Dish Network Retailer Chat Recap - September 28, 2007

What these companies need to do as well as adding more HD national channels, is really do a major upgrade to provide all of the LOCAL hd channels that so many area are without. I went and bought a uhf yesterday (will be in Monday) but I am 60 miles away from the towers so I don't know how good it will be. My local dealer says this is the biggest reason people who come in for a hd tv do not go with sat, as most cable companies have them already. I am 60 miles north of Duluth, Minnesota, so Dish provides no locals in hd.

As for the VOOM insults previously in this thread, I have to agree that some of these channels are really lame, but Monsters HD is one of the best channels on the air (HD or SD). It blows away the sci-fi channel, 24 hours of the best from the past in horror, sci,fi, it's awesome, even if only about 60-70% is true hd, all are decent transfers. And Filmfest is pretty good too. So I would hate to lose Voom for those 2 channels.Monsters HD rocks! Looking at the channel on-air logos, ect...this channel must be run by some heavy monster fans. I really hope Dish adds MGM HDlike Directv is (soon I guess)...this really looks awesome!

Finally, I am surprised there was not much promotion for the external hard drive capability add-on feature. This is MAJOR to me, one of the best things that has happened. Bought a 750gb Seagate Freeagent external, and it holds over 120 movies in HD. Now I can watch them when I want and not worry about space on the 622 dvr. Problem is they have programmed the transfer rate too low, takes 15-20 minutes for a 2 hour movie, should take, in theory, 5 minutes.
 
Other than that, the only viable market for FTA should be international customers!

oh you are sooooooooooooooooooooo wrong there Claude

I was out of town this weekend but was able to read the original post Friday before I left town

cryptkeeper said it the best
On C & Ku Band there are LEGAL FREE networks such as ABC - NBC & CBS as well as FOX. There is also the RTN network, 34 network channels just alone on Galaxy 10R. Add to that the news channels such as ABC News and the 2 movie channels AMG-TV & White Springs TV plus 11 PBS channels on AMC 3 and I would say FTA has plenty of channels to entice someone to tell Dish and Direct to bag it.

Yes International channels is a big chunk and religious is another but I have it for the interesting channels and mainly for these two things
-news feeds
-sports feeds

I would rather watch live uncut unedited news feeds than a crappy 30 second news story on something big.
Hurricane coming? watch the feeds live. They set the camera up and let it run. When Katrina & Rita hit you couldnt imagine the feeds that were out there
Big celebrity or politician die? watch the uncut feeds of everything.
Big news story? watch the feeds. When the I35W bridge here in Minneapolis collapsed all the FTA'ers could watch the news feeds live without someone talking over it or a stupid news scroll (ala CNN/FoxNews)

Sports feeds. This is the main reason I got into FTA. On weekends you can't believe how many college football/basketball/hockey games there are. That ESPN game plan says what 12 games a week? damn I saw last week around 30 games. College hockey is awesome. Start on the east coast around 6:00 Central time, work your way to Michigan/Ohio/Indiana area around 6:30...work your way to WCHA territory (WI, MN, ND)at 7 or 7:30. Maybe see a Denver/CC game and end it in Anchorage at 10:00

sadly Claude you have the mentality of alot of people here who think that free to air is loading illegal software into a box and steal Dish Network.

Maybe Dish should look in the mirror at their piracy problem which is them...not some legit sellers. Sure there are lots of dealers out there who sell illegal boxes but 99% of the boxes out there are LEGAL from the get go. Its the person who downloads the illegal software into it. They should go after the people who only sell the boxes and not the people who sell both Dish & FTA. Most of those people sell FTA boxes to enhance the Dish sales so people can get International/Religious channels or the oddball channels.

But dish is using a cop out to say "oh we know we have a problem so we're going to tell our retailers who sell FTA its either that or us" instead of looking in the mirror and spending all that money for a card swap WHEN IT WAS COMPROMISED BEFORE THEY WERE 1/2 DONE WITH THE CARD SWAP!!

