Bell has ordered mpeg4 receivers for the purpose of swapping the entire field to mpeg4 next year, Echostar has also agreed to buy back the old receivers. They will slowly swap out the field mid to end of next year, at that point they will move all hd over to mpeg4. This is not a maybe, any shareholder can confirm this by asking the question at the next shareholders meeting or call.

If that's the case, then by the end of 2007 Bell can only possibly add another 12 to 15 HD channels... they will either allready carry everything else HD allready availalble or prevented to do so by the CRTC. So if Bell trully is going to MPEG4 by early 2008, I sure as hell hope they will use MAXIMUM bandwith for there MPEG4 HD broadcasts to achieve maximum picture and sound integrity... unlike what is currently happening (12-16mbps instead of the full 19mbps).

P.S. I have no idea what FULL mbps for MPEG4 is but my best guess would be 7-8mbps which still doubles up their capacity.

I also suspect only renters will get a "free" upgrade and the rest of us who purchased our 9200's will be SOL.

I hope in the next upgrade there will be an option to choose which tuner you want to use when you create a timer. I know its possible cause you can do this when you press record on a live event. Seems like a no-brainer.

Google ViP622 and you will see what is coming if workforbell is correct.

I also suspect only renters will get a "free" upgrade and the rest of us who purchased our 9200's will be SOL.

Again what part of 'all' do you not understand?

workforbell, thanks for the info. Looks like big things for Bell with Mpeg-4 and a new bird in 2008.

I just hope Bell won't get greedy and start deactivating the ATSC tuners in the new models to force us to get their package...

As for a software upgrade, I hope the next one includes giving us the ability to change the names of recordings in the list. I don't want to be going through dozens of programs entitled "Digital Service" to find a show I recorded...

I hope in the next upgrade there will be an option to choose which tuner you want to use when you create a timer. I know its possible cause you can do this when you press record on a live event. Seems like a no-brainer.

Hopefully, the next upgrade will be TIVO on dish network receivers if they can get there court rulling upheald and muscle/bully Dish Network... than ALL of your problems are solved.

I really doubt Bell would shut out all the customers who bought, they'd lose too much on subscriptions since the old receivers won't work with MPEG-4. Unless they plan on only a partial conversion leaving some premium channels MPEG-4 only. Still they need customers so bad I wouldn't even be surprised they'd upgrade everyone for free, even if it was only certain premium channels. I'm sure a bunch of people would cancel out of anger and since people with HD PVRs tend to pay the most for programming it would be a bad business move.

Are Bell's current birds (Nimiq 1 & 2) compatible with MPGE4? Probably not.


You may want to review your satellite 101 courses -- Satellites don't care about the format: they just bounce signals back to earth.

Again what part of 'all' do you not understand?

Time will tell if you're correct...

can you still buy the 9200 reciever
thanks
John

Bell has ordered mpeg4 receivers for the purpose of swapping the entire field to mpeg4 next year, Echostar has also agreed to buy back the old receivers.

Great news and a reason to stick with Bell.

I wonder if the new receivers will have svideo output?

Still available at the big box stores. Picked up one last week.

What's amazing to me is how we get so screwed by Bell. The ViP622 is offered to Dish customers at $199.00!!!

Once here Bell will claim they are offering a special to its existing customers at $599 (same as new customers, but they think we are so stupid and won't notice this).

Talk about ripping off your cliental.

Lease upgrade fee for the ViP622 is $199.99, that is not the actual receiver cost.

which means what?

Unless i'm mistaken, If you are leasing a receiver, for only $199 you can upgrade to a ViP622 (return the old one and start paying the monthly lease fee on the ViP622).

So if you are leasing a 942 and want a ViP622 instead, it'll cost you $199 to upgrade to it(swap).

To purchase a ViP622, i believe it's $500.

That's $199 to get out of the old lease and switch to a 622. Considering you still don't own the 622 it's a really bad deal. Thank EV for not offering the 942. It's one of the worst receivers Dish ever made and cost US$1000 (with a 70-75 cent loony.)

What's amazing to me is how we get so screwed by Bell. The ViP622 is offered to Dish customers at $199.00!!!

Once here Bell will claim they are offering a special to its existing customers at $599 (same as new customers, but they think we are so stupid and won't notice this).

Talk about ripping off your cliental.

Glad you informed yourself before saying Bell is ripping people off.