HD Locals/OTA channels no longer available with Welcome Pack

[sms1976]

I wanted to save some money on monthly bills, and don't really need ESPN except during the college football season, so I switched to the Welcome Pack, which has traditionally had HD locals included for the $15 price. After spending at least 4 hours going back and forth with Dish Chat and phone CSR's getting conflicting reasons why I wasn't getting HD locals, I PM'd maryb of the DIRT team. She did some research and found out that the locals are only going to be in SD for non-HD packages now--which was even news to her (thanks for the straight response and fast reply, maryb!).

At one point last evening, an elevated tech support (on Dish Chat) was able to get the executive team to enable HD locals and the OTA tuner. I thought all was well, but about an hour later, they stopped working.The craziest thing is that I can't even select the OTA channels from my OTA tuner card in my 722k. I am extremely disappointed, and tempted to finally drop dish. I don't want to because I have a USB Sling Adapter, an external HDD full of movies, and lots of DVR content saved for the kids to watch.

Has anyone figured out how to get the OTA tuner to work with the Welcome Pack? Or perhaps those that switched to the package earlier would be able to keep the HD locals and OTA channels? Not sure what to do, as I thought the Welcome Pack would solve my issues. Are there any other packages that would allow me to keep my 722k (with OTA tuner active) and keep my content?

Thanks!

 

[empiretc]

wow, dish sure is doing a lot of stuff that's making the idea of cutting the cord a lot more attractive

 

[Mr Tony]

The OTA tuner should still work just fine. The guide info may be goofy but as long as you sub to locals it should work

even if something happened and the locals got removed the OTA would still work just no guide on any channels.

 

[Mr Tony]

wow, dish sure is doing a lot of stuff that's making the idea of cutting the cord a lot more attractive

agreed

 

[sms1976]

The OTA tuner should still work just fine. The guide info may be goofy but as long as you sub to locals it should work

even if something happened and the locals got removed the OTA would still work just no guide on any channels.

Unfortunately, that's not the case...The SD locals are there, but the HD OTA's (which contain HD content) can no longer be enabled/selected. Of course, it would make sense that they should be able to be viewed since I paid for the OTA tuner card and they are *free* channels. But when you select them under Installation>Local Channels, it gives you a "784" error that says that HD isn't enabled on your receiver. That HD enable code can no longer be sent to packages that don't contain HD content--Dish America and higher--which is certainly something that should change policy-wise.

A Welcome Pack subscriber can still see HD content if it's a free preview, and they can also view previously-recorded HD DVR content.

According to maryb on the DIRT team this is a very new change and even she was unaware of it. She's going to try and get more answers early next week.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I don't know quite what you are talking about. I just set up a 4th account today for the Welcome pack on my 211k + external hard drive and bought dvr software and plugged in my ota antenna to it. I got them to enable the welcome pack and turn my 211k from SD to HD like you are supposed to and I get ota channels in hd and satellite HD locals too. I am using it to supplement my hopper ,since NO ota yet. I do a lot of recordings on Metv and I can't get it with the hopper . Once they enable ota usb tuner for the hopper , I will probably turn off this account.


Are you sure you don't have your 722k in SD still? Push the menu button twice on your remote control and it will bring up your receiver information. It should say 722k HD on the top line. If it says 722k SD , you won't be getting any hd anything, including ota locals. If it says SD , you need to call the DISH tech department and get them to turn on the HD feature. The Welcome pack comes with HD locals ( if your area has them on the satellite) and if you plug in an antenna it will also give you ota in hd too. I also have another account for my aunt and it too has a 211k with dvr software . She has the Welcome pack + locals in hd and ota in hd too. Who ever told you that you can't get hd , is not telling you the right thing.

 

[boba]

Maybe it's your 722K but the welcome pak on my 612 still has HD on my locals and on my OTA and my non welcome pak HD channels are coming in along with the preview channels.

Mike his first post says 722K with OTA card.

 

[MaryB@SlingTV]

The OP is correct. I have reviewed his account and the HD Enabled Tag is missing and was removed when he downgraded to the Welcome Pack. I am looking into this issue further because I do know that a lot of customers have the Welcome Pack and HD locals and it has always been a selling point for the lower packages. When I have more information I will let everyone know. Thanks!

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Boo if this is true! This would be another bad move on Dish's part (if this is true)!

 

[sms1976]

Mike, thanks for weighing in...The HD is enabled on the receiver (shows in top line of menu>menu and can watch DVR HD content and HD previews). This sounds like it's probably for new Welcome Pack customers and might have been implemented as recently as yesterday afternoon. The CSR's were all unsure of what was happening and only maryb and one phone tech really got confirmation that HD locals are gone and HD OTA are not selectable. Like I said, it was working for about an hour after the executive team tried to push the HD enable code to the receiver. Doesn't look like that's going to "stick" anymore though with this new policy. I'm definitely one to vote for at least OTA (HD and SD) to work again!

