View Full Version : How many TVs do you say I have DISH?
My disabled stepson moved in recently and brought with him his HDTV. I called DISH to get another line/receiver.
The CSR told me that I had 6 TVs already and that was the max so I couldn't get another receiver.
WHAT!? I have 3 TVS, now 4. Evidently if you have a 622/722 they consider that going to 2 TVs. I told her I have 2 HDTVs and one SDTV. The 622 doesn't do 2 HD outputs. She finally understood.
Then she proceeded to tell me that I could only have 2 HD receivers on my account, but that I could buy one for $299? Only a 2 HD rcvr limit? C'mon DISH, that's foolhardy in todays HDTV market!
I called DirecTV and they said they could set me up with as many as 6 HD DVRs. 6! wow. Is it time to switch? I've only been a DISH customer for 13 years!
DISH really needs to get on the ball and take care of their long term customers. With the economy the way it is, many will abandon them for a better deal.
coldsteel
01-28-09, 11:24 AM
What receivers do you have?
Since their inception DISH has had a limit of 6 RECEIVERS per account, and a maximum of 4 TUNERS may be leased. How many old receivers do you still have on your account? Over the last 13years have you upgraded and not removed the receiver from the account but stored it in the "closet"?
Directv with in the last year has set a 6 receiver limit for leased receivers.
OK, I called again and got a knowledgeable CSR. According to her, you are allowed to have 4 TUNERS on your account. The 622 is considered a dual tuner because it can go to 2 TVs. The 612 is considerd a single tuner since it can only go to 1 TV. Ridiculous. So according to DISH I have:
522: 2 TUNERS
622: 2 TUNERS
622: 2 TUNERS
for a total of 6 (3 receivers)
When I got my 2 622s, there was no 612. Each 622 is used on 1 HD TV. I asked if I could 'downgrade' my 622s to 612s so I could add another receiver, and the answer was NO. I was grandfathered in with my 622s and 522 so DISH considers me to have 6 TUNERS, thus the 6 TV comments. Dumb Dumb Dumb! They can't make any changes since I have more than the allowed number of tuners.
Clearly DISH needs to get their act together here. If the 612 had been available I would have got one, so having all those tuners is DISHs fault, not mine. It's just bad PR to long term customers.
Now I have to go buy a receiver. Oh, I don't have any old receivers lying around. I did have an old 201 but it's long gone.
Anyone have a 612 they don't want?
jacmyoung
01-28-09, 12:09 PM
OK, I called again and got a knowledgable CSR. According to her, you are allowed to have 4 TUNERS on your account. The 622 is considered a dual tuner because it can go to 2 TVs. The 612 is considerd a single tuner since it can only go to 1 TV. Ridiculous.
When I got my 2 622s, there was no 612. Each 622 is ised on 1 TV. I asked if I could 'downgrade' my 622s to 612s so I could add another 1, and the answer was NO. I was grandfathered in with my 622s and 522 so DISH consideres me to have 6 TUNERS, thus the 6 TV comments. Dumb Dumb Dumb! They can't make any changes sine I have more than the allowed number of tuners.
Clearly DISH needs to get their act together here. If the 612 had been available I would have got one, so having all those tuners is DISHs fault, not mine. It's just bad PR to long term customers.
Now I have to go but a receiver.
Anyone have a 612 they don't want?
Call to cancel the service, you will be transferred to their "customer specialist" department, they will have more power to rearrange your setup and throw in some bonus to get you to stay.
They will not disconnect you at the first level, don't be afraid to say it so you can talk to someone for real.
They should be able to change it to: 612, 612 and 622, and throw in three months of free premium packages and $10 off a month for a year just for your trouble:)
dennispap
01-28-09, 12:12 PM
OK, I called again and got a knowledgeable CSR. According to her, you are allowed to have 4 TUNERS on your account. The 622 is considered a dual tuner because it can go to 2 TVs. The 612 is considerd a single tuner since it can only go to 1 TV. Ridiculous. So according to DISH I have:
522: 2 TUNERS
622: 2 TUNERS
622: 2 TUNERS
for a total of 6 (3 receivers)
When I got my 2 622s, there was no 612. Each 622 is used on 1 HD TV. I asked if I could 'downgrade' my 622s to 612s so I could add another receiver, and the answer was NO. I was grandfathered in with my 622s and 522 so DISH considers me to have 6 TUNERS, thus the 6 TV comments. Dumb Dumb Dumb! They can't make any changes since I have more than the allowed number of tuners.
