Confused - want to upgrade to HD - best way?

[cparker]

Here's what I have:
Top250 with locals and 2 premium channels (2 for $22)
Receivers: a 625 (dual tuner DVR) and a 508 (single tuner DVR).
I OWN the 508... not leased.

My current bill shows:
$5 leased receiver fee
$5.98 DVR fee
2 Premiums $22
America's Top 250 with locals $57.99
(locals here are NOT in HD)

I have HD TVs in both the living room where the 625 resides and in my bedroom where the 508 resides. I use DVR in both locations so I was HOPING they'd come out with a single tuner HD DVR, but I'm not holding my breath.

There are various programs and promotions and this has all served to confuse me just a bit.

Can someone lay out for me what will be the best way for me to upgrade to HD service and get DVR capability in both rooms? I only really NEED single tuner DVR capability in the bedroom. But I need the dual tuner DVR in the living room and we use it in single mode always. I haven't upgraded anything, service or equipment, in well over a year. I'd like to keep at least what I alraedy have in terms of programming and I understand there's a $20 HD add-on charge to whatever package regular programming package I have. Been a Dish customer for a REALLY long time.... I mean back when you installed everything yourself. They sent it all to you in a box. At least 10 years I would think.

I've also considered the fact that I may be better off just upgrading the living room receiver and leaving the bedroom one alone. Too many scenarios and not enough brain cells.

I'd really appreciate some advice to help me get this straight in my mind what I should be looking for.

Thanks.

 

[drdroo]

Until the external drive DVR upgrade comes out for the VIP211 (assuming it does anyway), you're kind of stuck with getting dual tuner HD DVRs for now.

The price difference monthly for a dual tuner vs single tuner is none, provided you have them plugged into phone lines (or one plugged into phone line and the other using DishComm). You'd pay a lease and a DVR fee on the 2nd one. If you have DVR advantage you could avoid the DVR fee entirely on the first unit, the lease fee should be waived for 'first receiver'.

There are ways to lease a second VIP622, but I forget exactly how it's done.

 

[cparker]

Thanks...

I called Dish to see what they can do for me and here is what they offerred me:

Leave the bedroom receiver alone and just upgrade the living room receiver.
Upgrade the living room receiver from a 625 to a 622. Upfront cost to me for that is $119 and using the Dish It Up promo I get a mail-in rebate of $100. So the receiver upgrade ends up costing me $19.

Add HD programming for $20 a month to my existing package (top250 with locals and 2 premiums).

I also qualify for $10 off my bill every month for $10 months.

They're saying I'd still have to pay the $5 Leased Receiver fee every month, PLUS the $5.98 DVR fee. So basically as far as monthly service charges I am paying $20 more than now (cost of the HD add-on). PLUS paying $119 up front for the receiver.

Does this look like the best I can expect?

My understanding (and admittedly I may be wrong) is that with the DVR Advantage package, you don't pay the lease fee or the DVR fee. DVR Advantage is 200 channels. If I upgrade the DVR Advantage package to Top250 channels, will I still save the DVR and Lease fees? Can I do this and save a few bucks?

 

[BFG]

DVR Advantage - $49.99
HD $20
At 250 - $10
Additional Rcvr. $5

 

[cparker]

adding to my own thread... just got off online chat with Dish again...

DVR Advantage + $10 to upgrade that package to the Top250 channels would save me $3.98 a month according to a Programming Change specialist at Dish.

When I build a theoretical new customer on Dish's web site I see that the DVR Advantage Package allows you to get 2 premiums for $20 instead of 2 premiums for $22. I don't think they are looking at this. Wouldn't I be able to save another $2 a month then off my premiums if switched to DVR Advantage?

They also want another 18 month commitment. I don't have a real problem with that, but a new customer signing up for an 18month commitment gets free DishHome Protection for 18 months, Free DishMover, priority tech support..... do I get that too with a new 18 month commitment?

So far it looks like I'd only upgrade the main receiver (the 625) to a VIP622. If I hold on to the 508 in the bedroom .... it's mpeg2 ... won't they have to upgrade it to get me to mpeg4? Or will they just allow ME to bear that cost? I do own the 508 so maybe this isn't their problem. It's just a bedroom TV.... so HD isn't a huge deal. But it would be nice. Maybe I'll wait and see if they get the 211 doing DVR duty with an external hard drive.

This is unnecessarily confusing.

 

[drdroo]

I think the 22$ is if one of your premiums is HBO. It'd be 20 otherwise. I think it was something weird like that.

I agree with you that it's confusing. I was always told the first receiver in a lease situation was free of lease fee. This may not be the case with their nextgen DVRs because of the cost of them to Dish Network.

I do know for sure I'm not paying any lease fees on anything I have and I have 721 + 311 (owned) and 2x311 (lease). I might just be lucky.

 

[cparker]

DVR Advantage - $49.99
HD $20
At 250 - $10
Additional Rcvr. $5

Appreciated. Here is what it's looking like currently according to Dish:

DVR Advantage - $49.99
Top250 - $10
HD - $20
Locals - $5 (I thought these were included in the DVR Advantage pack)
DVR fee - $6 (Dish tells me this still applies even if I get the DVR Advantage pack.... so what's the advantage?)
2 Premiums - $22 (This should be $20 if I'm reading their web site correctly)

That's $112.99 a month.
I'm paying $90.97 now
That's an increase of $22.02
This can't be right .... for $20 I can simply add HD onto what I currently have and that SHOULD be more expensive than changing all this. I think I have costs in here that are incorrect.

edited - oops.... it would help if I actually READ BFG's resource post.... locals included in DVR Advantage package so final normal monthly bill would be $107.99 a month and the increase over what I have now would be $17.02. reduced by $5 a month for bundling with my local phone carrier and it would be $102.99.
I'm getting closer.

