DISH Throws Down Its Own HD Gauntlet

Innovation begets innovation, as does competition. That's what we're learning about the HD industry this week, as DISH Network today announced its answer to the news that came out of DIRECTV, Cablevision and Verizon FiOS two days ago. DISH is adding 17 new HD channels, which we previously covered, but is also launching three new programming packages that are HD-only, meaning that if you never watch non-HD programming, now you don't have to pay for a bunch of standard-def channels you don't want.

The all-HD TurboHD packages start at $24.99 a month for 40 HD channels (Bronze Package), run $32.99 a month for 50 HD channels (Silver Package) and top out at the Gold Package with 55 high-def channels for $39.99 a month.

DISH says it now has over 100 national HD channels and is on target for 150 by the end of this year, although both of those totals include a litany of pay-per-view high-def channels that I don't really consider to be "real" channels that can be put in the same category as say, ESPN HD or HGTV HD. (DIRECTV uses the same funny math in calculating its HD channel totals.)

Like DIRECTV, DISH is also going to start releasing on demand HD movies in 1080p format, although it appears that DISH will beat DIRECTV to the punch by launching "I Am Legend" in 1080p on demand tomorrow.

The 17 new HD channels 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).