Where are all these people going? It seems that almost every provider has recorded a decline in subscriptions so are more people utilizing free digital signals for their TV addiction? The picture is better than anything cable or satellite can provide, but what do people do without hundreds of stations they never watch?

This isn’t exactly new, in the strictest definition of the word, but why let that stop us? A group of Sirius XM creditors, creditors whose money makes the company hum on a daily basis, have threatened to seek the ouster of chief executive officer Mel Karmazin if the company files for bankruptcy. (Remember: that could happen as early as tomorrow.) The WSJ notes, however, that the odds of this actually happening—adios, Mel!—are fairly low, since bankruptcy judges tend to give management the benefit of the doubt that it’s doing its best for the corporation. If, for some reason, the judge decides in favor of the creditors, Karmazin and a whole host of Sirius XM brass could be out of a job (which, coincidentally, may not be all that bad).

These creditors are upset with the way Karmazin has run the company, especially relating to his handling of this whole debt situation. I guess they see Karmazin as trying to save the company while simultaneously saving his own backside, rather than solely looking out for the interest of the corporation. Remember: that Dish Network deal, while it may help the company, especially in the short term, could well lead to Karmazin’s sacking, since the Dish Network guy and Karmazin aren’t exactly best friends.

But these creditors would have to prove to the bankruptcy judge that Karmazin was not just a bad CEO—Lord knows there’s bad CEOs all over the place—but that he was engaged in “gross mismanagement” or outright fraud. I don’t think anyone has accused Karmazin of that!

The fact is credit, for all intents and purposes, no longer exists, so it’s extraordinarily difficult for someone in Karmazin’s position to right the ship, as it were.

It’s not that Sirius XM is failing, it’s that it’s failing during the worst recession since the Great Depression. That exacerbates the problem, as you might guess.

This Sirius XM bankruptcy story is starting to read like some trashy novel. There’s now word that DirecTV is getting involved, with the CEO of parent company Liberty Media, one John C. Malone, offering to bail out the troubled satellite radio company. Some see it as a genuine offer, while others see it merely as a ploy to jack up the price for Malone’s rival at EchoStar (Dish Network), Charles W. Ergen. Wonderful.

So the Times today says that Malone’s Liberty Media is in talks with Sirius XM to help out in some capacity; it’s not clear just year if they’re discussing a complete takeover, or something less dramatic, like helping out to service the company’s debt. (Remember: Sirius XM has until Tuesday to come up with $175 million; another $400 is due in December.) As you might expect, given the shape the world economy is in, it’s quite difficult to find people willing to buy Sirius XM debt.

And this is where it gets silly. Malone (remember, he’s in charge of the parent company of DirecTV) could well be offering to help out Sirius XM merely to make Ergen’s (the head of Dish Network’s parent company) life a little harder. “You wanna buy Sirius XM, you’ll have to put a whole lot more money on the table, jerk, because we’re interested, too!” Of course, since EchoStar already has a good chunk of Sirius XM debt on its books, it has the upper hand in any sort of open bidding/negotiating with Sirius XM. That Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazindoesn’t get along with Ergen—if Ergen “took over,” Karmazin may well have to step aside from the company—shouldn’t be ignored.

Keep in mind, worried subscribers, that it’s not like, if Sirius XM files for Chapter 11 next week, the company automatically closes up shop. Chapter 11 is basically a legal method for the company to, pardon my French, get its act together, financially. Should the company indeed file for Chapter 11, you, the everyday subscriber, aren’t necessarily going to see any difference in your day-to-day use of the service. (I think people just hear the word “bankruptcy” and they freak out.) The fact is, the company has plenty of paying subscribers that any competent executive or shareholder would want to do business with. It’s just that Sirius XM ran into the perfect storm with its debt obligations vis-à-vis capitalism completely falling apart in the last few months.

