No more free Dish?

[mbarnes]

No piracy or hack flames, please. If they offer it for free, I can watch it for free, right?

I've got an old Dish receiver in my office for the NASA channel. That's all I get and all I want. Been watching it for several years now. I got the receiver at a yard sale for a couple bucks. It hasn't been subscribed or any problems since I hooked it up.
Today, up pops a window that says the smart card must be replaced by 3/30. A few minutes later, another window pops up with the "This is a subscription channel which has not been purchased" monolog. Now, no program guide, no favorites listing, can't change channels, nothing. Can't even get channel 100 or any of the other promo channels usually available.

Is Dish changing their policy? Would they send a new smart card to an unsubscribed receiver? Is it finally time to set up the BUD and order an FTA system?

 

[TNGTony]

Dish will not send a card to an unsubscribed receiver. You are SOL unless you subscribe to something, then Dish will send you new cards.

What happened is Dish changed out the old blue cards for the yellow ones. Blue cards now are useless.

And no, you are not hacking or stealing. Dish is providing these channels "free" to their receivers.

See ya
Tony

 

[Stargazer]

Just order something that is really cheap like a superstation for $1.50 (you can get the package for $6) plus they will charge an access fee on top of that ($5). That would be $7.50 for one channel or $11 for the package. You will be billed for two months of service. Once they send the new card have it shut off and you can get a refund for the remaining amount. You might be better off just buying another receiver that already has a yellow card in it (they can be had for pretty cheap right now) or a FTA receiver. You might even get something out of the receiver that you have right now without the card.

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

Another option would be to get an FTA receiver and a 30 inch dish.

 

[DWS44]

Just order something that is really cheap like a superstation for $1.50 (you can get the package for $6) plus they will charge an access fee on top of that ($5). That would be $7.50 for one channel or $11 for the package. You will be billed for two months of service. Once they send the new card have it shut off and you can get a refund for the remaining amount. You might be better off just buying another receiver that already has a yellow card in it (they can be had for pretty cheap right now) or a FTA receiver. You might even get something out of the receiver that you have right now without the card.

If he's never been subscribed, wouldnt he also be hit with the $50 activation fee?

 

[jrbdmb]

Are the PI channels still FTA?

 

[boba]

order the Family Pak for $19.99, it is the cheapest qualifying package and you get some channels worth viewing, and if you requwst it DISH will turn on all of the PI channels for no additional cost.

 

[dishrich]

plus they will charge an access fee on top of that ($5).

The access fee went up to $6 this month...

 

[ngriffin]

I'd post in the FTA forum, as tese guys would have the definitive answer. I think you would be able to hook up an FTA receiver to the existing dish? One of the cheap ones would probably do the job. I believe the audio channels are also FTA which would probably be nice when nothing is going on space-wise.

 

[Pepper]

Problem with using an FTA receiver, Dish keeps moving things to different transponders, so you have to delete and rescan occasionally.

 

[dlsnyder]

I'd post in the FTA forum, as tese guys would have the definitive answer. I think you would be able to hook up an FTA receiver to the existing dish? One of the cheap ones would probably do the job. I believe the audio channels are also FTA which would probably be nice when nothing is going on space-wise.

As long as it was a legacy LNB with no Dish Network switches it would be OK with an FTA receiver IIRC.

How about subscribing to locals for $5.99 plus the access fee $6? They would throw in the PI channels for nothing if you asked. Once they sent you the new card and the box was activated you could just cancel, then you would probably be back as you were before they deactivated the old card. I have a deactivated box which I haven't hooked up for awhile - not sure which channels come in besides Dish FYI these days.

 

[Zorak]

What are "PI Channels" and how do you request them? I am ordering the family package from a retailer. I did a quick search here with no luck. Thanks

 

[Stargazer]

If he's never been subscribed, wouldnt he also be hit with the $50 activation fee?

No there is no activation fee. If someone previously had a subscription and had service shut off then wanted it turned back on then there is a $25 restart fee.

 

[TNGTony]

What are "PI Channels" and how do you request them? I am ordering the family package from a retailer. I did a quick search here with no luck. Thanks

The "Public Interest" or "public access" channels on satellite (not to be confused with Cable's public access type channels) are (http://ekb.dbstalk.com/49)

Public Interest Channels at 110°
197 The Documentary Channel
265 China Central TV 9
9400 The Research Channel
9401 HITN (Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network)
9403 BYU TV (Brigham Young University)
9404 University of Washigton TV (UWTV)
9407 Colours TV
9410 WorldLink TV

Public Interest Channels at 119°
210 Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN)
213 NASA - TV
260 Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN)
261 Eternal Word TV Network (EWTN)
9409 Rural Farm Broadcasting (RFD TV)
9411 Northern Arizona University House
9412 University of California TV (UCTV)
9415 Free Speech Television

Public Interest Channels at 61.5° and 148° Channel
9405 The Pentagon Channel
9406 Classic Arts Showcase
9416 Good Samaritan Network
9417 Holistic Television Network
9418 Panhandle Area Educational Consortium

At 121°
KBS World.

To get them you just call Dish and ask for them. They are free to any subscriber to DISH at any level. These are included with all AT packages, but not Dish Famly or Dish Latino, Great Wall and other packages.

When you order these channels, they are supposed to advise you (as a family tier subscriber) if you are sure you want these channels since they may contain "objectionable" material.

See ya
Tony

 

[Zorak]

Thanks Tony! I appreciate the time you took to expain them and list them out. I will call Dish and give it a try.

 

[kb7oeb]

Its listed as "PUBLIC INTEREST CHANNELS" on Dish's website. I was able to get it but it took several tries to get the CSR to find the package and a call to tech support to get it working. I don't have the family pack, just movies and hd.

 

[TNGTony]

By the way, I failed to mention in my previous post that these channels are NOT available to Sky Angel-only subscribers. Sky Angel is NOT a Dish tier. It is a separate company that uses Dish equipment and services.

See ya
Tony

 

[Mr Tony]

If all he wants is NASA, get a cheap FTA receiver. He can use existing Dish (as long as its Legacy dual or single) and there would be no issues

NASA has been on the same TP for a while now. But there are only 16 CONUS transponders to choose from on 119. Angel One is also FTA on 119

 

[jonsnow]

I requested the fta stations last week, and finally they turned them on, but I noticed a few missing channels like cspan, one of the stations that really really want. What to do?

 

[Mr Tony]

you mean the Public Interest channels?

Call them back and tel them CSPAN isnt on yet