Advice needed for hardware upgrade

[jbateman]

5 or 6 years ago I put up an 18" dish and single lnb. I currently have a 301 rcvr, and subscribe to Top 50, all the movie channels, and have somehow managed to retain the DishNets east package. Since a neighbor's tree will require me to move the dish/lnb assembly soon, I was thinking this might be a good time to upgrade the outside hardware, but since I haven't kept abreast of DishNetwork developments the past couple years, here's what I'm asking you guys who have:

Is there some dish/lnb combo I should be switching to at this point that would receive more channels in the packages I already subscribe to? And is there some combo that would leave me prepared for future improvements...say if I decide to get some HDTV equipment in a year or two?

Thanks for any advice.

[gcutler]

Any type of activity on your account could cost you the Dishnets East (unless you are in a legit white area), act cautiously.


There is the Dish500 sat that would give you Dual LNB & 2 reciever outputs, that is good for now (and you might be able to get for free???), but in the future there is the new special 3 satellite pointing dish which included the Dish500 satellites and the satellite for HD. So anything you buy now may require a revisit when You and Dish are ready for HD.

[Chris Blount]

Hi JBateman and welcome to DBSTalk! :hi:
Please consider registering with us. It's very easy and free! http://www.dbstalk.com/register.php?

If you are planning to get into HDTV, you might want to wait until later this year when the Superdish gets released. That will give you a great stepping stone for future receiver upgrades.

[Mike Richardson]

A DISH 500 (the one that sees two satellites) would give you more movie channels and I think some public interest channels.

[mwgiii]

Here are the requirements for the free Dish 500 upgrade from Dish Network:

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customerCare/offers/dish_500_upgrade/index.shtml

You could then repoint your 18" dish to 61.5 or 148 and pick up even more channels for no charge.

Here is a list of channels at 61.5 and 148.

http://ekb.dbstalk.com/143

[boba]

Call and talk to a CSR if you have been a customer that long you may be able to get some special deals. I just got an upgrade to a PVR 508 for $149.00 no shipping charge no commitment for additional programming. They didn't offer this I had to request it and the CSR had to go to her coach to get permission to offer it. With the PVR upgrade they have been offering a free DISH 500 w/install. ASK FOR IT THE WORST ANSWER IS NO.

[HTguy]

Yes, you can get a D500 UPG for free. And you can get a PVR UPG at the same time.

Upgrading to the D500 wil get you a few channels you don't currently see. But if you activate a new receiver (as by getting the PVR) you are likely to lose the Dish Nets if you don't currently qualify. Is there some reason you think you don't?

[jbateman]

Yes, you can get a D500 UPG for free. And you can get a PVR UPG at the same time.

Upgrading to the D500 wil get you a few channels you don't currently see. But if you activate a new receiver (as by getting the PVR) you are likely to lose the Dish Nets if you don't currently qualify. Is there some reason you think you don't?

I don't qualify cause I never did. In the olden days anyone could get the networks, until the locals screamed about it. They just never cut me off when they were supposed to. Currently my locals are not available on Dish.

ANYWAY...thanks for the responses. It doesn't look like there'd be very much to gain with a 500 antenna, and I don't plan to change to Top 100 anyway or get a PVR. Thanks again!

[Mike Richardson]

ANYWAY...thanks for the responses. It doesn't look like there'd be very much to gain with a 500 antenna, and I don't plan to change to Top 100 anyway or get a PVR. Thanks again!
I dunno, you are paying for all those movie packages. A Dish 500 would get you at least 8 additional movie channels. If you have Encore Movie Pack then that would be 13 additional movie channels total.