$549, 921 - Did you Buy?

[ocaddict]

Yikes.

Dish is out of room for new HD CHannels they will not have any additional room until they launch new satellites next year for additional HD channels.

I guess I'll hang onto my 721 awhile longer. Which doesn't necessarily bother me. It's the best receiver I have ever owned.

 

[vandalous]

I'm seriously considering taking the plunge. I just bumped up to the Lease 811 plan (I think it's called Dish'n It Up) a couple months ago and now this happens. I'm out of contract so I wonder if I can leverage that to my advantage?

 

[Stargazer]

There is not even enough HD content for it to be worthwhile right now. Perhaps when there is at least 50 HD channels available with all these kinks worked out and the price dropped along with technology improved then I may go ahead and purchase HD hardware. I would be more comfortable buying an HD television at this point than an HD receiver particularly the HD DVR's. I think an HD DVR lease that may be coming this January or so is more appropriate.

 

[bdemz]

Stargazer?

What HD DVR lease? I think Scott said the 942 is not even close to production. What will they lease?

 

[WildBill]

At $549 it is worth it to me to have a HD DVR for time shifting, even if obsolete after 2-3 yrs. , since I have no other DVR receiver to tide me over.

BTW, I called my local dealer to ask about the 921 and he had not heard about the closeout deal. Then said he thought it might be for new subscribers only. Then said he would check into it and get back to me. Checked the DishNetwork website a few minutes ago and they are still listing the 921 at $999. Does anyone have a link to an official Echostar announcement of this deal? Thanks.

 

[Sean Mota]

Hell nope!

If you buy a 921 at $549 today and let's say you keep it for 4 years this is how much you are paying for it.

1 year --> $45.75 per month + Fee to use
2 years --> $22.88 per month + Fee to use
3 years --> $15.25 per month + Fee to use
4 years --> $11.45 per month + Fee to use
5 years --> $9.15 per month + Fee to use

So, it really only makes sense if you are planning to keep it for another 5 years and dish does not pull the MPEG-4 on you for new HD channels within the five years. Unless you like to throw money away and you do not care.

 

[kc99]

I sent a note to Dish this week asking "What can you do for existing Customers, and why I should stay with Dish when Comcast has an HD-DVR for free (9.99/month)." Here's some of the response...

"Thank you for your email. The Model 921 DVR HD receiver is a Dual Tuner Receivers, currently local retailers are offering a special promotion price of $549.00 for this receiver. We currently have no information regarding upgrade promotions, which may be available in the future. Also, availability can not be guaranteed due to the demand for this new technology. "

<snip all the info about the 921>

"At this time we are not able to offer this receiver in our existing customer upgrade promotion."

They didn't mention anything about a better product becoming available soon. Is the 942 for real??

 

[Stargazer]

NEW TECHNOLOGY? They say its new yet they are already talking about a replacement PLUS MPEG 4? Hmmm. Just because they just released it about a year ago dont make it new. Its based upon the 721 software in which has been out for 2 1/2 years now and was in development for a year or so before then even.

 

[bdemz]

Great points

Glad I frequent here. I almost pulled the trigger again and bought one.

I would say you need to keep it at least 4 years for it to be worth it since my local cable co. offers HD/PVR for 9.99 per month.

I also received an e-mail stating they could not do anything for me even if I am a long time AEP customer.

I am going to wait and see what happens.......

 

[Stargazer]

It depends on how much money you are putting into it to how long one should expect it to last. If I spend $1,000 on a receiver I would hope that it would last me at least 10 years, $500 or less 5 or 6 years at least. Now having to pay for service each month I wouldnt expect to pay this much up front.

 

[JohnC]

Probably Not

Last year about this time I bought the Dish 6000u (with 8psk and 8vsb modules) on the closeout special for $149. That was a good deal and E* was talking about the HD Superdish and many new HD channels in the first half of 2004. I was planning to upgrade to a 921 when they were debugged and the price dropped to around $600.

