system upgrade?

[NightHawk]

I currently have a 921, 811 and two bedroom SD receivers along with a dish 500 and another dish for the 61.5.

Can I simply buy or lease a 622 and integrate it into my current system?

Or, do I need to replace all of my mpeg 2 receivers and/or get a dish 1000.

I'm not interested in HD locals as I get them OTA but I would like to be able to receive the newer mpeg 4 HD channels on at least one receiver.


Thanks.

 

[lakebum431]

It depends if you own your equipment. But here is the question, do you really want to keep all of those boxes. I wouldn't think you really watch all of those at the same time. Can you share some rooms and get rid of some of those extra receiver fees?

 

[NightHawk]

Thanks for the reply.

Ideally I would like to trade the 811 for a leased 622 so I would have two DVRs. I own my 921, am happy with it and don't really want to trade it in.

I just don't know if Dishnetwork will let you mix Mpeg 2 and 4 equipment or is a complete upgrade necessary.

Surely someone here should know.

 

[lakebum431]

You can mix MPEG 2 and 4 no problem. Obviously you'll have to pay for one of the Metal Programing Packages even though you won't be able to see the MPEG4 channels on the 921 (or other MPEG 2 boxes). There is a limit on the number of tuners that you can have leased. That is why I said it depends if you own your equipment. You should have no trouble keeping the 622 and the 921. You can also use the output on the 622 to run additional TV's to avoid some of the outlet fees. Just a thought.

 

[bhelms]

If you purchase the 622 (still $499 I believe) you can save the $6/mo. lease fee. Also - you should be OK with your current dishes - no need to "upgrade" (some consider it a downgrade!) to the D1000. Your HD LiLs might turn-up on the 129 sat. but even then if you eventually decide to sub to them through E* so you can get the local info in the EPG, etc., you can simply repoint the dish you have now on 61.5. And like lakebum431 said, use the 622's TV2 output to feed your SD locations. The UHF remote will work over some distance from your first SD location, and you could purchase another one to control the 622 from a second SD location. You will need a phone line connected to the 622 to avoid the additional receiver fee, but it sounds like you could avoid 2 such fees - $10 per month. And given the recent incentives E* is promoting to get folks to upgrade, you might be able to save some $$ on the new HD programming for 10 months.

Note - if you do buy the 622 you will have an option to keep your old HD Pack programming but with that E* will not enable the MPEG-4 channels for the 622. There's really no advantage to staying with the HD Pack - sub to one of the "metallic" packages instead, essentially the same cost. If you get HD Platinum then you can avoid the DVR fees...

 

[NightHawk]

Thanks guys, that's exactly the info I wanted.

I was getting some conflicting information from my neighbor who was told otherwise by a CSR from dish when he wanted to upgrade from a 942. It just didn't make sense.

He was told he must get the dish 1000 for the upgrade even though he also already had the 61.5 dish and OTA antenna and he must turn in the 942.

Now let's see what they tell me.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

New 622's were going for $400.00 on ebay last night, otherwise to upgrade the 811 to 622, you will have to do the 18 month commitment.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Thanks guys, that's exactly the info I wanted.

I was getting some conflicting information from my neighbor who was told otherwise by a CSR from dish when he wanted to upgrade from a 942. It just didn't make sense.

He was told he must get the dish 1000 for the upgrade even though he also already had the 61.5 dish and OTA antenna and he must turn in the 942.

Now let's see what they tell me.

It seems that 90% of the CSRs are totally clueless.

I've even heard of people in the northeast being told they have to get a Dish1000 (which is wrong - no 129 signal up there), and then when they try to place the order they are told they can't have one (which is correct).