Clearly DISH needs to get their act together here. If the 612 had been available I would have got one, so having all those tuners is DISHs fault, not mine. It's just bad PR to long term customers.
Now I have to go buy a receiver. Oh, I don't have any old receivers lying around. I did have an old 201 but it's long gone.
Anyone have a 612 they don't want?
Evidently 6 is the # of allowed tuners
scooper
01-28-09, 01:35 PM
6 is the number of BOXES - 12 the number of TUNERS, of which only 4 can be leased. So to get 12 tuners, all of your BOXES has to be dual tuner models.And you will have to BUY 4 dual tuner receivers.
coldsteel
01-28-09, 01:41 PM
Plus, 612s are NOT available for upgrades currently. Just buy a 211 on Ebay.
BattleZone
01-28-09, 08:59 PM
To the OP: you already have support for 6 TVs, so likely your 522 is listed as owned, meaning your pair of 622s are leased. As others stated, Dish will only lease you 4 TVs worth of receivers, and anything beyond that you must purchase. This is why nearly all customers who want larger systems end up with DirecTV, as it is significantly less expensive to have a high receiver count. DirecTV has a 20-receiver per account limit, but each TV needs a receiver.
For the record: The VIP622 does handle 2 HD outputs.
HDMI and Component are both hot on the VIP622. So you can connect both to two separate HDTV's.
I don't know if this will meet your needs but it may.
My setup includes two VIP622's which are located in our basement.
The first VIP622 is connected via HDMI to my 47" HDTV LCD.
The second VIP622 is connected via component out to the same 47" HDTV LCD.
The second VIP622 is also connected to a 32" HDTV LCD upstairs using HDMI.
The RF from both VIP622's are also combined and sent to other sets in the house.
I have 40 foot of HDMI cable from monoprice.com which run from my second VIP622 upstairs.
I use both VIP622's in single mode.
It is also possible to use splitters with HDMI but my setup was simple.
If someone desired they could take one VIP622 and feed eight HDMI sets with a powered HDMI splitter.
If the sets must be independent then this is not the answer. But if you can use some of the sets with the same programming then this may be the way to go.
If you have a large HDTV downstairs for example and another in your living room are they both on with different family members watching both sets? If not then those two sets could have the same feed without issue.
One good thing about this type of distribution is the recordings on the hard drive are not on several different receivers.
HDMI Splitters and Cable
Video/Audio Splitter - HDMI M to HDMI F X 2
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011303&p_id=2522&seq=1&format=2
1X8 Powered HDMI Splitter (HSP0108)
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011301&p_id=5070&seq=1&format=2
HDMI Cable
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240
HDMI Tin-Plated Copper CL2 Rated (for In-Wall Installation) Cable (22AWG) - 50ft (Gold Plated Connectors)
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024002&p_id=2804&seq=1&format=2
....The 622 doesn't do 2 HD outputs. She finally understood......
coldsteel
01-29-09, 08:30 AM
Agreed, grog, but that may not work in his situation; since he's having his disabled stepson supply the additional HDTV, they may not be able to work around sharing a video feed.
tnsprin
01-29-09, 08:39 AM
Dispite the official rules on tuners and receivers, they have made exceptions. 3 leased dual tuner DVR's are not uncommon. Not sure if they will make the OP an exception for 4, but if he contacts ceo@echostar.com and explains his situation, they might. Especially if he is a longtime customer with a higher priced package.
BattleZone
01-29-09, 12:48 PM
Dispite the official rules on tuners and receivers, they have made exceptions. 3 leased dual tuner DVR's are not uncommon.
It's actually VERY uncommon, but, yes, it has been done. Only the Executive Office has the ability to authorize this, and there usually has to be some extenuating circumstances (where Dish bears some fault) before it will happen. That's not the case here.
Dish's policies are what they are. The lease limit is a big reason that the lease prices are so low (free, in many cases, to new customers, even for advanced equipment). At some point, if you want more, you have to pay.
HDRoberts
01-29-09, 01:15 PM
If you have 2 622s, I'd kill the 522, and use the TV2 on both to feed the SDTVs powered by the 522. Maybe then you could add a 612.
To me, it's a reasonable limit. Dish is willing to subsidize a reasonable amount of equipment. But if you have a lot of TVs, they don't want to have to charge everyone else for your excess.
