markd said:
Where cable makes up for it, at least here in Memphis, is they charge a DVR fee for each DVR you have. Not one DVR fee per account. Plus their lease fee is $2.00 higher than D*. Plus, once any special deal you have with them (usually 18-24 months) runs out their prices for the packages usually cost more.
So, yeah, cable does get their money back. But it's not an up-front cost. And a lot of people will/are have a problem with an up-front cost.
Same here unfortunately. The HD-DVR rental is only slightly more than a regular box rental ($5.85 vs $5.50) but they charge you $9.95 DVR fee per DVR. So if I wanted 2 HD-DVRs the boxes alone would cost me ~32.00/month.
BUT! I didnt have to pay $499*2 on top of that 32.00/month. I dont care that D* being cheaper will eventually catch up. You just dont treat customers like that and expect them to go along with it. After paying 499, I own the damn thing, not them. I still cant see them subsidizing much of 499 considering electronics equipment gets so worthless so quickly. Will they lower the initial cost when Tivo Series 3 comes out? If its even half as good as they say it will be, it puts just about anything D* can come up with to shame. Oh but wait, the $2500.00 (estimated) Home Media Center will be nicer. Is that $2500.00 + a huge lease fee? And do I get to return it when Im sick of handing my paycheck to DirecTV?
Another poster mentioned leasing a car..........in this case, it would be like if I had to pay the full price for the car, a lease payment every month, and then if I didnt want the car anymore Id have to give it back when I decided I didnt want it anymore.
Sounds a little absurd if you ask me.
D* will gain some subscribers this month, but they will lose a bunch too (those that "read the fine print"....Im guessing D* thinks they dont have many, but this will get them out of the woodwork). Net gain of ~1000 customers.
-Chris
