Upgrade Options??

[rick9999]

HI,

I have been a Dish customer for 15 or so years (I think). I think they were a year old when I got my first Dish. So I have installed them a few times throughout the years but now with a lot more satellites, dishes, etc. its gotten more complicated and I have not stayed on top of it all. Plus it doesn't seem like they will allow you to install much yourself anymore, unless you go purchase it.

Currently I have a 722, 625, and a 508 on my account. I own the 625 and 508, the 722 is leased. The 625 is only connected to 1 TV but now costs me $17 per month. I started a chat with Dish to ask about switching that 625 to a 612. They said they would happily do that and my bill would go down by $7 per month. I asked if the receiver could just be mailed to me and I can hook it up but they would not do that. In order to get that receiver she said I need a 1000.4 Dish. I asked if my 508 would still work connected to that setup and she said it would, but I though only the newer receivers worked on the 1000.4 setup?

While chatting with her I asked since I am paying for the 508 that I currently own can I upgrade that to a 612 also and she said sure, I think that would cost $10 compared to the current $7 per month.

The only problem is that currently neither TV that would be getting the new 612 is currently an HD TV. I plan to get a new TV for one of the 612's but not the other one at this time. Does that matter to the installer that they are connecting a 612 to an old SD TV? I saw some RCA jacks on the back so I assume that it would work fine.

Also I was told that I would need to pay $95 for the new Dish and service call or sign up for the protection plan to get the first visit for free. Before I place the order I just wanted to run this by you guys here to make sure all that sounded right and that.

Can you not just have them ship you the Dish and receiver and install it yourself?


Thanks!

 

[nsafreak]

If it was just the receiver that you were getting upgraded then sometimes you are able to get them to ship it to your location. Usually if the connections are the same they'll do it like if you're upgrading from a 222 to a 722 they'll sometimes ship out the receiver. However they most definitely will not ship you a dish to do the upgrade yourself. More likely than not it's because their phone CSRs are not trained on how to teach you to point the dish, especially one that can be tricky to point like a 1000.4. Now the odd thing is that she said your 508 would still work which is quite odd. IIRC the 1000.4 in your area points at satellites that only broadcast MPEG4 programming. Your 508 could communicate with the LNBF on the dish but it wouldn't be able to decode the programming. Your best bet is to go ahead and let the tech perform the upgrade and replace the 625 and 508 both with 612 receiver if you have that option. That way you're still looking at a net decrease in receiver fees on your monthly bill. It all looks good overall and yes you can hook the 612 up to an SDTV.

 

[lparsons21]

Kind of an offshoot of this discussion. If I were to upgrade my system to a 612 as my second receiver, replacing the 625, shouldn't it just be a plug 'n go type situation?

I already have a 722k on my main TV.

 

[Jim5506]

It should be, but the setup of the remote, etc might cause Dish to send out a tech.

I already had a 622, 301, 510 and a 211 and wanted to replace a 510 with a 211 and Dish would not ship it, they had to send out a tech. I bought a 3rd 211 and installed it myself, no sweat.

 

[TheKrell]

I had a 722, a 625, and a 501, and I had to use the ceo address to get them to ship me two 612's for $25/ea, as opposed to $100/ea to have a tech come out and install them. I didn't want that to happen, (1) because of cost, and (2) because I had a custom switch arrangement in my attic that I would have to explain to the tech before he could install anything.

Your new 612's will be leased of course. But I was able to sell my 625 and 501.