Losing HD Absolute. Any suggestions?

[HDRoberts]

This is very disappointing........I will cancel when they change my pkg. I refuse to pay big money for something I don't use that much to begin with. I am interested in knowing if they still make the ota digital box with a built in dvr. If anyone knows can you provide a link. If I can get something like that & use netflix I'll just learn to live with it.
As far as pay TV, satellite is my only choice here. I certainly feel like the prices for E* & D* are way out of hand and refuse to pay whatever they feel like charging. Enough is enough, at least for me..........

Dish does not make them, but channel master does. Plus, you can still find them on Ebay.

But I'm looking for a used Tivo S3 with a lifetime sub, as the DTVPal DVR does not offer name based recording.

Call it schadenfreude on my part if you want, but I'm glad as a Dish America sub to see Absolute go away. It stunk enough to have people getting more for the same money (including getting added channel where Dish America got none), and paying more for less would have stunk more.

 

[Jim5506]

My current bill with HD Absolute and 4 receivers is $61 - before any credits my bill goes up:

AT120 to approximately $76 - up $15.
AT120+ to approximately $81 - up $20.
AT200 to approximately $91 - up $30.

Excluding Platinum for 12 mionths and if we get a $10 credit for 12 months, I'll probably go to AT120+ and then re-evaluate next January, maybe go to cable with bundled TV/Phone and Internet.

Definitely dropping Platinum when I have to pay $10 for it, I'll miss Chasing Classic Cars and a couple of other shows, but I'll live with it.

Might return one ViP211k to save $7/month.

 

[Laddyboy]

Dish has a keen sense of timing. I just paid the last quarterly instalment of the NHL Center Ice package and the season is just reaching the end of the first half. If they had done this before October/2010 it would have been a lot easier to leave -- I think this move was strategically timed to hold the NHL and NBA fans hostage. They couldn't do this in mid-summer because they don't have MLB Extra Innings...

I don't know. That seems to be giving them too much credit. Occam's Razor and all, February 1 always seems to be a drop dead date for changes in Echostarland.

 

[hammerdown]

I'll probably get the notice since I just dropped to Absolute w/ only HBO as a premium.

How the heck did you manage to switch to a package that the CSR's have denied the existence of for the past year?

I'm still skeptical that Absolute is really being taken away. I think it's just Dish trying to take advantage of anyone who will fall for it.

 

[navychop]

It was nice while it lasted. Now it's time to price alternatives. Dish may still be the best choice. The decision should be made unemotionally, or it may cost you bucks. No company can be expected to continue any given pkg forever.

When my contract is up, if Fios has the Cisco router and is cheaper than Dish, I'm gone.

 

[mike123abc]

Since Dish pro rates its packages, you could just wait until February and check your account online (or probably just look what you now have in your receiver guide) and then make the change then. If Dish does auto change you to AT200 as described, you could then decide what to do. The new rate is around $1 a day more, so if you take 5 days to decide (or call their bluff if they really are getting rid of it) you only had to pay $5 more than absolute. If you change beforehand and again they continue absolute you are stuck out of the package.

 

[tstolze]

We are not heavy TV watchers, but we have our programs and sports we enjoy watching at times. Absolute provides all I want at a reasonable price along with a world class DVR. This has put me in a tough position, the wife and I don't believe that any other packages are worth it for our viewing habits. Although we are just near the halfway point of our contract, I am considering canceling when/if this letter arrives in my mailbox. I guess it's time to start researching Netflix, etc....

 

[Silly Burrito]

Well, I hope this is just like the last Absolute scare, and it goes away. But if it doesn't, I might look hard at DirecTV. I just went over to their site to compare, and I see you can get Choice Xtra, 2 receivers, and whole home DVRs for 44.99 a month. I know it's a promotion, but it does let you expand to see what your costs might be for the rest of the months. If that's the same price as America's Top 120 will be, that's really tempting to switch. I have no beef with Dish, but if I can get a better deal for the same money, why not? The only sticking point is that after 12 months (and assuming no premiums), the price with discounts bumps to 64.99/month if I'm calculating that correctly. I'll have to read more on this DirecTV Cinema, too. I'm guessing it's like Netflix, but with older stuff. So much stuff on the DTV side to look at.

