New Dish customers read these existing customer posts

[ChefBoy]

I have taken almost the same road as you, but here are my problems with what Dish is doing:

They promise that we would get us all the original VOOM channels before the end of the year.. That did not happen.

The other thing that bothers me is let they should let us existing HD customers see the new HD channels since they are MPEG 2. Why can't they do that since all their loyal current customers will not have the new MPEG 4 DVR equipment till sometime in April. and no I am not a *D emplyee..

I hear you. As I wrote, I'm onboard and looking anxiously forward to more HD content. I guess I'm not too upset about missing the "Voom promise date" - we see this all the time (Microsoft?). We are in the midst of changing technology, and the change will not always be easy.

I, too, was hoping that the new channels would be released temporarily in MPEG2. They weren't, and now I'll wait until I can upgrade. While I'll miss seeing this year's American Idol in HD, I'll deal. Next year though ...

CB

 

[MNETOP]

I don't hate Dish, I am just doing what I think is best for me and in my case, I am taking action. I already scheduled my TW installation for Tuesday and canceling Dish after 7+ years of being a loyal premium customer. I am tired of this. $300.00 for the right to rent something, plus lease fee, plus DVR fee. That is triple "dipping" and not right in my opinion. I may come back later.

I give more details on my reasoning on my post in the main forum side:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=55040

Mario.

 

[Zookster]

I haven't yet been burned like some people in this forum, but I'm dropping Dish too, for the time being. I've been with them for three years. All good. But as I posted elsewhere, the new metallic price structure and $300 upgrade feed is making my local cable company look too good to pass up, with 7 national HDs (including MHD as of 1/25/06) an RSN that broadcasts over 100 Padres games in HD, and 6 locals.

 

[Jordan420]

I really do not feel bad for anyone that purchased or leased a 942 in the last 3 months and now wants the new channels. The info has been out there if you had done your homework.

I would really like to see the info that was available Nov1st that would tell a buyer that his 942 was going to be usless for any new HD channels,

the receiver would not be able to be activated as an HD receiver after Feb 1st if he wanted to sell it,

This is just an example but I would bet it has happened to at least 1 of the 12 million *E subs

Wife buys hubby latest receiver, the 942 for $639 in mid december

Gives receiver to hubby for xmas knowing new HD set is comming for the super bowl

New 65 in hd set is delivered Wed. Feb. 1st

Hubby sets up TV & surround sound system & calls *E to add HD package so he can watch the Seahawks kick the $h!T out of the Steelers on Sunday

Uh Oh !!!!!!

Dish CSR "Sorry sir we can not activate the HD channels on your account as you do not have one of our new mepg-4 receivers"

Hubby "WHAT THE !@$#%%^% #%^&**()( %%^&*()_ ^&*())__*(()*&(^*&%& ^*^(&)&)&)&)&)&)&)

I JUST PAID $640 FOR THIS @#%^*)*%@$&^*(%^#&%@#*^^_(*&(^%&($^*%$#*^$*^$&(%)*&(^&$^#^*%)*&&(&*&)+*)+*+)*


WHAT KIND OF $*&^ ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL!!!!!

I JUST GOT THIS FOR XMAS & A NEW TV & I CAN'T EVEN WATCH HD ON IT!

CSR "I am sorry sir but if you would have called yesterday I could have helped you but today you have the best dual tunner SD DVR receiver available, yesterday you had the best HD dual tuner DVR available, again so sorry"


I mean really *E has 12mil subs, this board has 34,000 subs ,

most *E subs have never even heard of this board, how would the average sub know what was going on behind the scenes?

 

[gbjbany]

I have some sympathy for those who recently paid a lot of money for equipment, and must now upgrade, once again, to have the 'best of the best'. But, when we moved last year we gave away a bunch of what WAS the best of the best - a TV, and AV receiver, a 1st gen X Box console, etc. I also have a 3900 DISH receiver and a 4900 sitting in a closet. It's electronics, it happens, there is a cost to being an 'early adopter'.

I agree this happens and agree with your position here however ....

Based on the excellent information I gleaned from this forum, we jumped into HDTV in November by leasing a 942 for $250. Had I not been offered the lease deal I wouldn't have jumped. $700 seemed like a lot of money to spend on something I KNEW would lose functionality in the short-term. I was willing to spend the $250 not knowing whether it would 'pay off' when the future happened.

How and when did you know this ? Even Dish were saying mpeg 4 wont be around for a while coz it doesn't work, I actually purchased back in august and back then it was all still speculation on the timeline, even here.

