Cheapest way to get Dish installed with no contract?

At a lease fee per receiver/DVR of $7 - 12 per month, the fee becomes very relevant over the 13 years, to the tune of $1,000 + http://www.mydish.com/support/fees

And then it just keeps on going up with each new box & I quote - "Each Duo DVR and HD Duo DVR Sling Loaded receiver $17/mo."

He's trying to beat the system, save some money, that's the American way, yah sah! But there's no easy way out, the fix is in.
The fees don't factor into the purchase/lease decision.

Whether the equipment is purchased or not the monthly fees are EXACTLY the same. There is no monthly break for purchased equipment.
 
The fees don't factor into the purchase/lease decision.

Whether the equipment is purchased or not the monthly fees are EXACTLY the same. There is no monthly break for purchased equipment.

You guys are right, just talked to Dish. My question to the CSR was "why buy versus lease?" Comes down to a convenience factor when it comes time to ship leased equipment back.
 
Purchased or leased - the first receiver on an account is "free" (no additional fee). Dish will consider the most expensive receiver on the account as the "first" receiver.

Purchased or leased - additional receivers range from $7 (solo receiver or Joey) to $17(VIP Duo DVR) each.

Purchased or leased - all current DVRs other than 211 EHD conversions have DVR fees from $7 to $12 per account (not per DVR), depending on model.
 
Purchased or leased - the first receiver on an account is "free" (no additional fee). Dish will consider the most expensive receiver on the account as the "first" receiver.

Gawd this confusing. Just got off the phone, again......the distinction that needs to be made is a DVR fee vs a receiver fee. I'm paying a DVR fee of $7/mo. My 722K is "free". If I were to get another 722K installed in our master bedroom the DVR fee would remain the same but I'd pay a $17/mo. fee for the 2nd receiver.

For the Hopper system it's a $12/mo. DVR fee and a $7 receiver fee for a Joey.
 
In the good ole days, when Echostar was first launched, that's exactly what the homeowner/renter did. You picked up your equipment, dish, etc. from a video/stereo store, ran the cable, installed/aimed the dish attempting to get the best signal strength you could, hooked up the receiver and crossed your fingers. If memory serves me correct that was about 20 years ago, about 1996. You could also get your channels ala carte!

Ahhhhhhhhh, the good ole days!

Actually there's plenty of tech info out there of how to configure the equipment and such but IMO a fee of $199 is fair when you consider the costs of doing business and labor that might go 2-4 hours.

You can still do this today. I installed my parents a few years back after we bought all the receivers and dish. No commitment on the contract, just a $50 fee up front to start as I recall or that may have even been waived with autopay, I just dont remember anymore. Ive installed all the stuff at my home for over a decade and never had an issue owning anything. Call ahead and check the R0 and S0 numbers with Dish before you buy a receiver to verify its in the clear and you will be good to go.
 
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Gawd this confusing. Just got off the phone, again......the distinction that needs to be made is a DVR fee vs a receiver fee. I'm paying a DVR fee of $7/mo. My 722K is "free". If I were to get another 722K installed in our master bedroom the DVR fee would remain the same but I'd pay a $17/mo. fee for the 2nd receiver.

For the Hopper system it's a $12/mo. DVR fee and a $7 receiver fee for a Joey.

You've been a member for 12 days. Perhaps if you'd read more and post less it would save you a few calls to Dish. Several experienced posters have already stated that the fees are the same, whether you own your equipment or lease your equipment.
 
You've been a member for 12 days. Perhaps if you'd read more and post less it would save you a few calls to Dish. Several experienced posters have already stated that the fees are the same, whether you own your equipment or lease your equipment.

Your preaching aside, I understand, but there have been plenty of threads where "the facts" have been all over the place. It's a matter of who to trust and believe.

Good example is my own thread - http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/thr...and-keeping-my-recorded-content.345513/page-8

"No you won't be able to watch your recordings if you cancel" (this "fact" from Dish CSR's too) and then page eight member states "no problem"...... watching recordings on a unit that has long been disconnected. :coco
 
I didn't really mean to get this type of discussion going, my apologies. Based on the difficulty of this particular job and what I know about how to do it, I'd probably pay somebody $100 to do the job neatly,and professionally so that I don't have to worry about anything. When that price is doubled is when I start exploring other alternatives such as DIY.

