My Family's Echostar bill islike $112.94 a month Ithink and

my dad wants to get rid of some programming.
This really sucks.
This is what we had last month.

America's top 100
$31.99

South Asian Mega Pack
$49.99

PrimeTv(mistakenly called PakTv on the EPG)
$14.99

Philly Locals
$5.99

Superstations
$4.99

Additional Reciever in my bedroom
$4.99

The reason my family has those South Asian channels is because we're Pakistani-Americans.

My dad wants to get rid of America's Top 100 and replace it with America's Top 50 to start and cut even more channels later. My mom and I say that if you want to cancel anything, then The Indian stations should be cut because they're the most expensive part of the bill.
Even when there's a chance of war between Pakistan and India, my dad still wants those Indian stations.
My mom says that even if there's a war between India and Pakistan, and India somehow has H-Bombs and uses them on Pakistan and Pakistan is totally destoryed, then my dad STILL WON'T cancel the Indian Mega Pack.
Sadly a family is not a democracy, but it's a dictatorship, and he who makes the money makes the rules.
This is the programming I wish I had.

America's Everything Pack

plus

PrimeTv

plus

Philly Locals

plus a PVR 721 in my bedroom so I'd no have no need for using Superstations for time shifting purposes.
It's a good thing that I at least got to see the Shaq fight on WGN Superstaion before my dad canceled the America's top 100.
Can you believe that I can't even watch MSNBC or Fox Newschannel?
Those are incredibly basic channels.

I have good news for you. When you move out you will be able to subsribe to whatever you want (assuming you can afford it).

Another option is to get a part time job and pitch in on the bill. If you really want those channels, work for them!

If you can pitch in on the difference in price between AT50 and AT100, it should not be an enormous amount of money a month and your dad may appreciate "Stepping Up"

But in 30 or 40 so years, your parents may have to turn to you for support and you may be able to say back to them "My House My Rules" You will be able to say to your dad "Sorry, I want to upgrade to the Mega 10000 pack so away goes the Pakistani Channels" :D

Could you get a KU dish (about 30 inches diameter) and LNB and a "free to air" digital receiver to pick up some of those foreign channels for free (check www.smallear.com)? Well, free after you shell out about $200 to $300 for the equipment...Then again at $50 a month, it wouldn't take long to pay for the equipment.

Well, hopefully all the sabre rattling will calm down soon...

Look to be Zee TV Africa and Doordarshan.
www.lyngsat.com/pas9.shtml (http://www.lyngsat.com/pas9.shtml)

In my family, SONY Entertainment is a must now! We take $30/monthly for Zee and SONY. Rest Zee Gold and B4U are junk. So no SONY, forget it. TV Asia is OK , not worth the $10 extra per month. Since all three Zee, SONY, and TV Asia air lot of Pakistani serials, it doesnt make sense why Dish has no discounting for Prime TV.

Anyone know how Dish picks Prime and SONY channel up? I believe they may pick up both Prime and SONY from UK, then there is a delay with advertising added. Is this channel FTA?

International channel carries some networks, but its only on digital cable and not FTA.
www.internationalchannel....mnetworks/ (http://www.internationalchannel.com/premiumnetworks/)
www.lyngsat.com/g11.shtml (http://www.lyngsat.com/g11.shtml)

Some other channels, ITV Gold www.itvgold.com/home.htm (http://www.itvgold.com/home.htm)
Carries lots of programming from SONY Entertainment Channel. Believe this is only on cable.

In Canada, Star Choice and ExpressVu carry www.asiantelevision.com/newsrelease.html (http://www.asiantelevision.com/newsrelease.html)
Its mostly Zee programming. Some local channels carry South Asian programming including MHZ, this channel is WNVC 56 in Washington locals from 61.5
www.wnvc.org/schedules/mhz_schedule.html (http://www.wnvc.org/schedules/mhz_schedule.html)

If your dad just needs South Asian news, that channel has a 6:30pm evening cast, with programming on weekends too.

WMBC 63 New York has Asian Variety Show. This is on TV Asia too. But Dish doesnt have this channel, yet. There maybe some channels in California and Chicago that might air some Asian-Indian Pakistani programming. But probably limited to weekends only.

There are lots of FTA Chinese, Arabic, and European networks. There are more Pakistanis and Indians in world than Arabs. But there are more Arab nations than South Asian nations, with bigger wallets. So there is Iran TV, Iraq TV, Dubai TV, Kuwait TV, Egypt TV, etc...

The reason I am so against the two networks Zee Gold and B4U is primarily all they air is old movies!! What a waste.

Does your dad actually WATCH all these channels? A PVR 501 might be a good idea. Less channel to subscribe to, but you can tape alot of programming from those channels

Said that the movies played on those channels were not just old, but BAD old movies. Kind of like American B or C quality movies from the 30s, 40s and 50s. I'm guessing these Old movies on those channels are not the Asian equivlant of "Citizen Kane" or "It's a Wondeful Life" etc :D

If you really want those channels, work for them!
Great advice Chris! This is what I do, I always pay my mom $10 toward our E* bill, $5 for my IRD in my bedroom/HT and $5 for the supers. I wanted the supers but my mom doesnt watch UPN programming and is content with the Buffalo WB afilate so shes not really interested in the supers but I wanted them so I pay for them. If I had a more steady job (I only work on my days off from school) maybe Id add HBO or something.

The idea of working for those added channels is a good idea. The only thing that wasn't mentioned is this: Maybe that dollar-figure -- $112 a month -- is, what something the original poster's father might consider, beyond reason.

I get the feeling this dilemma will work out. In a way, it has to.