Man alive! Dish Network will have a DVR with built-in Slingbox tech. It’s the Vip 922 HD DuoDVR; we don’t know when it’ll be available, nor do we have any pics. Later today, I suppose.

It’s the first time that a non-Sligbox box will have Slingbox tech built in. The San Francisco Chronicle says the new DVR is “definitely a high-end product.” Good idea to release such a device in this environment.

I’ll have the boys on the show floor—again, I’m still in New York this week—find out more for y’all.

Call: Barack Obama has so much money…

Response: How much money?

Call: He has so much money that he can buy a channel on Dish Network, where he’ll pump his campaign messages 24/7.

If you’re keen to check out Obama’s channel, tune in to channel 73. It runs through November.

And no, it’s not Dish Network endorsing Obama or anything. It’s merely a paid advertisement. If McCain would pony up the cash, I’m sure Dish would be more than happy to accept it and run his ads on loop.

Off topic, but: is anyone else a little tired of Palin’s “folksy” attitude. We get it: you’re the average American. Good for you.

DTVPal via Twice

The February 17^th, 2009 analog shutoff marks the beginning of the digital age here in America and digital tuners, such as the DTVPal, are going to become a staple in many American households. Thankfully, Congress allocated $140 million to alleviate the personal cost of these boxes, by allowing two, $40 coupons per household. This should cover most, if not all, of the retail price. The DTVPal is one of the first on the market to hit the sweet spot of $40 MSRP, allowing consumers to receive these boxes for free thanks to that coupon.

This low price piqued my interest and so I set out to discover if this DTV tuner was worth the cost of your coupon. I, like most Americans, do not need one of these boxes, thanks to cable TV, but my lovely mother does. So I packed up the DTVPal, along with my camera, and headed over to her place.

Growing up at my mom’s house never involved much TV. She has the same antenna that was built with the house in ’76. When I was lucky, I could tune in FOX, but mostly all I had in my younger years was the big three networks of ABC, NBC, and CBS. When the President was on, my night was shot. It’s the same way still today; three, maybe four snowy stations on a tube TV.

My digital station market includes an ABC, NBC, and a FOX affiliate along with pairs of CBS and PBS stations. When all the digital stations are added up, there are 15 of ‘em. To my mothers utter, abet underwhelming, surprise, the DTVPal added all of ‘em to her available lineup — glorious digital TV had arrived to my mom’s house. The DTVPal did its job, but now my mom had to live with this new contraption.

Now my Mom isn’t exactly a true, technology fearing luddite as one can quickly surmise by her impressive component audio setup, but it can take her a while to warm up to new things. This was another remote to add to the end table and another system to master. Thankfully, the Dish Network-made tuner and remote operates the same way as the company’s satellite tuners so I could easily explain the basic functions, as could anyone that has used the providers equipment before.

The menu, along with the guide function, was easy ‘nough, although I doubt she will ever access either one. The OSD explains what TV show is playing, along with the signal strength and time. The whole setup is nice and clean.

I hooked up the tuner, although with a little reading and hunting, my mom could have connected the colored cables to the appropriate inputs. The tuner, of course, outputs the signal via composite RCA jacks or coax. The RCA jacks give you a higher quality picture, so I went with those for her little Sony TV. Unfortunately, in order to redeem the $40 DTV coupon, the tuner cannot have component outputs giving users access to the even higher quality inputs that most TVs have.

Overall, I am very impressed with the DTVPal and cannot find anything for Dish to improve on. We have tried other tuners at her place and none of them provided a better signal, or an easier operation. Plus, the unit is free with Congress’ generous DTV coupon. I even plan on getting a DTVPal when my coupon is delivered for the occasional Comcast downtime or emergency TV. Seriously, click here for one of the vouchers and then redeem it on a DTVPal. It is well worth the cost of admission and can be ordered of www.DTVpal.com.

