Frustration with E*

[motjes2]

I have been with E* for about 3 years. I am at the critical point of leaving. I have 6 receivers in my account (a 721, 501, two 6000, two 301); I get the "everything package" channel lineup and in addition I have the basic "latino" package and discovery-HD. My bill is about $144/mth which I have have never been late. During NBA season I also subscribe to this package. Here is my complaint.


(1) No Yankees games on E* because E* does not have it. I can live without this because I can get it through cablevision but it will be nice to have it and be able to record the games on the 721 or 501. Especially those games that I can not catch. Being in NYC, you expect this as a given, but E* has failed to deliver.

(2) No MLB out of market package. E* again fails in this. Again, I can live without this. But it will be great to have it.

(3) No HD-Package. D* announces their HD package yet E* fails to do the same. I am getting sick and tire of waiting and so far we can only rely on rumors for sept 1st. No HDNet, no EspnHD

(4) 721 no release of new software. A lot of promises and no delivery.

(5) 921, No delivery on promises. You get a lot of promises but no good news when this is going to be released. There have been already about 3 released date but E* fail on their promises again.

(6) Upgraded the latino package with these new channels but these channels are useless. Especially the two movie channels that are from Mexico. Useless channels.

My frustration with E* is getting to a point where I will have to change to D*. It looks like D* subscriber ask for channels and D* listens. I am tired of hearing well is not a good business policy.

Just an honest and frustrated opinion... :computer:

[Jacob S]

I threatened DirecTv on them and hung up when I realized that they shipped the 721 to the wrong address after I told them and asked them again if they were sending it to the address I specified because of moving and not living at the other residence anymore. I even called back to make sure and they told me that it was going where I told them.

Today I call and get the tracking number and sure enough they sent it to the old address and to the wrong place. I call them back and they still tell me that it says they are sending it to the one I told them and I said thats not what it says on the UPS site and they still tried to tell me that I was wrong. Thats when I said that the receiver should not have went bad in the first place along with three other 501's and that there over $100 a month ordered and we should not deal with this nad that they have some making up to us to do and threatened DirecTv on them and said that they do not have these issues with their receivers.

What a load of bull. They even wanted to charge for shipping but they waived it. Can you believe that?

[music_beans]

How can those Latino channels be "useless?" You wanted latino channels, and you got em. :)

[John Corn]

I hear ya motjes2........:righton:

I want MLB Extra Innings, an HD package and most of all a 921. :)

[scooper]

My frustration with E* is getting to a point where I will have to change to D*. It looks like D* subscriber ask for channels and D* listens. I am tired of hearing well is not a good business policy.

Just an honest and frustrated opinion... :computer:

motjes2 - if you're THAT frustrated with E* - switch. TV is NOT worth getting that fed up about.

[HTguy]

I have been with E* for about 3 years. I am at the critical point of leaving. I have 6 receivers in my account (a 721, 501, two 6000, two 301); I get the "everything package" channel lineup and in addition I have the basic "latino" package and discovery-HD. My bill is about $144/mth which I have have never been late. During NBA season I also subscribe to this package. Here is my complaint.


(1) No Yankees games on E* because E* does not have it. I can live without this because I can get it through cablevision but it will be nice to have it and be able to record the games on the 721 or 501. Especially those games that I can not catch. Being in NYC, you expect this as a given, but E* has failed to deliver.

(2) No MLB out of market package. E* again fails in this. Again, I can live without this. But it will be great to have it.

(3) No HD-Package. D* announces their HD package yet E* fails to do the same. I am getting sick and tire of waiting and so far we can only rely on rumors for sept 1st. No HDNet, no EspnHD

(4) 721 no release of new software. A lot of promises and no delivery.

(5) 921, No delivery on promises. You get a lot of promises but no good news when this is going to be released. There have been already about 3 released date but E* fail on their promises again.

(6) Upgraded the latino package with these new channels but these channels are useless. Especially the two movie channels that are from Mexico. Useless channels.

My frustration with E* is getting to a point where I will have to change to D*. It looks like D* subscriber ask for channels and D* listens. I am tired of hearing well is not a good business policy.

Just an honest and frustrated opinion... :computer:

Have patience, Grasshopper.

(1) Charlie righteously decided that he would not make non-Yankee fans and all the DISH subs out of the NY area pay extra or settle for less general-interest programming to have Yes available to the minority that want it. If Yes would make itself available a la carte for those that desire it everybody could be happy. Blame Steinberger, et al for their greedy policy.

(2) Extra Innings is up for grabs next year & it is more than likely E* will have it just as they took on Center Ice and League Pass when they became available. It is unlikely that DirecTV can afford to make this another expensive loss-leader as they just did again with Sunday Ticket.

