Is DISH providing 508's?

[AllieVi]

I'm a DISH customer who is finally ready to make the jump to a PVR and to the 150-channel level. When I called DISH recently to accept their $199 offer, the CSR said they could not promise that I would get a 508. I know this issue existed a while back, but I expected by now they would be giving out just the 508's.

Any insight into what I can expect to get if I accept the offer would be appreciated.

[bearklaw]

I got the same thing when I called last November to take them up on the offer, and declined if they wouldn't guarantee a 508. I called back the next day, and the rep would guarantee a 508. I'd suggest trying again until you succeed.

[HTguy]

If you do the upgrade thru DISH direct there really is no guarentee that you will get a PVR 508 vs. the PVR 501 regardless of what any CSR tells you. To E* the deal is for a PVR period. They will ship you or deliver what they have on hand (unlike a local indy retailer.)

The good news is that starting 3/1/03 the programming committment requirement is being lowered to AT100CD. CCAP is still required, tho.

[DishDude1]

HTguy is 100% correct...it is a PVR offer, no guarantee of a 501 or 508 rather you are just signing up or upgrading using the PVR option. This is direct from Charlie via retailer chat earlier this month.

[samo]

If you don't want to take a chance of getting 501 just buy 508 at Costco for $269 and you don't have to have commitment to programming or CCAP.

[styxfix]

Actually, You only have to sign up for CCAP. It doesn't say that you have to keep it on or that you can't cancel CCAP later.

[papillo-j]

I bought mine from Costco. I also checked on the return policy because I knew that 50X units were known for having problems.

If it gives you problems, bring them a receipt and they give you your money back. It is that simple. Dish doesn't give you NEAR that kind of service. Nor do I expect them to, it is just a real selling point for Costco.

Come spring when the snow melts and I can repair my dish, I will actually plug my 508 in, then I will let ya know what I think of it.

-J

[AllieVi]

Thanks for all the replies and guidance. I'll probably just visit Costco and get the 508 basd on your thoughts.

[gcutler]

I believe these is a 30 day "Money back guarantee". Since they insisted on having it be a pro install. I made the Installer show me the box (that it said 508 on the unit inside) before I would allow him in the house and would have refused acceptance if it wasn't.

And that was 3 months ago, the longer it goes, the better the chance of getting a 508.

[HTguy]

CORRECTION: The new reduced requirement of AT100CD (vs. AT150) goes into effect 3/6/03. Also it applies to all custs installed before 8/15/2002.

This makes a lot more recent customers eligible.

And, FWIW, the odds of getting a 508 are pretty high anyway.

YMMV but I've had a 501 since shortly after they became available & I've never come close to filling up the 40G HD. The
only difference between it & the 508 is that the 508 has an 80G HD.

[DarrellP]

HTGUY, you are a rare species not filling up your PVR. Most everyone who has one is yearning for a larger hard drive. I am constantly deleting shows to make space for new ones.

[HTguy]

Hey, once I watch a show I erase it. Or, in the rare instance where it's a "keeper" I download it to my SVHS VCR.

The PVR HD was never meant for permanent storage.

[Richard King]

One requirement of the upgrade program is that it has to be done through your original dealer (which is really dumb). I recently upgraded one of my customers who referred another customer who had purchased his system through Sam's Club originally. Dish would not allow me to do an upgrade for him. They would, however, do a direct upgrade by having the customer call 1-800-333-DISH. If done through the original dealer you are pretty sure of getting a 508 since he can upgrade from stock. Through Dish there is no guarantee.

By the way, I was so impressed with the 508 that I upgradded my showroom unit from a DVHS to a 508. It really will change the way you watch television. I rarely watched movies prior to owning one, now I load up the drive with movies and watch a movie while other programs with commercials are recording so that I can watch the commercial programs commercial free when I want.

[Turbohawk]

I was told last month (Jan) when I ordered my PVR that I would most certainly be getting a 508 since I was paying $199 for it. The only two scenario's she knew of where I could possibly receive a 501 would be 1) if I were a new subscriber and were paying $50 for the PVR upgrade or 2) if I were replacing a previous 501 under warranty, but even in this case chances are they would send a refurbed 508 since 501's are in extremely short supply (thank goodness).

