Dish Network FlexTV Questions..

[peano]

I found this:

DISH Network - Digital Home Advantage Promotion Agreement - 1.888.825.2557


Looks like there is no limitation to receiver models or programming.

I wonder if Claude at Dishstore will sell FlexTV receivers.

 

[Stargazer]

So DishNow is the promotion that does not require the Name and address and Flex does require it? Neither DishNow or Flex require the social security number?

 

[r10fret]

OK, the deal with retailers and FlexTV is that the retailers make nothing on these and have lots to lose if you're late on your bill more than once. This is all the information about this program you, as the end user, needs to know.

You still buy your hardware and you still prepay for your programming without having to buy cards that you have to install and download. It's not that confusing.

:rant:

Must be confusing for you since you are spreading DISHinformation!

First, dishnow does not require an install of any cards, it requires you to activate a PIN number via a phone number to add or activate programming.

Second, after an initial $149 charge to purchase and own the basic FLEXTV required equipment the whole purpose of the "FLEXTV" program is that it is flexible and carries no commitment and allows a customer who is willing to pay for programming 30 days at a time in advance to allow their dish subscription to lapse so long as they are willing to pay a $5 fee to have it turned on again after the free reactivation grace period to make another payment ends.

 

[navychop]

Yes, as passed earlier, you can buy your own receiver(s) and other equipment and install it all yourself or pay someone. You can then subscribe via Dish with NO CONTRACT, NO COMMITMENT. But you'll have reactivation fees if you miss a payment. But, you can leave at any time.

Foolish. Why not just autopay and be done with it? They'll install for free, or nearly so. Much cheaper path for you. So what if you have a year or two commitment? You really plan on going thru the hassle of changing providers that often? If your credit is so bad you can't subscribe, you surely don't have the cash laying around to pay up front for so much equipment.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Do not use a 301 or many other older receivers. These do not support 8PSK, and very soon will be essentially useless as all programming shifts to 8PSK. The next step will be shifting to all MPEG-4. So you might as well forget the older receivers and only deal with ViP series receivers.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Zachstar]

What is with this "All you need to know" nonsence? If I want to spend money earned by backbreaking labor I think I am atleast entitled to request more info. You don't have to give it to me obviously but this "All you need to know" junk needs to end. Frankly I do not know enough. Yes I learned a great deal from this topic but the lack of info especially in the beginning is what caused me to just go with Comcast again.

Overall tho this FlexTV stuff looks great for the customers who are lucky enough to be near a reatailer who gives a darn. But for those reeling from learning of the demise of the older program it seems to be fraught with issues.

 

[navychop]

Fare thee well.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If you are setup now for DishNow you have everything you need to FlexTV, now instead of buying cards each month you just prepay dish every month,

Everything you have now will work with FlexTV, and you an even add additional receivers.

 

[mike123abc]

Prepaying your Dish account is easy. Most of the check cashing/bill paying places will do Dish payments. So, you can pay in cash in advance, and as much in advance as you want. If you want to pay for 3 months of service at a time, you can figure out how much that would be and pay in advance.

Not everyone wants to be tied to a possible commitment, with this program it is easy to get set up, or you might already be set up. Then you pay as you want when you can, and it is only a $5 fee if you have to go dark a while and then want to start back up.

 

[STEELERSRULE]

But the biggest difference between these two is the fact with Dish NOW! you paid by the DAY, and not the MONTH, as it will be with FlexTV.

Also, and this is just wondering on my part, I have no facts, but since they "penalize" you $5 for stopping and restarting(another HUGE difference between FlexTV and the Dish NOW! setup), I wonder if this gets listed on your credit report as a NON PAYMENT.

In other words you get penalized somehow for starting and stopping. I know you don't give a Credit Card, or even a Social Security #, but is any of that needed by dish to send out a mark to be placed on your credit history as "he/she did not pay, therefore we shut off service."

In order to restart, you must pay a $5 reactivation fee(another FLAG used by dish to alert credit report companies?). I would be very wary of this for people who may be considering it.

With Dish NOW! you just paid for what you wanted, let it go till it ran out, and that was it. Nothing to starting and stopping.

Now, though. I would be a little leary of that. Just my 2 cents. Good luck to all who go the FlexTV route. I am not, and am done with Dish for now.

Unless of course they add back in the day to day ordering with FlexTV, and NO PENALTY for starting and stopping.

I will be keeping an eye on these threads to see how people feel about it. But as for now, for me, I am out and gone.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

FlexTV does not report to your credit. It is a Pre Paid service and you own the equipment. If you dont pay your bill then service terminates at the end of the time you paid for.

 

[retiredbob]

Just joined this site after finding out on a RVers forum that DishNow is no longer available. I've been using DishNow periodically for about 18 months when using my RV, after switching from DirecTV due to problems starting and stopping service. I currently have a 301 receiver with smartcard. Do I just have to call Dish, give them my receiver and card numbers plus credit card, to get started with FlexTV?

Also, I understand my 301 receiver may not work much longer--true? If so, what is the cheapest receiver I can buy for occasional use in my RV? Don't need HD/DVR capabilities.

Thanks for any info.

 

[navychop]

The 301 will not work much longer. It is not 8PSK capable.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Your 301 will work fine. When Dish upgrades to 8PSK if your a current customer they will replace your receiver. Its going to be awhile before it happens so I wouldn't worry about it.

Dish should already have your receiver id and smartcard number, so when you call they will just need some additional information to get you flipped over to FlexTV.

Honestly FlexTV is really not that much different then the prepaid Dish Now service.

 

[the mack]

will locals and regional sports channels be available?

 

[retiredbob]

Thanks, guys. Appreciate the info.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

will locals and regional sports channels be available?

Yes.