Oh, don’t forget to make sure that your ‘rents and grandparents are hook’d by February 17^th,, 2009. Just think, you could redeem one of your vouches and give the DTVPal to one lucky antenna user this Christmas – they don’t’ need to know it was free. CrunchDeal for sure.

Feburary 17, 2009 is right around the corner; are you ready? Digital converter boxes are hovering around the $60 mark but Dish Network with a price drop on their DTVPal from $60 down to $40. (snap!) Take the $40 TV Converter Box voucher courtesy of the U.S. Government, and you have yourself an free DTV tuner. It is as easy as that. Dish even helps you out with getting the coupon with a link on the DTVPal product page. (Only takes 2 minutes — I just signed up for mine and will be shipped in Sep.) 

As for the box itself, CNET and Satellite Guys seem impressed. The tuner is about the size of a paperback book and comes with a nice, little Dish Network-style remote. The back panel sports COAX in and out, along with RCA-type audio/video jacks. Not state-of-art, HD equipment, but we’re still impressed. What more do you want for free?

via TVPredictions

Listen. We’re not in the game of financial advisory — even though we do know the game — but when Dish Network drops like an Olympic weightlifter, we take notice. 

Shares of Dish Network Corp. fell sharply Wednesday after an analyst downgraded the stock due to concerns about the satellite TV operator’s weakening business.

It’s worse…

In the second quarter, Englewood, Colo.-based Dish reported a net loss of 25,000 subscribers, the first in the company’s history.

Oh boy, and worse.

Dish also faces risk from its ongoing litigation with Tivo Inc. Tivo has accused Dish of infringing patents for its digital video recorders. Dish lost the initial case and an appeal but it is countersuing.

There was a time when Dish Network led the race to HD, had the very good hardware, and simply a rock’n price. What’s happened since then? Dish still has a great lineup, good hardware, and a competitive price.

So what is it then? Really, we are asking. What’s Dish Network doing that simply isn’t keeping subs around anymore? Lineup, price, hardware, logo, availability….let us know in the comments. 

Forbes

Tomorrow, DISH will start rolling out a big, fat update to all of its MPEG-4 HD DVR boxes. The update will allow the boxes to display high definition content in glorious 1080p resolution. Says DISH, “By early August, all DISH Network customers with MPEG-4 HD DVR receivers will have the only set-top boxes in the nation enabled to display 1080p content, allowing them to maximize the full potential of their 1080p-compatible HDTV sets.” So if you’re really into HD, this might get you a little boner-y.

The update is set to dovetail with DISH’s TurboHD service, which is an “all-HD suite of programming packages” and the recent launch of the company’s Echo XI satellite. DISH currently offers 114 national HD channels and plans to have 150 by year’s end.

Here’s the full press release:

DISH Network(R) Unveils Biggest High Definition Upgrade in TV History

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., July 31, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — DISH Network Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH) today set the bar for the next-generation HD standard by becoming the first in the industry to offer high definition programming in 1080p, the highest and best HD resolution available.

This new functionality is part of DISH Network’s latest and unprecedented expansion in high definition services, which includes the rollout of TurboHD, the industry’s first 100 percent, all-HD suite of programming packages. As previously announced, DISH Network will also launch 17 new national HD channels tomorrow, surpassing its goal of reaching 100 national HD channels five months ahead of schedule. DISH Network now offers up to 114 national HD channels and plans to expand that line-up to 150 channels by the end of 2008, made possible by the recent launch of Echo XI, the most powerful satellite in the company’s fleet.

"Over the years, DISH Network has maintained a very competitive high definition offering in the marketplace, providing customers with a premium HD product including the best technology, signal and experience — at the best value — that no other pay-TV provider can come close to matching. Our latest system upgrade coupled with the introduction of TurboHD further strengthens our position as the leader in digital television and high definition television," said Charlie Ergen, Chairman, CEO and President of DISH Network. "We know that once consumers start watching their favorite TV shows in high definition, their viewing habits change and their preference switches to all-HD programming. Only DISH Network gives them that option, all for an industry-low price of $24.99 per month."

