1/11 Retailer Chat Recap

[dlsnyder]

I guess I am confused. Aren't the 411/ViP211/ViP622 going to be the only receivers released to customers from here on out? All of them are HD receivers. People who are SD only are going to be "forced" to subscribe to an HD programming package they could care less about just so they can have the privelige of subscribing to Dish Network? That's not going to go over very well.

 

[Dave1997]

OK. What dish is going to be used in the states that can't get 129 Satellite Location.



GO STEELERS!!!

 

[riffjim4069]

Oh the Ergen-omics of it all...

I lease a 942 and two 811s. Let me get this straight...I get to upgrade to the 622, but have to wait 12 months in order to upgrade an 811, wait another year to upgrade the other 811, or buy two 211 receivers at over $700? So I would have to folk over $700 for two 211 receivers or else I won't be able to watch the HD Channels I am paying for?

If so, it's a crock! Cable will let me rent three HD DVRs with no upfront costs. Oh, and they have Lifetime and OLN.

 

[kokomogator]

Of course here is another thought...if it has been less than a year since we got the 942 upgrade, does that mean we have to wait a full year from THAT date to get any of this?!?!?

My question also!!!

Another thought.....why would they want the old receivers back for trade when they won't activate any new HD content on them?

 

[rickmac]

I would suspect there would be diffrences between leased and owned equipment swap outs plans...

 

[mdonnelly]

I guess I am confused. Aren't the 411/ViP211/ViP622 going to be the only receivers released to customers from here on out? All of them are HD receivers. People who are SD only are going to be "forced" to subscribe to an HD programming package they could care less about just so they can have the privelige of subscribing to Dish Network? That's not going to go over very well.

HD receivers can get SD also. HD programming is either authorized or not for a sub. Not an issue for SD subs.

 

[riffjim4069]

My question also!!!
Another thought.....why would they want the old receivers back for trade when they won't activate any new HD content on them?

So they can take them out of circulation and/or replace failed receivers under DHA/DHPP.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Another thought.....why would they want the old receivers back for trade when they won't activate any new HD content on them?

I asked this at CES.

Simple Answer - ExpressVu!

 

[JH1949]

Yes, for me this may be the deciding factor. I have two leased 811's. If they will only upgrade one I might just be forced to switch to DirecTV.

So the real reason you are switching to DirectTV immediately is to get HDlite LIL NY on both of your receivers ?

 

[dlsnyder]

I have an 811 that I currently lease. For now they will allow me to keep the old HD pack and not change anything. Since the only compelling new channel for me is UHD I will probably just stick with what I have until they shut off HD in MPEG2. When they do that they will _have_ to upgrade my receiver at no cost. What's that going to be, another year or two?

 

[kokomogator]

I asked this at CES.
Simple Answer - ExpressVu!

Say wha???

 

[Minsk1]

Now that there's an idears! If it was leased to begin with, they'd have to replace it yeah???

They will just replace it with a 211.

Problem solved... I can see a bunch of broken receivers in the near future

It is very obvious - you will get 811 from the pool of returned receivers:devil:

 

[Lucky]

I lease a 942 and two 811s. Let me get this straight...I get to upgrade to the 622, but have to wait 12 months in order to upgrade an 811, wait another year to upgrade the other 811, or buy two 211 receivers at over $700? So I would have to folk over $700 for two 211 receivers or else I won't be able to watch the HD Channels I am paying for?
If so, it's a crock! Cable will let me rent three HD DVRs with no upfront costs. Oh, and they have Lifetime and OLN.

At least they should give us a price break if we want to buy an extra 211. If you look at the DirecTV deal (and I already have), they sell their receivers for $ 199 and they give you a $ 200 rebate. So that means, you get the first one for free and an extra receiver will cost you $ 198. With Dish you get one for free and an extra will cost you $ 369. They should at least let us buy one for say $ 200. That at least would be somewhat reasonable.

Scott, is there any chance of us getting a price break to buy a second 211 ?

 

[BrianMis]

Hmmm..... They must have weeks that are a lot longer than the customary 7 days that most people have.

If you add up all the HD/HD-Lite on all the channels over the course of the entire week. That number makes sense to me.

 

[bnaivar]

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

"Tire tread marks? What tire tread marks? I don't see any tire tread marks....."

 

[kokomogator]

If you add up all the HD/HD-Lite on all the channels over the course of the entire week. That number makes sense to me.

But how many of those hours are just repeats of the same shows???

 

[Stargazer]

I compare the additional outlet fee increase to the DVR fee increase. All receivers in the future will probably be charged a $6 additional outlet fee once they are all HD/MPEG-4 eventually. After seeing them raise the DVR fee I was curious if they was going to increase the additional outlet fee as well. They are sneaking it in there.

So the rate increase is another notch higher for some. It is $2-3 for the basic, $1 for the DVR fee, $1 for the additional outlet fee. That is a $4-5 price increase plus the increase in the HD package. Now we are talking about $9-10 increase. Is there anything else I am forgetting about?

 

[ScottChez]

My wife called Cox cable here in Omaha becuase my wife is really upset about loosing Lifetime (which she really does watch everyday).

Then I called back,
Cox cable in Omaha said they do not use HD LITE, like the Sat companies.
They also have TNT HD and U HD and they said they were full HD not down res.

I talked to there tech department, were they just saying that get me to switch?


They also have unlimited HD DVRs at $5 a month.

There is also a Cox thread going on, were many claim that Cox does not do HD lite and they just take the Sat Signal from the source as is.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6898429&&#post6898429

Could it be that all this HD Lite stuff and the cable companies doing it also is just marketing Hype form the Sat companies?

I know this is off topic, but the thread is kind of about over priced Dish, limit One HD Recevier ect . . . .

 

[dlsnyder]

HD receivers can get SD also. HD programming is either authorized or not for a sub. Not an issue for SD subs.

What they said earlier in the chat (according to the transcript) was that everyone who leases one of these new units will also be required to subscribe to the new HD pack which includes VOOM. If my grandmother wants to subscribe to Dish Network and watch it on her old 27" RCA set through the coax input, it sounds like they are going to force her to subscribe to VOOM channels if she wants to lease equipment. Sure she can watch old Matlock reruns in SD on it too, but why would they require EVERYONE to subscribe to the new HD pack if these are going to be the only receivers out there? This is especially true if they are immediately discontinuing the DVR625 and DVR510. The only option if you want a DVR will be the ViP622 which is HD-capable. Why not force you to subscribe to HBO if you are an AT-60 sub while they are at it?

It seems like the "required" subscription to the new HD pack is in effect part of the lease fee. They should say that the lease fee is not $5/mo but really $24.99/mo.

 

[customhank]

Scott, great job once again! You scooped them all again, not even a mention of any of this at the others sites!

Way to go!

Also thank you for the great coverage of CES, you went above and beyond any other site to report the real news, not just report fact from press releases like was done at other sites!

Great job!!!!