Also, the 6 box limit. This is so no one tries to turn a residential account into something that covers a MDU. More than 6 HDTVs, or more than 12 TVs total? not many with that problem in a single residence.
coldsteel
01-29-09, 01:18 PM
It's actually VERY uncommon, but, yes, it has been done. Only the Executive Office has the ability to authorize this, and there usually has to be some extenuating circumstances (where Dish bears some fault) before it will happen. That's not the case here.
Dish's policies are what they are. The lease limit is a big reason that the lease prices are so low (free, in many cases, to new customers, even for advanced equipment). At some point, if you want more, you have to pay.
THANK YOU!!!!! I'm sick and tired of people throwing up 'email ceo@echostar.com' for every little thing that doesn't go their way, or perceived unfairness. GET OVER IT. Sorry to go off-topic... </rant>
Michael P
01-29-09, 04:10 PM
Are you watching all 6 TV's at the same time with different programming? GROG's suggestion should work if you are willing to have the same programming at the same time on 2 of your HDTV's.
HDRobert's idea to ditch the 522's and feed them the 2nd tuner from the 622/722 would work too if you need every set to have seperate programming availability. Ditching the 522 and adding another 622 or 722 would leave you with one HD DVR in single mode and 2 in dual mode.
There may also be a technical reason for the 6 tuner limit. How many outputs can the largest multiswitch handle from a single dish 1000? Even with the DPP seperators at each dual tuner box, the multiswitch may be maxed out, requiring you to get a 2nd dish 1000 for the 7th tuner.
BattleZone
01-29-09, 05:48 PM
The largest multiswitch is the DPP44, which will support 4 receivers (including dual-tuner, dual-output receivers), and 3 can be trunked together to support 12 receivers from a single dish. But DPP44 switches are expensive, and are generally only given away when a customer needs to see 4 satellite locations, such as 1000+ dish customers.
The current 1000 dishes (1000.2, 1000.4/1000.5) support 3 receivers, for a max of 6 tuners/6 TV outputs, without having to go to a DPP44.
Systems larger than 6 receivers are absolutely possible, but requires an internal Dish FSM (Field Support Manager) to approve. Basically, the FSM has to sign off that all the receivers will be used in the same house. If it's a 3 BR house, there'd have to be a good reason. If it's a 14-bedroom McMansion, well, that's pretty straight-forward.
I'll give it a try...
If you don't get what you want, DUMP DISH. When they jerked me around I did the one thing we can all do as consumers-take your money and go elsewhere. I went to U-verse and couldn't be happier. Since I got rid of DISH, they have called me numerous times ACTUALLY OFFERING ME MORE GENEROUS TERMS than the ones I wanted to stay back when I was haggling with them. Now they can stick their service .
Just to clarify ...
I have 3 TVs and am adding a 4th (large family). They are in very separate parts of the house. The 4th TV is for my disabled stepson. He cannot work nor drive. He watches a lot of TV. I'm just trying to work out getting him a receiver. Right now he's watching the Living Room which already has 62 timers on it. His shows often conflict with ours. We'll probably end up buying him a receiver, or have him save his disability money until he can afford to buy one.
The reason I have dual tuners is that single tuner receivers were not availablw when they were installed.
That being the case, I feel that the dual tuner issue is DISH's problem. I needed single tuners and they gave me dual. What I want now is 4 single tuner receivers. They can't seem to work that out. They don't want to trade my duals for singles, an option I suggested.
coldsteel
01-30-09, 10:03 AM
That being the case, I feel that the dual tuner issue is DISH's problem. I needed single tuners and they gave me dual. What I want now is 4 single tuner receivers. They can't seem to work that out. They don't want to trade my duals for singles, an option I suggested.
it's not a case of don't want to, it's a case of cannot currently. There is a shortage of vip612's currently, I wanted 2 myself, but have to wait... :(
Plus, if you've been a customer more than a year, the 612 was not available when you got the 622s, so there was no option then...
jacmyoung
01-30-09, 10:44 AM
Just to clarify ...
I have 3 TVs and am adding a 4th (large family). They are in very separate parts of the house. The 4th TV is for my disabled stepson. He cannot work nor drive. He watches a lot of TV. I'm just trying to work out getting him a receiver. Right now he's watching the Living Room which already has 62 timers on it. His shows often conflict with ours. We'll probably end up buying him a receiver, or have him save his disability money until he can afford to buy one.