(3) The America's Top HD Pak will be up in a month or less. E* will ultimately have a lot more HD to offer than any other carrier. Knowing this, DirecTV made a smart marketing move in turning there HD Pak on first but by the end of the year a lot of their HD subs will be switching to DISH.

(4) & (5) E* has never, ever made any promises of release dates for SW or HW releases. I agree that they announce new models & features way too prematurely which is frustrating. This is the nature of marketing - to show that they are leading edge & ahead of the curve, etc.

But they seemed to have learned their lesson with the premature release of the 721 & seem to be making an effort to ensure that the 921 will be stable when it does ship. I think that's a good thing. Imagine the outrage if high-end HD users wound up with a really buggy product for their ~$1000.00.

(6) How much are you paying for the new Spanish channels? Nada! So ignore them if you don't like them.

Is this really a good time to quit E* & go DirecTV? (Especially if you consider what it will cost you to get 6 comperable IRDs?)

I sure don't think so!

[music_beans]

(6) How much are you paying for the new Spanish channels? Nada! So ignore them if you don't like them.


Uh, he did not mean the ones that come with AT150, he meant DISH LATINO with about 30 spanish channels.

[motjes2]

Htguy,

(1) I disagree. You blame Mr. Steinbreiner for seeing the opportunity of making money in capalist market? What would happen if every major league team gets their own channel and try to market their chanel the same way? Does it mean that every single regional sport channel will be phase out from E*? Do you think that will be fair? How would you feel if your cable operator does not carry your local sport regional channel? Again, this is not even my major complaint but it adds into the equation. I already can get the YES network through Cablevision. My only regret is that I cannot record the games using the 721 or the 501.

(2) Extra Innings on E*. You sound too optimistic and I am not sure that E* history dictates that it necessarily will add this. I have heard Charlie said too many times "we are in negotiation" and then being dissapointed by "oh we tried but it was not financially possible to have it". Remember E* is the only one that does not have this. Cable operators already carry this. Even Cablevision!!!

(3) I really hope that you are right about this one. Again I do not trust anything I hear as a rumor. Everything sounds very good but how long have we been talking about Espn-HD, Hdnet and Hdnet Movies? March, 2003? and yet NADA... I hope that by 8/15 we are able to see at least HDNET and HDNET movies. ESPN-HD will not be surprised if Charlie decides to give you the same reason as to "it does not fit our current business model".

(4) & (5) Charlie had given us at least three dates for the released of the 921. December 2002, March 2003, & now after the summer. I do not think I made these up. I heard them in the Charlie chats. Regarding the software upgrades. You maybe right. But I thought that when Scott went into beta mode and testing and he gave us some idea when the software was going to be released that these "around" dates came from E*. Maybe I am mistaken here but I did not think Scott was making these release dates unless he was told to tell us that it will come in two, three or four weeks, and so on.

(6) As, I think somebody already mentioned, I am talking about the Dish Latino. There are certain channels in this package that are quite ridiculous. Like those two movies channels they added. The classic channel: I wonder who the heck will sit down and watch any of those horrible movies. The other one, there is not a single movie that was recently produced by any independent good director or foreign spanish director. Those movies are plainly and simple horribles. No wonder they added them to the package for free!. Why not add channels from other spanish countries with more diversity in their programming. I love the TVE, AZTECA, SUR, CNN en espano, foxsport en espanol, HBO, and the spanish music channel. That's entertaiment. But those two channels are useless.

As I said before, I think I have right to express my opinion since I pay for the same programming that everyone on this forum pays. I also have the right to leave or to stay as I see how the future of E* is going to be. I am not about to leave but if E* does not do anything by Sept 1, then that's all the time I can give them. They either satisfy my appetite by getting the HD package or something else or it is bye bye E*.

[Steve Mehs]

I'm willing to bet Dish will have MLB Extra Innings next season, Dish wants to get on the action if the price is right, and DirecTV cannot have the DBS exclusive forever. Last year this time no one would have guessed that in three months from then Dish would have NHL Center Ice and NBA League Pass.

[dbronstein]

So switch already if you're this fed up with Dish. They offer what they offer. Either it's worth it to you to pay for it or it's not.

Dennis

[TV38]

motjes2
You should definately switch to Direct. And I do not mean that as trying to be a smart *ss. Some of your reasons as has been already posted I feel are just plain wrong. But if I lived in NY I too would want YES. But ALL the the others of us do not want it if we have to pay, because we cannot get it. So Dish is doing the right thing for all the rest of us, and maybe for future negotiations with other programmers.

