Dish won't activate my receiver, why??
- Thread starter ibmcorp
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 70
- Views 25K
Well, I don't care if it's a HD or not, that's not why I bought it for. I wanted to get rid of my 10 year old receiver. Why is DISH not being straight about WHY they cannot activate it? They need to learn how to speak english first, the rep said "pur-chase", "chase" as in the word "chase"!
DISH is just following the courts decision, seeing you bought it it is your problem. Your first mistake was not knowing what you were buying. Before you bid on the receiver you should have gotten the R00 and S00 numbers and checked with DISH to see if the receivers could be activated. If you had checked you wouldn't now be disappointed it is not DISH's fault you got burned.
If a receiver says DISH NETWORK on it, it is only normal for me to think I could activate it with DISH. I cannot 'know' all the court decisions in history. After all, the receiver is new, with a dish logo on it. It's like buying a sensor for your chevy, you buy an original brand new chevy part, only to find out later that no one wants to install it on your car because of a court decision.
If you look at it like that, then you have a lot of research to do before you buy anything at all. The problem IS DISH, and TIVO, and all those other companies constantly bringing each other to court. I still can't believe a perfectly new receiver cannot work because of legal issues. The customer always ends up losing.
If you look at it like that, then you have a lot of research to do before you buy anything at all. The problem IS DISH, and TIVO, and all those other companies constantly bringing each other to court. I still can't believe a perfectly new receiver cannot work because of legal issues. The customer always ends up losing.
Not really. Most of us understand that there are many reasons why a receiver will not be activated. For example;
1. the previous owner stiffed DISH for the last couple of months and was shut off.
2. A large balance of unpaid PPV
3. No smart card
4. The receiver was hacked and caught in a sting operation.
5. The receiver was leased and not owned by the seller.
6. Your situation where DISH lost the lawsuit and cannot legally activate.
Note that most of these reasons would also apply to other service oriented electronic products, such as cell phones, pagers or xm/sirius radios. It is the buyer's responsibility to exercise normal caution and research with buying any of these products, especially on eBay. EBay is a lawless jungle and every scammer around is out there.
There are reputable dealers who are members of this community who will charge a fair price for a product.
IBMcorp,
There are hundreds if not Thousands of Dish Network receivers for sale on Ebay or in countless Garage sales nationwide that were used for hacking, or leased receivers that were not returned, or turned of for non payment. All of these receivers would be in the same boat as your receiver.
If you purchased a receiver with an unpaid balance or that receiver is the property of Dish Network as a previously leased receiver, or was modified to steal Dish Programing then you will bear the responsibility of making it right with Dish Network.
Everybody that posts in this forum advises that you get the Receiver Id # as well as Smart Card Id # and call Dish to see if that receiver is free and clear of any balance as well as free to be added to a current or new account.
The old Caveat is always applicable, "Let the BUYER, beware". Why do you think there are more and more tools for buyers of all items to be sure they don't get stuck, eg CarFax, Consumers Report, amongst dozens of others.
Sorry but it was your decision to avoid a retailer dealer or call Dish directly, so you can't absolve yourself of your poor Decision Choice by blasting Dish Network.
Contact the original seller, call an attorney, contact Paypal, Ebay, especially if the original Ebay listing mentioned that your 721 CAN be or is ready for activation by Dish Network. If the listing mentions that you contact Dish to determine if said receiver can be activated then you quite possible SCREWED yourself. Read any and all disclaimers and ALWAYS HEED THEIR ADVICE.
Lastly you referred to the 721 is "NEW" or "Nearly New". 721's have not been manufactured for at least 2 years, hardly new. New in Box maybe although I Highly doubt even that.
You went out of your way to avoid acquiring hardware from a licensed dealer or Dish Network. Would you buy a NEW Chevy from a NON GM Dealer? Your CHEVY analogy falls totally flat as once you purchase a vehicle it does not require a separate monthly service fee for the ability to use that vehicle. A more apt analogy would be purchasing a Cell Phone that your provider would not activate in most cases for the same reason that your Cell Provider would use that Dish is now using regarding your 721.
John
Oh, its been a lot longer than 2 years since any 721s were built. They had a very short production run, for some reason. Maybe they twigged on quickly that they had HDD & power supply problems. Great receiver, when it works.
Very good post, JohnL.
Very good post, JohnL.
could be wrong but wasnt the 721 only mpeg 2 thus it will not work with Dish current plan to do MPEG 4 only--I could be wrong.
There was/still an another more serious for Dish problem with 721 and 921 models.
To UGA - wrong; the model is [TU]PVR721[RU] ! Your script is not correct.
To UGA - wrong; the model is [TU]PVR721[RU] ! Your script is not correct.
??? I maybe wrong but I thought all SD programs were going to MPEG4 only and Dish is upgrading all MPEG 2 receiver either SD or HD.
501s can still be activated.
