High-Definition Channels

Echostar Knowledge Base
The Dish Network User's Resource

Updates

Future

MPEG4 Conversion

As of December 1, 2008, all channels marked as MPEG-2 will be switched to to MPEG-4 compression. The MPEG-2-only receivers 6000, 811, 921 and 942 will no longer be able to get any HD channels via satellite after Dec 1. Dish is contacting users of those older receivers by phone and mail for a free upgrade to a ViP211 or DVR ViP622. The replacement will be a lease. All HD locals carried by Dish are already MPEG-4; this conversion finishes out the national line-up.

As of Dec 3, the channels are still MPEG-2 but their 620_ mappings for MPEG-2 receivers have been removed.

As of the wee hours of Dec 4, the 6000, 811, 921 and 942 are now obsolete for receiving DishHD.

What HDTV channels does Dish offer?

Channel Name Channel Numbers Sat Loc Availability
Main Map-down Latino Commercial HD Pak DishHD Notes
Nickelodeon HD 9416 170 5340   61.5° & 129°   yes available 4/9/09
A&E 9419 118 5312 4118 61.5° & 129°   yes Uplinked Jan 17, available Jan 31, 2007
TNT HD 9420 138 5353 4138 72.7° & 110° yes yes HD Pak (1)
$9.99/month or $109.89/year
- or -
DishHD
HD Theater 9421 364 5333 4264 72.7° & 110° yes yes
HDNet 9422 362 5350 4262 72.7° & 110° yes yes
HDNet Movies 9423 383 5351 4283 72.7° & 110° yes  
ESPN-HD 9424 140 5300 4140 72.7° & 110° yes yes
ESPN-2 HD 9425 144 5302 4144 61.5° & 129°   yes  
NFL HD 9426 154   4154 61.5° & 129°   Silver  
Universal HD 9427 366 5354 4266 61.5° & 129°     *Preview mode as of 6/25/08*
Natl Geographic HD 9429 186 5334 4186 61.5° & 129°   Gold Uplinked May 19, available Jun 9, 2006
USA 9431 105 5328 4105 61.5° & 110°   yes Uplinked Dec 5, available Apr 18
SCIFI 9432 122 5329 4122 72.7° & 110°   yes Uplinked Dec 5, available Apr 18
DIS-E 9433 172 5339 4172 61.5° & 129°   yes Uplinked 5/7/08, available 5/12/08
ABCFM 9434 180 5342 4180 61.5° & 129°   yes Uplinked 5/7/08, available 5/12/08
CNN HD 9436 200 5314 4200 61.5° & 129°   yes Available May 12, 2008
Travel HD 9437 215 5366 4215 61.5° & 129°   yes Available May 12, 2008
Weather HD 9438 214 5367 4214 61.5° & 129°   yes Available May 12, 2008
CNBC HD 9439 208 5368 4208 61.5° & 129°   yes Available May 12, 2008
Tennis HD 9442 400   4100 61.5° & 129°   Gold Available May 12, 2008
Biography HD 9443 119   4119 61.5° & 129°   Gold Available May 12, 2008
Hallmark Movies HD 9444 187   4187 61.5° & 129°   Gold Available May 12, 2008
WGN America 9446 239 5327 4239 61.5° & 129°   Silver Available June 11, 2008
Disney XD HD 9449 174 5341 4174 61.5° & 129°   Silver Available Apr 16, 2008
HGTV HD 9461 112 5310 4112 61.5° & 129°   yes Launched Apr 10, available Jun 9, 2006
Food HD 9462 110 5311 4110 61.5° & 129°   yes Available Aug 16, 2006
TOON 9463 176 5335 4176 61.5° & 129°   yes Uplinked 5/7/08, available 5/12/08
VersusHD 9466 151   4151 61.5° & 129°   Gold Available 12/5/08
palladia (MHD) 9469 369 5320 4269 61.5° & 129°   yes  
Lifetime 9470 108 5343 4108 61.5° & 129°   Bronze  
Lifetime Movies 9471 109   4109 61.5° & 129°   Silver  
GolfHD 9473 401   4101 61.5° & 129°   Silver Available 12/5/08
Discovery HD 9487 182 5330 4182 61.5° & 129°   yes  
Learning Channel HD 9488 183 5331 4183 61.5° & 129°   yes  
Animal Planet HD 9489 184 5332 4184 61.5° & 129°   Silver  
Science Channel HD 9490 193   4193 61.5° & 129°   Gold  
planet green 9457 194   4194 61.5° & 129°   Silver  
Fox Business 9476 206   4206 61.5° & 129°   yes Available 2/2/09
Fox News Channel 9477 205   4205 61.5° & 129°   yes Available 2/2/09
Music Television HD 9484 160 5321   61.5° & 129°   yes available 4/9/09
Comedy Central HD 9485 107 5317   61.5° & 129°   yes available 4/9/09
History Channel HD 9491 120 5313 4120 61.5° & 129°   yes Coming Sept 1, uplinked Aug 22, available Sept 4
BRAVO 9492 129 5309 4129 61.5° & 129°   Silver Uplinked 5/7/08, available 5/12/08
Country Music TV HD 9493 166 5318   61.5° & 129°   yes available 4/9/09
