HD feeds to 110 might be. Keep in mind, even if you can qualify for CBS-HD it would be from New York or Los Angeles.

There is no time frame to bring the HD locals or networks for that matter to the system. It takes too much bandwidth for all of the locals and the locals won't allow the satellite vendors to broadcast the network feeds. CBS is an exception because of an agreement made between DishNet and the CBS owned and operated stations a few years back. None of the other networks want to talk about it.

If you are on the backside of Pikes Peak, you are SOL for an antenna. Sorry.....

Do you availability to CATV where you are? Many CATV companies are offering the networks in HD today and more are coming on line all the time.

my local cable has NO hd at this time, and not in near future...you see I live in very small town.....bummer.

I think I will go to the 811 receiver...get what I can off of satellite 110 and cross my fingers that more will be sent there! It appears that they may shift more to that satellite.....we'll see!

get cable-- sat tv is a rip-in my opinion-in MY area=NJ-sat tv wants a total of 500.00 to give me a new HD dish and install fee-seems the OLD dish wont receive HDTV-WHAT a surprise!!! another legalized theft of our pocket!-cable is just a free new hdtv box-no cost or addtl charge,IF you already have the IO service-otherwise its 10.00 a month and you get the DIGITAL stns as well-and the HDTV pic is every bit as good-just a thought-good luck-ill stick with cable-on cable OR sat-the picture speaks for itself--check with your friends on cable-i for one wouldnt pay their price-but thats MY opinion--sat tv LIVES on the ones who dont share my opinion and cash their checks lol you get the drift im sure