DISH Network will begin upgrading subscribers on Friday for full high-definition TV broadcasts, known as 1080p. By the end of the weekend, subscribers who have the company’s HD DVR will not only get the upgrade to its TurboHD service but access to the first movie, “I am Legend.”

However, the ability to view HD broadcasts pertains only to movies on demand, or “theatrical” recordings, as Jessica Insalaco, DISH’s chief marketing officer, describes it. Even though many TVs today can handle the technology, no TV stations are actually broadcasting in full, 1080p quality.

(The”p” and the “i” refer to progressive or interlaced video. Older TVs show us two alternating sets of 240 horizontal lines. Our minds interpret the “interlaced” result as a singular image made of 480 lines. “Progressive” technology delivers the whole image in one fell swoop. It doesn’t rely on the human mind to stitch two images together.)

TV broadcasters haven’t gone the 1080p route yet because delivering that content takes up a lot of space on the airwaves. Instead, HD broadcasts are either 720p or 1080i. Currently, the only way consumers can view 1080p content is to get a high-definition DVD player, such as a Blu-ray disc or the defunct HD DVD format, or one of the PlayStation3 or Xbox 360 game consoles.

Insalaco said that DISH’s move to 1080p is just the beginning. The upgrade will enable customers’ set-top box (pictured above) to receive any future 1080p broadcast when TV channels begin offering them. DISH is working with stations to start offering 1080p broadcasts.

“Entertainment is a little like the chicken and the egg. You didn’t see a lot of HD channels until you saw a lot of customers,” Insalaco said.

For many DISH subscribers, this will come as a surprise, she said.

“No, they don’t know, but they’re going to know on Friday,” she said. “Our systems will be ready as of Friday.”

Subscribers will be able to access TurboHD’s Video on Demand on Channel 501. A message on their box should notify customers of the upgrade.

DISH is rolling out the service to its HD DVR subscribers first, then it will tackle HD subscribers. There will be no increase in cost to current HD subscribers.

More details on TurboHD on Dish’s site.

Plan details are below:

TurboHD Bronze ($24.99/month – Over 40 Channels)

A&E HD, ABC FAMILY, Cartoon Network, CNBC, CNN HD, Discovery Channel HD, Disney (E), ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, ESPNews, Food Network HD, HD Theater, HDNet, HGTV HD, The History Channel HD, Lifetime, MHD, SCI FI Channel HD, TBS in HD, TLC HD, TNT HD, Travel Channel, USA HD, Weather Channel plus 6 Pay-per-View Movies and up to 14 VOD and HD Locals where available.

TurboHD Silver ($32.99/month – Over 50 Channels)

A&E HD, ABC FAMILY, Cartoon Network, CNBC, CNN HD, Discovery Channel HD, Disney (E), ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, ESPNews, Food Network HD, HD Theater, HDNet, HGTV HD, The History Channel HD, Lifetime, MHD, SCI FI Channel HD, TBS in HD, TLC HD, TNT HD, Travel Channel, USA HD, Weather Channel, Animal Planet HD, Big Ten Network HD, Bravo, CBS College Sports, Lifetime Movie Network, NFL Network HD, Toon Disney, WGN America plus 6 Pay-per-View Movies and up to 14 VOD and HD Locals where available.

TurboHD Gold ($39.99/month – Over 55 HD Channels)

A&E HD, ABC FAMILY, Cartoon Network, CNBC, CNN HD, Discovery Channel HD, Disney (E), ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, ESPNews, Food Network HD, HD Theater, HDNet, HGTV HD, The History Channel HD, Lifetime, MHD, SCI FI Channel HD, TBS in HD, TLC HD, TNT HD, Travel Channel, USA HD, Weather Channel, Animal Planet HD, Big Ten Network HD, Bravo, CBS College Sports, Lifetime Movie Network, NFL Network HD, Toon Disney, WGN America, Biography, Encore, Golf Channel/ Versus HD, Hallmark Movie Channel, National Geographic Channel HD, Planet Green, The Science Channel HD, Tennis Channel plus 6 Pay-per-View Movies and up to 14 VOD and HD Locals where available.

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