ESNWS 9494 142 5301 5340 4142 61.5° & 129°   yes Uplinked 5/7/08, available 5/12/08
CBS College Sports 9495 152   4152 61.5° & 129°   Gold  
TBS 9499 139 5352 4139 61.5° & 129°     Available Oct 5 (was HD PPV)
Encore 9505 340     61.5° & 129°   Gold Available Aug 1, 2008
Spike HD 9506 168 5303   61.5° & 129°   yes available 4/9/09
Video Hits-One HD 9507 162 5319   61.5° & 129°   yes available 4/9/09
BET HD 9510 124     61.5° & 129°   Silver Available 4/10/09
H2 More 2 HISTORY 9525 121     61.5° & 129°      
BET J HD 371       61.5° & 129°     Available 3/11/09
MGM 385   5369 4385 61.5° & 129°     Available 5/12/08
Crime & Investigation Network HD 387     4287 61.5° & 129°     Available 2/1/09
World Fishing Network 394   5372 4394 61.5° & 129°     Available 5/12/08
HD Pay Per View 534       129°     Available Sep 12
HD Pay Per View 535       110°     Available Sep 12
HD Pay Per View 536       110°     Available Sep 12
HD Pay Per View 537       110°     Available Sep 12
HD Pay Per View 538       129°     Available Sep 12
HDPPV 541       77° & 129°      
HDPPV 542       77° & 129°      
HDPPV 543       77° & 129°      
HDPPV 544       77° & 129°      
HDPPV 545       77° & 129°      
HDPPV 546       77° & 129°      
HDPPV 547       77° & 129°      
HDPPV 548       77° & 129°      
ORDER 9464 468     72.7° & 110°     Available Sep 12
HD Pay Per View 539       77° & 129°     Available Sep 12
HD Pay Per View 540       110°     Available Sep 12
Starz! HD 9435 350     61.5° & 129°   AEP Uplinked May 19, available Jun 9, 2006
Starz! Comedy 9486 354     61.5° & 129°   AEP Available Aug 1, 2008
Starz! Edge 9496 352     61.5° & 129°   AEP Available Aug 1, 2008
Starz! Kids & Family 9497 356     61.5° & 129°   AEP Available Aug 1, 2008
Starz! (West) 9498 351     61.5° & 129°   AEP Available Aug 1, 2008
HBO Comedy 9451 307     61.5° & 129°     Available Aug 1, 2008
HBO Zone 9452 308     61.5° & 129°     Available Aug 1, 2008
HBO Family 9453 305     61.5° & 129°     Available Aug 1, 2008
HBO Signature 9454 302     61.5° & 129°     Available Aug 1, 2008
HBO 2 (East) 9455 301     61.5° & 129°     Available Aug 1, 2008
HBO HDTV (East) 9456 300     72.7° & 110°   AEP Requires subscription to HBO after 10/2/2000
HBO HDTV (West) 9478 303     61.5° & 129°   AEP Available Aug 1, 2008
HBO Latino 9459 309     61.5° & 129°     Available Aug 1, 2008
MAX-W 9440 311     61.5° & 129°   yes Available May 12, 2008
5-MAX 9441 314     61.5° & 129°   yes Available May 12, 2008
MAX 9458 310     61.5° & 129°   AEP Uplinked 4/11/07, available 5/4/07
Action MAX 9479 313     61.5° & 129°   AEP Uplinked 7/16/08, available 8/1/08
Showtime HDTV 9460 318     72.7° & 110°   AEP Requires subscription to Showtime after 10/2/2000
Showtime Too 9480 320     61.5° & 129°      
Showtime Showcase 9513 321     61.5° & 129°      
The Movie Channel (East) 9481 327     61.5° & 129°      
MAVHD 9465       72.7° & 110°     Only 2 of channels 9463, 9465, 9467 will be in use at the same time.
HD Pay Per View 9467 539     72.7° & 110°    
CSNCA 5409 409     129°     Available 9/26/07, if you get a black screen on these RSN channels, switch channels then back
Altitude 5410 410     129°     Available 9/26/07
FSN Prime Ticket 5411 411     129°     Available 4/4/07
MSG+ 5413       61.5°     Not available
FSN Rocky Mountain 5414 414     61.5° & 129°     Available 4/2/07
FSN Arizona HD 5415 415     129°     Available 7/11/07
FSN Southwest 5416 416     61.5° & 129°     Available 4/4/07
FSN West 5417 417     129°     Available 4/4/07
FSN Midwest 5418 418     61.5° & 129°     Available 4/2/07
CSNBA 5419 419     129°     Available 5/14/08
FSN South 5420 420     61.5° & 129°     Available 4/4/07
CST New Orleans 5421 421     129°     Available 12/3/08
Sun Sports 5422 422     61.5° & 129°     Available 4/13/07
FSN Florida 5423 423     61.5° & 129°     Available 4/4/07
CSNMA 5424 424     61.5° & 129°     Available 9/26/07
FSN Ohio 61.5° & 129° 425     129°     Available 9/26/07
