Dish'n it Up - HD upgrade questions

[cuda74360]

I called DISH today to get upgraded to HD. I currently have a DISH 500 with DP LNB, and a 301 receiver. Here is what they offered:

$169 up-front CC payment
$100 back (requires redemption form - will get credit on my bill)
6 months of HD for free
$6 monthly rental fee for HD receiver
18 month commitment

And I would be getting:

Vip 222 dual tuner receiver
Dish 1000 dish
Professional Installation

My questions:

1. Is this a good deal? With the rental fee, I would be paying $177 over the 18 months for the receiver. It would only be about $100 or so more to buy the receiver outright.

2. Will a Dish 1000 work in Baltimore? I thought that I needed a second dish pointed at 61.5?

3. If I just buy the receiver outright, will I receive any HD channels from my Dish 500? I checked EKB: Dish Network Channels at 110°, and it shows some HD channels, but says for AK/HI only.

Thanks!

 

[garys]

Not sure where you get the $177 figure form, so cannot answer this one till more info is made available. Installers will set up the approapriate dish for your area, some csr's have no clue as to what is needed in specific areas. Even if you buy the receiver Dish will not give you the HD package if you can only see a couple of the channels, you need to see all of them, Dish does not want you coming back for discounts/rebates due to not having the entire package.

 

[jw6351]

I called yesterday and got new 722 installed for 199.00 but they did not offer me free HD for 6mo should I be getting that?

 

[cuda74360]

I got the $177 from:

$169 upfront payment
-100 credit
+ $6 for 18 months rental fee
---------
$177

 

[garys]

I got the $177 from:

$169 upfront payment
-100 credit
+ $6 for 18 months rental fee
---------
$177

The $167 includes the installation, if you buy the receiver you could still owe $6 per month as an additional receiver fee either of which you will still be paying after the 18 month period is up. If you but the receiver outright, you would have to pay for the installation and the parts (which is a lot more than $167 in most cases.)

 

[garys]

I called yesterday and got new 722 installed for 199.00 but they did not offer me free HD for 6mo should I be getting that?

I think you can only get this if you are a new HD customer. If you have the old HD package, you may not be entitled to it. If you are a new HD customer, call back and confirm that you are getting the free six months.

 

[jw6351]

Thanks I did call and I will be getting the free for 6 HD..

 

[dead3ye]

I got the $177 from:

$169 upfront payment
-100 credit
+ $6 for 18 months rental fee
---------
$177

I see where you are coming from, but you have to think a little further.

If you buy the receiver outright you won't get the 6 mo. HD offer or the $100 credit on your bill, and you will have to upgrade your dish yourself.

You'll need DP Plus LNB's whether you get a 1000 or a 500 with a wing at 61.5. You'll have to purchase all of that and install it yourself. The DP Plus LNBs are needed for the dual tuner in the 211 if you run a single cable to it.

I guess you could run both outputs from the DP LNBs and not use the separator, but then you will need to install two switches (DP 22 I think) to get the third sat (61.5 or 129).

Or just run one cable to the 211 and not use the second tuner at all.

BTW, the 211 will have to be connected to a phone line at all times to waive the second tuner fee, whether you use it or not.

Way more hassle than it's worth. Just upgrade and lease the receiver.

EDIT: BTW: you'll need a dish pointed at 61.5 or 129 to get HD content.

 

[Muckrak3r]

I think you can only get this if you are a new HD customer. If you have the old HD package, you may not be entitled to it. If you are a new HD customer, call back and confirm that you are getting the free six months.

I am not a new HD customer. I have had the HDnet package for 2 years or so. I called three days ago because I was tired of not having local HD channels (watcing the super bowl in SD really set me off this year so you can see the kind of procrastinator I am), and I wanted only 1 receiver. Currently I have the 522 SD DVR and the 811 HD receiver.

They informed me of the DishHD programming, and the 6 months free with 18 month commitment. It includes my local channels in HD. Since I was paying for 2 receivers ($11 total/month) and $10/month for HDnet (crap 5 HD channel selection), it will only cost me $5 more per month to get 25 more HD channels on the full price months!

BTW - you will NOT be offered the 722, you have to ask for it for some reason. I scheduled my appointment on Monday night for Saturday the 15th. I didn't realize at that time they had 2 different HD DVR's. I decided to check their site for info on which receiver I would be getting and noticed the 722. I called back to find out which I was signed up for and she said the 622, and they are not allowed to offer the 722, it has to be requested. For $50 more she changed it to the 722 with the same install date. MAKE SURE YOU ASK FOR THE 722 IF YOU WANT IT!!!! She said that if the installer had shown up with the 622, I would have lost my eligibility for the 722!!!!!

 

[clarknielsen]

I have the old mpeg 2 hd programming for 9.99. Would I be eligible for the DishHD 6 months free promotion?

 

[carter69]

I just upgraded from 942 with basic old hd package 9.99, I upgraded to vip722 and they gave me 6months of dishhd for free in the dish'in up promo.