# Not switching to DISH afterall, things you might want to know about D's HD DVR



## nabuch (Aug 25, 2000)

You probably don't care why I am not switching, but you might like to know what I found out from a DTV CSR that definitely seemed to know what she was talking about.

The HD DVR is available now in L.A., some seemed not so sure of this on this forum. It will be available to everyone early next month. They are just waiting until they can produce enough of them.

It will be $399, and no lease fees. If you want local HD you have to get the HD package; you do not get them with the locals package.

There is no information on any new HD channels, yet.

If you call and tell them you are going to leave you will be able to get a pretty good deal. This is what I got. Immediate reduction of the cost to $200. $20 a month credit for 6 months on my total choice package. After my free 4 months on the HD package is over, it will be $5 a month for 6 months. This is all noted on my account for when I can get the receiver.

Now that I have your attention, if you are interested, I changed my mind because of the following. DISH's everything package, wasn't. Regional sports was $6 more. You have to put up $250 up front, which you will get back, but only with an HD package. Their package is $15, and it is not that great. Mostly just movies, and no where can you actually find out what is on ahead of time. Without the HD package, there are fees that make it not a good deal at all. 

As I see it DISH's advantage is really only STARZ HD, and lord only knows why D feels the need to add anything before that and Cinemax.

Well, for once I hope I have actually added something to this forum that is useful


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## MarcusInMD (Jan 7, 2005)

Good luck with that. 

I switched over and they begged and pleaded for me to stay with them. Well not really, I stopped them in mid-sentence when I told them I had already disconnected their equipment and taken down their dish. 

I have been with Dish for almost a week and I can tell you that you get more for your money IMO with Dish. So far I have found something interesting to watch on EVERY HD channel, all 30 of them! The recent addition of FoodTV and the InHD channel coming soon only made the deal sweeter. I even am enjoying the NFLHD channel (I don't care much for sports)

The voom channels are not what people make them out to be here. They are excellent quality and the programming has been very good. I have found myself even watching concerts on the one concert channel (something I didn't even think I would be interested in!) The PQ is leaps and bounds above what DirecTV is currently offering it was well worth the switch.

In the end, I don't think DirecTV could have kept me with them no matter how sweet the deal they could have offered. A year and a half of declining PQ on all channels and the lack of HD improvments pushed me over to Dish. If DirecTV FINALLY delivers on better PQ, the 150 national HD channels and a stable HD-DVR. DirecTV has to once again prove they are the PQ leader and HD leader then I might be back. Until then I will be happy with what Dish is offering.

My only concern is the Tivo lawsuit. But at this time to be honest I am not really all that concerned. I don't believe that Dish will leave their customers out to dry. A deal will be struck or this will continue to be tied up in the courts until Tivo folds or runs our of money.


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## AstroDad (Jan 21, 2003)

I am pretty sure there will still be the $4.99 lease fee/month and you don't have to subscribe to the HD package to get your HD locals.


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## jimborst (Aug 30, 2001)

nabuch said:


> Regional sports was $6 more. You have to put up $250 up front, which you will get back, but only with an HD package. Their package is $15, and it is not that great. Mostly just movies, and no where can you actually find out what is on ahead of time. Without the HD package, there are fees that make it not a good deal at all.


I don't know where this info came from but, I just looked at my bill and there is no $6 regional sports addition, and I do get one of the channels. The Guide goes out 9 days, so I don't see how you can say there is no where to find out what is on ahead of time.


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

nabuch said:


> The HD DVR is available now in L.A., some seemed not so sure of this on this forum. It will be available to everyone early next month. They are just waiting until they can produce enough of them.


It is not that they do not have enough of them but they are doing their testing in LA. Strike one.


> It will be $399, and no lease fees.


You will be leasing the unit even for $399. Stike two.


> If you want local HD you have to get the HD package


That is currently not true. Strike three. The CSR is out!!!