Secondly what about those that bought recently, when dish DID know they were going to make this change and they were still pushing the 942 etc. I'm sorry that's just unethical in my view.

I don't care if you do work for dish, the bad taste in my mouth is Dish mgmt's ethics. I may be foolish as you suggest, but hindsight is 20/20. and with hindsight, as far as dish is concerned i will play wait and see. They will not get my early adopter slush fund again ! That's their loss and with some TLC they could have kept it.

 

[kb7oeb]

The receivers dont just grow on trees. Remember they need to make money to stay in business. Eating the cost of a free exchange is not going to help the bottom line.

My local cable manages to rent dual tuner hd dvrs for $10, they also have the added cost of mpeg encoders for analog.

Dish isn't giving away anything, they are leasing it to you.

 

[Tvlman]

Thanks for uncovering this for the rest of us. Someone should bring this problem to the attention of the stockholders who stand to lose a lot if E starts to perform like VOOM did. And it looks more and more like they are going down the same path; alienating long time customers, introducing new technology that simply doesn't work and then lieing about it. How do we write to the stockholders and let them know ????

 

[Dolfan]

Gee whiz folks and here I am happy with getting 25 HD channels. I also really like the Sirius satellite radio music channels also. I did use my noggin and leased instead of bought their equipment. Maybe that is helping my perspective. Do not hesitate to get E*. Gotta go NFL game of the week is starting in HD! Is that the 25th or 26th channel? IMHO.

 

[tunagimp]

I agree this happens and agree with your position here however ....



How and when did you know this ? Even Dish were saying mpeg 4 wont be around for a while coz it doesn't work, I actually purchased back in august and back then it was all still speculation on the timeline, even here.

Secondly what about those that bought recently, when dish DID know they were going to make this change and they were still pushing the 942 etc. I'm sorry that's just unethical in my view.

Well said.

The folks around here that knew, guessed.

The folks at Dish who really knew committed deceit and fraud.

The other people and "dealers" that found out and then unloaded their 942's to unsuspecting folks, well, good luck with your Karma.

 

[scooby2]

My local cable manages to rent dual tuner hd dvrs for $10, they also have the added cost of mpeg encoders for analog.

Dish isn't giving away anything, they are leasing it to you.

Comparing cable companies between two people is like comparing apples and oranges.

Comcast is the only choice here and they blow. The Comcast DVR was $150 non refundable lease fee and its $15.00 a month for the Motorola 6412 (only 120gb drive which means 12-15 hours HD max). You obviously get what you pay for. The 6412 is no where near as nice as the HDtivo or 942/622. Instead of a price increase this year the local franchise raised the DVR fee by $5. Each additional 6412 is about $21 since you have to pay the $15 and the additional digital outlet fee.

 

[T2k]

Okay Walt, we know your complaints against Dish. Do we need a new thread every day ranting about the same stuff?

He's right and I vote for opening a new thread every day to make sure everybody understands Dish's disgusting primitive games.

 

[waltinvt]

He's right and I vote for opening a new thread every day to make sure everybody understands Dish's disgusting primitive games.

You have to understand, Dish does read these threads. It's likely they even "participate" in them as a sort of "damage control" when things get really hot.

Ever notice how it's often the same people that predictably defend Dish to the death or it's someone completly new with very few posts and we never hear from again?

I'm not trying to say Dish is always bad or always wrong and like I've also posted many times, they may still be the least of the evils. That doesn't mean we can't take issue with their policies and decisions, especially when they lie and mislead customers and use unethical tatics.

Dish "could be" a great company if they'd just make a few changes. Get back to the honesty, integrity and fair treatment policies I think they used to have when they first started.

Put more honest and forthcoming people in key, decision making positions andd require them to have an IQ at least over 75. Marc Lumpkin for instance; although he can dodge a question with the best of them, he's basically a pretty straight shooter and definitly more forthcoming and reasonable than most of them.

Most of all, Dish needs to put their existing, long term customers first and foremost and always a higher priority than aquiring new customers. If they do that, the new customers will come and they will eventually be existing, long term customers too.

 

[mdonnelly]

...
Ever notice how it's often the same people that predictably defend Dish to the death or it's someone completly new with very few posts and we never hear from again?....

There's the pot calling the kettle black. Ever notice how the same people show up in thread after thread with the same tired complaints that we've all heard before. Bring something new to the table if you want to open a new thread.

