We're not sure as to the marketability just yet but for those digital subscribers that upgrade to the new and improved box there should only be an incremental fee for "All" HDTV viewing inlcuding those not in play at this time.
Our initial focus groups on the HDTV were perplexed to hear that we'd only be offering up between six and eight channels this year. Hmmm, maybe that's because there aren't to many broadcasts yet to choose from.
> I read a report not 3 days ago that I understood to be saying that no cable company was broadcasting in HDTV yet. Perhaps I miss-read it or they made an error. Maybe they meant that no cable company was broadcasting 100% in HDTV. I don’t know and as I am trying to make a point here based on facts, I apologize if I erred.
>
> My questions to you would be what are you paying for that service and what would you be paying if you were using a small dish? Are you getting all of those channels that you are paying so much for on all of your TV’s?
>
>
> > I would like to correct one mistake. I went back to digital cable from satellite, and we do have HDTV channels. We also have 275 channels of excellent quality channels with 35 movie channels(including HDTV HBO and SHO). Not to mention modems so fast, smoke rolls off my mouse.
> >
> > > did you forget the telcos? At one time they were going to slay
> > > the beast.
> > > > In the first place......a statement like this coming from an installer doesn't mean a whole lot to me. I've been around the cable industry for 23 yrs. First it was the c-band dishes that were going to run us out of business. How many of those do you see now? Then it was the wireless cable, and that flopped too. Now i'm suppose to be scared, because some installer is telling me how the ku-band dishes are going to run us out of business? Dream on! They may hurt us from time to time, but eventually the people come back to cable.
> > > >
> > > > HDTV? If it can be done via satellite, then it can be done via cable, and probably better. So you go ahead and live out your fantasy, and we'll see you in 2005, if you're still around. Go do your dishes!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Maybe you didn’t read this whole discussion. I’m just making some points about the 2 industries. I installed cable and now I install dishes. You’re comparisons are flawed.
> > > > >
> > > > > These are comparisons from my area and based on my memory:
> > > > >
> > > > > DC = Digital Cable
> > > > > DS = Digital Satellite
> > > > >
> > > > > 1 box – DC = $55 mnth DS = $32 mnth
> > > > > extra box – DC = $4 mnth DS = $4 mnth
> > > > > Channels – DC = 120 DS = 120
> > > > > Locals – DC = free DS = $5 mnth (perhaps your not aware, if Dish and DirecTV merge, ALL areas will get locals)
> > > > > HDTV – DC = NO DS = YES
> > > > > Service – DC = free DS = free for first year on install and materials, $45 or so after that.
> > > > >
> > > > > Sooooooooooo….. with TRUE Digital satellite service with YOUR locals you pay $38 a month instead of $55. That’s $204 a year savings. In my experience, satellite dish equipment rarely fails. If the equipment were bad it will ALMOST ALLWAYS be determined over the phone, thus no service call. Even if you had a receiver go bad EVERY YEAR ($49) and had to have a service call ($45) you still save $110 a year! NOTHING is free, cable does charge for service calls and everything else it does, but they make you pay thru higher rates instead of only when you need it.
> > > > >
> > > > > Yes, extra receivers cost $4 a month extra, but they do with DC also! OR you can slave the TV’s that you never watch at the same time and there’s no charge. Add a wireless remote transmitter ($35) and you can control your channels from your second TV. Most people realize this is NOT the disadvantage that cable companies try to make it out as. I have 4 TV’s and 2 DS boxes. The living room is on one and the basement, garage, and bedroom are on another. We NEVER run into problems with this setup. For the price of 1 DC box I could have HDTV, locals, and 4 DS boxes! So now I have all of my premiums, in HDTV, independently controlled, on all of my TV’s, this would cost $70 a month with DC!
> > > > >
> > > > > Your point about cable “growing the coffee beans” is exactly my point! Cable still thinks it’s the only show in town. Do you really think people are going to keep paying these prices? The more people that see satellite service as it is and not as the cable companies are trying to make it out, the more that will switch. Even YOU are trying to compare 120 channel DS (not 100) at $32 a month (not $40) with your 72 channels of analog at $31 a month! You are aware that by 2005 all broadcasts will be in HDTV? Is cable going to be ready? DS already is!
> > > > >
> > > > > FACT: SATELLITE DISH’S ARE GROWING AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN CABLE!
> > > > >
> > > > > If you don’t look at the situation with unbiased open eyes you will be left behind. Your point about the youth of small dish services should shock you! They are already taking the market and they are just starting. With a Dish DirecTV merger small dish will have the bandwidth to offer all locals, video on demand, two-way internet, telephone, and more all built into one receiver!
> > > > >
> > > > > And the cable company saaaaaaays…..
> > > > > People are switching back to cable. WRONG, more people are choosing DS over DC then ever before.
> > > > > Satellite dishes are more expensive. WRONG, that’s a freakin’ joke!
> > > > > You lose signal in bad weather. WRONG, a well installed dish with a cover will almost NEVER lose signal and then usually for only a few minutes. Now, how often does cable go out?
> > > > > Satellite dishes are a hassle to get installed. WRONG we install within 3 days. You can’t even get our local cable company on the phone within 3 days and installs are often weeks out!
> > > > >
> > > > > Take all this any way you want. Ignore it, deny it, or use it to prepare.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Sure, you're going to get a better picture with a dish, but a good cable system can offer pictures near the same quality. And we'll give you all of your local channels too. Not some east coast or west coast network. We'll also give you your local forcast on the weather channel. How about service calls? $45.00 or so a trip. With cable theres no charge. How long are you going to wait for a service call? 2 days? a week? Cable companies have to respond within 24 hrs. Then, if your receiver is bad. Are they going to replace it for free? NOT! you'll buy a new receiver, and pay the 45.00 service call. If our equipment goes bad, we'll replace it for nothing, and credit your account for lost service periods. How's that for price? How about additional outlets? (if you want to be able to watch different channels at the same time) That'll cost you another 5.00 a month for each additional receiver, plus installation.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If dish service is as superior to cable as you'd have us believe, then why do some of your customers have cable service for their local channels.
> > > > > > Oh........so if i get a dish, I'll still have to pay the cable company for my local channels.(another 12.00 per month)
> > > > > >
> > > > > > With a dish you'll pay about 40.00 a month for 100 channels. Plus all of the charges mentioned above. The system i work in has 72 analog channels for 30.95 a month, and we do provide quailty service to all of our customers. I'm sure that's hard for you to believe, since you seem to think that's impossible. Just because you chose to run your system in that manner, doesn't mean everybody else does too. You're just one of the many that give this business a bad name. Maybe if you tried giving a sh** about your job, you could also offer good service to your customers some day.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Trust me, we've been in this business for decades. We didn't just show up a few years ago, like the dishes.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > And we do smell the coffee, because we grew the f***in coffee beans. You dish guys just drink it and wonder where it came from.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I hate to break it to you guys, but you can’t back any of that up. How is cable gonna crush dish’s? Quality? Nope, not even close. Price? HA! Service? We all know better than that. Smell the coffee, if cable keeps acting like it still has a monopoly, they will lose this battle
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Your right about the cable vs. dish. A Good well maintained system will crush a dish company, But what hurts the cable companys is customer service! and thats what is hurting us,No customers no money! even after a rebuild they do nothing to make sure the customer has a great looking picture. you have to have good drops,good fittings, and a good conection all the way to the back of the TV. And without that, you don't have a good looking picture! At the price's there charging People want good service, And the bottom line is, Untill they do that, They are gona lose a lot of customers. hell you + me woulden't pay for a crappy picture either, And thats the fack! All they care about is numbers not the customer!
