Looking to switch from cable to DISH, very basic questions

[sharky974]

Edit: Whoops sorry title is wrong. I meant Dish network not DirectTV


Umm basically I'm looking to switch from cable simply for cost reasons. Every little penny counts. Right now for "extended basic" I'm paying $55 a month for cable. Plus $10 a month of taxes and surcharges, albeit split between cable TV and cable internet (so maybe only ~$5 is for the cable portion).

Anyways I was thinking of canceling my cable and saving that cash. But something like Dish's $25 package is intriguing. My questions are:

I have two TV's, one on the living room one in the bedroom... do I have to pay extra per TV and how much?

How many extra fees are there? If I have to pay $15 a month in fees or something, then I dont save much.

How is the reception in bad weather?

What channels are in HD? I dont have the HD on my cable, it requires like $15 more a month minimum. However I seem to at least get some over the air networks (which is usually the football games I wanna watch in HD anyway) delivered in HD via my cable, though I dont know if maybe I'm actually getting these via cable or the TV's over the air tuner (I usually get two channels of the broadcast networks, say 7 will be ABC local affiliate in SD, 7.1 will be the same channel in HD. I'm not sure if 7.1 is coming down my cable pipe, or if I'm just picking it up via over the air broadcast antenna). Also in one weird case, the Fox affiliate's HD version is on a really weird channel like 84-705, while the regular SD channel is just 51 I think, which makes me think it's actually coming over the cable pipe) Do you get local channels in HD free on Dishnetwork?

How does the actual hookup work...for cable anywhere I have the coax output, which is in 4 rooms, I can get the signal (I dont even have a cable box, no need). On Dish, do I just need to move the receiver around to get the signal in any room I want?

And basically yeah, besides that, I'd just like to know about reception in bad weather, and if anybody just has the 24.99 package, how much extra fees and stuff are added, how much is your actual bottom line bill every month? Also, how much are first time installation fees and such?

 

[Laddyboy]

Welcome, Sharky.

You probably should post this in the DirecTV forum. This is the Dish Network Forum. Or do you really mean to inquire about Dish service?

 

[sethwell]

Dish's website can answer a lot of your questions about pricing and whatnot. however there are new fees scheduled to start in feb. so you might want to wait until then to sign up. if there is a local installer or company in your city, you might go talk with them and see if they can provide you with answers.

Unless the weather is very very bad i hardly ever lose signal.

 

[whatchel1]

Here

Welcome, Sharky.

You probably should post this in the DirecTV forum. This is the Dish Network Forum. Or do you really mean to inquire about Dish service?

He said he messed up & meant Dish not Direct it just needs title change by a mod. Or leave like it is for the fun of it.

 

[Laddyboy]

He said he messed up & meant Dish not Direct it just needs title change by a mod. Or leave like it is for the fun of it.

Not that it really matters, but you might have noticed that my post preceded his edit if you look at the timestamps. I also inquired as to whether he really meant to ask about Dish. I'm not sure why I rated a response post. Whatever.

 

[sharky974]

Dish's website can answer a lot of your questions about pricing and whatnot. however there are new fees scheduled to start in feb. so you might want to wait until then to sign up. if there is a local installer or company in your city, you might go talk with them and see if they can provide you with answers.

Unless the weather is very very bad i hardly ever lose signal.

So, the prices are going up more or less? What are the new fees?

 

[whatchel1]

same but different

So, the prices are going up more or less? What are the new fees?

The fees only go up if you have several DVR's. They are not changing programming price. It is just that they are trying to make billing simpler and so the fees are being combined into one and it will make it a bit hight for those that have 4 or more receivers & DVR's.

 

[Laddyboy]

So, the prices are going up more or less? What are the new fees?

Scott posted the proposed schedule here:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/2061612-post12.html

 

[nrich239]

I have two TV's, one on the living room one in the bedroom... do I have to pay extra per TV and how much?

I have the 722K receiver that has a dual tuner that sends the signal to both TV's (one in HD and the 2nd in SD)
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How many extra fees are there? If I have to pay $15 a month in fees or something, then I dont save much.

There's very few "fee's" with Dish. Attached is my monthly bill. You can see everything clearly broken down piece by piece.
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How is the reception in bad weather?

I've only lost reception twice since I got dish. Once was because the snow buildup on my dish was too much until i brushed it off. The other was a rain so heavy that my street flooded.
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