AT150 Free Preview May 7-13

[FTA Michael]

For all those folks here who have been asking when the next Dish free preview will be.

The inside cover of Dish Entertainment Magazine has an ad for this promo, to be on Channels 265-299.

Now I gotta go post this on the CNBC World fan site. ;)

[Phil T]

Dang, I guess my Dishplayer will get screwed up again!

[TNGTony]

I know free previews are nice for those that don't subscribe to the higher packages, but they do nothing more than PISS ME OFF!!! My bill that month is not any lower. *I* don't get a freeview and I pay more than those that do. And duting movie channel freeviews, I get the same freeking phone numbers scrolling accross MY screen as those they are trying to get to subscribe. :(

Don't get me wrong, I am happy for those that get a little extra. I just wish it wasn't on my and other people who subscribe to these higher packages' back!

See ya
Tony

[Steve Mehs]

Well put Tony!

[Big D]

I also received my Entertainment Guide in today's mail with the free preview announcement, but that is not what was caught my attention. When I first subscribed to the magazine, it usually came about the end of the month's first week or early the second week. I complained loudly, usually having them send me a replacement, which arrived about the same time as the regular one. Slowly it got better and I started to see it about the end of the month, then a day or two before and now, a full week before, just like a guide should be. I can now plan my viewing out in advance, making the cost of the magazine almost worth it.

Sorry to digress, just thought it interesting to see someone got their guide today and low and behold, so did I!!

[Jacob S]

I think its better for someone to get the free previews than for nobody to get them at all.

[Steve Mehs]

But the thing is there are plenty of people who have AT150 or AEP who are paying for channels but are being given away for free. If the free preview was just for the weekend that's fine, but it's a whole week. Same situation as when Starz has a 2 week extended free preview on E*. Yeah, I don't get Starz and I benefit from it, but there are plenty of people who pay for it and it's being given away for free for half a month. Plus aren't the channels typically duplicated, not mirrored, so more bandwidth is taken up and compression increases.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Tony gets the post of the week award!

As a subscriber I feel screwed over by all these previews, why am I paying full price when others see the same thing FREE.

And on the Premium Channels I really hate the free previews because they have commercials and constant on screen phone numbers telling me to order now, when I already subscribe. At least if a premium channel has a free preview it should be a special preview channel and should not interfere with my viewing.

I should feel lucky because I get NBA TV for free, but for some reason I could care less. It almost seems like the higher paying custumers never get any respect.

(I know many people who got postcards for 3 months free showtime, what did I get? Nothing, I got to pay my bill.

[Jacob S]

So are we going to start having the post of the day, week, and month? lol, that would not be a bad idea, or how about the member of the month?

Well they could give those that order those higher up packages a free ppv or something to make up for it, how would you guys feel about that?

[mwgiii]

Come on guys, relax. It is the same thing as a restaurant at the food court at the mall giving away samples of food. D is just trying to increase revenue per subscriber.

This additional revenue will allow Cheap Charlie to add the channels we want, ie ESPN HD, PBS Kids, Ovation and Goodlife.

You believe that don't you? Yeah right.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yeah Free PPV's so us folks with credit card autopay have to mail in a stupid coupon for the free PPV. :)

Another problem is when they have these free previews is many users complaign about guide problems due to all the added channels. It's more of a headache then its worth, but this is the 3rd time they have done it so maybe its not as much trouble as we think. :)

(I just hate it when they did it the first time they cranked up the compression knob on everything to fit in the channels)

[RichW]

What they should do instead is simply set aside some "sampler" channels and switch in various AT150 content throoughout the week. This would alleviate the compression and not give fulll AT150 value to the preview, but still allow the lower tier customers to see what they are missing.

I wonder how effective these previews are anyway.

[Lee L]

Well Scott, it is not much trouble for E*, its jus tus that it is a PITA for.

Tony, good point on the scroll. Even more stupid considering that they run seperate channels instead of just turning the existing ones on. With duplicate channels they should leave the paying cutomers alone.

[TNGTony]

Originally posted by mwgiii
Come on guys, relax. It is the same thing as a restaurant at the food court at the mall giving away samples of food.

Nope. Not the same thing. I can partake of the free sample even after I've ordered my lunch. Can't do that with channels. I can even see that they are having a "Sam's Bufet" before I get in line or food. I can chose from one day to the next to get the samples rather than pay for food. The free sample lady doesn't come to my table and nudge me on the shoulder to try a free sample of something I'm already eating (scrolls across the screen and commercials telling me to subscribe to channels I already have) nor do the kiosks take a little bit of the food I paid for (bandwidth) in order to make sure there is enough for the free samples.

Again, I understand the marketing principal. I am happy for those that get something for free. I, as a customer who already has "everything", feel it is slighing me. *I*, who pay more a month than most who get the free preview, don't get a free ANYTHING for that week.

See ya
Tony

[Keith S]

Well have you ever thought of it this way the free preview keep your cost down because they get new subscribers so you do not have to pay more.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Nope, but have you ever thought us people are paying Full Price so you can get free previews? :D

Things thank make you go Hmmmm......

[BobaBird]

Originally posted by Lee L
Even more stupid considering that they run seperate channels instead of just turning the existing ones on.The AT150 separate preview channels come from 119 so they can be seen by customers who don't have a Dish500. Previews of premiums are usually done by turning on the existing ones.

[Lee L]

DOH!, why didn't I think of that. Thanks Charles.

[Cyclone]

Charles speaks with Great Wisdom.

If you agreed to pay for AT150 and you are receiving AT150, then you have nothing to complain about. You are getting what you agreed too.