The reason I have dual tuners is that single tuner receivers were not availablw when they were installed.
That being the case, I feel that the dual tuner issue is DISH's problem. I needed single tuners and they gave me dual. What I want now is 4 single tuner receivers. They can't seem to work that out. They don't want to trade my duals for singles, an option I suggested.
I take it that you tried the specialist department and it was still a no go?
Yes, the specialist basically said that they could not do anything ...now. As was stated, there aren't really a lot of 612s to go around. Alos, you can only swap/upgrade 1 unit per year. I could swap a 622 for a 612, but then I would have to wait a year to swap the next. On it goes. I'm just going to buy one off ebay or somwhere. I have the DPP (Dish Protection Plan) so the unit is covered regardless.
What a pain...
jacmyoung
02-02-09, 08:47 PM
Yes, the specialist basically said that they could not do anything ...now. As was stated, there aren't really a lot of 612s to go around. Alos, you can only swap/upgrade 1 unit per year. I could swap a 622 for a 612, but then I would have to wait a year to swap the next. On it goes. I'm just going to buy one off ebay or somwhere. I have the DPP (Dish Protection Plan) so the unit is covered regardless.
What a pain...
If I understand you correctly, you have two 622s and one 522 on the lease, why couldn't you upgrade your 522 to a 612?
If you have to buy another one, still ask the specialist what is the best deal E* can sell you one. Over a year ago they offered me $399 to purchase the 3rd 622, I did not take it. The 622s are now no longer in production, the price might be lower.
jacmyoung
02-02-09, 10:18 PM
I called the specialist department myself asked a similar question. I do not have HD service from E* right now, only have one 625, so my situation may be different than yours.
He said I could replace my 625 and lease the following HD equipment to upgrade to the HD service:
1) 2X622s, or
2) 1x622 and 2x612s, or
3) 4X612s, or
4) 4X211Ks.
If I want to buy an additional HD DVR, the 622 is $400, and the 612 is $300, but he could take $150 off on either one of them, making a 622 at $250, or a 612 at $150.
Now I was only gathering information to help me make my next move, so did not act on it. I thanked him for the information. Again your situation may be different.
I'll have to call back and see about the 522 upgrade to 612. Maybe they'll do that, then I can buy a 522 on ebay or something. I noticed on the DISH website that DISH no longer offers a single tuner SD DVR. Interesting.
Maybe they'll sell me my current 522 really cheap.
I finally got through to the DISH Loyalty rep. He basically said the same thing as the rest. I pointed out that having this many tuners was not my fault as they were the only units available, but that didn't seem to matter. Other options were to deactivate my current receivers then add another. Well that doesn't really work, does it? He did finally offer to install an SD DVR for $79, but my stepson is a HUGE HD fan. After I said that SD really doesn't fit the bill, he suggested looking on ebay for an HD receiver. He also said that I should get the Rx # and Smart Card #, call them and make sure it's transferrable.
I guess there's quite a few people out there that owe money on accounts and try to sell the receiver to pay it, even if the rx is leased. CAVEAT EMPTOR!
jacmyoung
02-11-09, 04:13 AM
...Other options were to deactivate my current receivers then add another. Well that doesn't really work, does it? ...
Why not?
After talking to DISH loyalty rep, I checked around ebay for a receiver. No one was willing to part with a smart card number so I could check with DISH to see if there were any account issues. SO I bit the bullet and bought a new standalone receiver from a reputable online satellite installer. I got the ViP 612 with splitter and shipping for just over $300. Dish wanted $429 or something like that.
When it arrives, we'll hook it up and see what happens!
I do think DISH needs to rethink their stance on number of receivers. In more affluent areas, people have multiple HD TVs. Maybe they need to get on the ball and get their dual HD output receiver on the market. It just seems to me that DISH has become reactive rather than proactive lately.
BattleZone
02-14-09, 11:01 AM
I do think DISH needs to rethink their stance on number of receivers. In more affluent areas, people have multiple HD TVs. Maybe they need to get on the ball and get their dual HD output receiver on the market. It just seems to me that DISH has become reactive rather than proactive lately.
In more affluent areas, customers can afford to pay for those additional receivers without being heavily subsidized...
Mr-Rick
02-14-09, 12:51 PM
U-Verse? Please... The limit is 2HD and 2SD live streams at once. A severe limitation for anyone with more than 1 HDTV.
nitz369
02-14-09, 12:56 PM
I called DirecTV and they said they could set me up with as many as 6 HD DVRs. 6! wow. Is it time to switch? I've only been a DISH customer for 13 years!
