Dish Launches All MPEG4 Service

Without much fanfare, after years of planning last night Dish Networks new all MPEG4 satellite service went live to customers in 21 select cities.

The new service which is being called the “Eastern Arc” service as it uses a fleet of satellites in the “Eastern Arc” of the sky.  Dish Networks legacy service is now known as its “Western Arc” service.

The new Eastern Arc service offers all of Dish Network channels to new customers in 100% MPEG4. (Note Eastern Ark does not offer Latino or International channels, if a new customer wants those channels they will be setup on Dish Networks legacy “Western Arc” service.  Besides using all MPEG4 technology the new service also uses Dish Networks new 3^rd generation security system.

The new Eastern Arc service lets installers choose which arc they aim at, this new Eastern arc will make installs on the East Coast much easier, as many homes could not get satellite because the satellites were “treed out” with the new Eastern Arc service this should no longer be an issue.  Customers getting installed on the Eastern Arc service will receive a new Dish 1000.4 satellite antenna.  This new antenna was designed to hit the Eastern Arc satellites which are at the 61.5, 72.7 and 77 degree orbital locations.

Because the Eastern Arc service requires all MPEG4 satellite receivers, a new dish and updated security cards the Eastern Arc service is currently only for new Dish Network customers. 

The 21 DMA’s to begin rolling out the new Eastern Arc service are as follows:

Cleveland, OH;  Richmond, VA; Tampa, FL; Baltimore, MD; Columbia, SC; Green Bay, WI; Greensboro, NC; Providence, RI; Greenville, SC; Knoxville, TN; Raleigh, NC; Hartford, CT; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Charlotte, NC; Dallas, TX; Nashville, TN; Minneapolis, MN; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; New York, NY.

The areas served by Eastern Arc will be gradually expanded as the equipment needed for install is more readily available.

Congrats to the folks at Dish Network for managing to get the Eastern Arc out.  I personally thought that because of the satellite issues Dish has had over the past year that it would delay if not scrap the entire Eastern Arc idea. Once again Charlie Ergen has shown why he such a great poker player and manages to pull out the 4 aces necessary to make the plan work.

I personally am looking forward to trying out Dish’s new Eastern Arc service and comparing it side by side with Dish Networks legacy MPEG2 system.  Stay Tuned!

Dish Announces $40 Digital Converter

While I was waiting for Dish to light up The Eastern Arc, a press release came out announcing that Dish Network now has a Digital Converter out that is $40 and is eligible for the governments $40 coupon.  This receiver known as the TR-40 CRA, it looks just like the popular DTVPal box which Dish sells for $59.99.

I was curious what the difference was between the TR-40 and the DTVPal receivers so I went to the TR-40 website at http://www.tr40cra.com/ and was surprised to find that besides having word TR-40 CRA written on the top of the box that the boxes are exactly the same.

“The TR-40 CRA has all the great features of the highly-acclaimed DTVPal at a special $40 price. This means the TR-40 CRA is essentially FREE with your $40 government coupon*.

I don’t get it, why pay $60 for the DTVPal when you can get the TR-40 for $20 less?  If you’re looking for a digital off air converter box, I have been recommending the DTVPal, but at $20 less I now recommend the TR-40 CRV, it is possibly the best Digital Off-Air converter that money can buy. (Even if it is the governments’ money!)

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