A year later, E* has only added 1 HD channel (TNT HD) and has announced a closeout special of $549 on the 921, which still does not have an OTA program guide. However, Charlie has said that E* does not now have any capacity for any more HD channels and in a year new HD channels will have MPEG4 compression, which apparently the 921 can not decode. It appears to me that E* has decided to use the additional bandwidth in the new 105 satellite for other purposes than HD, and is conceding the HD niche to D*. However, D* has not really added much additonal HD yet - they are talking like E* was a year ago, except they are also talking about HD locals for the major markets.

So I along with apparently many others am on the fence. The current price is still way too high if I will have to change to D* for HD programming or obtain a new receiver to obtain additional E* HD channels in late 2005.

 

[Stargazer]

Right now local markets is what makes Dish Network the money, not HD, since most do not have HD televisions. Maybe in about 2 or 3 years it will become more feasible to have more HD content since more would have HD tv's, more bandwidth would be available and the cost would be less to do HD than it is now.

 

[ckgrick]

Approximately the same price I paid for my JVC D-VHS receivers/recorders. Ordering today.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Well I am back on the fence. Starting to think I would the pluses of the 921 compared to having an 811 or 721 might be higher for me. I starting thinking I could sell my 721 and spare 508 and replace it with a 921. I could also sell my 811 and 508 and replace it with a 921 and recoupe the most of the cost.

If I went replacing the 811 route, I would be short an output on my SW64. I have a Dish500 and a regular Dish connected to a SW64. What would be the cheapest way to get another input for my 921 if I decide to go this route?

I am know down to 3 possible choiced.

1) Replace my current 721 with a 921 and keep my 811 downstairs. This will allow me to have HD upstairs and with DVR capability. I would not have DVR downstairs though.

2) Replace my 811 with my a 921 given my HD DVR capability downstairs. I still would not have HD upstairs (I have an HD 4x3 TV in the bedroom).

3) Don't replace anything.

Ohhhh The choices.

Any thoughts? Also, If I did the HD in the bedroom, I still would plan on adding a new HD DVR downstairs once the 942 was released.

 

[Jaspear]

Approximately the same price I paid for my JVC D-VHS receivers/recorders. Ordering today.

You're right. About the same I paid as well.

I just added up the cost of all the Dish receivers and other hardware I've bought since 1996.........about $2400!!! The only receiver I've owned in all that time that has been consistently reliable and bug free is my model 3000, in service since early 1998 (After Dish fried my original 3000 during a software update.). The cheapest one was the 811. Go figure.

Anyway, if Dish had HD content like Voom (or even Starz HD, or maybe HBO/Showtime west HD), I would overlook the 921's quirks and plunk down another $549. Until Charlie gets over his "compelling" phobia, I think I'll pass.

 

[dfergie]

The 921 is the best purchase I have made in some while...the ability to time shift HD is priceless to me...( I work shift work so I miss a lot of programs) My 501 died a while back so I have been relying on Replays and still archive some downrezzed Hd stuff to them.

 

[hzhao]

I just bought one. This will be my third 921. Little crazy here. But I just had this desire to finish all the rooms in house. At least I don't need anything else now. Wife should be happy that I finally stopped

 

[MikeD-C05]

I just bought one. This will be my third 921. Little crazy here. But I just had this desire to finish all the rooms in house. At least I don't need anything else now. Wife should be happy that I finally stopped

For now.

 

[ocaddict]

I just bought one. This will be my third 921. Little crazy here. But I just had this desire to finish all the rooms in house. At least I don't need anything else now. Wife should be happy that I finally stopped

Why on earth would ANYONE need 3 921's? Maybe I'm just jealous that you have 3 HD capable TV's? LOL

 

[hzhao]

I am just a little crazy about man's toys As of now, I had whole house equiped with 2 811s, 3 921s and one 721. With Sharp 45" and 26" LCD, Mitsubish 30" LCD and 55" RPTV, and Samsung 50" Plasma. 721 is with an old SHarp LCD front project. Like I posted on another topic, I just "support" wife to buy shoes every week and visit mall every other day, in trade of keep my toys up to date Almost forgot, I make sure to tell her that I bought all of those for her

I guess I will take a break for now COuld not find any more excueses for more toys