 

[BFG]

the dvr fee is included in dvr advantage

and you can get your 2 premiums for $20

so it would be 104.99

 

[drdroo]

I wonder if I could get a VIP622 and a 222 through DiU with DVR advantage?

The Dishbuilder says I'd have to call for 3+ HDTVs.

EDIT: Currently I have:
2 PREMIUM PACKAGE 22.00
ADDITIONAL RECEIVER 5.00
ADDL RECEIVER ACCESS FEE 5.00
ADDL RECEIVER ACCESS FEE 5.00
DIGITAL HOME ADVANTAGE WITH AMERICA'S TOP 250 WITH 57.99
DISH HOME PROTECTION PLAN (DHPP) 5.99
LOCALS 0.00
TAXES 4.75
---
105.73

If I do the math out, my new one should be:
2 PREMIUM PACKAGE 22.00
DVR ADVANTAGE W LOCALS 49.99
TOP250 10.00
DISHHD 20.00
LEASE (211) 5.00
ADDL RECEIVER ACCESS FEE (211) 5.00
ADDL RECEIVER ACCESS FEE (Existing 311) 5.00
DISH HOME PROTECTION PLAN (DHPP) 5.99
LOCALS 0.00
TAXES 4.75
----
127.73

That's my interpretation anyway?

 

[BFG]

you'll probably only be able to get the 622 or the 222 through diu but not both

and you can cancel the dhpp, it's redundant with dvr advantage

 

[drdroo]

Ah that sucks. I wanted to reduce the number of receivers here, not add to it. VIP622 would replace my DVR721, which has PIP and 2 tuners on 1 TV.

 

[RockinHARD26]

I was just like you. I canceled my account and signed up an entirely new one. You get free equipment, promotions, and save money. I went from exactly what you have, to one VIP 622 and a VIP 222. I decided, screw it... I want two DVRs, so I went to two VIP 622.

 

[cparker]

OK, can someone confirm that I have this correct. I'm going to pitch this to my wife today, but I *really* want to be sure I've got the numbers right before I do that. This would give us the exact same programming we have, but switch us from the AT250 package to the DVR Advantage package...

DVR Advantage - $49.99
add AT250 - $10
2 Premiums - $20 ($10 each)
add HD package - $20
Locals - $0 (included in DVR Advantage)
DVR fee - $0 (included in DVR Advantage)

Am I missing any fees? With my current setup (a 508PVR upstairs and a 625 in the living room) the only fees I see on the bill are a lease fee and a DVR fee and Dish tells me those are both related to the 625. I didn't put a lease fee in here because I keep hearing that the first receiver lease fee is waived. And that if you have an HD receiver it is considered the primary receiver.

I'll just keep the bedroom 508PVR that I own and leave that setup alone. I would just upgrade the living room 625 to a 622.

If this looks correct then before I actually do the upgrade, my next chore becomes trying to get all of the stored programming OFF the 625. This is where having external HD capability would really shine.

Thanks for all the help and responses so far.

 

[robertw477]

I was just like you. I canceled my account and signed up an entirely new one. You get free equipment, promotions, and save money. I went from exactly what you have, to one VIP 622 and a VIP 222. I decided, screw it... I want two DVRs, so I went to two VIP 622.

How did you do this. If you close and cancel your account they know your name and address. When you sign up with them they know you were a customer? Appreciate any info.

Rob

 

[RockinHARD26]

How did you do this. If you close and cancel your account they know your name and address. When you sign up with them they know you were a customer? Appreciate any info.

Rob

Changed my middle name and gave them my mother's credit information. Same address, same telephone number and plus I got $50 for being referred by myself. Since they want to play dirty, I am also. They screwed me over so many times since November 2006, now its my time! Plus: I put a hold on my credit, due to a recent accident I was in and medical bills were attempting to collect debt through me instead of waiting for my car insurance company. So, I put a hold on my credit so no one can review or put any uncollected debt against me without my written okay.

 

[havana]

It’s a shame that *E* encourages it’s existing customers to be less than totally honest so they can benefit from incentives they give their new ones (customers)...and it’s also a shame there are so many customers (old ones) eager to take them up on it.

 

[drdroo]

I'll pay upgrade fees and stuff, I don't care any.. But ultimately I:

A> Don't want them on my property.
B> Want a 222 and a 622.
C> Rather lease than own.

 

[cparker]

This is a follow-up as I have now ordered the programming and HD after MANY difficult conversations with DishNetwork. Difficult because I have several different versions of what I will see on my bill. Seems each CSR interprets things a little differently.

My "final" bill calculation is $15 higher than what I'm paying now. Considering that I am adding the HD package, that doesn't sound too bad. I was switched over to the DVR Advantage without authorizing the change. It was done while I was ASKING about the costs of everything. Now that isn't really so terrible either as I was going to ask to be changed over to the DVR-A package to save a couple dollars.

I went by the best information I could get and the price STILL came up different because of a fee I had missed.

We shall see. I'm getting the service. I'm happy about that. But I firmly believe that I won't know what my bill is going to be until I see it. That's kind of a shame.