I verified this with another rep when I called back asking some other questions.

If you go their website now, you will see that the "501/508" link has been changed to just "508". Here is the link if you want to see for yourself...

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/technology/receivers/index.shtml

So don't fret, if you take advantage of this $199 offer, you'll definitely get a 508.

[AllieVi]

I bit the bullet and accepted the upgrade to the 150 level and a PVR. The CSR told me that the 501's are only being given to those who are on the Digital Home Plan and anyone who pays the $199 gets a 508 (as mentioned by Turbohawk).

[HTguy]

Turbohawk's link is rcvr info for new custs.

Here's the link for the Upgrade offer:PVR Upgrade (http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/offers/501_upgrade/index.shtml) You will notice that it says PVR501/508 because, as Charlie & Jim said on the chat last month, that is still the policy. No agent in a call center has the authority or the capability to ensure which model you will actually receive. But, again, the odds of a 508 are highly in your favor because 501s are getting scarce.

[HTguy]

BTW, Rking401 the reason the UPG has to be done thru the original retailer or thru DISH directly is that the original rcvr was tied to the other retailer & if another dealer caused it to be DC'd it would stop paying residuals. That wouldn't be fair to the retailer of record.

Still, you would think that they could adjust the system for cases where the original retailer was out of business or something like that.

[Richard King]

Still, you would think that they could adjust the system for cases where the original retailer was out of business or something like that.My thoughts exactly. I agree on not doing in the original retailer, but in my case, Sam's Club (the original) didn't want to do it for him.

[Kenster]

I went to HTguy's link. It says the upgrade is for customers as of August 2001. I thought I read somewhere that they changed it to a more recent date. Also, my dad's retailer has given him nothing but crap and poor service for the past two years. Dad swore he would never go back to this guy. I guess the alternative is to pay full price? Of course, that way he doesn't have to go to the 150 programing, right?

[dwinkler]

Originally posted by HTguy
Turbohawk's link is rcvr info for new custs.

Here's the link for the Upgrade offer:PVR Upgrade (http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/offers/501_upgrade/index.shtml) You will notice that it says PVR501/508 because, as Charlie & Jim said on the chat last month, that is still the policy. No agent in a call center has the authority or the capability to ensure which model you will actually receive. But, again, the odds of a 508 are highly in your favor because 501s are getting scarce. I talked to a CSR today about a separate issue, we were talking about how much I like my 508 and that I wished that I had two, and she told me that beginning March 6th there's going to be special pricing available for the 508. She also said the offer would include "free installation."

I have no idea if she was talking about the offer that HTguy linked to that's already up on the site - if she was then I don't qualify.

Anyone else heard anything about this?

[HTguy]

Originally posted by Kenster
I went to HTguy's link. It says the upgrade is for customers as of August 2001. I thought I read somewhere that they changed it to a more recent date. Also, my dad's retailer has given him nothing but crap and poor service for the past two years. Dad swore he would never go back to this guy. I guess the alternative is to pay full price? Of course, that way he doesn't have to go to the 150 programing, right?

See my 2nd post above (with the correction.)

The new promo starts 3/6/03. (That doesn't mean the web page will be updated by then, tho.)

On that day non-lease custs activated before 8/15/02 w/o a PVR will quailfy w/a new 12mo commitment to AT100 or Dish Latino Dos.

:cool:

[AllieVi]

A DISH rep installed a 508 PVR, an antenna for my DISH 500 upgrade, and a SW64 to connect everything (I now have 4 receivers). He also re-aimed my existing antenna to 148 so I can get my locals. He came during the scheduled period and did everything in a professional manner.

I asked him about his recent experience with installing 508's and 501's. He said he only installs the 501 when someone is on the Digital Home Plan, the same information I got from a CSR.

For anyone not on the DHP considering accepting the DISH PVR upgrade offer, it appears that you can expect to get a 508 even though DISH isn't willing to commit to it at this point.