Obviously you did not ask DirecTV how much those 6 HD DVR's would cost, I haven't done the research lately but about 6 months ago it was $299 per HD DVR for Direct, sooooo sure you can have 6 for $1800.
at least dish has awesome deals on their unbeliveable DVR's.
jacmyoung
02-14-09, 05:56 PM
Obviously you did not ask DirecTV how much those 6 HD DVR's would cost, I haven't done the research lately but about 6 months ago it was $299 per HD DVR for Direct, sooooo sure you can have 6 for $1800.
at least dish has awesome deals on their unbeliveable DVR's.
A new DirecTV sub gets the first HD DVR for free, even the second can be free now I heard, addtional $199 each. They also gets free HD DVR or $99 HD DVR regularly as established subs.
In more affluent areas, customers can afford to pay for those additional receivers without being heavily subsidized...
True, however if the next guy allows them to lease unlimited number of HD DVRs at lower cost, they will go there, and bring their high monthly money with them. Rich people do not get rich by wasting money.
I could get the 1st two dvrs free from D*, and the other two would cost almost $600.
However, I could add 2 more without having to explain myself.
Really, the whole assumption that you use a DVR for 2 TVs is absurd. I bet most people don't. Besides, it's DISHES fault I have that many tuners.
snowcat
02-16-09, 02:13 PM
Really, the whole assumption that you use a DVR for 2 TVs is absurd. I bet most people don't. Besides, it's DISHES fault I have that many tuners.
It's not absurd. My parents have that setup, and it works out nicely. You get DVR service to two televisions for the price of one.
coldsteel
02-16-09, 02:35 PM
Really, the whole assumption that you use a DVR for 2 TVs is absurd. I bet most people don't. Besides, it's DISHES fault I have that many tuners.
Um, I do.
Also, how is it Dish's fault on the tuners when the option for the 612 DID NOT EXIST when you got the 622?
scooper
02-16-09, 02:42 PM
Really, the whole assumption that you use a DVR for 2 TVs is absurd. I bet most people don't. Besides, it's DISHES fault I have that many tuners.
That's right - I use my dualtuner DVR in dual mode so every TV reception device in my house ( 5 of them) can watch either channel of DBS at any time.
I'd have to question why someone "needs" a HDDVR at each TV.
Without dual HD tuners you would be lose the ability to watch one channel while recording another channel. You also would no longer be able to record two shows at once.
As many recording timers as you reported I don't see how one tuner would be a better option.
If I understand your needs you must have a large family!
Six TV with different programming on each is a large install base.
If this is not the case then having three receivers with each one cabled to a HDTV within a close distance makes since.
Front part of house: 1 HDDVR - 2 HDTV's ( One HDMI, One Component )
Center part of house: 1 HDDVR - 2 HDTV's ( One HDMI, One Component )
Back part of house: 1 HDDRV - 2 HDTV's ( One HDMI, One Component )
Other far places: RF Video distribution of HDDRV to all small TV's, kitchen, bathroom, etc...
So with three receivers I can watch TV on six HDTV's with small cable runs.
Each set of HDTV's will have the same programming.
I can also service as many TV's as desired in SD.
Now if the TV's can not deal with the setup above, ie.. The TV in the backroom would be better shared with the TV in the front room, then you can run CAT5 cable for a long distance feed and still get 1080i just fine.
While I personally went the HDMI long feed method as I outlined before there are other options.
Ce Labs Cat5tx Cat-5 Hd A/v Transmitter ( $98.99 )
http://www.beachaudio.com/Ce-Labs/Cat5tx-p-83057.html
Distributes High-definition Component Video With Digital Or Left/right Audio Over Cat-5 Or Cat-6 Wire
High-band Width Transmitter Sends Signals 500 Ft To 2 Different Locations
Loop-thru Allows Use Of Additional Transmitters For More Locations
Use With The Ceicat5rx Receiver
Ce Labs Cat5rx Cat-5 Hd A/v Receiver ( $114.99 )
http://www.beachaudio.com/Ce-Labs/Cat5rx-p-83056.html
So with one transmitter and two receivers we can add two HDTV's at a distance of 500 feet. Since you have two HDDVR's you could get two sets. One for one DVR and one for the other DVR.
