Upgrading From 811?

[BobFlyer]

I currently have an 811 receiver and a 311 receiver. I called Dish to ask about upgrading to the newer line of receivers. I have been a long time customer >3 years+-. I was looking for the newer receiver for OTA HD, similiar to the 811 functions. I was told that if I went to the newer series vipxxx, I would have to have a new dish installed. I currently have the superdish and dish package for 200 channels plus locals. No hd, or other options.

The 811 I currently have has become unstable, works sometime and locks up. I switched the 311 to the room where the 811 is installed to check cables/switch/connections. 311 is rock solid. Thus it appears the 811 is faulty. Thus the consideration of upgrading.

I was told that I would have to pay for the new receiver, plus a install fee for the newer dish. Can I not just continue with the current superdish? I receive sat 119/110/105 for my current programming, which I do not need to change.

What is the best approach in terms of newer equipment, I know the newer is supporting Mpeg-4 vs the 811 Mpeg-2.

Suggestions on upgrade path, vs costs appreciated.

Dish ran so many different $ figures that I lost track of what they were trying to sell me.

Confused at the offerings...Verbal via the CSA were awful.

Any comments appreciated and thanks in advance.

BobFlyer

 

[PhilipPeake]

Depending upon how you feel about doing the work of installing the stuff, I would seriously consider just buying the required components and installing yourself.

I bought a VIP211 to replace my 811, and a Dish 1000.

Dropping the 211 in place of the 811 is trivial, just needs a call to TECH SUPPORT (not CSR!) to get it activated, replacing the 811.

Of course, the 1000 is a piece of junk, so I just used the LNBs from it and set up a Dish 500 and a 29" standalone dish for 129.

The hardest part was that their stupid computer system wouldn't allow the 211 activation because it didn't see that appropriate dishes were installed. Getting a Dish 1000 listed seemed like hard work (for the tech support person, not for me).