Local Dish retailer says new Hopper OTA adapter to be released January 24

[StanDarsh]

Good info!

I only know because I have to..I do income tax returns for people and things like the PATH act and beginning transmit dates are almost like remembering my birthday this time of year.

Definitely does. The picture that's supposed to be the new one has a white/clear, separate USB cable while the old one (like the one shown by Dish Depot) shows the black, thin cable.

Also, the old one has regular USB on the hopper side, and the usb type 'b' on the other...where the new one has the usb 'a' on both ends. The provided cable would serve as an extension , or could be directly plugged in.

 

[Tampa8]

Makes me wonder why they broke them out, since they can not be dropped, hence making some think they could save without them.

Could be at some point that will be offered? I see others are now breaking it out also. Trying to find a chart that was posted sometime ago, locals were averaging $2+ each now and I think the providers are trying to drive that point. This isn't what I was looking for but says very close to the same thing.
http://www.mctvohio.com/uploads/tv-costs-11-5-20131389.pdf

Here's another article that seems to show the cost to providers is somewhere around $8+

https://blog.directcom.com/2015/03/03/local-network-retransmission-fee-increases/

 

[DWS44]

Makes me wonder why they broke them out, since they can not be dropped, hence making some think they could save without them.

Probably so they can raise the price of that package independently in the future and blame it (probably rightly so) on how much the local stations are demanding at each contract renewal.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Probably so they can raise the price of that package independently in the future and blame it (probably rightly so) on how much the local stations are demanding at each contract renewal.

I like it. It's the best way to educate customers on the extortion local nets are subjecting Dish to.

 

[KAB]

Probably so they can raise the price of that package independently in the future and blame it (probably rightly so) on how much the local stations are demanding at each contract renewal.

Excellent deduction, Mr. Holmes!

 

[Hall]

Probably so they can raise the price of that package independently in the future and blame it (probably rightly so) on how much the local stations are demanding at each contract renewal.

I was going to say, like others did, that they are going to make them separate in the (near) future by doing this. But I like your idea as well ! Very feasible.

 

[Hall]

Not necessarily anymore. Locals are broken out for the packages now with a $10 cost associated with them.

Ahhh, didn't know that (since I don't have the 'standard' package) anymore.

 

[Peter Parker]

So I take it none of us participated ina beta program to test ONE OF THESE adapters or THIS product? I wonder if there was sucha test program.

 

[Hall]

So I take it none of us participated ina beta program to test ONE OF THESE adapters or THIS product? I wonder if there was sucha test program.

If anyone did, they're not allowed to say.

 

[StanDarsh]

Only 48 more hours and maybe all the questions surrounding it will be answered. Question now, how long before they run out of stock..or are they somewhat prepared for an influx of people scooping these up..

I'm guessing they've had +/- 6 months..maybe a little longer..to fill the stock.

 

[Hall]

It appears that Dish is sourcing this from a supplier that makes these for multiple vendors (if the earlier photo is an accurate one). The first module seemed to be made only for Dish - the supplier likely made "x" pieces and stopped. Dish may have seen a nice demand for the module initially and then it tapered off. When that happened, Dish couldn't afford to have another "x" produced (for an acceptable amount).

 

[Bruno]

Not necessarily anymore. Locals are broken out for the packages now with a $10 cost associated with them. They can not be dropped from those packages. (The packages dropped in price by $5 for a net increase of $5)

Tampa, tell me WHY the locals cannot be dropped from those pkgs? I could be wrong, but Charlie is under the must carry rule but i don't recall it saying the customers must take all and pay their extortion price. Could charlie be setting it up so we can save the $10 and with the dual (yes could only record two) dongle still see the local guide. If your closest enough to get the feeds would cut down on a lot of whiners like me when they shut them off.

 

[dweber]

i doubt that they would supply the guide if you don't subscribe to locals. Whenever DISH has dropped a local during a dispute, they eliminated the program guide on both the OTA and the satellite channel.

Sent from my KFGIWI using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[Hall]

i doubt that they would supply the guide if you don't subscribe to locals. Whenever DISH has dropped a local during a dispute, they eliminated the program guide on both the OTA and the satellite channel.

Sent from my KFGIWI using the SatelliteGuys app!

Doubt if you want, but you're wrong. They do supply it. Switch to Flex and don't sign up for locals and see for yourself.

 

[Hall]

Tampa, tell me WHY the locals cannot be dropped from those pkgs?

Tampa can't answer that unless he's upper level management at Dish.

 

[JM42]

Tampa, tell me WHY the locals cannot be dropped from those pkgs? I could be wrong, but Charlie is under the must carry rule but i don't recall it saying the customers must take all and pay their extortion price. Could charlie be setting it up so we can save the $10 and with the dual (yes could only record two) dongle still see the local guide. If your closest enough to get the feeds would cut down on a lot of whiners like me when they shut them off.

WHY is because Dish doesn't allow it. Tampa8 never said Dish couldn't make it an option. Business practices could change tomorrow, but he is correct as of now. What Dish might be setting up for the future is pure conjecture.

 

[JosephB]

And Dish may not allow you to drop locals on the bigger packages due to agreements with the broadcasters. It's not cut and dry. At least Dish does have the option legally, and hopefully behind the scenes they are working to make it possible. On the other hand, cable companies are legally required by federal law to include locals in all packages.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I wonder if DISH is going to sell them from the MyDish account Store!

Yes they will.

 

[dare2be]

And Dish may not allow you to drop locals on the bigger packages due to agreements with the broadcasters. It's not cut and dry.

Very likely. It may have taken years of negotiations with channel owners to formulate the Flex Pack and the ala carte option for locals and other channels. That may explain why the Flex Pack is the only pack with the option to remove locals at this point.

 

[Pepper]

So I take it none of us participated ina beta program to test ONE OF THESE adapters or THIS product? I wonder if there was sucha test program.

This is a DISH product. The beta test begins on the day they are available for purchase.

Probably so they can raise the price of that package independently in the future and blame it (probably rightly so) on how much the local stations are demanding at each contract renewal.

Regarding the $10 price of the locals package.

In my market (Mobile/Pensacola) there are 12 locals carried by DISH.
In other markets there are more, or less. NYC has 19, Los Angeles has 26. Glendive, Montana has only four. The price is exactly the same $10.

It seems likely that the subscribers in markets with fewer stations are subsidizing those in markets with more. I find it hard to believe that the 12 stations in my market are as expensive per subscriber for DISH to carry as the 26 in Los Angeles. If they can get away with reducing the price in some markets and raising it in others, that would make things more fair.