God I hope dealers Drop Dish....I had it on vacation mode and I already called and disconnected them.
 
alright guys, I'm a bit confused. In last week's chat with Erik and Jim, they confirmed that with this year's NHL CI package, most games will be in HD. Now in this week's chat, they say its "select games" which sounds a LOT more like last year where maybe 1 or 2 games a week were in HD. So.....which is it?
 
I agree, Dish asking retailers to not sell FTA is not right. I would agree with Dish asking retailers to not sell and/or install equipment whose primary purpose is illegal reception of Dish signals. That is different than just saying "FTA" in general.

I believe there are significant opportunities in the legitimate FTA market for customers who want more Christian religious programming, more internationals, and of course the wild feeds. It's also important that legitimate customers have the right to access and change the software on their receivers. However, this shouldn't mean customers have the right to develop and distribute software for the express purpose of receiving content they haven't paid for.

Dish should find the websites, dealers, and hackers that are actually involved in signal theft, and prosecute them in a court of law. Dish should also improve security measures to prevent future signal theft. Dish shouldn't go after legitimate FTA dealers or hobbyists.
 
Threatening installers about FTA doesnt sound like an effective way to push your product.

It sounds like Dish is using the pirating issue as an excuse to get rid of the competition posed by FTA receivers in the international programming market. I smell a lawsuit. There's no legal way they can tell them to stop selling a competing product without an exclucivity agreement. Just like Pepsi can't order Safeway stop selling Coke.
 
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I am a Directv sub, but I like to see what Dish is doing. More HD from Dish hopefully means more HD from Directv and vice versa. It looks like a merger is imminent, however. The reason I say that is Dish execs aren't answering questions. That is usually reserved for Directv's execs.

That was already tried a few years back. The government wouldn't let it happen. I doubt anythng's changed.
 
I think any retailer who chooses not to sell DISH Network is an idiot because FTA will not be around forever!

As soon as the piracy problem is solved, 99% of all FTA sales will dry up and go away!

Claude, I have to disagree strongly with you. I see FTA systems at customer's houses almost every day. We have a huge immigrant base of customers around here. I've never seen one of them using their FTA system for piracy. It's always for some obscure foreign channel they can't get anywhere else, and they go with Dish for some of their other international channels, or a basic English package. FTA is a very big deal with foreigners.
 
Clause is nuts

Claude, I have to disagree strongly with you. I see FTA systems at customer's houses almost every day. We have a huge immigrant base of customers around here. I've never seen one of them using their FTA system for piracy. It's always for some obscure foreign channel they can't get anywhere else, and they go with Dish for some of their other international channels, or a basic English package. FTA is a very big deal with foreigners.

As a LEGAL FTA Dealer I strongly disagree with Claude. FTA is not only going to grow but due to the arrogance of Dish it will grow even faster. They hook people into a contract then drop channels. The do not provide the locals people want and charge them for the ones they don't want. And when you call the support number if you can understand them they do not have a clue as to how to help you with your problems. No Claude FTA is not going to dry up but perhaps you should after making a stupid coment like that. FTA is here to stay and it will grow and grow despite the comments of individuals who do not know what they are talking about. As far a pirating of the Internetional customers...... why would they want to Claude ? On FTA it is clear and free unlike Dish. If DISH wants to clear up the Pirate Problem perhaps they should spend a few of those BILLIONS they make off of their customers and improve the security of their systems. If they go after the wrong dealers they are liable to have an Anti-Trust Suit and a Restriction of Trade Suit thrown in their face. They mess with me and I assure you it will happen. I run a legal business and I will not tolerate some corporation who cannot handle their own problems and attempt to visit it upon me. I HAD ( notice HAD ) DISH here at my home because my wife and I want some of the channels not available on FTA but after their arrogance I cancelled them and went to 4DTV. Now I have all the channels I want and at 70% less cost. They better change their attitude or they will be loosing alot more customers because of it. As far as any dealer being an idiot not selling DISH you wrong Claude I am doing quite well not handling DISH but I think I will start handling DIRECT so I can pull customers away from DISH's customer base. I believe they need a dose of humility. So who is the idiot now ? Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
 
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You know I was wondering if dish wanting its installers/subs... to stop selling FTA recivers now was is not part of the spin off -or- possible sell off??
 