DISH Network’s new high definition services are supported by a proprietary system upgrade that, starting August 1, is being rolled out to all MPEG-4 HD DVR receivers. The upgrade activates a unique feature of the set-top boxes, improving the current standard of HD delivery used by pay-TV providers such as the ability to output 1080p programming. By early August, all DISH Network customers with MPEG-4 HD DVR receivers will have the only set-top boxes in the nation enabled to display 1080p content, allowing them to maximize the full potential of their 1080p-compatible HDTV sets.

To celebrate this new era in the high definition viewing experience, DISH Network is offering subscribers a special deal in August to enjoy the unparalleled picture and sound of 1080p high definition programming. Starting August 1, Warner Bros. Pictures’ blockbuster "I Am Legend" starring Will Smith will be available in 1080p resolution — same as Blu-ray(R) Disc quality — on DISH Network’s VOD service, DISH On Demand, at a discounted price. Subscribers with MPEG-4 HD DVRs may order the movie on DISH Network Channel 501.

Consumers can sign up for the best high definition programming and service in the industry with DISH Network’s new TurboHD programming packages, the only all-HD packages on the market, starting at $24.99 per month. TurboHD is available in three separate tiers and includes special "turbo-charged" features and benefits such as DISH Network’s award-winning and industry-leading technology, the highest quality HD available including 1080p where applicable, and the most-watched HD channels that may be viewed on any TV — analog, digital or high definition.

Current DISH Network customers looking to add the industry’s best high definition experience can get a "turbo-charged" HD package for as little as $10 more per month.

The latest national HD channels added to DISH Network’s programming line-up are: ActionMax HD (DISH Network Ch. 313), CBS College Sports HD (Ch. 152), Lifetime HD (Ch. 108), Lifetime Movie Network HD (Ch. 109), Planet Green HD (Ch. 194), Encore HD (Ch. 340), HBO 2 HD (Ch. 301), HBO Comedy HD (Ch. 307), HBO Family HD (Ch. 305), HBO Latino HD (Ch. 309), HBO Signature HD (Ch. 302), HBO West HD (Ch. 303), HBO Zone HD (Ch. 308), Starz Comedy HD (Ch. 354), Starz Edge HD (Ch. 352), Starz Kids & Family HD (Ch. 356), and Starz West HD (Ch. 351).

For more information about DISH Network’s 1080p programming, new HD channels and TurboHD system and packages, visit http://www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).

[via I4U]

Tough times for Los Angelenos wanting to watch HDTV. Apartment dwellers in the city are, apparently, fed up with Time Warner’s foot-dragging when it comes to expanding HD content, especially those who aren’t allowed to install a DirecTV or Dish Network satellite dish. Right now, Los Angeles ranks dead last in HD channel availability in the top five TV markets in the country. (LA has 16. Compare that to San Antonio with 38.) Charlotte, NC has more HD channels than it!

I think Los Angelenos need to calm down a bit. Lots of those HD channels they’re missing out on are merely upconverted hotbeds of junk that you’d never want to watch anyway. Yes, it’s the principle of the matter, but they’re really not missing much. Aside from ESPN in HD and the occasional nature show, there’s not too much in the way of quality HD on cable.

Dish Network people were excited on Monday when it was announced that 22 new HD channels would be added to the HD package, bringing the total number of HD channels the satellite TV carrier offered up to 95, putting it on par with competitor DirectTV. What Dish forgot to mention was that just hours later it would be dropping 15 older HD channels, mostly Voom related, to leave it at 80 channels.

That didn’t stop Dish execs from quoting the 95 channel score in a press release. It’s possible one hand didn’t know what the other was doing, such as the execs not knowing a drop was going to happen. Or it was a case of generating good PR for PR’s sake.

We haven’t heard back from Dish yet, so we don’t know the story, but either way, we smell a rat.