Hey guys,

I just found out that DirectTV is launching over 1000(!) new channels, of which 155 will be in HD. Their release date is slated as "late Summer, '05," which we all know means probably 1st Qtr '06. Still, this is a huge boost in programming considering DishNetwork only offers 15 or so HD channels including the Voom package. According to Dish, their scheduled increase in HD programming (slated for 1st Qtr, '06) is an additional 10 channels by comparison.

Bye-Bye Dish, hello DirectTV!

I found this out when Dish truly ticked me off by trying to charge me $858 to install their HD-DVR instead of the $250 they offer new subscribers. That's right, if you an existing subcriber, you know...the kind that's been sending checks to Dish every month for years, you get bent over for an additional $600 over some Joe Blow that just walked off the street! Does anyone else have a problem with this? Conversely, DirectTV is offering their $499 HD-DVR (incl. $100 rebate), 4 addn'l free receivers, a $99 DVR (with a $100 rebate; yes, they pay you a dollar.), a free dvd player, and free install. For those of you in the cheap seats, that's 1 HD receiver, 4 SD receivers, 2 DVR's, 1 DVD player, and a partridge in a pear tree for $499.

Oh

Hell

Yeah!