DISH Network's 1080p VOD service gets inspected, looks impressive

A couple of months back, we saw what was to come with DISH Network's 1080p video-on-demand service. Now, the cats and kittens over at Sound & Vision have a definitive writeup explaining the value of the aforementioned offering. At the time of review, Speed Racer was DISH's 1080p VOD movie of the month, so critics fired it up via the satcaster's set-top-box while comparing it to the version on Blu-ray. Obviously, DISH's 1080p isn't the same quality 1080p as what you'll find on a BD-50, but the results were pretty astounding, regardless. In fact, critics had a tough time deciphering between the two from a normal viewing distance, and while they were fully expecting to be underwhelmed by DISH Network's 1080p material, they were actually stunned by just how impressive it looked. Of course, the dearth of titles available at any given time means that this won't sway potential customers in and of itself, but you can rest assured DISH is looking to beef up its 1080p HD VOD lineup as quickly as possible.

[Kamokazi @ Oct 13th 2008 5:59PM]

"Get your free diabeetus testing kit, now in HD!"

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Jeff @ Oct 13th 2008 6:00PM]

ahhh you beat me to it! DIABEEEETUS dude ftw!

[Andrew @ Oct 13th 2008 6:04PM]

Ah well, might as well join in.

"Hi. I'm Wilford Brimley and I have Diabetes. It hurts me to pee and it causes me to be short with my family. I can't sleep at night. The other day I stubbed my toe and I took it out on the dog. And two weeks ago I ran out of vanilla ice cream and struck my wife. Then I find out my wife's been dead for six years. Who the hell did I hit?!"

[honkimon @ Oct 13th 2008 6:58PM]

http://wbd.ytmnd.com/

[Anthony @ Oct 13th 2008 8:19PM]

What's so funny is that attempt to highlight a technological advance while using someone from Cocoon. He was in that, right?

[CraigJ @ Oct 13th 2008 9:41PM]

Well, he was in Walker, Texas Ranger with Chuck Norris and Chuck kicks ass, therefore this must also kick ass,

[wiregr @ Oct 14th 2008 11:38AM]

Wilford Brimley on demand? Oh hell yes.

[Yipcanjo @ Oct 13th 2008 6:06PM]

Nothing says "impressive" like a freeze-frame of Wilford Brimley.

[Greg Mcp @ Oct 13th 2008 6:11PM]

Speed Racer really let himself go when he got older.

[Steve Childs @ Oct 13th 2008 7:20PM]

I've never had any experience of this company (I'm from the UK), amd I'm assuming its just launching/ed. If so, what's the betting that after a couple of months they increase the compression on the transmissions, once people have read the raving reviews about the picture quality!

[omoks @ Oct 13th 2008 7:34PM]

Sitting at a distance it's already a tough call telling the difference between standard upscaled DVDs and Blu-Ray. This is doomed to fail, being that I work in the cable biz. Most customers can't tell the diff between HD and SD not to mention between 7209, 1080i or 1080p.

[Giroro @ Oct 13th 2008 7:47PM]

I believe that consumer ignorance actually makes it more likely to succeed.

[mypaisa @ Oct 13th 2008 7:51PM]

Why will this fail because you work in the cable biz?

[krische @ Oct 13th 2008 10:48PM]

If they can't tell the difference, then they probably don't have it hooked up right. Many people think that by just buying an HDTV they have HD and they never upgrade their cable/satelite.

[TRUTH @ Oct 13th 2008 11:43PM]

Actually, I don't know what they're teaching you in the "cable biz", but unless you never see the end product, you could never, EVER claim that customers can't see the difference. I calibrate video displays for a friend who has a booming home theater business. The difference between SD, upscaled DVD, and Blu-Ray is quite noticeable.

And, the difference between cable picture quality and satellite (pick your flavor) is STAGGERING.

Cable SUCKS!!

[Bunklung @ Oct 13th 2008 8:07PM]

Shucks. I thought they were talking about 1080/60p, and not 1080/24p. There's a big difference there. I wonder how many consumers will get bit by this one.

[Russell @ Oct 13th 2008 8:49PM]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to get "bit" by support for 1080p60 when literally no content is in that form.

Movies are 24fps brotato, and they can deliver 1080p24 in the same bandwidth as 1080i/60 so it doesn't even take more bandwidth.

[Snatcher @ Oct 13th 2008 8:50PM]

I don't care ! Since they dropped Voom channels, I cancelled my HD package and only kept it for basic package.

[Spencer @ Oct 13th 2008 9:23PM]

I've seen ads for this for the past several weeks and thought it sounded cool, so I looked it up on dish's web site. Despite the entire selling point being that it's VOD at 1080p, the only receivers of theirs that support it AREN'T capable of outputting 1080p. So like. Uh. Nice job Dish.
I'm not becoming a new customer when you create a new product that doesn't work as advertised on such a basic level.

[JAx2000 @ Oct 13th 2008 9:32PM]

Zat Wilford Brimley in HD?

[Biddybalboa @ Oct 13th 2008 11:04PM]

so dudes which service do u think really has the best hd

[mase @ Oct 13th 2008 11:15PM]

DirecTV has 5 free 1080p movies on demand for CE users: The Bank Job, The Bucket List, MI-3, Scorpion King 2, and 48 hours.

[David @ Oct 14th 2008 9:28AM]

What they are not telling you here is that in order for you to get the DISH 1080p VOD, your TV has to be 1080/24fps compliant. MANY 1080p TVS are not so the number of people thta can get this are very limited. Most 1080p TVs do 1080/60 with a 3:2 pulldown.

Also, your TV has to have the right communications. I have my DISH box connected to an expensive video processot that does 1080p/24fps. My DISH 622 receiver wouldn't recognize it as being compliant. While this VOD shows some potential, DISH kinda cut their own throats by making it 1080p/24fps. And it's $6.99 per movie.