Should I get a Superdish?

[makman]

I have a 721 and a 508. I have no HD plans right now or for the foreseeable future. I am on AT150 and get both locals and distant nets, as well as superstations.

My question is, since I can get the superdish for free, should I?

Mitch

[TonyM]

The only way you can get SuperDish for free is if you commit for a year to AT50 or greater AND either HD package or if your locals will be on SuperDish. Otherwise, it'l cost ya

[makman]

The only way you can get SuperDish for free is if you commit for a year to AT50 or greater AND either HD package or if your locals will be on SuperDish. Otherwise, it'l cost ya

Oh, didn't know about the stuff after the AND

Mitch

[AppliedAggression]

what if someone just wants one dish. can they commit to at50+ and locals (avail on d500) for a year and get super dish free?

[BobMurdoch]

The only people who NEED the Superdish are people who want HD and/or are in the local markets scheduled to be added in the future. Everyone else is optional at this point (although taking a free upgrade to get updated switches may be in your best interest)

[Steve Mehs]

Bob is correct, the only ones who need the SuperDish are those whould have/want high def and those with locals on 105, and plus those who want internationals from 121 with the other version of the SD when everythings set there. For core programming a Dish500 will still get you everything you want and need.

[makman]

For core programming a Dish500 will still get you everything you want and need.

Want and need right now. Perhaps in the future we may want something and need the Superdish then. If we can get it for free now, we should. It may not be free in the future. However it is not clear if we can get it for free if we get our locals on the Dish 500 now and don't want HD.

Mitch

[xgrep]

Bob is correct, the only ones who need the SuperDish are those whould have/want high def and those with locals on 105, and plus those who want internationals from 121 with the other version of the SD when everythings set there. For core programming a Dish500 will still get you everything you want and need.Sorry for being dense about this, but I'm still trying to understand something:

Prior to superdish, if you already had a D300 or D500 and weren't getting locals, and you lived in a DMA where your locals will be carried on a sat that you weren't currently receiving, I thought they were required to install a dish for the sat(s) on which your locals will be. At least this was my situation when they turned on the SF Bay Area locals.

Now we're hearing that some people's locals will be on a sat that you need a superdish to get, but they will only get it for free if they commit to at least AT50 and their locals for 12 months. I never had to make any such commitments, and didn't think that was legal, though I obviously intended to get my locals for an indefinite period.

Did I hear this right? Your locals may be only on superdish, but you will have to commit to a year of locals AND AT50 or pay for the dish? How does that square with the must-carry rules?

Thanks for any clues.

x

[Mark Lamutt]

x,

Must carry only kicked in when some of your locals were on on 110 or 119 and the rest were on one of the side slots. In that case, Dish was required to install the second dish for free.

If ALL of your locals are in the same location, they aren't obligated to give you the hardware necessary to see them. You have to purchase it just like everyone else. And in this case, you are purchasing it with your programming committment.

[Mike Richardson]

xgrep, this is legal because ALL the locals are on the one satellite. If say, they had NBC, ABC, and CBS on 110, and some extra channels on 105, then free SuperDish and Install with no commitment would be mandatory. But if all the local channels are on 105 and you can choose whether or not to receive those locals then it's fine with the FCC.

[psycaz]

I'm in the same boat here. I'm wondering if I should try to get the superdish if I can get it for free now, even though I am not hd ready. I don't want to have to pay later to get one. But my locals are already on the 500 sys.

The other question that I raised during the chat was what happens to our current equipment, ie switches, if we take the upgrade?

I don't want to give away a sw64..

[AppliedAggression]

Right now i have an international channel on 61.5, will these channels get moved to 105, and if so will I get a free superdish?

[Ron Barry]

I am a little confused by the superdish thing right now. I have HD and a 6000. I also have two 508s.. I have a Dish 5000 and a regular dish that is used for international. Someone told me that I will need the DP4+4 that is not due out to next year. Since the free deal is until January and it would make sense to put the DP4+4 switch then how does this happen? Looks like a chicken and the egg thing, but can this be made to work with existing hardware. I do plan on a 921 to replace the 6000, but I am awaiting to see how that plays out.

Thoughts? UGH!

[psycaz]

I have a feeling that a lot of these questions will not get answered until after Dish starts taking orders and a few installs are completed.

