Dish Reaches Another HD Milestone
This week Dish Network lit up another four local into local high definition markets bringing their total HD markets up to 150. With these new additions Dish Network now serves over 92% of their customers with HD locals.
The HD local cities that launched this week were Ft. Wayne, Indiana.; La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wisconsin.; Panama City, Florida; and Wausau-Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
Dish Networks HD local markets count is far higher then that of HD markets offered by DirecTV. DirecTV put out a press release earlier this week that it intended to offer 133 HD LIL cities by the end of the 3rd quarter of 2009.
I have a feeling we are not done seeing Dish Network add HD locals this year.
Charlie Pulls Rabbit Out of His Hat Again
While not surprising I am still amazed that Dish Network has been able to pull another rabbit out of their hat in regards to their lawsuit with TIVO.
I have been saying forever in this column that Dish should just settle with TIVO and move forward together. However at this point it shows me that Charlie Ergen still believes he can win.
In fact if I talked to him face-to-face I am sure Charlie would tell me that he believes in the merits of this case and intends to defend his companies honor.
Some folks would say Ergen is very smart while others are saying he’s crazy. But no matter what he’s doing one thing is for sure and that is that the industry is keeping a close eye on this fight. While other companies will not come out and publicly comment in favor of their competitor Dish Network they are all hoping that Dish gets the win, as a loss for Dish means that TIVO’s legal team will take aim at other companies that have DVR technology.
A win for Dish is good news for all players that offer DVR’s.
So now we sit and wait again for this all to play out again, I highly doubt this case will be done by the end of the year.
The good news is that Dish Network customers can continue to use their DVR’s that they have come to love.
Back In Connecticut
I am finally back home at my house in Connecticut after a two week vacation. The end of the vacation I was feeling sad it was over yet was happy I was going home.
While I was gone the State of Connecticut got hammered by rain, in fact it was so bad I am told that there was a tornado that hit just a few bocks over from my house.
My house was fine, although a few houses over people lost a few trees. I am also told that we lost power for almost 2 days. (I am so glad I was on vacation!)
Today the rain continued on and off but I am hearing tomorrow its supposed to be nice which is good since it’s the 4th of July!
Have a safe and happy 4th of July!
todd commented:
That 92% is ficticous knowing that they don't have all the big four networks in the markets they are counting.
todd commented:
That 92% is ficticous knowing that they don't have all the big four networks in the markets they are counting.
WebTV commented:
Tivo's sprawling patent actually covers 61 separate claims. My view, they over reached and took advantage of a patent system that didn't understand technology at the time.
As part of the patent review the current administration is doing, they should start with this TiVo case, which really stifles innovation and deny the the overreach of the patent and break down each claim as a separate case.
BobJ commented:
Frankly, I am surprised that recording one program while watching another should be the subject for a patent, this has been available since the days of the VCR and is too general an area to allow for specific patents like this. My best wishes to Dish....I hope they win. Patents in this country are given out way too often for ideas that are much too general.
Avi commented:
Still waiting for Charlie to give us PBS in HD. Getting tired of waiting. Currently Dish is the only one not carrying WTTW HD in Chicagoland.
I have a feeling that Dish will also not add BBC America HD on 7/20 and while everyone else will enjoy the new Torchwood mini series in HD we will have to wait for Charlie's to do us a favor and add it.