Starz "free" Preview? Bite me!!

[DarrellP]

I called Dish because I received an email stating that there is a free Starz preview this weekend, so I go out and turn on my receive and all the Starz channels are green so I call Dish and they tell me to tune to channels 285 and up, well guess what? They don't exist on my receiver so the tech tells me I have to be subscribed to at least a basic programming package to get this "free" preview.

What's up with Dish, are they making too much money these days? I only sub to HD and Movie packs, I have no interest in watching the regular programming so I am locked out of the "free" preview.

 

[Mr Tony]

Darell
They did the same thing for HBO preview a few weeks ago and Showtime Freeview

gotta have AT60 or higher to get it

Not Family Pack
Not alacarte

 

[DarrellP]

I have HBO and Showtime so I was not aware of this. It still sucks. The thing that burned me was that the email I received had no mention of a programming requirement.

 

[Purogamer]

Well, it really should apply to someone who's got movie packs. Clearly the person has an interest in purchasing starz if they like the free preview. I'd say it's moreso than anyone who's only paying for AT60, actually.

Fire off an e-mail about adding to the package requirements and you may get lucky. All your missing is armageddon running 2x a day in full screen. Do they not know how terrible it looks on starz? The scenes with the armadillo in the hangar is awful, the spikes on the ground look like vhs tape...Faces look all stretched out, wtf...

 

[Mr Tony]

oh Didnt know you already had HBO & Showtime Darrell

 

[Slamminc11]

I called Dish because I received an email stating that there is a free Starz preview this weekend, so I go out and turn on my receive and all the Starz channels are green so I call Dish and they tell me to tune to channels 285 and up, well guess what? They don't exist on my receiver so the tech tells me I have to be subscribed to at least a basic programming package to get this "free" preview.

What's up with Dish, are they making too much money these days? I only sub to HD and Movie packs, I have no interest in watching the regular programming so I am locked out of the "free" preview.

since someone decided to delete my last post without explanation, and though I know who it probably was, I won't push that issue at this point. so I will try this:

Dish decided once they added Dish Family that those who would get to see the free previews from the movie channels would be those customers who have chosen to subscribe to their AT60 or above programming packages. This discussion was hashed out in vivid detail when the HBO and Showtime previews were offered, and if that is the way Dish wants to handle things then that is their choice. If you are willing to subscribe to certain packages then they will offer you the free preview, if you don't then you won't receive it. And on a side note, you really don't miss much, seems that the movie channels would run some really decent movies, but for whatever reason, I think they might have forgetten that they were actually doing the freebie thing and kept running the old tired movies that usually run on the channels.
Just my two cents!

 

[goaliebob99]

since someone decided to delete my last post without explanation, and though I know who it probably was, I won't push that issue at this point. so I will try this:

No one deleted anything that I can see of... Weird...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

There have been no deletes, the only person here who can delete messages is me, all other staff when they delete the message becomes hidden but is still here.

I just looked att the staff log and it also shows no posting being deleted today.

 

[Mr Tony]

Dish decided once they added Dish Family that those who would get to see the free previews from the movie channels would be those customers who have chosen to subscribe to their AT60 or above programming packages. This discussion was hashed out in vivid detail when the HBO and Showtime previews were offered, and if that is the way Dish wants to handle things then that is their choice. If you are willing to subscribe to certain packages then they will offer you the free preview, if you don't then you won't receive it.

very true. But until these recent freeviews(HBO, Showtime), you got to see it regardless of package. I use to have just locals, yet I got the freeviews. Same with people who had just HD channels.

I understand the exemption of Family pack from these, but I guess if someone sees a freeview, they might add it.

Perfect example is Star Choice. I have the digital basic (basic package) and per the rules NOTHING can be added to it. Yet when they have freeviews (Fight Network, Nat'l Geographic) I get them. SC figures people will upgrade to a package that has these channels in it (and I'm seriously thinking of doing this for Fight Network)

 

[jonsnow]

I called Dish because I received an email stating that there is a free Starz preview this weekend, so I go out and turn on my receive and all the Starz channels are green so I call Dish and they tell me to tune to channels 285 and up, well guess what? They don't exist on my receiver so the tech tells me I have to be subscribed to at least a basic programming package to get this "free" preview.

What's up with Dish, are they making too much money these days? I only sub to HD and Movie packs, I have no interest in watching the regular programming so I am locked out of the "free" preview.

They have used what is commonly referred to as a black out in mlb terms. I can understand why they are doing this but I strongly disagree as to how it was done or even if it was necessary, ie free will. Echostar has in effect created an upper and lower class tiered system, much like todays political climate. In fact if you think about it the family package is a political statement having nothing to do with economics. Dish by referring to previews as being of a "mature nature" has now suddenly become blazingly cynical of American pop culture, having a morose contempt of the pleasures and arts of life. The newly established lower class of peons is now simply referred to as just "customers", the hd and locals only crowd, the newly formed upper class are now dubbed by the echostar aristocracy as qualified "subscribers". The poorer, lower and most likely rural class is now mocked if they complain and deemed to be of no value and biblically despised by the online satellite community and are thought of in vague or not so vague judgments as being somehow unworthy due to their economic statis and often labeled as freeloaders. Though dish may have not intended this due to technological limitations, they have in effect made, albeit a few customers, feeling left out and somewhat angry. I personally feel that even if I was the least qualified customer not belonging to the family tier, that I should be given an option somehow to see free previews. To me basic programming is at least paying for network channels or at the bare minimum paying at least an access fee, since you have the option at this level of programing to receive pi stations and buy ppv movies that would not fit the rigid requirements of the family tier and who knows maybey those freedoms will also be taken away since politics is an ever changing amalgam of careless contemplations unseen by the citizenry, taking place behind closed doors in smoke filled rooms. My opinion of dish network has just gone down a notch or two, while my bill has recently gone up one.

 

[iceondsom]

Wow, some overly sensitive people on here!

 

[ChetK]

Wow, some overly sensitive people on here!

I don't think that folks are overly sensitive. I think they have a right to be upset.

I have one question though: Who is deciding to give these free previews? Is it E* or is it HBO, Showtime and Starz?

If it's E*, then they should make it clear in their press releases and announcement e-mails that these free previews are only available to certain subscribers.

If it's HBO, Showtime and Starz, then E* has absolutely no right to exclude ANY subscriber based on which package to which they are subscribed.

 

[kb7oeb]

If you want Starz so much why not just subscribe? Its not very expensive. If they had the HD channel up I would. Because of the familly pack I can now get the PI channels so for me its still a gain.

Any chance for mpeg2 on the HD channel?