New DishNOW user report
After reading all the posts here and checking prices on EBAY, I bought a 301 prepaid box with G3 card last month ($49.99/shipping included) and since I already have Dish, which is currently turned off, I just hooked is up to the existing RG6 (I am using a Legacy 500 dish and the 301 works with any of their dishes), and checked the signal and ran the update. Per advice on here I bought a $20 GDMP card at CVS (looks like you have to buy them with cash only, no debit cards) and called in on a Monday evening about 8:00 PM to activate the service. Talked to a CSR and the first try didn't get a signal. I had ordered 2 days of Dish Family to try it out. The second call got me another CSR and they sent the signal and I got my programming menu. A tip if you are ordering more days in the evening is to order two days, not three. Also found out that the non-verbal (use phone buttons only) method works perfectly except that once you are done the system kicks you to a CSR for no reason, so just hang up. Programming usually comes in within a couple of minutes. My existing system uses the old 3900 box and I could never get the programming menu properly (would only show the next show and would take forever or wouldn't download anything if you tried to move the time forward a few hours). The 301 picks up the programming perfectly and changes channels lightning quick compared to the 3900. One thing you can't get with prepaid is the Channel 100 interactive channel, plus the already mentioned regional sports channels. Intend to use this system at a second residence we have in lieu of cable (which I detest), and use a Dish Pro Plus dish (bought it on EBAY for $26 brand new and guy was local to DC so no shipping) and a tripod (just bought on EBAY for $39.76 shipping included) with mast, compass, level, 30' RG6, spikes to secure to the ground, and even a flat coax for going under the patio door. Intend to test it here locally first and then move it to the second place. Will let you know how it goes. Still like regular dish for the missing features and will probably turn mine back on in the fall for sports. Hope this is informational. DishNOW is a great solution for a second residence.