As a LEGAL FTA Dealer I strongly disagree with Claude. FTA is not only going to grow but due to the arrogance of Dish it will grow even faster. They hook people into a contract then drop channels. The do not provide the locals people want and charge them for the ones they don't want. And when you call the support number if you can understand them they do not have a clue as to how to help you with your problems. No Claude FTA is not going to dry up but perhaps you should after making a stupid coment like that. FTA is here to stay and it will grow and grow despite the comments of individuals who do not know what they are talking about. As far a pirating of the Internetional customers...... why would they want to Claude ? On FTA it is clear and free unlike Dish. If DISH wants to clear up the Pirate Problem perhaps they should spend a few of those BILLIONS they make off of their customers and improve the security of their systems. If they go after the wrong dealers they are liable to have an Anti-Trust Suit and a Restriction of Trade Suit thrown in their face. They mess with me and I assure you it will happen. I run a legal business and I will not tolerate some corporation who cannot handle their own problems and attempt to visit it upon me. I HAD ( notice HAD ) DISH here at my home because my wife and I want some of the channels not available on FTA but after their arrogance I cancelled them and went to 4DTV. Now I have all the channels I want and at 70% less cost. They better change their attitude or they will be loosing alot more customers because of it. As far as any dealer being an idiot not selling DISH you wrong Claude I am doing quite well not handling DISH but I think I will start handling DIRECT so I can pull customers away from DISH's customer base. I believe they need a dose of humility. So who is the idiot now ? Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Well, what a post, and being a Dish customer now for 5 months, completely disagree with everything that was said in that post. Their customer support is top notch, I have called 6 or 7 times with questions on the external hard drive for the DVR, with other "how to" questions, and have gotten through in minutes and to a very friendly person who has answered my question completely, no matter how technical. If they couldn't they sent me instantly to someone in a different support department. Dish gave me the channels promised when I signed up, and has added many HD channels since, BEFORE Directv had them.

Cryptkeeper...sorry to see you are a "fair" retailer who is out to blast a good company, and there are plenty on this web site who agree with me. I've been in business for a long time, and when I don't like something or feel it will benefit my customers, I don't sell it, but I have never taken the business ethics and thrown them down the tube by saying someone else's product is awful when there are people praising it, because of personal reasons. Perhaps you had a bad experience with Dish...it happens with Directv too. But there are people, like me, who could not be happier with them. And judging by the posts on this site, there are many many more happy campers.

Not everyone is a pirate either. I've also seen many of these systems in homes of very honest friends legally using it and Dish has the right to protect themselves. Just like Warner Records and MCA, who are suing families for file charing. They have the right to protect their business, and a businessman should realize that.
 
Not everyone is a pirate either. I've also seen many of these systems in homes of very honest friends legally using it and Dish has the right to protect themselves. Just like Warner Records and MCA, who are suing families for file charing. They have the right to protect their business, and a businessman should realize that.

That is not an analogus situation. Dish does NOT have the right to force retailers to stop carrying a LEGAL, competing product simply because someone can possibly modify it for an improper use. That's called an antitrust violation, not "protecting themselves." And don't get me started on the file sharing crap. Although I'm no fan of piracy, what these record companies have been doing is abominable. They fought file sharing for reasons other than piracy. Look into it a bit more. Their real goal was to prevent independent artists from selling their work outside of the record company racket. That's why they tried to shut down MP3.com several years back. It had nothing to do with piracy. All they ever had on there were independent artists who wanted to sell their music directly to customers. I have no sympathy for record companies after that. They pushed for that horrible DMCA so they could get around fair use laws. Their goal has always been to prevent competition, piracy has always been secondary. But just like politicians who pass horrible laws by claiming it's "for the children, you don't hate children, do you?" The record companies are trying to prevent competition under the banner of "preventing piracy". I'm afraid Dish may be falling into the same pattern with this FTA business.
 