To answer one of your replies, absoulutly if every team tried to market their channel/team in the same way as YES, they WOULD all disappear not only from Dish but from Direct also. If they cannot be made available as a-la-carte then you can be sure they would have to be dropped. Do you think we are going to pay that kind of money for multiple "YES" situations when we can't get even get those stations even if we wanted it?

If you have a deadline of September 1st, though I think it is arbitrary that of course is your decision. But the satellite tv industry is still developing, and what is now, most certainly won't be later. IMHO Direct may be first with an HD package, but Dish has the makings of having more available and seems to be planning for much more in the future. Also, weather in AT150 or the Latino package, the new channels were added FREE - so what's the problem? Don't watch them if you don't like them.

The reason for having more than one satellite provider is exactly for your post. You do have the choice and whatever works better for you is what you should do. For some, the superstations and getting more than LA and NY for distants is very important. Or for those that would get HBO/Cinamax, the AT100 and AT150 package is really a very good deal IMHO. But again, if movies are not your thing, many seem to think the Direct plus package is the best. Point being, for all the things you think are enough to switch, I have as many that would make me stay with Dish. If I lost my local teams I would not be happy either. On that issue I see your point and it would be a tough decision for me also weather to switch or not. But your other issues for the most part I cannot agree with.

[Darkman]

they said on Chat that the future of HD (i guess possibility of more channels, etc) is at Dish...
(more TPs etc ..or something like that)

Do not give a "flying kite" though about HD yet anyhow (so do not listen too carefully about HD info) :)

[MikeW]

As I remember from the Charlie Chats in the beginning of the YES era..they even flashed D*'s number and said if you want it, switch.

[HTguy]

Htguy,

(1) I disagree. You blame Mr. Steinbreiner for seeing the opportunity of making money in capalist market? What would happen if every major league team gets their own channel and try to market their chanel the same way? Does it mean that every single regional sport channel will be phase out from E*? Do you think that will be fair? How would you feel if your cable operator does not carry your local sport regional channel? Again, this is not even my major complaint but it adds into the equation. I already can get the YES network through Cablevision. My only regret is that I cannot record the games using the 721 or the 501.

No, I don't blame Steiberger for trying to make money. I blame him for insisting that Yes be carried in an existing package which would force non-Yankee fans in NY and all the other E* subs to pay for it one way or another. It would be perfectly fair, reasonable and even more profitable if Yes could be sold to NY Yankee fans a la carte.

(2) Extra Innings on E*. You sound too optimistic and I am not sure that E* history dictates that it necessarily will add this. I have heard Charlie said too many times "we are in negotiation" and then being dissapointed by "oh we tried but it was not financially possible to have it". Remember E* is the only one that does not have this. Cable operators already carry this. Even Cablevision!!!

Well, I think you're being too pessimistic. I'd rather see the glass as half full. Again, E* got NBA LP & NHL CI as soon as they could. If the baseball leagues are as reasonable we'll have EI next year.

(3) I really hope that you are right about this one. Again I do not trust anything I hear as a rumor. Everything sounds very good but how long have we been talking about Espn-HD, Hdnet and Hdnet Movies? March, 2003? and yet NADA... I hope that by 8/15 we are able to see at least HDNET and HDNET movies. ESPN-HD will not be surprised if Charlie decides to give you the same reason as to "it does not fit our current business model".

Someone in another thread reminded us of the story of the tortoise & the hare. Charlie has stated that he intends to have more HD than anybody & he has the capacity to do it. Leasing the AM Sat @ 105 & the gradual roll-out of the SuperDish is ample evidence he intends to make good on this.

(4) & (5) Charlie had given us at least three dates for the released of the 921. December 2002, March 2003, & now after the summer. I do not think I made these up. I heard them in the Charlie chats. Regarding the software upgrades. You maybe right. But I thought that when Scott went into beta mode and testing and he gave us some idea when the software was going to be released that these "around" dates came from E*. Maybe I am mistaken here but I did not think Scott was making these release dates unless he was told to tell us that it will come in two, three or four weeks, and so on.

You have heard their typical wishy-washy statements to the effect that they hoped this or that product would be out by "the end of such-and-and such quarter" of this year, later updated that they "hope" it will ship by this-or-that quarter of this or next year.

If you choose to regard these kinds of statements as "promises" thats up to you.

(6) As, I think somebody already mentioned, I am talking about the Dish Latino. There are certain channels in this package that are quite ridiculous. Like those two movies channels they added. The classic channel: I wonder who the heck will sit down and watch any of those horrible movies. The other one, there is not a single movie that was recently produced by any independent good director or foreign spanish director. Those movies are plainly and simple horribles. No wonder they added them to the package for free!. Why not add channels from other spanish countries with more diversity in their programming. I love the TVE, AZTECA, SUR, CNN en espano, foxsport en espanol, HBO, and the spanish music channel. That's entertaiment. But those two channels are useless.

