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If you're thinking of becoming a new Dish customer or even an existing one thinking of moving into Dish's HD arena there are a few things you may not but should know.

Take the time to read threads concerning experiences customers have had with Dish's HD receivers. Also read about promises Dish has made through press releases, Chats and by CSRs to customers. You'll find that what they are doing now to existing HD customers is just the latest in an historical pattern of actions that usually exploit the existing customer in favor of recruiting new ones. Remember if you're a new customer this time, you'll be the existing customer next time.

For example:

Existing customers with 921s or 942s, Dish's last 2 top of the line and most expensive, HD DVR, MPEG2 receivers are not being allowed to receive the new HD channels on their current equipment. Read on.

This is because Dish is saying the new channels are MPEG4, which, on the surface seems reasonable given all the hype about MPEG4 being the latest and greatest format.

However, it's apparently been discovered that these new channels are not really MPEG4 but that Dish has somehow disguised them as MPEG4 so only the new receivers will see them. This fits with recent public statments by Dish that MPEG4 was not working out as expected and would probably be quite some time before it was ready for use.

So is this just Dish's way of getting customers ready in advance for the new technology or a ploy to force $$$ out of existing customers? You decide.

You're one of Dish's long time, top tier, commited, customers with the best programing and equipment and Dish has made all these promises to get you to this point. After delays and excuses, when it looks like they're finally going to come through with some of it, they tell you you can't have it - at least not on the equipment we just sold you (to some as recently as a few weeks ago).

OK, we didn't see that one coming but surely they'll just swap out receivers so we'll be ready for the the new programing when it comes. NO. Ok, surely they'll make the new programing available on existing equipment until they can make the swaps. NO. OK, surely they've got enough stock ready so we can immediatly upgrade with minimal inconvienence and cost. No. Well ok, what does Dish expect of us?

They expect us forgo the new HD for at least 2 months before we can even get on a list to lease an equivilent MPEG4 receiver (622) for $100. If we want to pay $300, we can order a lease unit now but apparently Dish dosen't have any or relativly few units ready to ship so you're going to be waiting who knows how long anyway. Keep in mind you get none of the new channels that have been promised for months while you're waiting. And then they've restructured and raised the price of the programming packages to boot.

Ok, so you're willing to give a little for the sake of progress and to get the new HD as soon as possible. You'll forego your DVR capability for a while and settle for a 211 receiver until you can get a 622. Surely Dish will have some kind of reasonable deal for that option. Mind you, new customers and existing non dvr customers can get into the new channels and a 211 for between $49 & $99. NO. If you want to go that route, then Dish is telling you that you can't get either the $100 or $200 upgrade path for the 622 for a year. If you want to preserve that, then the only way you can get a 211 now is to purchase it for almost $400 from a dealer (probably more once some of them become aware of this situation).

And in addition to all this, Dish has reduced the quality of many of their high defination channels so that it doesn't even meet the accepted standards of HD anymore.

When Dish launched the first 10 Voom channels last year, they promised more later that year and the full 21 channels by the end of 2005. They did not do that. Instead they've just now added 5 but raised the price and restricted them to only the new receivers and programing described above.

On the surface these new Dish HD offerings may look good to new customers but when you look deeper you find out that it may cost you dearly for the next upgrade once you're an "existing customer".

I'm sure I'll get flamed from the usual Dish apologists but hopfully others that know the truth of things will add to this thread with their perspectives, experiences and opinions.