Dumb question on billing

[diggity]

While doing my homework on our pending HDTV receiver purchase (separate post on that), I started to think for perhaps the first time about good old Dish Network, which I have thus far taken for granted. It occurred to me that I really don't know how it works - I mean, we've had it for about a year, we pay our monthly bill, we watch our analog channels, and it just works. I have no idea what those little card things are all about, or how the receiver knows to pick up only the channels we subscribe to, or anything about how the billing/subscription process works. Our analog receiver is NOT plugged into the phone line (installer said it's only necessary if you watch premium channels, which we do not).

So how does it all work? Is there a hard-coded ID somewhere in that box? If so, does that mean that the dish sends information back up to the satellite?

Sorry for what seems like a dumb newbie question!

Thanks!
-Diggity

 

[korsjs]

your dish does not sent information to the satellite in the sky. why you first activate or change programming, dish will send a hit (electronic info) to your receivers. the smart card gets that info and tells your receiver what channels you are allowed to view.

 

[diggity]

Oh, OK. How does the satellite know where to send the "hit?" In other words, does the receiver have some type of hardcoded address? And the satellite sends the hit to that specific address?

Thanks!

 

[korsjs]

one of the experts will have to answer that, i don't know.

 

[goaliebob99]

this is actually how it works... dish has a data base of authrized recivers and there reciver numbers and smart card id's and what programming there able to recive. The smart card decodes the encription that the programming is encrypted with. The reciver scans for that change in the computer that tells what recivers are authorized. once it is changed in the computer the reciver will see it in the data stream of authourized recivers ect. and it will activate.. i belive thats how it works but dont hold me to it.

 

[mattb]

this is actually how it works... dish has a data base of authrized recivers and there reciver numbers and smart card id's and what programming there able to recive. The smart card decodes the encription that the programming is encrypted with. The reciver scans for that change in the computer that tells what recivers are authorized. once it is changed in the computer the reciver will see it in the data stream of authourized recivers ect. and it will activate.. i belive thats how it works but dont hold me to it.

That's fairly accurate, when you sign up an account with Dish they take the receiver ID and the Card # and put those with your account in their database which is sent ocasionally to the receivers to verify if you should have the programming or not.

Cable Companies work in a simular fashion, your cable box has a unique ID and they tie this to your account so your box knows which premimum channels to get, what PayPer View you ordered etc.

 

[diggity]

OK, thanks for the explanation folks. Now here's why I ask - if I buy an 811 HD receiver from eBay, what will I have to do to get it to work? Will I have to call Dish and ask them to authorize it? Is there a charge to do this?

Thanks!

 

[korsjs]

if you buy from ebay, make sure you check their feed back. buying from paypal gives you some more security. ask for the numbers from the smart card and run them by dish. if anything looks funny, don't buy.

you should not have a problem activatiing a 811.

 

[thiggin2]

OK, thanks for the explanation folks. Now here's why I ask - if I buy an 811 HD receiver from eBay, what will I have to do to get it to work? Will I have to call Dish and ask them to authorize it? Is there a charge to do this?

Thanks!

As long as the system is clear from any charges and able to be transfered to a different user just call Dish and give the the numbers and they will activate it for you. They dont charge anything.
But just as a caution if you do buy from Ebay I would get the receiver and smart card numer before you buy it and call Dish to make sure everything is clear so when you do buy it you will have no problems.

 

[Pepper]

And of course, when you activate it, if you don't also deactivate an existing receiver at the same time they will add the $5 monthly "additional outlet" fee.