ALL VOOM TO GO MPEG4 AUGUST 15th

[mike123abc]

The writing has been on the wall for a while... It is only a matter of time before all the HD programs go MPEG-4. If DIRECTV suddenly manages to come up with a bunch of HD nation programs which they keep promising to have capacity to carry, Dish will convert the last few channels to MPEG-4 to free up space to carry more HD channels to compete. With this move they should be able to add 10-12 more HD channels (15 if they really want to squeeze).

I would not be surprised if immediately after the VOOM conversion they start the program over again to switch the rest of the HD channels to MPEG-4. After the VOOM conversion is complete there are probably not going to be many more of the non MPEG-4 HD subs left.

When Dish gets their new satellites up they will probably not want to have a million service calls at once to repoint all the MPEG-4 recievers to the new system. So, I bet they will want capacity to keep adding channels to the old system as long as possible. They will be able to duplicate all the programming on the new system and have new installs go to the new. Then they can have LiL HD added to the new system and repoint markets as they upgrade people to MPEG-4 for the new HD-LiL. Eventually they will run out of capacity on the old system then they will have to start the program to repoint people to the new system.

The change of the old system HD to MPEG-4 will let them them add perhaps 20 more HD channels. Buying them time to repoint dishs to the new system.

 

[gadgtfreek]

BTW it says:

Q Why would an eligible customer not want to participate in this free “like-for-like” upgrade and subscribe to DishHD?

If you actually read it, it means FREE BOX, does not claim free programming.

I hope youre not responsible for reading the contract when you buy a car.

Looks like youre misreading something for once.

 

[SNT]

BTW it says:

Q Why would an eligible customer not want to participate in this free “like-for-like” upgrade and subscribe to DishHD?

If you actually read it, it means FREE BOX, does not claim free programming.

I hope youre not responsible for reading the contract when you buy a car.

Looks like youre misreading something for once.

Man you have got some issues. I am not misreading anything.
Let me ask you, can I get a 622 for my 942 for no additional cost whatsoever?

 

[gadgtfreek]

Im obviously making P Smith mad so Ill shut up.

 

[SNT]

Also add the $6 DVR fee that I don't have with my 942.
Again... not free.

 

[mwgiii]

Im obviously making P Smith mad so Ill shut up.

Thank you.

You are spamming up a thread with flame bait.


Still no answer from Dish about people with a 622 & a 921/942 ect. Hopefully they will at least waive the "once every 12 months" upgrade.

 

[photoman76]

In my case, like for like would be owned 942 for owned 622, not owned 942 for leased 622. Unfortunately owned 942 for owned 622 doesn't seem to be the deal, so bye bye Voom.

 

[tsduke]

In my case, like for like would be owned 942 for owned 622, not owned 942 for leased 622. Unfortunately owned 942 for owned 622 doesn't seem to be the deal, so bye bye Voom.

I keep failing to find the big advantage of a owning receivers. Especially monetarily.

 

[photoman76]

I keep failing to find the big advantage of a owning receivers. Especially monetarily.

There might not be an advantage, but they asked why someone wouldn't want to upgrade. Since they also sell receivers, then like for like would be an owned 942 for an owned 622. I don't understand why they can't see that or offer that option.

 

[harshness]

First, it's not free. It would cost me $11 more per month.

Could you give us a breakdown on that $11? For context, you should indicate what you're starting with in terms of hardware and programming and what you anticipate going with the promotion would result in.

I think you'll find that unless you keep the 942, your price will not go up substantially in the first twelve months.

 

[Foxbat]

Also add the $6 DVR fee that I don't have with my 942.
Again... not free.

I had a $4.99 DVR fee with my 942 before I upgraded to the DVR Advantage on my ViP622. Are you thinking about the $6 lease fee for the 622? I thought I saw where Dish has dropped the lease fee on the first receiver on the account (but I could be wrong).

When I set up my account, I bought my ViP211 and leased the ViP622 to avoid the double whammy of a 2nd receiver fee + lease fee. The 622's $6 Lease fee includes the additional receiver fee.

 

[klen]

Call back. I got a different answer every time. One guy said I needed to pay the $249 upgrade again...one person said my programming would go up $17/month for the same thing package.

I have a 942 and an 811 (2 hdtvs and 1 sdtv)
Bottom line for me is my programming will be $5 less for 10 months, then it will be $5 more after that. no upgrade fee. And I go from 2 dishes on my roof to one, which helps the WAF. besides keeping Voom, I am gaining some other HD channels, as well as my locals in HD, which are spotty at times thru my rooftop antenna now.

