Add HD to any package for an additional $20/month?

[theinv]

Is it true that now you can add HD programming to any package for an additional $20 per month?


I remember that a while ago, they require you to have a qualifying package like "America Top 100" to get HD. Now, I don't see any "qualifying" wording on the page, so does this mean u can add HD to any package?

I only have the "Great Wall TV" package.

 

[BigTimMN]

I am not sure on if "all" packages are elgible, but, you have to be subscribing the corresponding channel to get its HD counterpart, so you wont get all the new channels for $20.

I am at AT200, so i dont get NatGeo, Science, and Vs/Golf, If I would go to AT250 I would get those as well for the same HD Fee.

I

 

[garys]

You do need AT100 or higher in order to lease an HD receiver. Don't think you need it if you buy the receiver outright.

 

[JohnEL]

I have had a VIP211 for over a year. This was and still is a leased receiver.
Had Family Pac with old HD package & Voom package. I recently had to "upgrade" to an AT package however to keep Voom HD programming or I would have lost them with the switch to MPEG4. Voom channels had been MPEG2, now they are being changed to all MPEG4.
Again I was told by DISH that if I wanted to keep VOOM would have to switch to one of the AT packages. So DISH is saying, at least to me, you must have some AT package in-order to get the HD package.

 

[8bitbytes]

HD Package is a fluid term that changes based on your subscription level.

The $20 will give you all the base level HD channels that have NO SD twin. Above that, each programming subscription level has SD channels to which there is an HD twin channel. If you get the SD channel, you will receive the HD channel as well.

This is an incentive based programming option: The more you subscribe to, the more HD you get for the same money. It does have to be an AT type package, but you could always email the CEO.

That's the way it works.

 

[JohnEL]

I e-mailed CEO, couple months ago, here was the response;

"As of right now the minimum package with the new HD channels is the Top 100. I have sent an email to our promotions team to see if we are going to be including the Family Package and HD together in the future. Once I receive any information on this I will let you know. I apologize this can’t be done at this time but if you have any other questions please feel free to let me know.

Thank you,

*****"
Still no changes to date. I hope this helps.

 

[mike123abc]

You can think of it as 2 charges rolled into one (and you can not separate them any more):

1. HD programming tier... HDNet/Movies, VOOM, DHDT, etc that are only HD channels
2. Enable reception of the HD channel of the AT package channel I already have in SD (like ESPN, Animal planet, etc).

So, the one part is unique channels that are only available in HD, and the other part is enabling the HD version of channels you already subscribe to.

 

[8bitbytes]

You can think of it as 2 charges rolled into one (and you can not separate them any more):

1. HD programming tier... HDNet/Movies, VOOM, DHDT, etc that are only HD channels
2. Enable reception of the HD channel of the AT package channel I already have in SD (like ESPN, Animal planet, etc).

So, the one part is unique channels that are only available in HD, and the other part is enabling the HD version of channels you already subscribe to.

Exactly! Well put.

 

[Rajumon]

How about HD only subscribers ?

When I upgraded from 811 to 622 I only had HD Stand-alone package. (I know we are a small minority here !). I always owned my receivers. I do get all VOOM channels plus HD only channels. But I also get NGHD, ESPN-HD & ESPN2-HD for which I do not subscribe the SD version of the channels nor receive them. So, the above rules seem to have exceptions. I am not sure whether I will get any of the new channels started today till I get home from work. I am not planning to subscribe to any SD channels which I no longer watch. Currently I am paying about $42.00 for HD-Standalone package.

I really wish subscribers are not forced to pay for stuff they do not need.

 

[harshness]

I only have the "Great Wall TV" package.

In order to get the hardware to qualify for the HD package, you pretty much have to subscribe to a basic package for two years.

There may also be some issues about HD versions of SD channels that you don't already subscribe to.

 

[mdonnelly]

When I upgraded from 811 to 622 I only had HD Stand-alone package. (I know we are a small minority here !). I always owned my receivers. I do get all VOOM channels plus HD only channels. But I also get NGHD, ESPN-HD & ESPN2-HD for which I do not subscribe the SD version of the channels nor receive them. So, the above rules seem to have exceptions. I am not sure whether I will get any of the new channels started today till I get home from work. I am not planning to subscribe to any SD channels which I no longer watch. Currently I am paying about $42.00 for HD-Standalone package.

I really wish subscribers are not forced to pay for stuff they do not need.

You, my friend, are making out like a bandit. Don't change anything or you'll lose that NGHD, at least. You'll get the SD ESPN channels in any AT package. No big deal there.

 

[mike123abc]

When I upgraded from 811 to 622 I only had HD Stand-alone package. (I know we are a small minority here !). I always owned my receivers. I do get all VOOM channels plus HD only channels. But I also get NGHD, ESPN-HD & ESPN2-HD for which I do not subscribe the SD version of the channels nor receive them. So, the above rules seem to have exceptions. I am not sure whether I will get any of the new channels started today till I get home from work. I am not planning to subscribe to any SD channels which I no longer watch. Currently I am paying about $42.00 for HD-Standalone package.

I really wish subscribers are not forced to pay for stuff they do not need.

You of course have a package that cannot be subscribed to any more, so the current rules do not affect you. But, I suspect your time is limited, now that they have converted the VOOM to MPEG-4 (or could at any moment) I suspect the next round of conversions will be in Oct/Nov time frame when they need to convert the last of the MPEG-2 HD to MPEG-4.

 

[8bitbytes]

You of course have a package that cannot be subscribed to any more, so the current rules do not affect you. But, I suspect your time is limited, now that they have converted the VOOM to MPEG-4 (or could at any moment) I suspect the next round of conversions will be in Oct/Nov time frame when they need to convert the last of the MPEG-2 HD to MPEG-4.

That won't change anything for him, he already has a 622. Only the auditors can stop him now!

 

[kb7oeb]

I think he has the $29.99 HD only pack that was offered for a limited time.

 

[slocoma]

I want to upgrade to HD. I don't want to lose my dual tuner DVR.

How much does it cost to upgrade? Do they have to come out to do an upgrade?

 

[Rajumon]

HD-Standalone Subscribers

You, my friend, are making out like a bandit. Don't change anything or you'll lose that NGHD, at least. You'll get the SD ESPN channels in any AT package. No big deal there.

You are right, I do watch NGHD and the current rules require me to sub to AT-250 or above which I refuse to do.

That won't change anything for him, he already has a 622. Only the auditors can stop him now!

Since I have 622, MPEG4 conversion is not an issue. The main reason I paid full price for 622 and upgraded was to receive some of the new MPEG4 channels I wanted.

I think he has the $29.99 HD only pack that was offered for a limited time.

You are correct, plus DVR fee and "Access fee" because I do not have an AT package.

Even though I think I pay too much for what I get, I wish Dish would leave me alone with out forcing me to subscribe to SD channels I do not need or watch. If they do, they will definitely lose me as a subscriber. Verizon started to install FIOS in Sothern California (Verizon has state-wide approval), including nearby cities to me. I probably can tolerate their SD version of the channels because they do not compress signals much like other providers.

I think I will not change anything. I found out all the new channels added are red for me . I probably would have watched just Discover-HD, others I do not care. So, no big deal. Life goes on
-Rajumon