That is four addition HDTV sets you can run off of two existing HDDVR's.
If 500 feet is not enough then you can cascade them. Just add one trasmitter at each 500 feet run.
If CAT5 is not to your liking you can also use HDMI or Component wireless solutions which work well. You will pay for the ability to run a long distance though.
BattleZone
02-16-09, 04:09 PM
True, however if the next guy allows them to lease unlimited number of HD DVRs at lower cost, they will go there, and bring their high monthly money with them. Rich people do not get rich by wasting money.
We've known all along that due to Dish's pricing and leasing models, as well as their advertising, they attract mostly the lower-end, lower-spending customers (DirecTV makes a lot more per subscriber). Few Dish users go beyond 4 TVs due to the lease structure; they take what they can get for free (or heavily discounted) and that's it.
DirecTV purposely chose to go after the more affluent customers who often have larger systems. DirecTV makes this easy, and less espensive. And they set their credit thresholds higher, and enforce their policies better (a lot less is given away for free), so that they tend to weed out the customers who want everything for free. They bill themselves as a premium provider for those who are willing to pay for it.
This is why DirecTV continues to grow while Dish's installed base is shrinking, especially in more affluent areas. DirecTV's customers tend to be less effected by the problems with the economy, while Dish's customers have been trained to insist on everything being free. I feel it every day in my area. Right now, there is very little work, and new Dish customers cancel for the tiniest reasons. Dish is giving away tons of service calls and discounted upgrades trying to keep people from leaving, but in many areas, there is a lot of competition "at the bottom", which is where Dish traditionally gets most of its customers.
In my area, Dish's lower-end customers are taking cheaper deals with Comcast or Uverse, while many of the higher-end customers are going to DirecTV because they want 6-7 rooms with TV. There are a lot of Dish installers sitting around with nothing to do here right now; I'm one of them.
The situation may be different in other areas, and in fact, I know it is, because we also do work in Cleveland, and it's plenty busy there. But Dish is doing very poorly in high-tech areas, and for whatever reason, doesn't seem to want to compete with DirecTV for that market. Hopefully that changes with the 922, which is an exciting geek/gadget-centric machine that should go over pretty well here.
Really, the whole assumption that you use a DVR for 2 TVs is absurd. I bet most people don't. Besides, it's DISHES fault I have that many tuners.
Really works great for most of us who do not need to watch 6 TV's at one time. The 722 in my living room feeds a 2nd beedroom that they can watch at night. Also great for starting to watch a show, pause it and then continue it when you get to bed. I have a 612 in my bedroom that feeds the kitchen TV also since I am not in the kitchen the same time I am in the bedroom. Why would I want to have 4 boxes and pay 4 lease fees when I only need 2? It really does work for many people.
FYI if I needed HD on all 4 TV's then I would have gone with 4 612's. Well actually in the kitchen likely not a DVR anyway.
ImBack234
02-16-09, 04:30 PM
Really, the whole assumption that you use a DVR for 2 TVs is absurd. I bet most people don't. Besides, it's DISHES fault I have that many tuners.
What.:confused:
A box on every tv is absurd, never mind costly!!!
paulman182
02-17-09, 05:15 AM
What.:confused:
A box on every tv is absurd, never mind costly!!!
Not at all. One of the big advantages of DirecTV is the relative ease with which you can outfit all your rooms with fully-fuctional two tuner HD DVRs.
And if you start with one DVR and upgrade gradually as you become eligible for discounts, it doesn't have to be expensive.
IMHO Dish Network is stingy with its equipment and then nickels-and-dimes you once you get it.
jacmyoung
02-17-09, 05:53 AM
I could get the 1st two dvrs free from D*, and the other two would cost almost $600.
Even with the most expensive route, buy two other HD DVRs from Costco, $338 extra plus tax. When I signed up with D* a year ago, I got the third HD DVR for $99 and bought the fourth one from Costco.
Really, the whole assumption that you use a DVR for 2 TVs is absurd. I bet most people don't. Besides, it's DISHES fault I have that many tuners.
Many people do use them to support two TVs. E*'s two-TV DVRs were way ahead of its time years ago, but the second TV being SD only is now becoming an old concept fast.
jacmyoung
02-17-09, 05:56 AM
We've known all along that due to Dish's pricing and leasing models, as well as their advertising, they attract mostly the lower-end, lower-spending customers (DirecTV makes a lot more per subscriber). Few Dish users go beyond 4 TVs due to the lease structure; they take what they can get for free (or heavily discounted) and that's it.