Maryb, thanks for backing me up and all your help!

 

[MikeD-C05]

Well if this is something new for Welcome pack subs , I hope that they don't change it for me. I just got it on today , and if they do change it , I will be canceling it tomorrow. Would be another shot in the foot by DISH if they made this a change for existing and newer subs . The Welcome pack with HD locals , if available in your area, is a big selling point for a lot of people , who want to save money and keep satellite tv. Without it , they will just be encouraging more churn , AGAIN.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Well if this is something new for Welcome pack subs , I hope that they don't change it for me. I just got it on today , and if they do change it , I will be canceling it tomorrow. Would be another shot in the foot by DISH if they made this a change for existing and newer subs . The Welcome pack with HD locals , if available in your area, is a big selling point for a lot of people , who want to save money and keep satellite tv. Without it , they will just be encouraging more churn , AGAIN.

So ridiculous if this is true as the Welcome Pack is supposed to help retain customers and not make them running to the competitors. I am not even a Welcome Pack sub, and this angers me.

Dish surely will not keep their #1 Customer Satisfaction rating if they keep this up.

 

[Tampa8]

I know a DIRT team member has looked into this, but I have to say I'm having trouble believing this is on purpose. People are already threatening and getting mad even though an installer has posted he just installed with the Welcome pack with HD locals. Obviously I don't know if this is by design or not.

But my real question someone would have to answer, what would Dish do with EA customers? They only have HD locals.

 

[Mr Tony]

But my real question someone would have to answer, what would Dish do with EA customers? They only have HD locals.

exactly.

 

[navychop]

And if I had to drop to Welcome for a while, my HD programs on my EHDs would not play? Or play in SD?

 

[chrisn]

To save money last summer, I dropped down to the Welcome Pack with Blockbuster/Platinum. If these latest moves by Dish had been in place then, I would certainly have left and taken the new sub deals with Direct.

With the new restrictions, it's an almost worthless package.

 

[Tampa8]

To save money last summer, I dropped down to the Welcome Pack with Blockbuster/Platinum. If these latest moves by Dish had been in place then, I would certainly have left and taken the new sub deals with Direct.

With the new restrictions, it's an almost worthless package.

What latest restrictions? And what package does Direct TV offer for $15??

 

[chrisn]

What latest restrictions? And what package does Direct TV offer for $15??

Latest restrictions would be no Blockbuster as possible add-on and, now, no HD locals. With blockbuster, it was a $25 package and a good enough deal. As a new directv sub you can probably get a little better package for thirty bucks for the first year.

 

[Tampa8]

Latest restrictions would be no Blockbuster as possible add-on and, now, no HD locals. With blockbuster, it was a $25 package and a good enough deal. As a new directv sub you can probably get a little better package for thirty bucks for the first year.

There is one person saying they can't get locals in HD, but a long time poster/installer saying he is not seeing this in new installs. At this point we don't know if this is simply an account problem. As I also posted, Dish couldn't do this even if they wanted to because there are no SD locals on the Eastern Arc. It might be true, might not, at this time I see nothing beyond one account having a problem.
There is no package at Direct TV for $30 that includes those movie channels, they don't even have many of those movie channels. That's not a knock on Direct TV they have things Dish does not have. My point was you are a $15 customer, no shame in that at all, but Dish isn't going to miss you, and Direct TV won't even give a $15 package, or a $25 package. For one year you can pay $30, then $35 for the second. Then you will pay full price. But you've strayed far from wanting a basic package for $15.

If it turns out Dish is not giving locals in HD, I would agree it should not be. I can't see how that is good even from a business standpoint.
But at this time I don't see the evidence that is the case.

 

[chrisn]

There is one person saying they can't get locals in HD, but a long time poster/installer saying he is not seeing this in new installs. At this point we don't know if this is simply an account problem. As I also posted, Dish couldn't do this even if they wanted to because there are no SD locals on the Eastern Arc. It might be true, might not, at this time I see nothing beyond one account having a problem.
There is no package at Direct TV for $30 that includes those movie channels, they don't even have many of those movie channels. That's not a knock on Direct TV they have things Dish does not have. My point was you are a $15 customer, no shame in that at all, but Dish isn't going to miss you, and Direct TV won't even give a $15 package, or a $25 package. For one year you can pay $30, then $35 for the second. Then you will pay full price. But you've strayed far from wanting a basic package for $15.

If it turns out Dish is not giving locals in HD, I would agree it should not be. But at this time I don't see the evidence that is the case.

I suppose it could not be true.

Let me reiterate because you're arguing yourself. I stayed with Dish because Welcome Pack with Blockbuster was a good enough deal for the temporary time I needed it.. That no longer exists. If I were in the same situation this summer, I would rather spend 30 bucks with Direct than 15 bucks for the newly-restricted Welcome Pack. If the "no HD locals" turns out to be true, even worse.