TECH CHAT RECAP
Technical Forum
July 14, 2003
Hosts are Mark Jackson, Sr VP E* Technology Corp and Dave Kummer, VP Engineering.
AGENDA
DVR/PVR
DISH Interactive
SuperDISH
HD Programming
HD Receivers
HD Receiver Connectivity
HD
and OTA
Giveaway
Q&A
Phone: 1-888-621-2078. E-mail: Techforum@Dishnetwork.com.
Technical questions only, please.
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DVR/PVR
Going to change the way people watch TV
DVR & PVR is essentially the same thing, has a built-in hard drive
for recording and pause
Easy enough you don't need your kids to record for you
At least 1 hour pause buffer
Dolby
Digital is recorded
Upgrade offer: PVR501 or 508 for $199 and an additional year commitment to AT100 or higher and Credit
Card Auto-Pay. If needed, includes Dish500 and installation, call for details. Expires Aug 31.
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Giveaway
Prize: 2 PVR508s, 1 to a phone winner, the other to an e-mail winner
Question: How many interactive applications
are currently on the 501/508?
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Dish Interactive
Scott Higgins, Director Interactive Programming
Have added "What's New" and Showtime info.
Kidswise: Educational
activities for ages 3-7. $2.99/mo. Coming this week.
Fantasy Football. Predict all the winners every week for pro or college
games. Grand Prize winner gets an HDTV and 921. $9.99/mo, coming in August.
PPV Info: Movies for the coming week, cast
info, order from the interactive app.
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SuperDISH
More locals, international and HDTV on 1 dish
Using FSS satellites. Dish is larger to be able to differentiate
between satellites 2 degrees apart, also to get the lower power signal.
2 versions of SuperDISH: 105/110/119 or 110/119/121
105 gets HD and new locals
121 gets international
Some
of the oldest receivers won't work with it. OpenTV receivers and the 6000 will.
Coming 4Q03. Will announce an upgrade program
for incompatible receivers.
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HD Programming
Already signed deals with HDNet and HDNet Movies, coming this fall.
Hope to reach agreements with STARZ!/Encore
and Cinemax when they launch, also ESPN
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HD Receivers
811
HDTV and standard
OTA DTV and analog
Integrated 8VSB and 8PSK
720p or 1080i output
DVI-HDTV,
HD component, S-video, composite
2-Day EPG with picture in guide
Dish Home Interactive
Optical digital audio out
2
composite A/V inputs
Universal UHF Pro remote
$299
921
Highly anticipated HDTV PVR
HDTV and standard
Tunes
OTA DTV and analog, records DTV
250GB hard drive, 180 hours standard, 25 hours HDTV, or any combination
2 tuners, PIP
on any TV
Record 2 HDTV shows at the same time while playing back a recorded one
Skip forward 30 sec, back 10 sec
4X,
15X, 60X, 300X FF & Rew
Slow-motion, frame advance
DVI-HDTV (DVI-I), RGB video HDTV, HD component
DishWire (IEEE
1394) for use with select D-VHS VCRs
480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i output
Seamless navigation between Dish and OTA programming
7-Day
EPG with picture in guide
Dish Home Interactive
Optical digital audio out
2 composite A/V inputs
Universal UHF
Pro remote. Doubles the standard 100' range, not counting walls.
$999
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HD Receiver Connectivity
Analog
HD component (YPrPb). Most common but not all component inputs are designed for HDTV
RGB. Mainly
for computer monitors, some TVs and projectors
Digital
DVI (Digital Visual Interface). DVI-D is pure digital. DVI-I
adds an analog signal that can be connected to RGB with the appropriate cable.
IEEE 1394 (i.Link, Firewire). Best suited
for peripherals, few TVs use it.
Likely successor to DVI is HDMI (HD Multimedia Interface). New connector, adds digital
audio.
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HD and OTA
Guest Bob Howell, Winegard
Antenna selection is critical, go to http://www.antennaweb.org , enter your address
Try to point to the tower, avoid obstacles, the higher the better
Attic installation results
in 50% signal loss
Also see http://www.winegard.comAntenna will be needed to receive local DTV stations
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Giveaway
Prize: 2 winners of an antenna
Question: What is the origin and significance of the word "yagi" as used in
yagi antenna?
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Q&A
E-mail: Status of 721 upgrades? interactive?
Dan Minnick, VP Software: By end of August will get SuperDISH
compatibility, discrete remote codes, new conflict resolution, and more.
Justin: PIP on Dish Home like on the EPG?
Dave: Will be able to on some applications such as those access
from Bloomberg TV but Dish Home usually has to tune to a different transponder to download the app.
Chuck: Has 6000, both modules and 2 dishes. Need SuperDISH?
A: Yes, all new HD programming will come from
SuperDISH, there will be an upgrade program.
Steven: Record from the 721 front input?
A: No, there is no digital encoder, it's only a pass-through.
Greens: Traveling by RV, no signal in parts of British Columbia.
A: Satellite footprint falls off as you move
into Canada. In Alaska a larger dish is needed.
John: Loves design of Dish remotes, will you offer a universal learning remote?
A: We'll take it under advisement
and take a look into it.
Kenneth: 2-tuner 301?
A: Out this fall in PVR and non-PVR versions that will support 2 TVs. (Models 522, 322)
Jeffrey: Has OTA and dish both grounded to cold water pipe. Sufficient for static discharge?
A: Sounds good
to them.
E-mail: Will there be a screen-saver for PVRs?
Dave: 721 has it. Dan: Not planned for 501/508, will be in
522, 921. Dave: Also working on spinning down the HD at night to make it last longer because to many people leave it on all
the time. Coming later this year.
Stan: Cost for SuperDISH upgrade? We were told the 8PSK module was all that was needed for future HDTV.
A:
Will have to pay. Only the new channels will initially require SuperDISH. They are investing hundreds of millions, people
who can afford HDTV can afford the modest expense to spread the pain around a little.
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Giveaway Winners
508
Answer is 12. A 508 goes to Mark Lamutt in Denver and Chris Blount in San Antonio.
Antenna
Yagi is the name of the Japanese inventor who came up with the design.
An antenna goes to Richard
Rios in Miami FL and John McDougal in Ocala FL
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Q&A
Michael: Echostar IX going to 121? HD on 110? Reception of those in Alaska?
Bill Moran, Systems Engineer:
Not sure of E-IX footprint, won't be certain until it's up and tested. Unaware of any HD going to 110.
E-mail: What happens to the current 61.5 dish?
A: 61.5 and 148 will continue to be there, locals already there
will stay. Over time, HD will be moved to 105, notice will be given.
Reynaldo: Will 811 and 921 output HD and SD simultaneously?
A: 811 will, 921 won't. Really a function of the
chip-set chosen. 921 uses the same as the 721, updated for HD. 811 uses a newer chip.
Craig: 6000 requires sat signal to view OTA. Is this fixed in the new models?
A: If you're not a subscriber,
you don't get to use the subsidized Dish receiver as a low-cost HD tuner. The receiver doesn't know if you don't subscribe
or just have a temporary signal loss.
Craig: Will DVI have HDCP?
A: No requirement yet to turn it on but seems likely.
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Next Charlie Chat is Mon Aug 11, 9:00pm Eastern
Follow-up discussion is in this thread.