I went for it. Directv seems a bit loose with all that they are promising. At least with Dish I know what I have now and it is a lot more HD than Directv, and from what I understand a better sd picture and better equipment. I like the dual tuner HD DVR.

18 months from now, I'll reassess things.

I can answer this like I did before.

First, it's not free. It would cost me $11 more per month. $6 of which is a DVR fee. I don't know why extra fee for a 622 over my current 942, but that what I was told.

Secondly, an 18 month commitment. I just completed my first one, not sure I want to be locked in again.

-SNT

 

[kb7oeb]

I would not be surprised if immediately after the VOOM conversion they start the program over again to switch the rest of the HD channels to MPEG-4. After the VOOM conversion is complete there are probably not going to be many more of the non MPEG-4 HD subs left.

Until Voom was added there was little reason to have more than a Dish 500, I think a lot of mpeg2 HD subs never subscribed to Voom because they would have to pay for a dish upgrade. I also imagine there are more $10 HD pack subs than those that also have $5 Voom.

 

[harshness]

There might not be an advantage, but they asked why someone wouldn't want to upgrade. Since they also sell receivers, then like for like would be an owned 942 for an owned 622. I don't understand why they can't see that or offer that option.

Compare what a used 942 is worth versus what a previously owned ViP622 is worth. There is a huge disparity in value. As it is, you can upgrade a 942 to a ViP622 and sell the 942.

If you think you're going to make hundreds of dollars on the 942 now or later, you've got a major surprise coming.

There may or may not be a better promotion down the road, but all the while your 942 remains a SD DVR to most prospective purchasers and most of them can get a pretty decent deal on a 625.

 

[SNT]

The guy on the phone told me that there would be a $6 lease or DVR fee (Don't recall which) plus my programming cost would go up $5. That is the $11.
I currently pay $15 for the HD pak plus Voom. After the upgrade, the HD pak w/Voom is $20.

I currently lease a 942, so I don't really understand the additional $6 fee for a 622. But this really wasn't the biggest sticky point for me, it is the 18 month commitment. I may change my mind down the road, but right now I am not interested.

-SNT

 

[lakebum431]

I think the lease fee for the 942 was $5 (may have been $6 also) and for the 622 it is $6 so at most you're getting an increase of $1 there. Then there is the programming increase of $5 to get the full "new" HD pack. So worst case it looks like your bill would go up $6.

I agree about the commitment, but at the same time if you really want out it isn't that expensive. It is something like $13 for each remaining month. So even if you wanted to leave after 8 mths you are only looking at about $130 to get out. Not really too much money.

 

[Derwin0]

$130 is a lot of money in my mind.
Especially when it's a commitment on a lease. If the equipment provided was owned I could see it, but not leased.

 

[Jim5506]

BTY, this offer for $5 Voom subscribers is valid only to July 31.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Wait until the original HD Pack goes MPEG4. I think there is at least an 80% chance of this happening in 2008.

Factors at play include:

- E* would like to regain the bandwidth, as it would enable them to carry 5-8 more HD channels.

- The number of HD MPEG2 receivers continues to decrease. Collectively they are becoming a small portion of the HD receivers in use.

- Would enable E* to discontinue support for those receivers.

- Would enable E* to simplify all internal HD support.

- Would increase E*'s revenue stream from HD. Even if 25% of HD Pack subs leave E*, the remaining 75% paying 2X for HD would more than compensate.

- OTOH, if they get the two new satellites up, perhaps they won't need the extra space and would rather not incur the wrath of the HD Pack subs.

- Might decide the effort is more trouble than it is worth in terms of replacing all of those receivers with another like-for-like swap & dealing with all of the phone calls.

All in all, I think they will be inclined to do it, as I believe they will get into a real crunch for HD bandwidth as many channels begin offering an HD option and with D* having enough bandwidth to offer all of them. Having more HD bandwidth available on the sats where everyone's dishes are already pointing, could become extremely important for E* in the 2nd half of 2008.

 

[mike123abc]

Dish obviously has decided that leasing receivers is what they want to do. It is better for them on the books since then they have an "asset". It is good for new subs too, but has a lot of limitations (like multiple 622s). Older customers have to pay to lease newer equipment, Dish makes some deals, but it pretty much costs the customer money. Only people that come out winners in this deal are those that leased a 942 and now get a free upgrade to a leased 622. All the owners get a haircut.

The 921/942 still has value for OTA HD recording. Also they have a large amount of standard definition recording for Dish.