DirecTV purposely chose to go after the more affluent customers who often have larger systems. DirecTV makes this easy, and less espensive. And they set their credit thresholds higher, and enforce their policies better (a lot less is given away for free), so that they tend to weed out the customers who want everything for free. They bill themselves as a premium provider for those who are willing to pay for it.
This is why DirecTV continues to grow while Dish's installed base is shrinking, especially in more affluent areas. DirecTV's customers tend to be less effected by the problems with the economy, while Dish's customers have been trained to insist on everything being free. I feel it every day in my area. Right now, there is very little work, and new Dish customers cancel for the tiniest reasons. Dish is giving away tons of service calls and discounted upgrades trying to keep people from leaving, but in many areas, there is a lot of competition "at the bottom", which is where Dish traditionally gets most of its customers.
In my area, Dish's lower-end customers are taking cheaper deals with Comcast or Uverse, while many of the higher-end customers are going to DirecTV because they want 6-7 rooms with TV. There are a lot of Dish installers sitting around with nothing to do here right now; I'm one of them.
The situation may be different in other areas, and in fact, I know it is, because we also do work in Cleveland, and it's plenty busy there. But Dish is doing very poorly in high-tech areas, and for whatever reason, doesn't seem to want to compete with DirecTV for that market. Hopefully that changes with the 922, which is an exciting geek/gadget-centric machine that should go over pretty well here.
All the more reasons why E* should change this stupid four-tuner policy.
ImBack234
02-17-09, 07:40 AM
Many people do use them to support two TVs. E*'s two-TV DVRs were way ahead of its time years ago, but the second TV being SD only is now becoming an old concept fast.
What...:uglyhamme Most peoples second TV is SD. Infact most subs on satellite are still sd.:eek2:
Lets not forget as of today D* still doesn't have Multi Room DVR.:D
So guys when you add to this topic lets stick with the facts. :rolleyes::D
jacmyoung
02-17-09, 08:49 AM
What...:uglyhamme Most peoples second TV is SD. Infact most subs on satellite are still sd.:eek2:
Lets not forget as of today D* still doesn't have Multi Room DVR.:D
So guys when you add to this topic lets stick with the facts. :rolleyes::D
If you want to stick to the topic here, then please realize that the OP wanted more than two HD DVRs because he now has more than two HDTVs, and E* does not meet such request in a reasonable way.
D* on the other hand does not limit the number of HD DVRs to lease, which is part of the reasons why they tend to retain affluent subs better since most of them now have HDTVs replacing all their old SDTVs.
What is your topic?
ImBack234
02-17-09, 09:03 AM
Rereading some of the post in this thread again I see common sense has no part in this discussion.:rolleyes::eek2:
jacmyoung
02-17-09, 10:52 AM
...I got the ViP 612 with splitter and shipping for just over $300. Dish wanted $429 or something like that...
Look at it this way, if eventually you no longer need it you might be able to sell it to recover some of your investment.
I am being penalized for having dual TV outputs even though I did not want them. DISH had no other option at the time. Now they do but are unwilling to replace my receivers or consider them as single tuners - even though their own websites say "For 1 or 2 TVs".
Also, how is it Dish's fault on the tuners when the option for the 612 DID NOT EXIST when you got the 622?
Yes, so would I. The problem is that DISH did not have the 612 when I got my first 2 622s. Now, since I have 2 622s, a 522, they say I hook up to 6 TVs. I don't and can't. With a slab foundation and all my pipes and heater ducts running between floors (2 story townhouse), routing cable to another TV is ludicrously expensive. I only use the 622s on single TVs so a 612 would be perfect.
I have 4 TVs - 3 HD and 1 SD and they are on 2 separate floors on opposite ends of the house.
FYI if I needed HD on all 4 TV's then I would have gone with 4 612's. Well actually in the kitchen likely not a DVR anyway.
I did try that. They won't do anything as long as I have "too many" tuners. I would have to deactivate at least one 622, then upgrade the 522. Problem is, I could not re-activate the 622 as it would violate the number of tuners rule and I'm back to square 1. I also couldn't 'downgrade' the 622 to a 612 as only 1 upgrade per year is allowed.
If I understand you correctly, you have two 622s and one 522 on the lease, why couldn't you upgrade your 522 to a 612?