[TNGTony]

Cyclone...let me state this again...
I UNDERSTAND THIS I am getting everying I paid for. But what burns my buns is that these freeviews reward customers that pay less! Essentially for a week I am getting slapped in the face by Dish in two ways.
1) I don't get a discount that week for the "free" channels. Okay, but I'm still getting what I paid for so why complain?
2) the freeview channels I already pay for are being mirrored and shoved onto an already overflowing satellite compressing even more channels I pay for to the point even *I* can see compression artifacts. All this without even the advantage of getting a free ANYTHING.

Once again, I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE MARKETING ASPECTS AND AM HAPPY FOR THOSE THAT BENEFIT. It still doesn't make me feel any differently about the inserted object in my rear without the courtesy of a reach-around.

On the bright side, I guess I could enjoy the anual freeview DishPlayer explosion!

See ya
Tony

[Scott Greczkowski]

Tony you mean you didn't enjoy this weekends Dishplayer Explosion? :D

[TNGTony]

Sure I did! It was just a prelude to next week's REAL fireworks! I want to see just how much shrapnel will come out of my Dishplayer on Wednesday when I think they will be flipping the switch.

See ya
Tony

[xgrep]

Oh, kewl. I just dumped AT50 because I've had enough of the kids watching non-stop Lizzy McGuire and Kim Possible. Now I'm going to get a whole week of who knows what rubbish.

Meanwhile, when the heck are we going to get a PBS station in HD?

x

[BobaBird]

Cyclone, I don't think my explanation can be used to support the contention that there is nothing to complain about. As Tony said, the AT150 preview actually has a negative impact on the PQ of the channels already crammed onto 119 though I seem to remember last time it wasn't as bad as I feared.

BTW, you have the dubious distinction of being the first to accuse me of Great Wisdom:sure: .

[scooper]

This is one reason it would be good to get all E* subs on at least a Dish500 - then all E* woiuld have to do on the "freeview's" is turn them on for everyone.

[mwgiii]

Are there really that many people without a Dish500? Doesn't D give you a free upgrade?

[Mark Holtz]

Uh, the last time they ran a AT150 preview, they simply remapped the channels. 119 is simply too full.

[Scott Greczkowski]

The time before they did a free preview they put the channels on 119 (and cranked up the compression on everything else) Plus they were advertising a Free Dish 500 upgrade if you got the 150 package and signed up for Creditcard Autopay.

[BobMurdoch]

Originally posted by Phil T
Dang, I guess my Dishplayer will get screwed up again!

INCOMING!!!!!!!!! <dives into foxhole>

[BobMurdoch]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
Tony you mean you didn't enjoy this weekends Dishplayer Explosion? :D

The 1812 Overture was blasting in the background during mine.:lol:

[BobMurdoch]

Originally posted by BobaBird
Cyclone, I don't think my explanation can be used to support the contention that there is nothing to complain about. As Tony said, the AT150 preview actually has a negative impact on the PQ of the channels already crammed onto 119 though I seem to remember last time it wasn't as bad as I feared.

Yeah, well the local channels all of a sudden look like they were shot through a lens with vaseline on the lens AND large heads that fill the screen leave vapor trails as they move (most noticeable on Enterprise on WWOR). Hopefully ditching all of those NBA League Pass/NHL Center Ice channels will help. Here's to hoping they leave the PPV channels to a lower count for a while during the preview.

[Jacob S]

How about giving customers some free ppv's that have a phone line plugged in that already subscribe to the package during the free preview, just like they did with Miss Congeniality, without the coupon needed?

Also if they would put certain channels on the 110 satellite from time to time as a free preview then perhaps they will get some customers to buy a dish 500 to get those free channels, put something up there for a bonus to get customers to buy the dishes. That would save them money, they could apply the money towards those channels instead of with the promotion they have now if the customers want the dish 500 without upgrading to top 150, it makes it more of an enticement to get the dish 500 for the customers.

[jcrash]

What I hate is free ball cap night. Why should everyone else get a ballcap? Most just come for ballcap night, then the next game comes around and none of them are there.

That's not right. I should be the only one to get a ballcap because I'm paying for season tickets. My tickets bought their ballcaps. That really chaps my azz.



I think we all have something better to do but , evidently, I'm wrong.

Disclaimer - I don't attend baseball games

[TNGTony]

Again, the analogy doesn't work. You STILL get the free ball cap even if you already have one, now you have a spare you can keep or give to some one else. This doesn't work the same with channels you already get.

See ya
Tony

[Lee L]

Personally, I don't care that some people get free for one week the programming I pay for. I don't like that every time there is an AT150 preview, it adversely affects my service that I do pay for.

[BobMurdoch]

Ditto.........

Why can't they just figure out a way to turn on everyone's ability to see those channels and then lock them out again at the end of the free period?

If they have the computer processing capability to reprogram everyone's receivers, then why don't they have the ability to merely chnge the channel indicator from red to blue? (or green for you 721 users....)

[poeppe]

Actually, during previews I am able to access the channels in both the original channel number and the special channels that they set up.

I have a 501 and it has the green channels as well (these are the ones you can subscribe to with the remote but can't watch without subscribing)

[BobMurdoch]

It must be a 110/119 issue then. They have to simulcast the channels so subscribers who have not upgraded to a Dish 500 system can access the additional channels which are probably only located on the 110 bird otherwise. Now that the upgrade has been free for about a year now, how many of the 119 only subscribers are there? 6?

[scooper]

I pass a couple every day back and forth on my way to work.

[Steve Mehs]

There are many house still around here with 119 only set ups. Out of the 10 nearest houses to me, 9 of them have DBS, 7 of those have Dish Network, 3 of those are only looking at 119. Just looking around here there are many people only looking at 119. Very few (that I can tell) looking at 119, 110 and 61.5. But many 18" DiecTV dishes are being replaced by the Phase 3 dishes.