The Dish Network is among the top direct broadcast satellite companies in the US. Dish offers satellite audio and television across the US and is operated by its group, EchoStar Communications Corporation. Dish was introduced in 1996 at the same of its chief rival in the cable television market DirecTV. The company's headquarters is located in Englewood, Colorado.

Dish Goes HD

In launching its HDTV service, the Dish Network first used an 18-inch satellite dish dubbed the Dish 300 to enable its subscribers access a particular signal from a single satellite location.

Currently, Dish is using 20-inch satellite dishes it calls Dish 500. This allows subscribers to access satellite locations at the same time. Considerably larger dishes such as the Dish 1000 and SuperDish have been rolled out and these enable reception of satellite signals from three satellite locations.

The Dish 1000 gets signals from satellites at 110°W, 119°W, and 129°W, while the two SuperDish's gets feeds from119°W, 110°W, and 105°W and 119°W, 110°W, and 121°W.

The importance of SuperDish and Dish 1000 continues to grow, as the company is constantly increasing the number of programs available in HD. Dish is hopeful that it can improve its offerings for national and local US television network stations and international programming.

The Dish Network has been using the DVB-S broadcasting standard for their channels for several years. However, changes in the MPEG-4 system have been a must due to the introduction of HDTV, which eats up a huge amount of bandwidth. To cope with the situation, Dish announced that all of its new

HDTV channels will only be available in MPEG-4 starting February 1 2006. Dish will maintain its lineup of shows under MPEG-2. Subscribers of Dish will be able to receive the new shows with the use of a new Digital Video Recording that can be availed via an upgrade fee.

Dish plans to eventually convert its entire programming, which includes standard-definition channels and high-definition, to MPEG4 for it to further expand its channel lineup. Dish's is using Dish 1000 system that pulls from 129 and 110/119 orbital slots for its new MPEG4 system. The MPEG-4 HDTV is being served by the 129 orbital slot. This setup also allow Dish to provide HD Locals-into-locals.

Dish's HDTV Most Popular HD channels

HDNET MOVIES - Channel 9423

HDNet Movies in Dish has boasts of a massive film library that features the most memorable releases from Sony, New Line, Artisan, Buena Vista, Paramount Warner Bros, Lion's Gate, MGM and Universal. This HDTV channel also features works from the top leading independent producers and HD movies from world television premieres.

HDNET - Channel 9422

HDNet from the Dish Network has a wide array of HDTV programming. The selection includes documentaries, travel programs, live sports, special events dramas, concerts, news features and the popular HDNet World Report. HDNet is the total package in HDTV

ESPNHD - Channel 9424

ESPN HD from the Dish Network gives the widest selection and most diverse program line-up of sports available in the market. ESPNHD offers a mix of special events/series event programming, and anything that comes with sports. Truly "A Revolution in Resolution."