FSN Northwest 5426 426     129°     Available 7/11/07
FSN Cincinnati 5427 427     61.5° & 129°     Available 7/11/07
FSN Pittsburgh 5428 428     61.5° & 129°     Available 7/11/07
CSN Chicago 5429 429     61.5° & 129°     Available 8/15/07 also uplinked Aug 29 to ch 5713 on 129°
FSN Detroit 5430 430     61.5° & 129°     Available 7/11/07
Sportstime Ohio 5431 431     61.5° & 129°     Available 7/11/07
NESN HD 5434 434     61.5°     Uplinked 3/19/08, available 3/26
CSNNE 5435 435     61.5°     Available 5/14/08
FSN North 5436 436     61.5° & 129°     Available 7/11/07
Sports South 5437 437     61.5° & 129°     Available 4/25/07, need link to schedule
SNY HD 5438 438     61.5°     Available 7/11/07
NHL Network HD 403     4103 61.5° & 129°   yes Available Oct 17, also mapped to ch 559
BIG10 9500 439     61.5° & 129°     Available 9/13/07
ALT10 9501       61.5° & 129°     Available 9/13/07
ALT10 9502       61.5° & 129°     Available 9/13/07
ALT10 9503       61.5° & 129°     Available 9/13/07
ALT10 9504       61.5° & 129°     Available 9/13/07
NBATV 9508 402   4102 61.5° & 129°     Available 10/29/07
NBATV 9509 560     61.5° & 129°     Available 10/29/07
HDALT 9514 444     61.5° & 129°     Available 10/24/07
HDALT 9515 445     61.5° & 129°     Available 10/24/07
HDALT 9516 446     61.5° & 129°     Available 10/24/07
HDALT 9517 441     61.5° & 129°   Silver  
HDALT 9518 442     61.5° & 129°   Silver  
HDALT 9519 443     61.5° & 129°   Silver  
NHLHD 9541 -
9555		 625 - 639     61.5° & 129°     Available 10/3/07.
NBAHD 9561 -
9572		 561 - 572     61.5° & 129°     Available 10/10/07
HD Theater 5500       110°     Alaska/Hawaii HD Pak (1)
$9.99/month
TNT HD 5501       110°    
USA 5502       110°    
SCIFI 5503       110°    
TLC 5504       110°    
ESPN-HD 5505       110°    
ESPN-2 HD 5506       110°    
NFL HD 5507       110°    
TRV 5508       110°    
TWC 5509       110°    
HDNet 5510       110°    
HDNet Movies 5511       110°    
Universal HD 5512       110°    
TOON 5513       110°    
APL 5514       110°    
HBO HDTV 5515       110°     Requires subscription to HBO
Showtime HDTV 5516       110°     Requires subscription to Showtime
VS 5517       110°      
NTGEO 5518       110°      
ESNWS 5519       110°      
BRAVO 5523       110°      
BIO 5525       110°      
ABCFM 5529       110°      
Regional Sports Networks 359-399       61.5°, 129°   Uplinked 9/7/06, coming “very very soon.” Per PR will add “Sun Sports and SportSouth this spring as well as Altitude this fall.”
HDBTV 9615       110°      
HDBTV 9650       121°      
HDBT2 9651       121°      
  1. The HD Pak and Voom are no longer available separately, existing subscribers are grandfathered. As of 7/1/06 the HD Pak is again available but only to AK, HI, PR and USVI, and only as an add-on to AT100, AT200, AT250 or AEP. Also, an MPEG-4 receiver is being required even though these channels (9420-9424) are MPEG-2 and not even disguised as MPEG-4.
  2. Available to viewers in a CBS white area or within a CBS O&O market but outside the Grade B contour of neighboring affiliates. Activation upon request, limit 1. (No longer available due to court distant networks ruling.)
    CBS O&O's are NY, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Dallas, Miami, Minneapolis, Denver, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Salt Lake City, Austin, Green Bay.
  3. The VOOM channels are being broadcast in a reduced resolution “ED+” format of 1280x1080i. One unconfirmed explanation is that there is a temporary bandwidth bottleneck from VOOM to Dish. Another is that Dish is intentionally reducing the quality after seeing that other providers seem to be getting away with doing the same. Whatever the truth may be, Dish has not stated when or if the problem will be fixed while continuing to promote the whole package as HD. Complaints of false advertising may be directed to the FTC at 1-877-382-4357.

