Smart Pack?

levibluewa

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Apr 25, 2006
1,150
7
WA, OR, CA
Am I correct that the Smart Pack doesn't include any HD channels? Would the locals still be received in HD? Would you have to downgrade your dvr and receiver to sd receivers? Are there any other economy packages available to existing subs.
 
You could get the Welcome pack for $20, I think.

You lose all HD channels with these lower-tiered packages, save for any movie packages to which you subscribe and the locals. I'm 99.9% sure you still get the locals in HD. Everything else is SD, which blows to watch on an HDTV.
 
If you go below America's "Top 120", you get mostly channels that NOBODY is ever going to watch, or maybe nobody would WANT to watch would be a better way of putting it.

You might just as well turn off the tv set completely... Or just put up an antenna and watch your local OTA channels.
 
IF you like ota channels or locals and like to record them , then the Welcome pack is the lowest you can go with DISH. If you have the 211k and an external hard drive and you pay for the dvr software at $40.00 one time fee, you never have a dvr fee.Hook up an ota antenna and you can record 1 sat /1 ota channel at the same time. Cheaper than Tivo. Now I have often debated whether I would do this with a hopper + ota usb tuner but you would still have the 12.00 dvr fee a month. But you would also have all the local channels recorded during ptat as well. It might be worth it if you wanted to keep dvr functionality and record all the networks at the same time. But the downside is that the other 20 channels in your Welcome pack would all be in SD. SD just makes my eyes hurt after having HD for so long now.
 
I think I'd rather have the Welcome pack than the Smart pack. The Smart pack may have more channels but I think the Welcome pack has a better selection. The Welcome pack with an antenna would be a decent setup for very little money.
 
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They are good options if you mostly watch locals in HD and perhaps a movie channel (HBO/SHO/Starz/MAX) since they are in HD too.
 
Why the antenna, when Welcome pack (also) comes with locals, that you cannot opt out of anymore???
(I used to have it a couple years ago, so that's how I know...)


Why not? The antenna gives you more channels like the weather sub-channels and me-TV. These are channels you can not get by satellite. Not only does it give you more channels but it also gives you an extra tuner which can be very helpful when you have a DVR. The antenna also gives you peace of mind knowing you can still watch some TV if the dish happens to go out. This is very important during severe weather.
 

Because it's complicated & costly (assuming the customer does NOT already have an antenna) for the "average" customer to do. (going back to your previous point of "they want cheap and easy"... ;) ;) )

Also, not ALL of the of the E* DVR's/receivers have the OTA tuner built in, like none of the SD receivers, or the 722k's w/the extra cost tuner cartridge.
So then, the sub is going to have to switch back & forth between the 2 sources - & we all know how many cannot handle that. And if their TV does NOT have a digital tuner in it, well then that idea is shot to hell then.
 
Because it's complicated & costly (assuming the customer does NOT already have an antenna) for the "average" customer to do. (going back to your previous point of "they want cheap and easy"... ;) ;) )

Also, not ALL of the of the E* DVR's/receivers have the OTA tuner built in, like none of the SD receivers, or the 722k's w/the extra cost tuner cartridge.
So then, the sub is going to have to switch back & forth between the 2 sources - & we all know how many cannot handle that. And if their TV does NOT have a digital tuner in it, well then that idea is shot to hell then.


There is some cost, yes, but it's only upfront cost since programming is FREE, which they love. I disagree with it being complicated. If the customer has a receiver that has a tuner or can add an OTA then it's about the easiest OTA setup I've ever seen. One installed most customers wouldn't even notice what is satellite and what is OTA, all they know is that they get some extra channels.

If they do not have a receiver with a tuner and have to switch back and forth between source then I do agree with you, very complicating for the average customer. I live in an area where OTA is pretty popular and a lot of people enjoy having it. We have done upgrades to our customer's equipment strictly because they want to be able to have satellite and OTA integrated together. Being able to demo this to customers in our showroom is very helpful. Once they see how easy it is to have OTA integrated with a receiver they are usually willing to spend the money to install an antenna.
 
I been watching id tv alot so I downgraded to the smart package.
they have science channel that is a plus. hallmark movie, and the hall mark channel, discovery family they have justice channel i watch that.

there are other good channels to in that package too *smart package*
I have the encore package as well.

For movies I watch alot of new movies also.
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I was going to consider the dish america package for the smithsonian channel, but that is to many channels for me.
I also like welcome package, but i prefer having id channel.
could also add latino bonus package but i use accuradio.com and youtube and pandora. *used to use spotify*
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to me smart package for now is doable
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its good that dish allows us to have different packages and we can switch them at different times * not in a contract*
but to me i found a good package. for time being. and u know like a day or two will go by without me wanting to watch any tv and I can go right back to id tv and science channel and hln or justice tv. or that other channel that plays chuck norris, oh its called walker texas ranger.
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cheers
:)
 
There is some cost, yes, but it's only upfront cost since programming is FREE, which they love. I disagree with it being complicated. If the customer has a receiver that has a tuner or can add an OTA then it's about the easiest OTA setup I've ever seen. One installed most customers wouldn't even notice what is satellite and what is OTA, all they know is that they get some extra channels.

If they do not have a receiver with a tuner and have to switch back and forth between source then I do agree with you, very complicating for the average customer. I live in an area where OTA is pretty popular and a lot of people enjoy having it. We have done upgrades to our customer's equipment strictly because they want to be able to have satellite and OTA integrated together. Being able to demo this to customers in our showroom is very helpful. Once they see how easy it is to have OTA integrated with a receiver they are usually willing to spend the money to install an antenna.
APRIL 10,2014 is this same SMART PAK still available 3 years later?
 
Is the news pack no longer available?
Can existing customers switch to the welcome pack?
This discussion got me looking for ways to reduce my bill.
If I could get the welcome pack and the news pack that might reduce my bill by $12/month and not loose anything I actually watch.
 
Is the news pack no longer available?
Can existing customers switch to the welcome pack?
This discussion got me looking for ways to reduce my bill.
If I could get the welcome pack and the news pack that might reduce my bill by $12/month and not loose anything I actually watch.
Welcome pack is a standalone package, you can't add flex packs to it. It is a good bargain, but you definitely make a sacrifice for the price savings.
 
Can new customers get welcome pack and does it require them to purchase their own equipment or is it only available for existing subscribers?
 
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