1/11 Retailer Chat Recap

[DWS44]

After the last month, does anyone else wonder if we'll ever read any GOOD news out of E* on the HD front that isnt tempered by a dozen pieces of crap that seem tailor-made just to p!ss off HD subscribers?!?!?

They couldn't create this much ill-will for themselves if they were actually TRYING to.

 

[glennh73]

To upgrade to the 211 a customer may cost $49, $78, or $98 depending on how Dish rates you.

They are looking into a way to send customers the equipment if they dont want an installer coming to their house.

All HD upgrades require the customer to subscribe and keep the HD programming.

In addition remember the 622 rebate starts on April 1st, if you are installed on March 31st it is not eligible for the rebate.

I'm sorry Scott for chiming in here like really late and haven't read anymore than up to this page. But i needed to see if i got this all Correct!

Since I'm a newbie from just OCT 05, for me to upgrade to 211 from a 811 it would not cost me only 49 bucks, but maybe a 100 bucks, and i can only get one while on my current lease, so if i got a another TV, being HD or not, i couldn't unless i spend hundreds more for another one.

And for me to do this upgrade i would HAVE TO KEEP HD SERVICE?
So what you are saying is pretty much is when they turn ALL HD TO HDLITE, i will be stuck and cant drop the service. Bullsh!t!

And it gets better, this HD package has Voom that is HDlite and will cost me more money then I'm paying on my regular HD package.

So where is my advantage to wanting to upgrade when its going to cost me alot more every month and totally be locked into a package.

Man i can see Comcast commercial now.

 

[downriver]

The first receiver release, the DVR 622 or whatever they call it will probably be buggy. look at the 921 v. the 942.

 

[Smith P.]

The first receiver release, the DVR 622 or whatever they call it will probably be buggy. look at the 921 v. the 942.

not exactly - 622 aka 962 is next revision of 942 aka 922; someone speculated about 942+, but in reality it will be 622

 

[Sean Mota]

One question for everyone. Is there an option for HD only channels? I do not like any of the packages? Can an existing customer gets only HD channels --- Voom + HD pack. After Feb 1.

 

[KenSoren]

The first receiver release, the DVR 622 or whatever they call it will probably be buggy. look at the 921 v. the 942.

That's my feelings, too. But I do hope that they don't fix the major problems by releasing a new and better receiver than the 622. That seems to have been their solution to the 921 and that left a bad taste in many of the 921 customers mouths.
I'll wait until April and make my decision. Meanwhile, I will quietly watch all the chit-chat here on how many bugs there are in the February release. Maybe a two month trial run on the first 622's will give Dish a chance to fine tune the product before they really get to rolling on the upgrade program.

 

[delanewf]

It would be a shame if a pitcher of beer accidently got spilled on some 811's

Don't waste good beer. I will bide my time until the local cable company gets a few more HD channels then I am going their way. This is too much BS. With cable you know what to expect: high prices and rate increases. With Charlie, you have no idea what he is going to pull out of his you know what. It's way too confusing which is exactly what he wants. He seems to try to find new and inventive ways of screwing his customers and making them think they are getting a great deal.

 

[BFG]

One question for everyone. Is there an option for HD only channels? I do not like any of the packages? Can an existing customer gets only HD channels --- Voom + HD pack. After Feb 1.

Yes.

 

[jsanders]

One question for everyone. Is there an option for HD only channels? I do not like any of the packages? Can an existing customer gets only HD channels --- Voom + HD pack. After Feb 1.

The answer is, "yes!". I yelled at some manager of CSRs for about an hour this morning about this stuff. He understood very well that MPEG-4 receivers will be the only ones that can be activated for HD after Feb. 1st, but he kept telling me that I could sell my 942 to someone that could use it for SD. Then I asked, him, "Would you buy it then?" He replied, "No."

To make a long story short, my upgrade strategy requires me to temporarily cancel my subscription to E*. I asked if I would be able to buy just the HD Pack + Voom + locals (for guide data) like I have now if I decide to renew service in the future. He said I would still be able to do that, provided I didn't sign any leases, and that this option would always be available.

Charlie was a professional poker player at one point, right? He appears to be a fierce negociator and bluffer, as we lost Viacomm for a while last year, and he wasn't afraid to pull the plug on Lifetime this year. The problem is that we are supposed to be on the same side! He is supposed to be negociating the best programming for our benefit. Instead, he is being just as crass with us, his customers. It is not a good idea to fight a war on multiple fronts! I don't trust E*, and because of that, I will never sign a lease with them. My only decent strategy requires me to cancel service for a few weeks in order to get a fair deal on an upgrade. I feel bad for all of those people that aren't aware of what will happen to the value of their 942s in a couple of weeks time. Shame on you Echostar!

