CBS-HD

[JStanton]

Has anyone gotten the CBS-HD feed from Dish? As far as I can tell, I should qualify using "QUALIFICATION METHOD #1" [1], as I live in one of the 17 O&O markets (my town touches Boston) and there are no other CBS locals that I can recieve.

I called the CSR and they said I needed a waiver. I said that by looking at the website it didn't look like it, but sure, go ahead. The waiver was denied. I'm not sure who they applied for the waiver from.

Do I have any recourse here? I get CBS OTA, but I'm already paying for the locals and would like it as a backup.

Tips? Tricks? War stories?

Thanks,
Jim

[1] http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/locals/cbshd/index.shtml

[cmaier]

Did they say why you needed a waiver? I live in a town with over-the-air CBS, and I receive CBS via dish (we have locals). But I *still* got CBS-HD because my local is O&O by CBS. (So I have two CBS's, one HD, because they are from different markets).

Did you try calling back and getting a different CSR?

[Phil T]

I had the same problem. :(

It seems as if the regular CSR's cannot authorize CBS-HD. It took several phone calls to get it activated. Keep Trying!

An e-mail to CEO@Echostar.com may also do the trick.

[Mo]

Regular CSR's can't authorize CBS-HD to be added. The CSR will need to call the Dish Support Team. They're the one's who can add it on. If the CSR seems dumb, tell them to call Dish Support.

[davhol]

I have had CBS-HD (east, switched from west) for 18 months and did not have any problems when I requested it. I live in the Salt Lake City DMA where the local CBS station is one of their owned and operated (O&O) stations. I initially had a Dish 300 pointed at 148 and got CBS-HD West (KCBS 2 Los Angeles) without any hassles and after I repointed my dish to 61.5, I called in and asked for CBS-HD East (WCBS 2 New York) and was switched with no other/further hassles. I may have been "lucky" and talked with a CSR who knew their stuff. Good luck! As far as the rules are, your address MUST qualify as being in the O&O DMA. If you are just outside the border, even by 2 inches (as it were), you can't qualify to receive the HD feed. This is not DISH's decision, it is the FCC's.

[brentp]

Like it has been said, the CSRs don't understand this. I live in Hollis, NH (also in the Boston DMA), and get CBS-HD out of NYC. Same as you, I get OTA very well, but wanted the DISH feed as a backup.

When I called to get it turned on, I was told the same thing, '. . . you don't qualify for distant locals, but I can put in a waver for you'. Being the persistent type, I stuck to my guns, pointed out DISH's website to her and the qualifications listed. I was still told no, so I demanded that she tell me why I didn't qualify when I obviously did based on their web page. She could not give me an answer. After 45 minutes of back and forth discussion, she finally made some calls to some others, and came back with '. . . oh, you can get CBS-HD turned on'. No, . . . really?

I've heard many others here have similar issues to. Sometimes you get someone who is in the know, sometimes you don't. Keep working it, and ask to speak to someone else if you continue to get no for an answer. Be persistent and you will get it. Good Luck! :lol: