Starting to upgradr to HD receivers.

[dslchiphead]

I am starting my upgrade path from Standard receivers (Hughes) to HD. What are people doing to upgrade/obtain the new HD receivers. I asked DirecTv and no bargains there. They also want $99 for a HD receiver.

TIA,

Dave

[BattleZone]

People are paying the asking price for what they want.

Generally, if you aren't currently under a commitment, and you have the last 12 months of paying on-time, you'll be offered a deal on the first receiver. Otherwise, you pony up.

[Mindhaz]

D* will try and be competitive. When I went HD a couple of years ago, I called my cable company and Dish to see what they would offer. Everyone wants a contractual agreement (except maybe your local cable company) no matter how much you pay.

I know currently new Dish customers can get 1 free HD DVR and free additional HD boxes. 1 additional DVR is $99. In my past dealings with D* they have at least given me something comparable for being a long time customer.

It doesn't hurt to ask. I've had success in the past. The worst they can say is no.

[paulman182]

I've gotten everything in my signature for under $250, am under comittment until 2009, and they still are providing me with another HD DVR for $99.

So there doesn't seem to be any predictablity to it at all.

[BattleZone]

So there doesn't seem to be any predictablity to it at all.

As several CSRs have noted, the #1 thing they look at when making offers is not "time with DirecTV?" or "size of programming package?" or "amount spent per month?" It is "how often is the bill paid on time?"

So, it IS fairly predictable, it's just that other folks are incorrectly giving too much weight to other factors and not enough to the primary metric.

[dslchiphead]

Thanks everyone. Your comments have been very useful. I'll see what I can do with D* in the meantime.

This is a great site and resource@!

Regards,

Dave

[dslchiphead]

Just to follow up on this. I did contact D* today and they offered me a free HD receiver. But they assisted that an installer come out to the house to install it in a month. Apparently their records does not show that I have and HD dish and I can't have a HD receiver. I do (kind of) , but a very old 3-LNB 101/110/119. I do not think they can tell what disk I have since I installed it 8 years ago.

After getting bounced around to 3 people to try to remove the installation, the last one said the system will not let her put in just a drop shipment of the receiver. She says it requires someone to install it at a scheduled time.

I have installed my current setup, wiring and dish install myself. I told her I was going to install the latest HD dish later on. But no go. She would not budge.

I asked her what happen if I went out to Circuit City and bought the receiver there. She said I would have to have someone come and install it. Idiots.

So I canceled the order.

-Dave

[davring]

Your current dish is no longer compatable with the new method of HD tranmission, you will need to be upgraded. Any HD receiver you purchase, will NOT work with your old dish.

[davring]

Correction: With your old three LNB dish will will still get a few of the old MPEG2 HD channels. But they are to be turned off very soon. Let them upgrade you, I don't believe there is any charge for it.

[Cmnore]

Why not allow them to do the install? Most installers won't mind if you supervise and/or take part in the process anyway. D* will not give you a courtesy price on an hardware w/o 'free' installation being part of the process. Maybe they're afraid folks'll just sell their new DVR on eBay if they don't install it in the residence.

I just went through the same process. In three weeks I'll get an R22 SD-DVR and an HR* HD-DVR + an AM-21 tuner - all for $99+shipping. CSR's are as unique as stars in the sky when it comes to knowledge and experience. If you have a bad one - HANG UP and call back.

I am not looking forward to waiting either. I plan on calling the contractor that installed my current HR21 to see if they can do the install sooner than D* scheduled it for me. Check with some local installers and see what they say.