 

[waltinvt]

There's the pot calling the kettle black. Ever notice how the same people show up in thread after thread with the same tired complaints that we've all heard before. Bring something new to the table if you want to open a new thread.

Will someone correct me if this is not what he's saying:

When something continues to be wrong, you should stop complaining about it.

All new threads should be about things that haven't ever had previous discussion.

I can't win. seems someone complained about me hijacking threads with my complaints, so I start a new thread, where anyone with at least a little common sense can see that it's me that started it; have a relativly good idea about what I'm talking about; and certainly make the "intelligent" decision to avoid that thread if it's going to upset them.

I'm having a hard time figuring out the agenda of someone who:

goes out of their way to jump into a thread they can easily avoid; doesn't offer any disput of it's contents but only complains about it being there and the person's right to post it.

 

[mdonnelly]

Look Walt, nothing personal. If you have a complaint, fine. You've told us, you've told Dish. I'm not a Dish apologist. When they put MPEG-4 headers on the new HD, I was pissed, and I was the first to say so. But I don't put my complaint into every thread I enter.

The fact is, Dish hasn't injured me, or 13 million other subs, to the point where they want to chuck the service.

 

[waltinvt]

Look Walt, nothing personal. If you have a complaint, fine. You've told us, you've told Dish. I'm not a Dish apologist. When they put MPEG-4 headers on the new HD, I was pissed, and I was the first to say so. But I don't put my complaint into every thread I enter.

The fact is, Dish hasn't injured me, or 13 million other subs, to the point where they want to chuck the service.

Look Micheal, your "nothing personal" is not very credible when you specifically complain about me personally?

You're probably right about me dumping my disatisfaction into too many threads which is why I'm now trying to confine them more to threads I've started unless I'm addressing something specific in another thread. I have no problem with legitiment criticism or anyone disagreeing with what I post. I'm not always right and try to correct it or publically agree with someone that already has.

Dish DOES read these threads and even makes or changes policy sometimes, based on what's being said - especially when it seems to be gathering support. I think Scott will even verify that.

I just don't understand why, unless you think I've said something untrue, you or anyone would want to diminish a possible chance to influence Dish in a positive direction.

Would you rather Dish be just a hair to the right of making subs "chuck their service" or instead a company people want to be happy with and support. If I didn't still think they had that potential I wouldn't be here "complaining". Sadly their motivation appears to be ONLY $$$$ right now. It wasn't always that way and it doesn't have to continue to be.

Maybe someday they'll again consider more what their customers think but right now they're only looking to quiet the loudest wheels. I doubt they even look at threads that pop up here for a day or two, get a hundred or so views and then float over to page 2 and beyond. But when it gets thousands of views and stays active with member participation, it's a safe bet they're at least looking at it.\

So I guess in that regard I have to thank you for jumping in.

 

[motorcycle_rider]

I have another point to add to this topic that I feel people should concider. It is one of the things keeping me back from upgrading.

I was not around for the 5000/6000 recievers but where those not the first generation HD recievers? If I am correct the "life" of these recievers was short as with the 921/942, first generation HD DVR recievers.

The 411/211 and 622 are all first generation Mpeg4 recievers. Now expecially with the know/suspected issues with the encoders we can make an educated guess to determain that production use of Mpeg4 has really not been tested on these recievers as of yet. What is to say that the issues are not with the decoders in the boxes and not really a problem in the recievers? And you will have to replace these recievers in Feb of 2007 or within 6 months?

Anyways these are my concerns maybe this almost deserves a topic of its own but I felt it fit in this thread to give food for thought.

 

[webtent]

I know I'm fairly new around here, but have been an E* customer since 98. I don't dispute anything you have said and perhaps a thread for new customers like this is even a good idea, however, it should also be noted that with all the complaining that is going on, I don't see a lot of people saying they have dumped dish. I believe that would include you. So I guess I'm asking, is it really all that bad? If you truly believe that E* is hosing you, then cancel the service. In the end, that is what will get any companies attenttion. You vote with your dollars. You can complain all you want, but if you keep paying every month, you are telling them it's ok to do whatever. See what I mean?

I dumped my HD channels when they compressd VOOM. I watch tons more HD on my local OTA than Dish HD channels. And I just told Dish to take a hike with their new upgrade when I just spent $300 less than a year ago....anybody that pays these guys this is STUPID!!!!!

 

[kb7oeb]

Only the 5000 was taken out, the 6000 can be upgraded to 8PSK

 

[Peter Iowa]

Wind chills near zero again in Iowa this A.M.
Charlie wants to sell the co.