Delta Shedding Dish Network Channels?
Dec 10, 2018, 7:57 am
#1
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Delta Shedding Dish Network Channels?
I flew CMH-ATL-DAB last week on 739s and, apart from the satellite TV service just plain not working on the first segment (which I've become accustomed to at least a few channels not working at this point, but not the whole thing), I noticed there were only 12 channels instead of 18 which could be chosen from. The same thing happened when I pulled up the BYOD portal on my phone (I was looking for a documentary I'd wanted to finish and it wasn't there, at which point I found you could watch satellite TV on BYOD now as well.)
Is DL whittling down the channel list or is this temporary?
Is DL whittling down the channel list or is this temporary?
Dec 10, 2018, 8:24 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: USA
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I flew CMH-ATL-DAB last week on 739s and, apart from the satellite TV service just plain not working on the first segment (which I've become accustomed to at least a few channels not working at this point, but not the whole thing), I noticed there were only 12 channels instead of 18 which could be chosen from. The same thing happened when I pulled up the BYOD portal on my phone (I was looking for a documentary I'd wanted to finish and it wasn't there, at which point I found you could watch satellite TV on BYOD now as well.)
Is DL whittling down the channel list or is this temporary?
Is DL whittling down the channel list or is this temporary?
Dec 10, 2018, 9:45 am
#4
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I think this may put them at a slight competitive disadvantage. I recently flew UA for the first time in like forever. I wasn't all that impressed but I did like their selection of channels....granted it wasn't free.
Dec 10, 2018, 12:14 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: NYC
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This is the difference between channels delivered via an actual Dish satellite on top of the plane (more channels), versus being delivered over a stream via GoGo 2Ku (fewer channels). All Airbus use the later and have fewer options, perhaps they are going to begin switching over the Boeings? Especially since many already have 2Ku.
Dec 10, 2018, 7:10 pm
#9
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It's amazing that, back in the Song days, they had 24 channels. I distinctly remember watching BBC America the one time I got to fly Song.
CBS, NBC, FOX (New York affiliates; I was trying to watch football in my example and got SNF on the second flight, but no FOX late game on the first), CNN, FOX News, NFL Network, Telemundo, Cartoon Network are the ones I think I remember seeing off hand. I would imagine USA was probably still there given its ties to NBCUniversal.
My concern is that they'll eventually dump it altogether, which would be disappointing as I really do appreciate DL sticking with AVOD as opposed to the BYOD trend AA and UA have gone toward.
The majority of the Sat TV-equipped planes I spend time on are 739s and 757s, as much of my travel during the year is plowing between CMH and DAB, so I don't see the Airbus metal much, but I was on an A320 MSP-CMH a little over a year ago and it had no SatTV at all.
That said, I was on N673DL last September (one of the 757s spared from retirement) DTW-LAS and it was modded, but had no Dish; I wanted to turn my brain off and watch WWE after having dealt with Irma the week before.
My concern is that they'll eventually dump it altogether, which would be disappointing as I really do appreciate DL sticking with AVOD as opposed to the BYOD trend AA and UA have gone toward.
This is the difference between channels delivered via an actual Dish satellite on top of the plane (more channels), versus being delivered over a stream via GoGo 2Ku (fewer channels). All Airbus use the later and have fewer options, perhaps they are going to begin switching over the Boeings? Especially since many already have 2Ku.
That said, I was on N673DL last September (one of the 757s spared from retirement) DTW-LAS and it was modded, but had no Dish; I wanted to turn my brain off and watch WWE after having dealt with Irma the week before.
Dec 10, 2018, 7:49 pm
#10
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Delta had been talking about IPTV (delivered over Gogo 2Ku) as an alternative to sat TV a while before it rolled out. Maybe they're waiting for Gogo to have further enhancements in bandwidth. Maybe they're offering higher resolution vs. the old 24-channel Song aircraft. I don't watch enough aircraft TV to recognize channels were gone.
https://news.delta.com/delta-expand-...e-600-aircraft
https://news.delta.com/delta-expand-...e-600-aircraft
Last edited by 3Cforme; Dec 10, 2018 at 8:02 pm
Dec 10, 2018, 9:01 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: CONUS
Posts: 947
I believe the reduction in channels is a bandwidth issue.
Something else I noticed fly Sunday watching NFL on a plane with the streaming DishTV (vs actual live tv) - the stream was around 90 seconds if not 2 minutes behind real time. I know because I was streaming Sunday Ticket on my iPad and the TV was WAY behind.
So far with my experiences I'm pleased with the 2Ku TV streaming since the stand-alone live TV Dish worked maybe 30-40% of the time. I've told Delta for years what a waste of money that service was when you consider the aerodynamic penalty and such...
Something else I noticed fly Sunday watching NFL on a plane with the streaming DishTV (vs actual live tv) - the stream was around 90 seconds if not 2 minutes behind real time. I know because I was streaming Sunday Ticket on my iPad and the TV was WAY behind.
So far with my experiences I'm pleased with the 2Ku TV streaming since the stand-alone live TV Dish worked maybe 30-40% of the time. I've told Delta for years what a waste of money that service was when you consider the aerodynamic penalty and such...
Dec 11, 2018, 2:02 am
#14
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Dec 11, 2018, 5:07 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2018
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It's amazing that, back in the Song days, they had 24 channels. I distinctly remember watching BBC America the one time I got to fly Song.
CBS, NBC, FOX (New York affiliates; I was trying to watch football in my example and got SNF on the second flight, but no FOX late game on the first), CNN, FOX News, NFL Network, Telemundo, Cartoon Network are the ones I think I remember seeing off hand. I would imagine USA was probably still there given its ties to NBCUniversal.
CBS, NBC, FOX (New York affiliates; I was trying to watch football in my example and got SNF on the second flight, but no FOX late game on the first), CNN, FOX News, NFL Network, Telemundo, Cartoon Network are the ones I think I remember seeing off hand. I would imagine USA was probably still there given its ties to NBCUniversal.
Wow, and both ESPNs are gone too?
Since I can't yet post URLs, i thought the Dish lawsuit had something to do with it but guess not since Turner's CN and CNN are still on it. (Google this story b/c I still can't post URLs lol: "CNN's $100 Million Problem: Collecting Payment for People Watching on Airplanes")