New Technology Talk

There are a lot of myths surrounding HDTV that are really getting in the way of more people enjoying it. The truth is that while HDTV is a complex subject a lot of the myths make it more complicated and confusing than it has to be. By contrast, Dish Network's HDTV service, Turbo HD, can make it a lot simpler.

One of the biggest myths that's getting in the way of more people adopting HDTV is the misconception that HDTV is a type of TV set and that anything viewed on an HDTV set must be HDTV. This is simply wrong. HDTV is actually a TV format and the HDTV set is the device needed to view TV content in this format. The reason for this is relatively simple: HDTV just has too high of a picture resolution for a normal TV set to handle. While a normal TV set displays 480 horizontal lines of resolution, an HDTV set can display 480 or 720 lines of resolution! More sophisticated models can display those levels of resolution, plus 1,080 horizontal lines of resolution. Considering that you can't cram more lines of resolution onto a TV screen than there are horizontal lines of pixels built into the screen, this should make it clear how limited the functionality of a standard definition 480 lines of resolution) TV set is. So why does an HDTV set and HDTV programming have so many more lines of resolution than a conventional TV set does? It's so that the HDTV set can provide a more detailed picture and look better on a bigger screen. The low resolution of standard def (480) TV will make the picture look grainy when it's blown up onto a big TV screen. This graininess will be particularly evident on a big HDTV screen that has more lines of resolution than it knows what to do with when displaying a standard def picture. With many of the lines of resolution simply left unused a standard def picture can look downright bad on an HDTV set, while an HDTV picture will look really good!

Dish Network and its Turbo HD package will be of tremendous benefit to anyone who is looking for a way to make the picture on their new HDTV set look better. That's because it offers to many different options for subscribers. The most obvious option is to add a Turbo HD package onto one of Dish Network's standard definition packages, but Turbo HD packages can also be subscribed to without any standard def channels. This is especially exciting for anyone who likes to look ahead to the future. After all, in the future HDTV will be the norm and standard definition will fall by the wayside. Subscribing to a programming package that just has high def channels is hastening this step forward.

Once you get past the concept that HDTV is a TV format and not a type of TV set, it becomes much easier to take full advantage of this new technology. Dish Network's Turbo HD service makes the step of implementing HDTV technology even easier.

In our increasingly mobile society people are looking for ways to do more while they're on the move. The increasing popularity of laptop computers, smart phones and mobile phone are all evidence of this. If you're looking for more ways to do more while you're away from home, then you should look into the tools provided by Dish Network. While many of Dish Network's subscribers are unaware of the mobility options that come from this company, these options are very sophisticated nonetheless.

One of the most popular examples of Dish Network's improved mobility technology is the Sling Box. This device can be integrated into your home entertainment center and actually transmit TV programming over the Internet to your laptop computer or mobile phone. There are several different models of the Sling Box available, but with the right one, you'll be able to watch TV live or TV that's been recorded on your DVR through any of a variety of mobile devices.

The applications of a Sling Box through Dish Network are varied and impressive. For example, if you're a journalist you probably travel a lot, but have to keep up with the news in general. With a Sling Box at home and a smart phone or a laptop computer, you'll be able to use travel time to keep up with the world's news. Anywhere there's an Internet connection that you can access- including airports, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hotels, and now even many planes- you'll be able to either watch the live TV of your choice or work through the content that has already been recorded on your DVR! This can really increase the efficiency of a traveling professional who needs to stay informed. TV enthusiasts who are forced to travel a lot will also appreciate this service for similar reasons.

Dish Network also offers another option for people who want to watch TV content while they're on the move, but who don't have the consistent Internet access required for a Sling Media device. This option is the PocketDish. The PocketDish is a hand held, battery operated, computerized multimedia device. With one important exception, the PocketDish isn't that much different from other portable media devices and that exception is the fact that it can download recorded video content directly from a Dish Network DVR and store that video on its own hard drive so that the video can be watched just about anywhere! This technology basically expansion of DVR technology with an emphasis on mobility. The fact that all of the video is right there on the PocketDish's hard drive eliminates the need for a satellite signal and Internet access so that you can watch TV wherever you want. The ability to store dozens of hours of Dish Network video on the built in hard drive (and many more hours if recorded by the PocketDish from another source) makes this device a more or less self contained entertainment center in miniature. It can be used in the middle of a city or while camping with equal ease and enjoyment, making it a form of technology that you can get excited about!