Sorry, but I see $200 as perfectly acceptable for this, and I owned a 10-foot BUD for 15 years & did all of my own install & maintenance.

Roll a truck, pay for insurance on the truck, pay for liability insurance for the installer, pay for the various pieces of equipment, the coax, etc. Plus pay for the 1-2 hours of installer time. I personally wouldn't do your system for less than $200, I don't see why this price is a problem if you are going to have someone else take on the job.
 
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Guys (and gals?) I should clarify one thing here: I'm not taking issue with dish charging $199 per se. I understand they have to set a price that at least covers their costs. Large, complicated, multiroom installs with attic-runs and wall fishes will take more time and actually cost more than $200 in time and equipment to set up, while easier jobs like mine will cost less and help offset it so that they're at least breaking even on the install business. That's okay. I'm not trying to imply that they're greedy or unfair, or unreasonable, though I think I probably did give off that impression. Even saying I don't like contracts isn't a stab at Dish, really, I just value my own flexibility.

I just don't want to pay that much. That's why I'm exploring alternatives. Fact of the matter is, there are cheaper ways to get it installed, just probably not via legitimate dish installation technicians. It's not really rocket-science to aim and point a dish. You act like you don't think the dish is going to work. What would go wrong? It's barely two years old, the LNB is intact and looks good. So long as the connectors aren't corroded I think the worst thing I'd be up against is having to lightly adjust the dish to peak the signal, if anything.

I really appreciate everybody who has taken the time to reply to this thread, it's really helped me plan my next course of action (which is probably going to be self-install).
 
Most likely the dish will work as they rarely go bad, as long as the settings or the dish had not been tampered with since it's installation, the lnb is still on the dish and the coax is still run inside the house. A lot of people only need to buy a used receiver, connect it up, run a check switch test, download new software by leaving receiver in standby (off) and they are in business. You have to make sure it is not leased and does not owe a balance before you purchase it. I have a used one that I can sell you that I guarantee can be activated if you really need one.
 
Man, I'm an easy date, cheap one too. When I built my new house I made 6 runs of RG6 from the outside point of entry, west wall, to my master bedroom and under a stairwell where all my electronics are stored. That also included speaker cable runs for a massive home theater, front projector, HDMI runs, etc. All an installer has to do is drop, turn on, and zoom, he's gone.

I'm one of the few that bi-amps starting with pre-amp outs from the Denon main fronts, electronic crossover, separate amps for the fronts/subs, total of 8 speakers which includes high end drivers like Focal, 15" subs, etc. all I custom built using fine exotics woods. Such fun......

You can only watch so much TV, a very secondary activity for me which amounts to about 70% Fox News watching (never miss The Five), the rest cooking channels, a movie once a month, local news.
 
If you want Dish to do the work then you will pay a flat rate. If you want to pay an hourly fee and see if you get by cheaper just find a local retailer and see if they will do the work for you. When we were charging an hourly rate it was $65 an hour plus $1.50 a mile one way plus any materials used.

If you want the work done professionally just be prepared to spend over $100. If you want to save money then do it yourself or find a friend who can do it.
 
Title of the thread -
Cheapest way to get Dish installed with no contract?
I think that's just giving you more information to weigh contract versus no contract. Save $200 on install + $150 in gift card leaves you with a net of -$130 if you have to pay the full ETF. Break even would be at seven months (not including any promotional pricing savings from being on contract).
 
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Since you already have a crimper and fittings I would do the self install. You can pickup cable staples or clamps real cheap at lowes or home depot. The clamps with long screws will probably work better on the siding. Don't over tighten the screws!

The dish should be alright. I've never seen one go out of alignment unless it's been messed with. Even if it is and you don't want to adjust it you could add the $8 protection plan. Dish will send someone out for free to adjust/replace the dish. You need to keep the plan on your account for six months or pay a $30 removal fee.

The 211z will probably have the best resale value in a few years. It is the only receiver dish allows to be added on to accounts with hoppers for use with tailgating.
 

S517 on hopper with sling this morning

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