Tech Forum Summary, 7/14/03

The Dish Network User's Resource

Full Summary

Hosts for the July 2003 Tech Forum 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.

DVR/PVR

Going to change the way people watch TV
DVR and 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 highter and Credit Card Auto-Pay. If needed, includes Dish500 and installation, call for details. Expires Aug 31.

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?

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.

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.

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

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 receiver only (some speculation has the 811 at $499 and the 211 at $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 and 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
• Universal UHF Pro remote. Doubles the standard 100' range, not counting walls.
• $999 receiver only

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.

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.com
• Antenna will be needed to receive local DTV stations

Giveaway

Prize: 2 winners of an antenna
Question: What is the origin and significance of the word "yagi" as used in yagi antenna?

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: Travelling 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.

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

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 chipset 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.

Next Charlie Chat is Mon Aug 11, 9:00pm Eastern