The Sling Box and the PocketDish are two examples of how Dish Network can be made more mobile.

One of the best things about Dish Network service is the fact that it is very flexible. There is the possibility of getting satellite TV service if you live in a unique way- such as on an RV or possibly even on a boat. You also can bring it with you when you move- even if it is across the country. There are tons of different programming packages to choose from, allowing customers to choose a package that is very suited to their own needs. And, there is also the possibility of paying for your TV service in a few different ways.

The most common way of accessing Dish Network is through a regular subscription. This means you choose a programming package and accessory technologies, and you pay by the month. You may have a commitment of a certain number of months, depending on exactly what you sign up for, and in exchange, you can expect a set price and continuous service for those months. For most people, this method of accessing TV service works out well. If you have a good credit history, know that you can pay the bill each month, and want to keep on getting service continuosly, this option can save you money and be a convenient way of getting service.

However, for some people, the commitment to paying for Dish Network service each month is not appealing. This may be for many reasons, such as moving a lot, not having a stellar credit history, not wanting the commitment of TV service, or any number of things. For this reason Dish Network also offers prepaid TV service. How this works is the customer purchases a card for a set amount of money, which can then be redeemed for a month of TV service. So, if you want to get a programming package for one month, you just purchase a card that covers the cost of that package, redeem the card, and start enjoying programming. It is very simple and only requires the card and regular satellite TV equipment. This can also be used as a temporary measure when you are living somewhere for a short time and want TV, but don't want to go through the whole hassle of getting long term service set up.

The flexibility of being able to choose either regular payment or paying in advanced makes it easier to enjoy Dish Network satellite TV. Since both options are offered, the company is able to appeal to a larger segment of the population and to keep customers whose life circumstances have changed. Since it is so easy to use the prepaid Dish Network TV option, people who have received regular service can even use the prepaid option for a while before getting back onto regular service when they get more settled. Prepaid is also a good way for young people just starting out in life to get TV service without having to worry about the longer term commitment.

While most people will continue to seek the regular service because of its larger number of options and easier maintenance over time, the option of prepaid TV service through Dish Network is a valuable service that provides many people with a good opportunity to get flexible, affordable TV service.

Debate has been raging for years now about whether satellite TV or cable TV is superior. This debate has been carried out on a number of levels, from level headed one on one conversations by informed people to outright propaganda being thrown out through the media. However, one thing that's clear is that satellite TV is clearly the better choice.

In order to see how much better satellite TV is, all you have to do is look at Dish Network and all that it has to offer compared to cable TV. Dish Network provides about a thousand total channels compared to the roughly two hundred and fifty offered by the typical cable TV company. They both might have about the same sized premium programming packages, but the difference is that the biggest programming package that a cable TV offers is pretty much all of the channels that it has in total! The fact that Dish Network's top of the line programming package happens to be about the same size as the cable TV industry's top of the line programming packages has more to do with that figure being the maximum number of channels that most households can use rather than what Dish Network is limited to providing.

The difference in total number of channels that Dish Network can provide and what cable TV technology can provide translates into a much greater diversity of programming packages being available through Dish Network. For example, in addition to the mainstream, English language content that Dish Network and the cable TV industry both provide, Dish Network also offers foreign language programming in the form of channels and programming packages from all over the world and in at least twenty different languages including, but not limited to, Urdu, Vietnamese, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Korean, several dialects of Chinese, Arabic, Russian, and Hebrew.

There are also lots of kinds of sports programming that you won't necessarily be able to get through cable TV. For example, Dish Network offers seasonal sports subscriptions that provide one or two channels that are devoted to comprehensive coverage of the sport of your choice. We're talking every regular season game in the league or leagues covered by the service! For example, MLB Extra Innings covers all of the games in both the American and National baseball leagues! Some subscriptions even include playoffs. Especially when you look at the variety of different sports that are covered through seasonal sports subscriptions from Dish Network, you really just can't get that degree of choice through cable TV.

Cost is also a big deal when it comes to choosing a TV service provider and that's all the more true these days! Dish Network beats out cable TV on the basis of cost alone. Cable TV is much more expensive than the equivalent package from Dish Network. That alone should be enough of a reason to go with satellite TV instead of cable.

When you look at all of the advantages that a satellite TV provider such as Dish Network can provide for you over cable TV, it should be clear that it's the superior way to get the programming you need.