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## nabuch (Aug 25, 2000)

She sounded like she knew what she was talking about, but maybe not. That $6 is for the regional sports package, you do get your one regional channel without paying extra. Now you have me rethinking this again. I may switch yet, and I guess that once again I prove to be a less than useful contributor to this site.
Dumb as I am what does PQ stand for. I was not worried about the lawsuit either, because, if they would win in the end I am sure that DISH would be working on a replacement. Also, I always thought D's 15 million subscribers was a big deal, but it isn't, the DISH CSR said they have 13 million, of coures, who can believe CSR's, right.


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## Deacon West (Apr 16, 2006)

PQ = Picture Quality.

Some others you might be interested in http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-v...ad.php?t=176447

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-v...ad.php?t=176447


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## Lord Vader (Aug 30, 2004)

MarcusInMD said:


> My only concern is the Tivo lawsuit. But at this time to be honest I am not really all that concerned. I don't believe that Dish will leave their customers out to dry. A deal will be struck or this will continue to be tied up in the courts until Tivo folds or runs our of money.


It is not DISH's choice. An appeals court last Friday issued a stay in a federal judge's order to DISH to shut down its DVR's, but this stay lasts only 30 days. TIVO is not wanting a settlement; they're content with the near $90 million judgment and the shutdown of the 4 million + DVR's. Legal sources are saying that Echostar will be forced to shut down its DVR's and cease their manufacturing and distribution by mid-September.

This would be just desserts for that company. While DirecTV, Comcast, and others entered into partnerships with TIVO, Echostar always refused. Their arrogance led them to believe they could instead just steal TIVO's technology and use it on their own. A federal jury ***** slapped them over this, and now it looks like the courts will make them pay the price. As they should.


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## jimborst (Aug 30, 2001)

nabuch said:


> She sounded like she knew what she was talking about, but maybe not. That $6 is for the regional sports package, you do get your one regional channel without paying extra. Now you have me rethinking this again. I may switch yet, and I guess that once again I prove to be a less than useful contributor to this site.
> Dumb as I am what does PQ stand for. I was not worried about the lawsuit either, because, if they would win in the end I am sure that DISH would be working on a replacement. Also, I always thought D's 15 million subscribers was a big deal, but it isn't, the DISH CSR said they have 13 million, of coures, who can believe CSR's, right.


Yes I get the one regional sports channel included, sorry didn't know there was a package.


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## teasip (Aug 24, 2002)

I heard them all scream with joy when they were slapped (I even heard a couple ask for more).


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

teasip said:


> I heard them all scream with joy when they were slapped (I even heard a couple ask for more).


Well that will come when all the articles and press releases come out, informing everyone why their DVRs stopped working...

They where able to recover from the Viacom fiasco 2ish years ago...
I don't think the outcome would be as good this time around....


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## nabuch (Aug 25, 2000)

Well after being convinced, I decided to go to DISH after all. I found out that TVG is not part of that regional sports package, and I can get what I need on that channel. Of course, I may be watching a lot of live HD programs with out being able to record anything, but if that happens, I would hope DTV would take me back with incentives. My previous car insurance is always wanting me back, after 2 years ,even.

Another thing the CSR from DTV told me was that DTV's HD was pure HD, and DISH wasn't. Since a lot of folks around here seem to think DISH has the better PQ(I learn fast), this too must have been wrong. She said that's why they don't add channels that fast, like it was for our benefit. 

Don't think that DTV is the only one's with bad CSRs, though, DISH people are contantly contradicting one another. Also, getting through to DTV is far easier than to DISH.


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## wje (Jan 8, 2005)

nabuch said:


> Don't think that DTV is the only one's with bad CSRs, though, DISH people are contantly contradicting one another. Also, getting through to DTV is far easier than to DISH.


That's because so many D* users are switching to E*!


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## frankygamer (Mar 19, 2002)

the $6 is for the multi-region sports pack. You get yours RSN for free if you sign up for at least X package I think. 
D* charged their sports pack with the premium channels so I was paying more like $11. 
The only reason to get the mult-region package is if you have overlapping RSN's. For $6 I get FSWM and FSN along with Comcast Chicago.