I knew you were talking about Dish Latino. Again, how much extra did they charge you for these new channels? You have a right to complain when they charge you extra for something you don't want. Just like I would complain if they added Yes and I had to pay more because of it.

As I said before, I think I have right to express my opinion since I pay for the same programming that everyone on this forum pays. I also have the right to leave or to stay as I see how the future of E* is going to be. I am not about to leave but if E* does not do anything by Sept 1, then that's all the time I can give them. They either satisfy my appetite by getting the HD package or something else or it is bye bye E*.

You absolutely have the right to say whatever you want here (within the guidelines of the forum) and to do whatever you want regarding DBS. Did anybody suggest otherwise? I just don't happen to see that you have any serious reasons for such frustration.

:rant:

[boba]

Motjes2 if you can qualify as a new Directv customer there are some great deals on Directivos and regular receivers with free installation and only a 1 year commitment. As a frustrated DISH dealer I am switching my personal subscription next month when my annual subscription expires. I have had it with lousy software, poor picture quality and empty promises. I can't take millions of customers away to make my point but I can take 1 and I will.

[Claude Greiner2]

(1) I disagree. You blame Mr. Steinbreiner for seeing the opportunity of making money in capalist market? What would happen if every major league team gets their own channel and try to market their chanel the same way? Does it mean that every single regional sport channel will be phase out from E*? Do you think that will be fair? How would you feel if your cable operator does not carry your local sport regional channel? Again, this is not even my major complaint but it adds into the equation. I already can get the YES network through Cablevision. My only regret is that I cannot record the games using the 721 or the 501.

I understand your frustration with the YES network, but there are people like me who will not pay for something I do not watch.

If they want to do it Alacart, then im all for it. But don't raise my rates $2 because a small number of customers want to watch their yankee games!

[tampa8]

Motjes2 if you can qualify as a new Directv customer there are some great deals on Directivos and regular receivers with free installation and only a 1 year commitment. As a frustrated DISH dealer I am switching my personal subscription next month when my annual subscription expires. I have had it with lousy software, poor picture quality and empty promises. I can't take millions of customers away to make my point but I can take 1 and I will.


"poor picture quality" - Then you won't be going to Direct TV either I guess. Just go to some of the other forums out there (DBS Forums, AVS, Home Theater Spot, among many others) and you will read dissatisfaction with Direct TV picture quality also. Specifically HD compression complaints and with the USA network, Travel Channel, and
I think some of the Discovery channels. Both systems have their critics and I consider both about equal in picture quality. Now if you want to see poor picture quality check out our cable system on the still many analog stations. I just get a little suspicious when I read a reply flatly saying "poor picture quality" Also, while Dish certainly announces things that seem to take forever for them to happen, they do eventually happen so I can't agree they are "empty promises" In fact on the horizon it appears they might keep their promise of being the leader in HD progamming - not the first - but maybe the leader. No question the Dishplayer (a disaster for many customers) and possibly the 501 had poor software. But the 721, 508, 2700,4700/4900 301, and 6000 have been good. Again, you can read about some problems with TIVO for instance if you look. And Dish does listen to their customers at least sometimes because many of the upgrades have been what we wanted. I am only saying sometimes "The grass is always greener" All that said, if disatisfied, certainly switching from Direct to Dish or Dish to Direct is why there is compitition. In the end you gotta do what makes you happy!

[HTguy]

Motjes2 if you can qualify as a new Directv customer there are some great deals on Directivos and regular receivers with free installation and only a 1 year commitment.

Hey, boba, what kind of deal is he going to get to start over with comperable equipment and programming?
I have 6 receivers in my account (a 721, 501, two 6000, two 301); I get the "everything package" channel lineup and in addition I have the basic "latino" package and discovery-HD. My bill is about $144/mth which I have have never been late. During NBA season I also subscribe to this package.
That's 2 PVRs, 2 HD rcvrs & 2 basic rcvrs w/antenna, switch(s) & installation. Then how much more a month will he be paying for Total Choice Premier, Opcion Extra Especial, Premiums w/Sports Pack, HD Pack & a/o's?

Even if he unloads his E* eqmt on E-Bay is he going to come out ahead? I figure (adding & subtracting quickly in my head) he'll be paying around $45 more a month. Even if I'm off a few bucks I don't see a better deal here.

But, hey, anybody can do whatever they want!