If I deactivate a 622, I could upgrade my 522 to a 612. The problem is then I can't re-activate the 622 as it then violates the tuner rules. I can't swap it for a 612 as only 1 upgrade/swap is allowed per year. So I would end up with a 622 and 612. That's going backwards.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmspen
...Other options were to deactivate my current receivers then add another. Well that doesn't really work, does it? ...
Why not?
It's not absurd to use it for 2 TVs...it's absurd for DISH to assume that you are. Every time I call, they tell me I'm hooked up to 2 TVs. For many people, the dual tuner to 2 TVs works great. For me, no. Also, one of their big selling points is the ability to record 2 shows at once. Can you do that if they are connected to 2 TVs? Yes, but not by the same TV. Besides, these are separate people watching these TVs, not one or two people going from one room to another.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmspen
Really, the whole assumption that you use a DVR for 2 TVs is absurd. I bet most people don't. Besides, it's DISHES fault I have that many tuners.
It's not absurd. My parents have that setup, and it works out nicely. You get DVR service to two televisions for the price of one.
4HiMarks
02-17-09, 02:24 PM
It's not absurd. My parents have that setup, and it works out nicely. You get DVR service to two televisions for the price of one.
We use "that setup" to get DVR service to the whole house. Just feed the TV2 output into a 4-way splitter. We even diplex it with the incoming sat signal so we don't have to run another cable to the collection point.
SO I bought a 612. I received it last Friday and unpackaged and hhooked it up.
Guess what? No signal!
After fiddling with the receeiver, I started checking the wiring. Couple of years ago, I had 2 dishes and 4 lines into the house. Last year I was 'upgraded to a 1000.2 antenna. I was suffereing signal dropouts so they replaced the antenna. Well I checked my connections and found there are only 3 lines going to the antenna. Hey! Where's the 4th line?
Looks like the 4th line was never connected. I decided I didn't want to deal with it so i called DISH and scehuled an installation. Sunday between 12-5. Great.
Sunday came...12...1..2...3...4...5...no calls, no DISH dude.
Called DISH. They show the notes, the call, everything, but NO WORK ORDER!
The CSR apologized and offerend me 3 months of HBO and Starz. Uh, I have the Everything Pack so that's kind of meaningless. (You'd think their profile would show that). In the end they scheduled a priority install for today and a $20 credit.
We'll see if they show today...
ZBoomer
02-23-09, 11:19 AM
SO I bought a 612. I received it last Friday and unpackaged and hhooked it up.
...
Well I checked my connections and found there are only 3 lines going to the antenna. Hey! Where's the 4th line?
Looks like the 4th line was never connected.
I thought a 1000.2 had three outputs, you'll need a switch to connect four receivers to it, as far as I know. (I have an older dish myself.)
Jim5506
02-23-09, 12:29 PM
Dish 1000.2 has only 3 outputs.
You need a DPP44 switch.
Connect each of the three outputs from the D1000.2 to the inputs on the DPP44 and connect the power inserter to the #1 output on the DPP44.
You can now use all 4 outputs on your DPP44 to power up to 4 dual tuner or single tuner dish pro receivers.
P.S. - the DPP44 runs $90 on ebay (caveat emptor).
When the DISH Dude showed up, he called me to let me know I'd need a switch. He said DISH cost was $199. OUCH! He has a friend who runs a sat install business and got the switch for $120. He installed it and only 3 of the 4 output ports worked. <sigh>
Everything is all set up and readdy to go. He actually replaced all the RG6 to narrow the problem to the switch. We even swapped lines all around and could only get 3 ports working. He's taking it back and should show up today around 9 to install the new switch.
I used to have 2 regular dishes and now have the 1000.2. The mast is still in place from one of the small dishes. I'm wondering if it might be better to get another 1000.2 and run a line from it rather than having a switch. I was saving the mast to install an OTA when the weather gets a little better and I really have no plans for another TV. Maybe the switch is still the best way...
More to come...
coldsteel
02-24-09, 10:45 AM
Take the switch, and do the OTA later. Having the switch gives you room to expand with a second switch later if needed.
Well, for whatever reason, the DISH dude could not get the DPP44 to work with 4 receivers. So in the end he installed another 1000.2. I now have 2 on my roof. Pretty soon I'll get cals from NASA asking me to search for ETs!
I now have the ability to add 2 more lines without a switch. SO where do I put them...kitchen? garage? And it only cost $100!
OK, saga done. Finis.
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