HD programming: Sat 129 required?

[bebop]

My Dad currently has SD programming and is looking into the HD offer that Dish sent him. The surprise was when he called and the CSR said he'd need to pay $97 extra for an installer to come out and put up a new dish to get the propper HD channels. About 12 months ago he had a new dish and cabling put in for a 522 receiver DVR (I thought it would have been done at that time, wonder why?).

My question is what are the drawbacks if he only has Satellites at 110 and 119 and not 129? It looks like 129 has the bulk of the HD programming, so maybe the simple answer is that he would get very few of his HD channels. He's in MT and it's snowy up on the roof and doesn't want an installer slipping on the roof while doing the changeout. But the offer expires at the end of the month. I've been trying to read through 'The List' but it's crashing my browser when I look through it - and I'm just looking for the plain language answer for comparing (110 & 119) vs. (110, 119 & 129) for HD purposes.

Thanks in advance for your help. I likely could convince him to pay the extra $ for the Dish upgrade if I could explain the benefits. He's wondering if he can just use the 2 satellites (110 & 119) and still get HD...

Dish Network policy very well may be that they just won't plain give him the HD upgrade if he doesn't get the new Dish and pickup Sat 129. I think he'd get the ViP722/622 if he upgrades. Currently he has one HDTV and one SDTV.

 

[3HaloODST]

110/119 only have a handful of of local channels in HD and maybe a dozen or so national channels in HD.

Definitely need 129 to get any value out of HD.

 

[Jhon69]

My Dad currently has SD programming and is looking into the HD offer that Dish sent him. The surprise was when he called and the CSR said he'd need to pay $97 extra for an installer to come out and put up a new dish to get the propper HD channels. About 12 months ago he had a new dish and cabling put in for a 522 receiver DVR (I thought it would have been done at that time, wonder why?).

My question is what are the drawbacks if he only has Satellites at 110 and 119 and not 129? It looks like 129 has the bulk of the HD programming, so maybe the simple answer is that he would get very few of his HD channels. He's in MT and it's snowy up on the roof and doesn't want an installer slipping on the roof while doing the changeout. But the offer expires at the end of the month. I've been trying to read through 'The List' but it's crashing my browser when I look through it - and I'm just looking for the plain language answer for comparing (110 & 119) vs. (110, 119 & 129) for HD purposes.

Thanks in advance for your help. I likely could convince him to pay the extra $ for the Dish upgrade if I could explain the benefits. He's wondering if he can just use the 2 satellites (110 & 119) and still get HD...

Dish Network policy very well may be that they just won't plain give him the HD upgrade if he doesn't get the new Dish and pickup Sat 129. I think he'd get the ViP722/622 if he upgrades. Currently he has one HDTV and one SDTV.

If he signs up for the Dish Network Home Protection Plan it's $6. a month extra on his Dish Network bill.Any Tech visits or if you need a different dish ect. the charge is $15. it also goes on the Dish Network bill.I have it and wouldn't be without it.Here is what it covers.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/legal/ServicePlan.pdf

 

[bebop]

Jhon,

Thanks for the tip, but in reading the referenced plan - it appears to be more for repair and not so much for an upgrade. I used it on a service call when my 722 went down, but not on anything like a new dish that receives more satellites.

Anyone confirm that you can use the DHPP for an HD upgrade (receiver + new dish antenna)?

 

[MattG@DISH]

I can confirm. The Service Plan (formerly known as DHPP) discounts the tech visit from $95 to $15, and this does include installs on receiver upgrades. Here is what it covers:

The Service Plan fee is $6 per month and includes the following: 24/7 tech support, Advance Exchange Repair with free shipping, $15 Technician Visit charges available if a problem can not be solved over the phone. If you choose to remove the service plan within 150 days, there will be a one time $25 fee charged to your account, there will be no charge after 150 days. This warranty covers all active equipment displaying the DISH brand and all installations that were performed by DISH Network or an authorized retailer. The equipment must be in the same home as the primary active receiver. This does not cover customer damage, cosmetic damage, infestation, HD televisions, acts of nature, or Star Band equipment. You will receive a warranty packet in the mail within four weeks if you sign up for it. (Yes this is a script, slightly modified).

 

[bebop]

Any chance someone can call for the HD upgrade and schedule the install many weeks out to wait for better weather? What do installers do when there is snow on the roof and they show up to do work??

 

[MattG@DISH]

We can schedule it weeks out (normally) without and hassle. As far as the snow goes, that would be determined by the tech (I'm sure one of them can answer that for you).

 

[Jhon69]

Jhon,

Thanks for the tip, but in reading the referenced plan - it appears to be more for repair and not so much for an upgrade. I used it on a service call when my 722 went down, but not on anything like a new dish that receives more satellites.

Anyone confirm that you can use the DHPP for an HD upgrade (receiver + new dish antenna)?

I have used it twice 1st time to have a 1K.2 dish put up so I could activate a 622 I bought off EBay.The 622 would not authorize with the Dish 500 I had up first.

Second time when I upgraded to a 722k I requested a 1K.4 dish install and was approved by Dish Network due to bad rain fade I having this year.