721s are dual tuner, SD only DVRs that are MPEG-2 capable. They cannot do MPEG-4 or 8PSK, and cannot be updated to do so. They have an inordinate number of HDD and power supply failures. There never were huge numbers of them out there. But when they work, they work great. They also may be used without paying the DVR fee (same for 5xx series). If your 721 is authorized and in service and breaks today, they will replace it with a 522 (or possibly a 625). But you will have to start paying the DVR fee.
Years ago, Dish announced plans to go all MPEG-4 (& 8PSK, I believe). No timetable was set. All HD was to be shifted first. The last bit of that will happen 8/1/08. After that, it's all speculation. When this business first came out, we speculated that the next step would be to start at the top, with channels unique to AEP converting to MPEG-4 first. And maybe premiums such as some or all HBO channels, etc.
It would be a very long process, taking years, due to the number (somewhere in the millions) of MPEG-2 only boxes out there. We expected at some point, all new subscribers would be provided with MPEG-4 capable boxes only. That did not happen. Instead, it looks like a new service, currently referred to as Eastern Arc, will be created. It will require MPEG-4 equipment. PQ is expected to be better. Perhaps it will have a few channels not offered to people in the old plan (at some future date). EA will be opened to new subscribers only, at first. At some point in the future, they may open it up to current subs. No doubt there will be some incentive, and some costs, involved in such a move.
721s are dual tuner, SD only DVRs that are MPEG-2 capable. They cannot do MPEG-4 or 8PSK, and cannot be updated to do so. They have an inordinate number of HDD and power supply failures. There never were huge numbers of them out there. But when they work, they work great. They also may be used without paying the DVR fee (same for 5xx series). If your 721 is authorized and in service and breaks today, they will replace it with a 522 (or possibly a 625). But you will have to start paying the DVR fee.
Years ago, Dish announced plans to go all MPEG-4 (& 8PSK, I believe). No timetable was set. All HD was to be shifted first. The last bit of that will happen 8/1/08. After that, it's all speculation. When this business first came out, we speculated that the next step would be to start at the top, with channels unique to AEP converting to MPEG-4 first. And maybe premiums such as some or all HBO channels, etc.
It would be a very long process, taking years, due to the number (somewhere in the millions) of MPEG-2 only boxes out there. We expected at some point, all new subscribers would be provided with MPEG-4 capable boxes only. That did not happen. Instead, it looks like a new service, currently referred to as Eastern Arc, will be created. It will require MPEG-4 equipment. PQ is expected to be better. Perhaps it will have a few channels not offered to people in the old plan (at some future date). EA will be opened to new subscribers only, at first. At some point in the future, they may open it up to current subs. No doubt there will be some incentive, and some costs, involved in such a move.
OK, who was the big 'know it all' that informed everyone that DISH couldn't activate 721 receivers because of a patent issue? The seller finally got back to me, and come to find out, the receiver was in his name somehow. DISH offered to activate it under my account by his request. Remember the remarks "DISH won't activate new 721" ?? Looks like I wasn't take through the cleaners after all! A little research next time before posting suggestions might help.
Well, I'm sure Tivo would be interested to know that the 721 is still being activated.
Nevertheless, if the receiver is attached to someone else's account, then its hardly new.
Nevertheless, if the receiver is attached to someone else's account, then its hardly new.
If the 721 is removed from the sellers account, thereby deactivated, and Dish activates it on your account, it is at variance with what they have said they would do to comply with the courts.
We have researched. Dish has put this out repeatedly, that their policy is to not activate any more 721s. Maybe tomorrow I will have the time to search for it.
Let us know if your 721 is in fact activated and works. The first day or so may be flakey, that's just the 721.
We have researched. Dish has put this out repeatedly, that their policy is to not activate any more 721s. Maybe tomorrow I will have the time to search for it.
Let us know if your 721 is in fact activated and works. The first day or so may be flakey, that's just the 721.
I've never seen so much MIS-INFORMATION in one thread in my life.
Seriously, some of you need to do your research before you go running off on a wild tangent.
...I've bought and SOLD my old receivers on Ebay without a problem -- EVER. You do NOT need to be a retailer to get a good deal or be "safe" in a transaction.
Also, 721s reportedly can be activated as long as they are "in the field" per my interpretation and understanding of the injunction. Now, this may change in a moment's notice, but so far, that's what it appears to be.
Oh and before I forget: 721s are dual tuner MPEG2 SD DVR receivers. And there are plenty for sale on Ebay. And not everybody on that site is trying to pull a fast one.
Seriously. Enough with the misinformation. Thank goodness the OP didn't listen to anyone in this thread.
Seriously, some of you need to do your research before you go running off on a wild tangent.
...I've bought and SOLD my old receivers on Ebay without a problem -- EVER. You do NOT need to be a retailer to get a good deal or be "safe" in a transaction.
Also, 721s reportedly can be activated as long as they are "in the field" per my interpretation and understanding of the injunction. Now, this may change in a moment's notice, but so far, that's what it appears to be.
Oh and before I forget: 721s are dual tuner MPEG2 SD DVR receivers. And there are plenty for sale on Ebay. And not everybody on that site is trying to pull a fast one.
Seriously. Enough with the misinformation. Thank goodness the OP didn't listen to anyone in this thread.