 

[kcribb1]

811 upgrade to MPEG4 receiver

I was told today that I qualified for "one" new receiver. I asked how much would this cost me. The response was, "I won't know until Feb. 1". I also asked if I would need the Dish 1000. The answer was yes. Again, I asked at what cost. $99 install fee.

I called D*. 1 "free" MPEG-4 receiver and 1 standard receiver + dish installation. I asked how much. Response: "It's free".

Do the math!

 

[Stargazer]

Could you have just the family package and get the HD channels? My guess is no.

Also why couldn't they activate the MPEG-4 channels to those customers that prepay for the MPEG-4 HD receivers and be able to have them until they receive the channels? I think that would be a great idea. They probably dont do that though because the customers will wonder why they have to swapout the receiver if they can get them with the old receiver.

DirecTv is killing Dish Network in the HD deals now. Dish may lose a number of customers over this if they don't watch. They are already going to lose customers over rate increases and lifetime/lmn issue.

 

[BFG]

With the lease I'm pretty sure you have to have at least AT60 because that's the lowest price they quoted in their PR, but it may be possible.

 

[cebbigh]

I agree with you there. As long as Dish is limiting the MPEG4 receivers to 1 per household they should allow Current MPEG2 HD box owners to get all the new National HD offerings.

Didn't it seem like at the time of the last Tech chat they were going to this? If there are just a few 662's in existence now, how can they possibly manufacture enough of them by April 1 to keep this timetable? Somethings gotta give. Sounds like the marketing types and the technical types are talking past each other over there. This is shaping into a train wreck of their own design. It's not only in our interest that they allow us to get the new national hd offerings, it would alleviate a major manufacturing headache for Dish.

 

[downriver]

DirecTv is killing Dish Network in the HD deals now. Dish may lose a number of customers over this if they don't watch. They are already going to lose customers over rate increases and lifetime/lmn issue.

I don't see that Directv offers much in the way of HD programming. Plus as a new Directv HD DVR customer it's gonna cost 400 bones.

 

[Stargazer]

I meant in the way of hardware upgrades/offers.

 

[rthomp03]

new channels will be on both 129 and 61.5, because not veveryone can see 129 (like me)

Has Dish actuall confirmed this lately? As stupid as everything else is right now I can see them only having the new HD on 129 and the h#&$ with the corners.

 

[rthomp03]

Hey guys
Remember, all of the HD we care about will be over the first week in Feb (Superbowl). For those who are interested in the Olympics that will be over by March. Then, there's nothing compelling until late summer. So, chill out, there's plenty of time to let the dust settle.
To reiterate: there won't be anything interesting on ESPN2 until September. Who cares about the 5 VOOM channels that they are adding. I realize that a couple of you are coming unglued by the FOOD Channel and HGTV, but I'll keep my guy card and pass. We have lots of time to figure out what's going to happen and what it's going to cost. This is good timing on Dish's part. Suppose they had set the changeover for Dec 15th, 05?

There are a lot of NCAA conference basketball games coming up on ESPN2 as well as the women's tourney.

 

[BFG]

Has Dish actuall confirmed this lately? As stupid as everything else is right now I can see them only having the new HD on 129 and the h#&$ with the corners.

look at the pdf of markets that are out of the 129 footprint.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/attachment.php?attachmentid=5226&d=1127867493

New York, the #1 market is excluded, basically all of new england, florida and southern texas

129 is not conus, they cannot have HD only at 129, not gonna happen

 

[Lucky]

I don't see that Directv offers much in the way of HD programming. Plus as a new Directv HD DVR customer it's gonna cost 400 bones.

DirecTV is in the process of launching five new satellites devoted to HD programming. The first two were launched in order to provide locals. The next ones are supposed to be for nationals. They are promising 150 national HD channels by 2007. I know there will not be 150 available, but they will have the capacity to add many, many nationals. Right now Dish is the leader, but DirecTV will be more than competitive if not the leader in HD within a year. Charlie better watch because a lot of us will switch to DirecTV within the next year if he insists on these ridiculous upgrade policies.

 

[RBBrittain]

Has Dish actuall confirmed this lately? As stupid as everything else is right now I can see them only having the new HD on 129 and the h#&$ with the corners.

Basically no one from Baltimore northeast can see 129. Since that includes NYC, you can bet all HD will be available on 61.5...