"... It does seem like it is time to upgrade hardware, to a 211, a 411, or a 622, although other than ESPN 2 HD I am not sure what I will gain..."
From what you've said, it would seem that this is NOT the time for you to upgrade. The 811 should work fine for another year (roughly when they will move all HD to MPEG-4), at which time there may be an even better deal for you to upgrade. Upgrading will get you a few more national HD channels, which may or may not interest you, and the ability to get HD LiL (or distants), which sounds like you may be interested in. Of course, you did say you REALLY wanted ESPN2 HD, so I'll assume you are pursuing upgrading. I don't think you'll save on the monthly fee if you buy vs lease. I seem to remember posts saying the lease fee is just replaced by another fee. Maybe that's the DHPP. ON EDIT: If you have more than one receiver, you will pay a "extra receiver fee" or a "lease fee" of $5 or $6 (HD). So after the first receiver, you really don't save on monthly fees on owning versus leasing.
"...If I go to the 622 leased, I will have to pay approx $300 plus a fee each month???, ..."
Yes. This is my best guess as to what your bill would be:
$299 up front one time fee to start a lease on a ViP622, possibly plus shipping.
HD Platinum.........$99.99
locals.................$5.00 (superstations are $5.99)
HD lease fee........$6.00
Plus taxes & regulatory fees.
For more on fees, see post #1 in
this thread and post #2 in
this thread.
"...but I will be able to watch two different channels on two different TV???? ..."
Yes.
"...I won't have to pay an extra fee for the included additional tuner????? ..."
Correct, no extra tuner fee.
"
...and no fee for the DVR feature???? ..."
No DVR fee, since you will likely go with the HD Platinum pack. Once you get used to the DVR, I think it highly unlikely you'll ever want to do without. That 30 second button to skip thru commercials is a wonderful thing. Yes, it's still $299 up front, not $100. But if you wait that year, MAYBE it'll be less. But you'll have spent a year without the DVR and two tuners.
"...Will I need the DISH 1000?????? ..."
Since you have a 61.5 dish left over from Voom, they may well use that. This will likely depend upon your installer and your insistence, if you have a preference. I don't think you'll get a better signal from the Dish1000, and if I understand reports correctly, you may get slightly less of a signal. However, this may not matter much. A "good enough" digital signal gets you everything.
"...Will VOOM be free (included)???? ..."
It is part of the HD metallic packs. Voom has 15 channels now- basically the same 21 channels packed into 15.
"...If I go to a 211 leased it will be essentially a free upgrade, with no monthly lease fee??????..."
$49 up front upgrade fee since you have an 811, plus maybe shipping charges.
HD Platinum.........$99.99
locals..................$5.00 (superstations are $5.99)
HD lease fee........$6.00
Plus taxes & regulatory fees.
"...This could not be more confusing if Charlie had tried to make it so...."
Frankly, why do you think they did NOT try to make it confusing? I tend to think they did, and I am generally supportive of Dish Network. They may figure, once you get your bill and it's a few dollars more than you expected, you may just figure "well, it's only a few dollars more." If you notice at all. Of course, I could be wrong:
Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence.
— Napoleon Bonaparte