[BobMurdoch]

Want and need right now. Perhaps in the future we may want something and need the Superdish then. If we can get it for free now, we should. It may not be free in the future. However it is not clear if we can get it for free if we get our locals on the Dish 500 now and don't want HD.

Mitch

I think this will be one of those perpetual "free" upgrades for a number of reasons.....

1. Like the Dish 500 plan, it will run forever as an enticement to hook you into AutoPay as well as give you access to more programming packages.

2. Due to their continuing fight with the NAB over there side satellite "solution" to carry ALL of a DMA's local channels, they will need to make the dish free to show that there is not a finanacial disincentive to meet must carry demands (The NAB is arguing that many people don't want two dishes on their roof and/or may not be able to see the side satellites due to trees or other obstacles). Since the access to the side satellites remains free if you subscribe to a local channel package that has additional channels on a side satellite, I would expect a similar plan to be in place in perpetuity until the NEXT generational change in technology.

3. Charlie is in love with tying these "freebies" with extending your commitment. This works for him in insuring lower churn, and works for many of us who would be staying put anyway (I'm not counting the vocal antagonists who threaten to run to D* every time E* institutes a new fee or fails to fix a bug/add a feature that is important to them. These folks should stay away from commitments to give them flexability).


I was personally happy to hear his comment on the September chat that more incentives would be announced on the next chat for existing customers. He has been so busy trying to entice new customers with new local LIL markets and new customer incentives that I agree that he has neglected us crusty old veterans of the DBS wars. I had become one of the sarcastic boobirds when it came to ridiculing the last few Charlie Chats as a waste of time, but he changed my tune with the 6000 and Superdish bombshells that he dropped on the chat (didn't even tip his hand with a press release or a hint on the retailer chat). The next 90 days should bring about more exciting changes that the last year and a half has.

[xgrep]

xgrep, this is legal because ALL the locals are on the one satellite.Thanks, Mark and Mike. I didn't understand that fine point. I guess I was just lucky that some of my locals were on one of the sats I was already getting.

x

[sorahl]

i live in nj, I have dish 500 and two dishes on the roof. the second dish was installed with the must carry (so i believe that is pointing at 61.5 right?

So no need to get Superdish, eh?

[xgrep]

i live in nj, I have dish 500 and two dishes on the roof. the second dish was installed with the must carry (so i believe that is pointing at 61.5 right?

So no need to get Superdish, eh?In NJ, you are probably getting 61.5, as 148 is a west coast thing. Superdish won't get you 61.5. You would only need superdish if they move your locals to 105. I didn't think there were any plans to do that, but there's no telling with E*.

x

[BobMurdoch]

i live in nj, I have dish 500 and two dishes on the roof. the second dish was installed with the must carry (so i believe that is pointing at 61.5 right?

So no need to get Superdish, eh?

Greetings from Brielle!

I have the same setup you have now. You will only need the Superdish if you want the new HD channels that are scheduled to be released next year (no details yet but Cinemax HD, Bravo HD, Starz HD and a few others are in the works). People in new local markets scheduled to be added in the next year will be primarily based there as well, but if you only have a standard definition TV YOU will not need a Superdish.

[WalshDB]

I have a dish 500 with my local channels. I have a HD capable TV and am planning on upgrading to HD with E with one of the new offers. Is there any reason for me to wait for Superdish? Will Superdish even be offered in my market since we already are a market served by E with local channels?
I currently have a 301 and a 508. If and when I upgrade to an HD receiver, what will I need in order to have a third receiver on my account? I see information about SW64 switches. I still don't understand all of this technology since I am a new subscriber to E. I appreciate any help you can provide.

[BobMurdoch]

There will be new HD channels coming on line either later this year or early next year (rumors are that Bravo-HD, Starz-HD, and Cinemax-HD are part of the mix). Chances are you will need the Superdish to get them as they will be on one of the new satellites. You don't have to get the Superdish, but then you want have access to the new channels (kind of like when Dish500 first came out)

And since it looks like it will be free with a 1 year commitment, why wait? Chances are that will include all of the switches you will need changed as well.

I agree that standard definition only customers will not need to upgrade unless they are in one of the new local markets, but since you have an HD monitor, why deprive yourself?