Packages

As of Feb 1, 2008 the HD package is available in two parts at $10 each:

Package History

After Feb 1, 2007 there is only one HD package, available as a $20 add-on to AT100 or above, and containing the HD versions (if they exist) of the channels in those packages.

After Feb 1, 2006 the HD Pak and VOOM will only be available as a single combined package with added channels Universal HD, ESPN2-HD, and 5 more VOOM channels: Family Room HD, GamePlay HD, Treasure HD, World Cinema HD, WorldSport HD.

There is now only one DishHD package with the exception of National Geographic and NHL which are only in Gold and Platinum. The metal levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) reflect which SD package it is bundled with.

The premium HD movie channels (HBO, Showtime, Starz!) are only available as part of DishHD Platinum or with a separate subscription to each service.

“Metallic” Packages
Bronze  = DishHD +  AT60  or  DishLATINO Plus (5)  or  Great Wall (5)
Silver  = DishHD +  AT120  or  DishLATINO Dos (5)  
Gold  = DishHD +  AT180  or  DishLATINO Max (5)
Platinum  = DishHD +  America's Everything Pack  or  DishLATINO Everything Pack (5)
  1. Not available to new customers after June 9, 2006. Existing subscribers are grandfathered. New subs will have to get DishHD Bronze or higher, then add the DishLATINO Bonus Pack or Great Wall package.

Related pages

Edited by BobaBird. Submissions & corrections welcome!