DVR fee

[Stargazer]

It is one thing to raise prices and charge for this or that, another to tell your customers that it is free for life then later on charge you for it or make your DVR obsolete and forcing you to one that charges the fees suddenly. This is why if they say that something is free for life from this company I will not believe them anymore.

I will have to say that the 722 is the best DVR on the market with the 522/622 the second best. That is what keeps me a customer. Without it I would have left a long time ago and went with Directv. The software and receiver setup is awesome.

 

[Stargazer]

I remember those days TNGTony. Had the 7100 then went with the 501 then the 721 that did not have the fees. I remember when the 7100 first came out they did not even advertise that it had DVR functionality then it was a pleasant surprise later on, with 5 hours of recording time. The 7200 had 10 hours record time, 501 with 30 hours, 508 with 60 hours and 510 with 90-100 hours of record time. I loved the 721 because it had dual tuners (only one tv output though) but it was the first unit of its kind before the 522 came out.

 

[eacalhoun]

It is one thing to raise prices and charge for this or that, another to tell your customers that it is free for life then later on charge you for it or make your DVR obsolete and forcing you to one that charges the fees suddenly. This is why if they say that something is free for life from this company I will not believe them anymore.

For the most part, I'm a satisfied DISH customer. But, I have often wondered when such "free for life" offers will expire. Main examples are the HD Free for Life and the luxury of adding an EHD to enable DVR capability. I've seriously considered adding an EHD to my 211, but am reluctant because DISH may decide one day to charge for this.

Eric

 

[TheKrell]

Sorry Eric, but the DVR Conversion fee for a 411/211/211k remains $40/account. It was never free, so far as I know.

 

[dwarren2]

I've seriously considered adding an EHD to my 211, but am reluctant because DISH may decide one day to charge for this.

Eric

Why worry. I doubt they will, but if they did you could disconnect it and go back. I'm very glad I've added an ehd to my 211. Gives me so much more flexibility.

 

[eacalhoun]

Sorry Eric, but the DVR Conversion fee for a 411/211/211k remains $40/account. It was never free, so far as I know.

I should've clarified...I was referring to ongoing monthly charges. The $40 is one-time EHD activation, right?

Eric

 

[dwarren2]

One time per account. I pay a $7/mo Solo receiver fee for my 211. My 722 is included in my base account.

 

[Tampa8]

For the most part, I'm a satisfied DISH customer. But, I have often wondered when such "free for life" offers will expire. Main examples are the HD Free for Life and the luxury of adding an EHD to enable DVR capability. I've seriously considered adding an EHD to my 211, but am reluctant because DISH may decide one day to charge for this.

Eric

I don't understand that reasoning. Someday Roku may charge for their service, Slingbox may also, and on and on. So never use and enjoy them until the mythical time they do?

 

[Scherrman]

I really would not be concerned with the HD Free For Life promo. In my mind all the programming will be HD anyway. I think this is the reason Dish gives you the option to get it for free right now. They know that the majority of their programming will be HD and SD will soon go away.

 

[GaryPen]

They know that the majority of their programming will be HD and SD will soon go away.

I think the more appropriate word is "eventually" rather than "soon". (Although, when Dish Marketing uses it, the two are synonymous.)
But, otherwise, I agree.

 

[Scherrman]

LOL, Good point.

 

[navychop]

..... or make your DVR obsolete and forcing you to one that charges the fees suddenly.....

They can't future proof their receivers. Technology improves, and I'd rather have greater channel choice from 8PSK and MPEG4. Granted, it stung a bit when I gave up my 721, but the newer receivers do have more features, such as EHD.

 

[Pepper]

True enough, but if you bought a DVR that was advertised as "no fee ever" then whatever they replace it with should be similarly grandfathered forever not just a year or two.

 

[Bob Haller]

well that fee increase caused me to cancel i was a sub for over 12 years at the time.

it was really a good thing E receivers have nice features but bugs are a ongoing forever issue.

my tivo with cable card is rock solid... its nice to know it just works

 

[Stargazer]

The reason why I mention the eliminate my DVR is the fact that they wanted to charge a fee on the next one. Then they say they will eliminate it for the life of the replacement product then you have to argue with them about it to get the discount. Now they are telling us that we have two years then they will charge the fee again. They want their money. I agree that they improve their product but the free for life is false advertisement. Either it is or it isn't. They told me that they marked the account as one DVR fee waived. Guess that will not be the case anymore. Something has to give eventually and it ain't going to be in the way of me giving more money to Dish. Used to have AEP, now only Top 250 and paying as much as I did when I had AEP.

 

[empiretc]

well that fee increase caused me to cancel i was a sub for over 12 years at the time.

it was really a good thing E receivers have nice features but bugs are a ongoing forever issue.

my tivo with cable card is rock solid... its nice to know it just works

Consider yourself lucky. We tried the Tivo + netflix a few years ago. At the time, it was a $250 box. The Tivo went back for repairs 3 times in less than a year. Each time was battle since they wanted to charge. Tivo and their 90-day warranty on parts and labor........

Wasn't hard to go back to the trusty 722.


If you want one, there is a TivoHD collecting dust in the closet. CHEAP

 

[SQUEEZON]

Having just seen this thread I guess I have'nt followed receiver probs at Dish. As a pioneer subscriber since 1994 I just call request an upgraded receiver and get one!

 

[Yespage]

No. Just immoral.

Exactly! The DVR is merely just one of the biggest innovations in television viewing since color television came out and to charge $6 a month to be able to watch any programming on your schedule, and being able to save time and reduce frustration by skipping commercials, pause live television to meet your own needs, be able to rewind live television in order to catch something you may have missed is absolutely immoral. *rolling eyes*

well that fee increase caused me to cancel i was a sub for over 12 years at the time.

Too each customer comes their own fee. If Dish fee increases were so bad, why is it nearly impossible to get the same sort of programming at Directv for the same price I get at Dish?

it was really a good thing E receivers have nice features but bugs are a ongoing forever issue.

That is flat out fiction. The 722k is remarkably solid.

True enough, but if you bought a DVR that was advertised as "no fee ever" then whatever they replace it with should be similarly grandfathered forever not just a year or two.

Should that apply to cars and other electronics as well? Getting grandfathered for a year or two sounds like a pretty nice bonus.

 

[Yespage]

I don't understand that reasoning. Someday Roku may charge for their service, Slingbox may also, and on and on. So never use and enjoy them until the mythical time they do?

Honestly, I see it another way. I have no idea why Dish charges for it at all. If some person has 1 TB of recorded shows and movies on their Hard Drive, they will probably think twice about switching. Letting people hook the EHDs for free would pretty much act as a quasi-anchor to keep them as customers.

I know I have a ridiculous amount of movies on the EHD. Doubt I could switch now.

 

[Tampa8]

Honestly, I see it another way. I have no idea why Dish charges for it at all. If some person has 1 TB of recorded shows and movies on their Hard Drive, they will probably think twice about switching. Letting people hook the EHDs for free would pretty much act as a quasi-anchor to keep them as customers.

I know I have a ridiculous amount of movies on the EHD. Doubt I could switch now.

I don't think I understand, Dish does not charge for use of an EHD on the VIP receivers. It does charge a one time $40 fee to add it to the 211, but that's it no ongoing fee. The poster I responded to is worried they might, some day, add a monthly fee so won't get one.