Time to leave TurboHD?

LeM22

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Apr 11, 2009
46
0
Northern VA
I know, it's called DishAmericaSilver or whatever, but that's the name I started up with. I've stuck it out this past year, waiting for at least a hint as to what will happen. I'm more confused than ever. The price is still good, but no new HD channels have been added. If there is even a hint that channels will be added, I would stay. But maybe it's time to switch with the new channels coming along. Is it worth it to do it before June 3? Anyone with ideas? Any TurboHD's with plans?
 
With the HD free for life the price advantage of the DishAmerica(Turbo) packages is starting to go away. I think I have the prices correct, but am open to correction. (Prices rounded).

DishAmerica vs Top 120 $36 vs $40 ($4 difference)
DishAmerica Silver vs Top200(new price after June3) $45 vs $55 ($10 difference)
DishAmerica Gold vs Top250(new price after June 3) $56 vs $65 ($9 difference)
 
I have Turbo bronze. A good question is, what is happening to palladia and hd theater for us? We know they aren't adding new channels to our packages and its got nothing to do with carrying sd channels with no hd counterpart (like fox's claims) or we'd get Hallmark and TCM in turbosilver, just to start. We can't even add platinum to these packages which is bunk. What a crock. A good question is can i subscribe now to get top 120 plus HD & plat, then drop the platinum when June 3rd rolls around so it is truly $4 more w/o a crazy new commitment?
 
I was told by a CSR a month ago that HD only channels would be avaliable again. They were still working on it. They had to rename them for a reason. Not just for existing subs to look at. May have changed now with this free HD thing going to come out.
 
I'd happily move up to Dish America HD Silver if I could get things like TCM. I wonder if there will by any normailzation across packages in an effort to "simplify". Probably not, but the whole Turbo thing reads like a big joke now when you think about the ad $$ sunk into the promotion for it.

I beleive it waqs only renamed Dish America because it would make it hard to find if you were searching for it, TURBOHD is a precise title. Dish America searches don't bring you back to the packages very often.
 
With the HD free for life the price advantage of the DishAmerica(Turbo) packages is starting to go away. I think I have the prices correct, but am open to correction. (Prices rounded).

DishAmerica vs Top 120 $36 vs $40 ($4 difference)
DishAmerica Silver vs Top200(new price after June3) $45 vs $55 ($10 difference)
DishAmerica Gold vs Top250(new price after June 3) $56 vs $65 ($9 difference)


isn't Dish America (bronze) 29.99 now?
 
With the HD free for life the price advantage of the DishAmerica(Turbo) packages is starting to go away. I think I have the prices correct, but am open to correction. (Prices rounded).

DishAmerica vs Top 120 $36 vs $40 ($4 difference)
DishAmerica Silver vs Top200(new price after June3) $45 vs $55 ($10 difference)
DishAmerica Gold vs Top250(new price after June 3) $56 vs $65 ($9 difference)

Does the $40 Top 120 include RSNs or not? I am with DishAmerica Silver now and am seriously thinking about switching over as well. Also, if we switch to 120 before June 3rd, and add platinum and then drop it after June 3rd, are we eligible to be grandfathered into HD for Life and not have the $99 fee and not have our contract extended?
 
I have the now called Dish America Gold package w/ Locals. I have had this package for quite awhile and it is okay but I am disappointed that Dish has not thrown any new HD channels in it or any Dish America package since forever. I was under the impression from Dish that they would add new channels but I guess that was just hype.:(
I have a few months left on my contract and then I will see what I will do at that time.
I have been with Dish for at least 6 yrs don't remember exactly and I like it for the most part but I will entertain other options as we go forward.





Dish America Gold w/ Locals = $54.99

Superstations = $5.99
 
Does the $40 Top 120 include RSNs or not? I am with DishAmerica Silver now and am seriously thinking about switching over as well. Also, if we switch to 120 before June 3rd, and add platinum and then drop it after June 3rd, are we eligible to be grandfathered into HD for Life and not have the $99 fee and not have our contract extended?