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## frankygamer (Mar 19, 2002)

Lord Vader said:


> It is not DISH's choice. An appeals court last Friday issued a stay in a federal judge's order to DISH to shut down its DVR's, but this stay lasts only 30 days. TIVO is not wanting a settlement; they're content with the near $90 million judgment and the shutdown of the 4 million + DVR's. Legal sources are saying that Echostar will be forced to shut down its DVR's and cease their manufacturing and distribution by mid-September.
> 
> This would be just desserts for that company. While DirecTV, Comcast, and others entered into partnerships with TIVO, Echostar always refused. Their arrogance led them to believe they could instead just steal TIVO's technology and use it on their own. A federal jury ***** slapped them over this, and now it looks like the courts will make them pay the price. As they should.


D* paid tivo off even after dropping them (not to sue). I think Dish could do the same. Between appeals and Dish's countersuit, I don't see any changes soon other then a settlement.


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## TyroneShoes (Sep 6, 2004)

ebonovic said:


> ...They where able to recover from the Viacom fiasco 2ish years ago...


Refresh, please?

It does sound like Tivo has them by the short hairs, but there is no real victory in watching E* make their DVRs go dark. You can't put that in the bank.

On the other hand, if the winner was DTV in this battle instead of Tivo, they would probably hold them to it, for somewhat obvious reasons. But it's not.

What would bring real victory to Tivo is letting E* keep the DVRs active, yet forcing them to pay Tivo a steep licensing fee. IOW, "I'll take my boot off of your throat if you give me your lunch money".


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

nabuch said:


> Another thing the CSR from DTV told me was that DTV's HD was pure HD, and DISH wasn't. Since a lot of folks around here seem to think DISH has the better PQ(I learn fast), this too must have been wrong. She said that's why they don't add channels that fast, like it was for our benefit.


I have all sorts of reasons why I don't like/want/use Dish Network, but this claim is just silly and wrong.


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## old7 (Aug 7, 2002)

TyroneShoes said:


> Refresh, please?
> 
> It does sound like Tivo has them by the short hairs, but there is no real victory in watching E* make their DVRs go dark. You can't put that in the bank.
> 
> ...


On the other hand, think how much faster the next company TiVo goes after will settle if they see Echostar's DVRs go dark. Would you risk that if it was your company?


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## jaobrien6 (Oct 24, 2002)

old7 said:


> On the other hand, think how much faster the next company TiVo goes after will settle if they see Echostar's DVRs go dark. Would you risk that if it was your company?


E*'s DVR's will never go dark... once this is all said and done, if the courts finally rule in Tivo's favor, E* will pay Tivo money instead of turning off their DVR's.


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## Mikey_C (Jun 24, 2003)

nabuch said:


> Another thing the CSR from DTV told me was that DTV's HD was pure HD, and DISH wasn't.


If you believe that, then I've got some "pure" water for you to drink....from a Mexico City tap.


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## mx6bfast (Jan 2, 2004)

nabuch said:


> Well after being convinced, I decided to go to DISH after all. I found out that TVG is not part of that regional sports package, and I can get what I need on that channel. Of course, I may be watching a lot of live HD programs with out being able to record anything, but if that happens, I would hope DTV would take me back with incentives. My previous car insurance is always wanting me back, after 2 years ,even.
> 
> Another thing the CSR from DTV told me was that DTV's HD was pure HD, and DISH wasn't. Since a lot of folks around here seem to think DISH has the better PQ(I learn fast), this too must have been wrong. She said that's why they don't add channels that fast, like it was for our benefit.
> 
> Don't think that DTV is the only one's with bad CSRs, though, DISH people are contantly contradicting one another. Also, getting through to DTV is far easier than to DISH.


In yours posts so far the CSR's have told you lies. You'd be better off coming here first and posing your questions, then calling D* our your provider if needed.


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