There is a HUGE difference in telling retailers not to sell ANY FTA receiver and to tell them not to sell ILLEGAL ones. Perhaps Dish needs to bring their FTA receivers to this market if they want to have more control. Maybe they want to stop the others from selling their product here before they release their FTA receiver in this market.
 
Originally Posted by Claude Greiner
I think any retailer who chooses not to sell DISH Network is an idiot because FTA will not be around forever!

As soon as the piracy problem is solved, 99% of all FTA sales will dry up and go away!


Totally non-concur. I know many Koreans who subscribe to TAN TV or KISB, both encrypted services, via AMC4 or Galaxy 25 for less than what Dish Network charges for their Korean package. Further two of Dish Network's Korean channels are dedicated to gaming and financial news ... not particularly desired by most. Two of the channels are religious, 1 Buddist and 1 Christian channel. Obviously at least one of those will not be appealing to potential subscribers. I don't know any Koreans that subscribe to the Dish Network's package though many get KBS free with their TOP ### packages. While my PANSAT 6000 XHC, a so called FTA receiver, is capable of being hacked, I subscribe to the AEP and HD packages. I don't know anyone with hacked FTA receivers though I doubt many would broadcast that fact. This ban of FSS Ku-band receivers for Dish Network dealers is a petty, angry, knee-jerk reaction my Dish Network management. Maybe they are just trying to stymie the international programming competition.
 
Just finished reading the latest retailer blast and it says "stop selling fta products". Lets see, that should include linear lnbfs and any 30" or larger dish plus various switches, cable and misc other parts. That is getting to cover an extremely large swatch of my base of customers. I have been selling fta (legal) for international channels since 1998 for T5 (now G25). I am also in a vary unique position as I am also a satellite repair shop, doing in-shop component level repairs. I have been doing this since 1986. I also sell on e-bay any and all satellite related products. I dont support piracy and never have, but the sales of fta systems and parts, plus repair of same is at least 25% of my business.l I agree that if Dish should secure its data stream, however, I also read lots of forums and the pirates brag that no matter what Dish does, that they will have the fix within a few days. Dish needs to bite the bullet and do a complete card/receiver swap but it is to expensive for them. In the mean time small dealers like me have a life changing decision to make: stay with Dish or ?
Dish needs to make an exception for some types of receivers that are allowable for FTA like Ariza or Globecast. Just don't cut my scrotum off to stop its piracy problem. sign me dealer #9962 drjohn14
 
Still talking about commercial services... (*Yawn)

Now talking about WildBlue and talking about how they have ran on out space and some beams are now closed or will be closing soon.

They are now talking about DSL sales through Dish Network. Dish Network is now again accepting DSL orders.

They are saying they are getting close to question time. Which means they are almost done, but before they go into questions they want to talk about Pirarcy...

Dish is ORDERING retailers selling FTA receivers to stop within 30 days. (Umm Dish there is nothing illegal about selling Free To Air receivers)

They then talk about changes to Dish'n It Up program, on October 3rd customers can get 2 HD DVR's instead of one. (This is for exisiting customers)
I do not have any FTA EQ. Nor have installed any. Now, I think Dish is appproaching this in the wrong manner. Instead of threatening their retailers who are just trying to increase revenues by selling a legal product, perhaps Dish should enhance it's programming security as DTV did. It is my understanding that FTA receivers are legal. However it is illegal to use them to intecept pay tv signals. Basically Dish is placing the burden of watchdogging every FTA sale on the retailers that sell FTA EQ....
Just a thought.
 

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