AT120+ is $40 and includes the RSN(s). Locals and HD are additional. I'd guess AT120+ plus locals and HD (excluding Platinum HD) will be $45 grandfathered after June 3 if I understand correctly what's happening.
 
Palladia & HD Theater

My biggest concern is whether or not Palladia and HD Theater are headed for platinum only status and leaving the HD packages (Turbo included). That would seriously diminish the value proposition of the Turbo packages since we can't even add platinum. Does anyone know much more about how these two channels are going to be treated in the upcoming June 3rd transition to "Free HD"?

Thanks
 
AT120+ is $40 and includes the RSN(s). Locals and HD are additional. I'd guess AT120+ plus locals and HD (excluding Platinum HD) will be $45 grandfathered after June 3 if I understand correctly what's happening.

:no I don't believe that's correct. I *just* signed up for the AT120 plan, and it's $39.99 (before discounts). The AT120+ plan includes RSNs and is $44.99. AT200 and AT250 plans include the RSNs, but the AT120 plan doesn't.

I'm still trying to figure out the fall out of the HD for life deal for me. I'm not even a month into my initial 2 yr commitment, with AT120, HD (which includes Platinum right now) and a 722 DVR (leased).

As I see it, after June 3rd, these are my choices:


  • Make no changes for 11 months and reevaluate (they should have to honor my current price scheme for the 1st year, right?)
  • Sign up for HD for life by extending current commitment to 2 yrs (only adds 1 month to my current commitment). Then:
    • Drop Platinum and save $10 per month (incurs $5 downgrade fee?)
    • Keep Platinum and monthly charge is unchanged
Any flaws in the way I've laid that out? Will they let me alter my plan (if I choose to do so) at this early a date? Should I distrust Dish's new pricing scheme and stick with what I've got?

I'm probably leaning towards leaving it unchanged, though saving $10 per month is attractive. I was thinking about dropping to DishAmerica Bronze (about $15 cheaper) after the first year anyway (for the first year the discounts make the prices almost equal), but the HD for life deal is almost as cheap. But who knows what the plans will look like in a year!
 
No, locals are now included for qualifying packages. I couldn't find the definition of "qualifying packages" on the website, but I know that AT120 qualifies, as does AT200 and AT250.

Plus with many of the receivers you can pull them off air as well, if you have a good signal. I do that as well, because the picture quality is better for those that I can receive well.
 
No, locals are now included for qualifying packages. I couldn't find the definition of "qualifying packages" on the website, but I know that AT120 qualifies, as does AT200 and AT250.

Plus with many of the receivers you can pull them off air as well, if you have a good signal. I do that as well, because the picture quality is better for those that I can receive well.

That's great about the locals being included in the packages. If I switch packages, I will have to have my dishes realigned to EA because I have 61.5, 110, 119 now. Will they charge me $15, or will it be waived since I switched to a package that has all of its channels on EA?
 
I have TurboHD Silver or Dish America Silver or whatever. Its 44.99 + 6 for the locals making it 50.99 for everything. I also have a extra box for $7 a month.

My problem is that I have the old Dish setup with 2 dishes pointed at 61.5, 129,119 I think. So if I were to switch packages, I would need a new dish setup to get the new HD. Would that be free?

So the comparable package to Turbo Silver is like the 200 channel pack for 52.99? So if I go this with the free HD, are locals included? If they are would it be just a $2 difference to switch?
 
With the HD free for life the price advantage of the DishAmerica(Turbo) packages is starting to go away. I think I have the prices correct, but am open to correction. (Prices rounded).

DishAmerica vs Top 120 $36 vs $40 ($4 difference)
DishAmerica Silver vs Top200(new price after June3) $45 vs $55 ($10 difference)
DishAmerica Gold vs Top250(new price after June 3) $56 vs $65 ($9 difference)
Actually I think it will be:
Code:
DishAmerica          $35
Top 120              $40
Top 120 + RSN        $45
DishAmerica Silver   $45
Top200               $55 
 DishAmerica Gold    $55
Top250               $65
All packages include locals and is reflective of the new pricing (after June 3).
 

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