 

[teched]

It took 54 minutes from the time I started my call to switch one of my prepaid receivers. I actually thought it would be worse than that and some of it was my own doing - I asked for a number of things to be explained before if I would convert and to settle on the package I would go with.

Complications:

• Either the prompts don't handle DishNow customers (account number or phone number) or they had my shell account phone number incorrect.
• The first operator at first only saw my DTVPal purchase. Eventually he transferred me to a Spanish speaking operator. I didn't time the wait but it was a while.
• The receiver I wanted to activate wasn't the one they had tied to my account. I went with the one they had but I'll have to reprogram some remotes on my end.
• Had to hold the powerbutton to get the receiver to come up on the new firmware and package.

I went with the American Welcome Pack and PIs. The operator said I'd have to have DishFamily or greater for the Cinemax deal. I asked about some international channels (Brazilian) but can't justify the cost for them or even the high packages - I can buy the DVDs of what I like(ed) or watch on the web for much less than the price difference. I also have a FTA (the legit kind) setup and added a DVBworld box last night, after seeing that DishNow was dead, to enhance my options. $9.99 + tax each month is less than what I was spending on DishNow and it is some cheap TV while I explore my tv options for the future.

Don't toss the old equipment in the trash: Keep using it for NASA (or whatever else works), turn it into cash, give it away or recycle it.

I think in the future I'll head straight for the Spanish operators and I don't speak Spanish.

Also, even if you don't speak Spanish take a look at the Latino Packages Dos and Max if are considering Silver or greater. They include locals and many of the English language channels and maybe the option of Playboy for a few bucks less (if you can live without the missing channels).

 

[marco916]

Hi All, newbie question

Newbie here "Marco" on the Dish Network forum, but not new to Satelliteguys.com, I'm usually on the FTA forum.

Question: To save some money, I'm about to drop my basic TV cable service from my local phone company who offers like Comcast Cable TV/Telephone/Internet "DSL" I currently pay with taxes about $50 bucks a month for basic Digital IPTV, that’s not including phone and DSL. I'm also doing OTA and FTA at the house "97w/123W". The Dish Network will be for my wife & kids, if I do the FlexTV program, is it cheaper to buy the equipment from Dish or get it from like say Sadoun or Craigslist. Will Dish give any discount if I install it myself, so I can integrate Dish network wiring into my homes internal cable system along with my other equipment?

Thanks all in advance.
Marco
Sacramento, CA

 

[r10fret]

It took 54 minutes from the time I started my call to switch one of my prepaid receivers. I actually thought it would be worse than that and some of it was my own doing - I asked for a number of things to be explained before if I would convert and to settle on the package I would go with.

Complications:

• Either the prompts don't handle DishNow customers (account number or phone number) or they had my shell account phone number incorrect.
• The first operator at first only saw my DTVPal purchase. Eventually he transferred me to a Spanish speaking operator. I didn't time the wait but it was a while.
• The receiver I wanted to activate wasn't the one they had tied to my account. I went with the one they had but I'll have to reprogram some remotes on my end.
• Had to hold the powerbutton to get the receiver to come up on the new firmware and package.

I went with the American Welcome Pack and PIs. The operator said I'd have to have DishFamily or greater for the Cinemax deal. I asked about some international channels (Brazilian) but can't justify the cost for them or even the high packages - I can buy the DVDs of what I like(ed) or watch on the web for much less than the price difference. I also have a FTA (the legit kind) setup and added a DVBworld box last night, after seeing that DishNow was dead, to enhance my options. $9.99 + tax each month is less than what I was spending on DishNow and it is some cheap TV while I explore my tv options for the future.

Don't toss the old equipment in the trash: Keep using it for NASA (or whatever else works), turn it into cash, give it away or recycle it.

I think in the future I'll head straight for the Spanish operators and I don't speak Spanish.

Also, even if you don't speak Spanish take a look at the Latino Packages Dos and Max if are considering Silver or greater. They include locals and many of the English language channels and maybe the option of Playboy for a few bucks less (if you can live without the missing channels).

teched,

Since you are former dishnow could you verify a few things for me? Is your former dishnow receiver now free of the "dishnow" word next to the model number on the sys info screen? Also are the days left pop up messages that we used to get on dishnow no longer appearing once you converted your receiver from dishnow to flex? How much did they make you pay to activate or in advance?

I also want to convert but I am going to wait a few days for my dishnow sub days to end. Even if I only sub for a month to the cheapest package I want my receiver out of dishnow doorstopper mode with the days left nag screens gone, then like you said you can continue to watch dish free preview channels or sub a month at a time if you want.

 

[teched]

Since you are former dishnow could you verify a few things for me?
Is your former dishnow receiver now free of the "dishnow" word next to the model number on the sys info screen?

Gone. Only DP301 & Software P396 now appear on that unit now.

Also are the days left pop up messages that we used to get on dishnow no longer appearing once you converted your receiver from dishnow to flex?

Gone, but I was out of days. My GDMP finished up on Monday and given the uncertainty and, then, upcoming chat I held off. A number of menu options and the interactive features work, at least more than did under DishNow.

How much did they make you pay to activate or in advance?

$9.99 plus tax, they said, and I see a $10.54 temporary authorization on that credit card.

I also want to convert but I am going to wait a few days for my dishnow sub days to end. Even if I only sub for a month to the cheapest package I want my receiver out of dishnow doorstopper mode with the days left nag screens gone, then like you said you can continue to watch dish free preview channels or sub a month at a time if you want.

If the Previews and PIs stay "forever" (till 8PSK obsoletes the DP301s) then $10.54 seems cheap to me. My other, not yet Flexed, DishNow receiver is still working as it did, naggy, but usable.

I look forward to hearing how it goes with your 118 setup when the day comes.