 

[mdram]

Well, I hope this is just like the last Absolute scare, and it goes away. But if it doesn't, I might look hard at DirecTV. I just went over to their site to compare, and I see you can get Choice Xtra, 2 receivers, and whole home DVRs for 44.99 a month. I know it's a promotion, but it does let you expand to see what your costs might be for the rest of the months. If that's the same price as America's Top 120 will be, that's really tempting to switch. I have no beef with Dish, but if I can get a better deal for the same money, why not? The only sticking point is that after 12 months (and assuming no premiums), the price with discounts bumps to 64.99/month if I'm calculating that correctly. I'll have to read more on this DirecTV Cinema, too. I'm guessing it's like Netflix, but with older stuff. So much stuff on the DTV side to look at.

if you do switch, you will wish you had done it sooner

 

[levibluewa]

if you do switch, you will wish you had done it sooner

Switching back might be an option if they'd add the 30+ national HD channels currently availaable on DISH.

 

[zim2dive]

Argh.. had hoped this issue was gone for a while.

Currently have Absolute + one 622 (connected to an HDTV downstairs, and SDTV upstairs). No plans to change the HW.

We have enough channels that we watch on the middle tier that our minimum conversion would be either

(promotional price/long term price, ignoring taxes)
$55 $55 America's top 200, any discount???
$6 $6 DVR fee
$0 $0 HD for Life free as part of being evicted from Absolute
$0 $10 Platinum, 12 month discount
$6 $6 service plan
$67 $77 total before tax

OR

$45 $45 Dish America Silver
$6 $6 DVR fee
$0 $0 HD for Life would seem to be meaningless for Dish America pkgs, but I guess we should make sure it gets added to the acct anyway
$0 $10 Platinum, 12 month discount
$6 $6 service plan
$57 $67 total before tax

at the "after promotions expire" pricing, that's a >$20 increase vs. my Absolute cost now.

As I look at the alternatives:

TWC doesn't even list prices for their lower tiers on the website (you have to call).. but it looks like TWC with HD DVR will be > $80/month, so that is out.

DirectTV.. what is the most equivalent to the 622.. ie. the fact that it can serve 2 TVs (1 HD, 1 SD) and both have access to the same DVR material?

$34 $59 Choice ($25 credit for 12 months)
$10 $10 HD access
$7 $7 DVR service
$3 $3 Whole home DVR
$5 $5 2nd rcvr fee
-$5 $0 new year promotion discount for 12 months
$54 $84 total before tax

am I finding the closest match there at DirectTV for a 622 (2 TV's, with access to DVR material) + Absolute customer?

 

[tstolze]

Just received my letter.......... This will bring a tough decision....

 

[mdram]

Argh.. had hoped this issue was gone for a while.

Currently have Absolute + one 622 (connected to an HDTV downstairs, and SDTV upstairs). No plans to change the HW.

We have enough channels that we watch on the middle tier that our minimum conversion would be either

(promotional price/long term price, ignoring taxes)
$55 $55 America's top 200, any discount???
$6 $6 DVR fee
$0 $0 HD for Life free as part of being evicted from Absolute
$0 $10 Platinum, 12 month discount
$6 $6 service plan
$67 $77 total before tax

OR

$45 $45 Dish America Silver
$6 $6 DVR fee
$0 $0 HD for Life would seem to be meaningless for Dish America pkgs, but I guess we should make sure it gets added to the acct anyway
$0 $10 Platinum, 12 month discount
$6 $6 service plan
$57 $67 total before tax

at the "after promotions expire" pricing, that's a >$20 increase vs. my Absolute cost now.

As I look at the alternatives:

TWC doesn't even list prices for their lower tiers on the website (you have to call).. but it looks like TWC with HD DVR will be > $80/month, so that is out.

DirectTV.. what is the most equivalent to the 622.. ie. the fact that it can serve 2 TVs (1 HD, 1 SD) and both have access to the same DVR material?

$34 $59 Choice ($25 credit for 12 months)
$10 $10 HD access
$7 $7 DVR service
$3 $3 Whole home DVR
$5 $5 2nd rcvr fee
-$5 $0 new year promotion discount for 12 months
$54 $84 total before tax

am I finding the closest match there at DirectTV for a 622 (2 TV's, with access to DVR material) + Absolute customer?

both your boxes would be hd, iirc the sd box will not do mrv. als if you use the 622 to record ota you will need an am21. and the d* box will only record 2 things, not 2 sat and 1 ota.
what your doing is what i just did. note depending on what inputes the second tv has you may need an rf modulator there is no coax on the d* hd units

 

[Silly Burrito]

if you do switch, you will wish you had done it sooner

They had a better deal in the past? Ah, such is the life.

