Smart Pack

[Mr_Flintstone]

I've been a long time Dish customer, but due to cable prices my parents have decided to get Dish too. They settled on the Smart Pack because it has all the channels they normally watch. The installer will be coming out this weekend to hook them up. When I looked up the information for them on the Internet, there were a few questions I couldn't find the answers to.

1. According to the published channel guide, none of the Smart Pack channels are listed as HD. Are all the channels in the Smart Pack SD channels, or are they just not listed as HD?

2. I read about the new fees in this post. The installer is going to set them up before Jan 14 with a VIP222K receiver. Will the 2nd tuner fee still be $7 for them?

3. If they decide to upgrade to a dual tuner DVR later (like the 722), will the 2nd tuner fee really be $17, or is that the fee for a second receiver?

 

[Jim5506]

I believe Smart Pack is SD except locals are HD.

There is no fee for the first receiver on an account, only for the second and on from there.

Replacing the 222 with a 722 will add a DVR fee (I think it is $10) but still no actual fee for the first receiver, just for DVR service.

A second 722 would accrue the $17 receiver fee.

The exact fee amounts may (and will) vary.

 

[ChadT41]

There are now some HD channels in the Smart pack, but the site may not be updated. It just took place in December, prior to that they were SD.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I've had my service for 20+ years, so I wasn't up on the new charges and packages.

 

[Tampa8]

It appears DISH is moving towards HD in both the Smart Pack and the Welcome Pack.

Get the 722 receiver now don't bother with the 222. If it is the only receiver there is no receiver fee, just the $7 DVR fee.

 

[Mr Tony]

agreed on the 722
They can always plug the antenna into the back of it and get WYMT (per your other thread). There wont be any guide for it (since Dish doesnt carry the station to begin with) but at least they can watch programs on it without switching inputs on the TV

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Thanks for all the info guys. The installer came today and set everything up. He didn't have an OTA module, so I took one of mine out and put in theirs until I could get a replacement. I may not even replace it on mine, since my 722k has always gave me a partial signal loss error message every time my OTA signal drops; even if I'm on another channel. The one in my 222 works fine with no error. Anyway, their TV works great, and the OTA is coming in at a steady 80 even without an amp. I did have to use the trick with combining the UHF pro antenna input with the feed line to TV2 and splitting it back off with the UHF remote antenna in the TV2 room.

Now, just one more question. Is there any way my can get ESPN with the smart pack to watch college basketball? I thought about the multi-sports pack, but it says it requires the 120 package or higher.

 

[osu1991]

ESPN requires AT120 or higher, nothing you can do about. If you have decent internet and your isp is on the approved list, you may be able to get some games with ESPN3 and a Computer, Chromecast or Roku connected to the TV.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

ESPN requires AT120 or higher, nothing you can do about. If you have decent internet and your isp is on the approved list, you may be able to get some games with ESPN3 and a Computer, Chromecast or Roku connected to the TV.

I don't see that happening. They are both in their 80s, and Dish was a technology stretch for them. WYMT will carry the UK home games, and I guess he can watch the others with me or my brother.

 

[Mr Tony]

Anyway, their TV works great, and the OTA is coming in at a steady 80 even without an amp.

thats good to hear!

 

[Mojo Jojo]

The following should be available in HD with the Smart Pack:
184 Animal Planet
203 Bloomberg
158 CBS Sports Network
113 Cooking Channel
179 Discovery Family
111 DIY
110 Food Network
205 Fox News Channel
119 FYI
185 Hallmark Channel
187 Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
202 HLN
192 Investigation Discovery (ID)
170 Nickelodeon (East)
396 Outdoor Channel
231 RFD-TV
193 Science Channel
214 Weather Channel

 

[brejust]

The following should be available in HD with the Smart Pack:
184 Animal Planet
203 Bloomberg
158 CBS Sports Network
113 Cooking Channel
179 Discovery Family
111 DIY
110 Food Network
205 Fox News Channel
119 FYI
185 Hallmark Channel
187 Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
202 HLN
192 Investigation Discovery (ID)
170 Nickelodeon (East)
396 Outdoor Channel
231 RFD-TV
193 Science Channel
214 Weather Channel

upgraded to this package. i am going to be watching id tv mostly. in next two days alone I think I will be watching atleast 20 episodes.
keeping encore and showtime pack. good deal 8 bucks for both of them.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

upgraded to this package. i am going to be watching id tv mostly. in next two days alone I think I will be watching atleast 20 episodes.
keeping encore and showtime pack. good deal 8 bucks for both of them.

We actually have Welcome Pack (for locals, Boomerang, $10 HBO (which is sadly going away), and Dish Movie Pack), and I decided to try out Philo for ID since it seemed like the cheapest way to view ID. It also includes ID for TV Everywhere, but I am sure Dish also does the same. I also DVR some ID shows (which is available for 30 days) on Philo. However, Philo is $16 or $20 depending on what package you get; we have the $20 one since we found ourselves watching Discovery Life a lot at first. I have a referral link for $5 off if you would like to try it: Philo

I actually use a Roku 2, and I have not had many issues with Philo. The only thing is that it lacks a real time EPG on the Roku, but there is a site on Philo. I believe it is now available on Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

The following is what Philo offers:
Channel Packages
40 Channel Package
$16 per month

• A&E
• AMC
• Animal Planet
• AXS TV
• BBC America
• BBC World News
• BET
• Cheddar
• Cheddar Big News
• CMT
• Comedy Central
• Discovery Channel
• DIY Network
• Food Network
• FYI
• Game Show Network
• HGTV
• History
• IFC
• Investigation Discovery
• Lifetime
• Lifetime Movies
• MTV
• MTV2
• Nickelodeon
• Nick Jr.
• OWN
• Paramount Network
• PeopleTV
• Science Channel
• Sundance TV
• Tastemade
• TeenNick
• TLC
• Travel Channel
• TV Land
• Velocity
• VH1
• Viceland
• WE tv

49 Channel Package
$20 per month

Everything above plus...

• American Heroes Channel
• BET Her
• Cooking Channel
• Destination America
• Discovery Family
• Discovery Life
• Logo
• MTV Live
• Nicktoons

For TV Everywhere information: TV Everywhere

I think I read somewhere that at&t was supposed to have Watch for $15/month, but I do not think it offers all the similar features of philo and others.

 

[MikeD-C05]

No SYFY channel or any news channels in that pack. I’ll pass.

 

[Claude Greiner]

No SYFY channel or any news channels in that pack. I’ll pass.

Yup, not such a smart idea for me either

 

[dare2be]

No SYFY channel or any news channels in that pack. I’ll pass.

No Silly Fantasy channel or "news"? Sign me up.

 

[MikeD-C05]

No Silly Fantasy channel or "news"? Sign me up.

Then Philo is your best bet.

 

[Yespage]

No Silly Fantasy channel or "news"? Sign me up.

Come on. Syfy usually can be counted on for a great show... once every five years or so.

 

[pattykay]

Come on. Syfy usually can be counted on for a great show... once every five years or so.

Krypton

 

[MikeD-C05]

Z nation.