Newbie (sorta) at Directv.

[Techfizzle]

I like dish network but thier equipment is pricy used unlike directv. I dont want to have a 2 year commitment because my wallet has good days and bad days.
I had directv a few years ago. But this HD stuff has me scrathing my head.
When I used to have it all I had to do is get a one lnb dish and point it and call them and relax. Now there is 20 diffrent types of dishes and stuff I never heard of like ka band... b band converters...etc.
Heres What I got planned.
I know how to hook up the receiver to the TV no problem. I subbing to the choice basic with hd.
1. What dish do I need? If I heard right the signals are 101 110 and 119 and another for locals. What dish do I need minimum?
2. Dish IIRC you dont have to buy a new smart card to activate service. Do you still need to with directv??? I think the new receivers are intergrated like Dishes are.

 

[Jimbo]

I like dish network but thier equipment is pricy used unlike directv. I dont want to have a 2 year commitment because my wallet has good days and bad days.
I had directv a few years ago. But this HD stuff has me scrathing my head.
When I used to have it all I had to do is get a one lnb dish and point it and call them and relax. Now there is 20 diffrent types of dishes and stuff I never heard of like ka band... b band converters...etc.
Heres What I got planned.
I know how to hook up the receiver to the TV no problem. I subbing to the choice basic with hd.
1. What dish do I need? If I heard right the signals are 101 110 and 119 and another for locals. What dish do I need minimum?
2. Dish IIRC you dont have to buy a new smart card to activate service. Do you still need to with directv??? I think the new receivers are intergrated like Dishes are.

Quite honestly, you should order them from D* and let them take care of it.
You get a 2 year commitment according to the rec you turn on, not if it's NEW or USED.
If you want all the current HD channels, get the new MPEG 4 stuff, you'll only get a few HD channels with most older stuff.
New stuff requires a 5 lnb dish, D* uses mainly the 99, 101, and 103 sats, but there is still some programming on the 110, 119 and 72 for locals.

1. What dish, depends on what rec's you decide to go with.
D* has FREE installs.
2. you'll need the new smart cards in order to have current programming, sometimes if you have a current rec, they will ship you a new card.

IF you are turning on service new (new sub) you are required to have at least 1 NEW rec, they will not activate ONLY used equipment, if your a current sub already, then yes you can get some used equipment.

Jimbo

 

[Techfizzle]

No way!!!

I called them today to ask some questions.
1. What does it cost to actiavte used receivers?
$25 for the receiver and $50 for the acesss card.
Then I told her I would look into it a little ahead of time.
(csr)WELL WHY ARE YOU NOT WANTING IT?
(me) I am looking at some other providers
YOU MEAN DISH!?!! (like it was a cuss word)
Well sir Let ME TELL YOU! Our service is ALOT better then dish We have our satellites and we own them Dish doesnt own thiere satellites (LIE #1) We dont charge for Local channels (its included in the price or its $3 cheaper(Lie #2) Dish charges you for not having the receiver in a phone line ( No they dont but ppv will cost you if you order it on the phone so does Directv.) (Lie #3)

So after 3 lies and crappy wait times. Directv is no longer an option.

 

[Zellio2008]

Somehow I don't buy that little story you wrote.

 

[Jimbo]

I called them today to ask some questions.
1. What does it cost to actiavte used receivers?
$25 for the receiver and $50 for the acesss card.
Then I told her I would look into it a little ahead of time.
(csr)WELL WHY ARE YOU NOT WANTING IT?
(me) I am looking at some other providers
YOU MEAN DISH!?!! (like it was a cuss word)
Well sir Let ME TELL YOU! Our service is ALOT better then dish We have our satellites and we own them Dish doesnt own thiere satellites (LIE #1) We dont charge for Local channels (its included in the price or its $3 cheaper(Lie #2) Dish charges you for not having the receiver in a phone line ( No they dont but ppv will cost you if you order it on the phone so does Directv.) (Lie #3)

So after 3 lies and crappy wait times. Directv is no longer an option.

Your mistaken ...

Well sir Let ME TELL YOU! Our service is ALOT better then dish We have our satellites and we own them Dish doesnt own thiere satellites (LIE #1)

D* does OWN thier own sats, they had them built to thier specs and launched them and own them.

DISH has rented and or bought them once they were up there from other struggling companies. (NO LIE)

We dont charge for Local channels (its included in the price or its $3 cheaper(Lie #2)

Since they started with thier new set of packages, they have incorperated locals into the cost of the programming, yes they are $ 3-5 per month, but it's already there when you buy a current package (No LIE)

Dish charges you for not having the receiver in a phone line ( No they dont but ppv will cost you if you order it on the phone so does Directv.) (Lie #3)


I don't know if they do this anymore, but DISH use to charge you addl. $ 5 p/m if you didn't have a phone line hooked up, they also have a daily nag to clear before you can watch TV if you don't have the line plugged in, this too may have changed now, but YES there use to be this issue as well. (NO LIE)
D* does NOT charge you or give you a nag if the phone line is not plugged in.

Jimbo

 

[jcrandall]

There is some level of truth to all three of the "lies". Not 100% true in all situations, but all are true in some situations.

You will be much better off signing up and getting new hardware, regardless of the provider.

To answer your original question, you'll need a slimline dish, that sees 99/101/103, or the other slimline dish that sees 99/101/103/110/119. Either will work in "most" situations.

 

[joed32]

Somehow I don't buy that little story you wrote.

I agree!

 

[Rey]

Your mistaken ...



I don't know if they do this anymore, but DISH use to charge you addl. $ 5 p/m if you didn't have a phone line hooked up, they also have a daily nag to clear before you can watch TV if you don't have the line plugged in, this too may have changed now, but YES there use to be this issue as well. (NO LIE)
D* does NOT charge you or give you a nag if the phone line is not plugged in.

Jimbo

dish still does this. you either need to have the phone line hooked up or the ethernet connection. if you don't there is a monthly penalty. D doesn't do this. so like jimbo said (no lie)