I'm not saying I really want to swap to DirecTV, but I'd be foolish not to try to compare. It's been nice having Cinemax for 1 cent for 3 years or so, but I wouldn't miss it too badly if it were gone. The Platinum HD channels are nice, but I think we mainly watch locals + Food, Comedy Central, Discovery, and a couple of other channels. I'd think of going to Dish America, but I might have to break down and get Nickelodeon for the kids.

Here's hoping no more letters get sent out, but the one above is more proof than the last time where we had a couple of CSR chats. I don't remember how long we've had Absolute, but it's been very nice.

both your boxes would be hd, iirc the sd box will not do mrv. als if you use the 622 to record ota you will need an am21. and the d* box will only record 2 things, not 2 sat and 1 ota.
what your doing is what i just did. note depending on what inputes the second tv has you may need an rf modulator there is no coax on the d* hd units

I know, I know, more research on my part is needed, but DirecTV's boxes don't do OTA as an extra third source for recordings? If so, that kind of stinks.

 

[mdram]

They had a better deal in the past? Ah, such is the life.

I'm not saying I really want to swap to DirecTV, but I'd be foolish not to try to compare. It's been nice having Cinemax for 1 cent for 3 years or so, but I wouldn't miss it too badly if it were gone. The Platinum HD channels are nice, but I think we mainly watch locals + Food, Comedy Central, Discovery, and a couple of other channels. I'd think of going to Dish America, but I might have to break down and get Nickelodeon for the kids.

Here's hoping no more letters get sent out, but the one above is more proof than the last time where we had a couple of CSR chats. I don't remember how long we've had Absolute, but it's been very nice.



I know, I know, more research on my part is needed, but DirecTV's boxes don't do OTA as an extra third source for recordings? If so, that kind of stinks.

that was the one downfall, but since directv started carrying my locals, and dish still does not, i dont use ota anymore.
you can always get 2 hd-dvrs. since the fee for an extra box is the same iirc it wont change the monthly price

i was really happy iwh tmy dish for the most part, just tired of losing channels. i keep hearing they have more hd then directv, but honstly i must not have had those channels, or never watched em.

 

[whatchel1]

How the heck did you manage to switch to a package that the CSR's have denied the existence of for the past year?

I'm still skeptical that Absolute is really being taken away. I think it's just Dish trying to take advantage of anyone who will fall for it.

Chat is the only way so you can save the text of the conversation. It's in my notes to not touch my Absolute package: so it takes a super to do it and I have to wait for the changes. I do need to contact them again as something will not let me pay my bill on line now. I've tried 3 or 4 times since.

 

[Hall]

We are not heavy TV watchers, but we have our programs and sports we enjoy watching at times. Absolute provides all I want at a reasonable price along with a world class DVR.

Pretty much describes us too...

I have Netflix's streaming-only service but don't consider it a viable substitute, at least for us. It is NOT a streaming version of their DVD service, in case anyone isn't aware.

Time Warner just can't compare, in my opinion, to anything Dish offers. Directv has nothing similar to Absolute and comparing D* and E* packages usually doesn't differ by more than a dollar or two. The channels you get or lose with one provider's package vs the other's is the bigger deal to me.

 

[Jim5506]

Does anyone know what the credit is that Dish is offering for us for the next 12 months?

 

[stardust3]

Dish does not make them, but channel master does. Plus, you can still find them on Ebay.

But I'm looking for a used Tivo S3 with a lifetime sub

, as the DTVPal DVR does not offer name based recording.

Call it schadenfreude on my part if you want, but I'm glad as a Dish America sub to see Absolute go away. It stunk enough to have people getting more for the same money (including getting added channel where Dish America got none), and paying more for less would have stunk more.

Does this do name based recording & is there a sub fee?

 

[tstolze]

Does anyone know what the credit is that Dish is offering for us for the next 12 months?

I have to get to work, I will be calling tomorrow morning...