921 for $600??

[MikeSoltis]

What is this
Here (http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040108005251&newsLang=en)

DISH Network has further strengthened its HD product line with the introduction of the first-of-its-kind high definition digital video recorder (DVR). The DISH Player-DVR 921 is available now for a $600 upgrade when customers purchase the DISH Network HDTV System. The DISH Player-DVR 921 features a 250-gigabyte hard drive capable of recording up to 25 hours of high definition video or up to 180 hours of standard definition content, or a combination of both.

It looks like the "DISH Network HDTV System" is the HD in a box deal.

nuts. John beat me by two minutes...

[Throwbot]

What is this
Here (http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040108005251&newsLang=en)



It looks like the "DISH Network HDTV System" is the HD in a box deal.

nuts. John beat me by two minutes...

Is this available through retailers like Dish Depot? Any other links on this upgrade plan?

[fjerina]

I understand this offer is for new Dish subscribers only.

[wdowns]

You can pay an additional $600.00 for the 921 with the HDTV in a box package. From what I've been told you will get a 921 and your choice of TV and you pay basically the difference (600.00 more). It is a upgrade offer to new subs who want the HDTV in a box package and choice of receiver.

811 + TV= 999.00 (I think)
or
921 + TV=999 (I think) + 600.00 Total $1599.00

[CivilizedAnarchy]

There will be an upgrade promotion for $600 announced on the Chat for
existing subs. 1 or 2 year, not sure.
I am salivating about our store getting our first two 921's on Friday afternoon.
We have sold through 70 or 80 811's already. Have 100 on back order.
60 of which are sold.

Don't ask to buy a 921 from me, I'm not the retailer, I work there and
these are already sold to customers locally.
I'm more worried about keeping up with demand for superdish's when locals go
live on January 28th.

Lata, C.J.

[Bob Haller]

Well we now know the D tivo will be around $600. As others speculated.

[rudolpht]

Hughes HD Tivo $899 & 6 month exclusive according to Hughes at CES today.

[rudolpht]

And Echostar rep said 921s are shipping in quantity and is stable. Oh well.

[DonLandis]

Spoke to 7 Dish/E* reps today and not one said the 921 was shipping in quantity. Not one would say it was stable but stated certain operations were stable while others still presented some problems, such as the "OTAbug" and another bug I hadn't heard of, one that was describbed as an initialization under one dish switch and then changing the switch. Unlike other E* receivers the 921 will lock up rather than perform a normal check Dish. There is a special unlocking process you do to reset it for a new switch. Consequently, dealers who set the 921 up under one switch and install it later with a different switch will have a problem. They need to execute the work around procedure until they get this issue fixed in an update. It should be fixed in L143 as I understand.

They said the 921 has been shipping in limited releases, a few each week since just before Christmas. Two of the reps said it will continue to ship in limited numbers until they think the latest software is stable enough for full release. I spoke to my dealer's distributor who had a booth in another building and he said the same thing, that Dish is sending them a small number each week, about 30 total so far.

[jgoggan]

There will be an upgrade promotion for $600 announced on the Chat for
existing subs. 1 or 2 year, not sure.

Anyone have more info on this? Do you mean "upgrade" in that if an existing sub buys their HD-in-a-box package that they can also do the "upgrade" for $600 to the 921? Or do you mean some other non-HD-in-a-box "upgrade" to the 921 for existings?

- John...

[laker]

Anyone have more info on this? Do you mean "upgrade" in that if an existing sub buys their HD-in-a-box package that they can also do the "upgrade" for $600 to the 921? Or do you mean some other non-HD-in-a-box "upgrade" to the 921 for existings?

- John...

Echostar has a press release about this at:

http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=dish&script=400

[jgoggan]

I just called and the Dish CSR at first knew nothing about it -- but then found the information. (She also told me that the 921s weren't shipping yet until I told her that I knew people that already had them.) She told me that it (the HDTV w/ 811 or 921 deal) was through retailers only -- that I couldn't order it directly.

However, she did say that it did apply to existing subscribers also. So, for $1599, you'd get the 34" CRT or 40" RP plus a 921 -- delivered and installed.

Now, based on 921s going on EBay for $1200 or so right now -- that would mean a 40" RP HDTV for $400. :) Not a bad deal.

You have to subscribe to Top-60 and HDPak for a year -- but I'm not sure if, as an existing customer that already subscribes to the HDPak (that I'm locked into a year of), I'd have to extend it another year or they'd just accept that I already had it.

If they'd just accept it -- then it is fairly tempting to just keep my 811, get the TV and 921, selling the 921 on EBay -- and end up with a 40" widescreen HDTV for $400-$600 depending on EBay going rate when I got the 921...

Hmmm...

- John...

[Nick]

...it is fairly tempting to just keep my 811, get the TV and 921, selling the 921 on EBay -- and end up with a 40" widescreen HDTV for $400-$600 depending on EBay going rate when I got the 921...

Hmmm...

- John...John, you have an interesting take on HD. There is no way I would sell a long-awaiated 921 just to get a net cost of $400-$600 on a 40" TV. I would much rather keep the 921 and sell the TV -- since I already have a 53 incher (TV I mean :D)

[jgoggan]

Actually, my take was to sell both. heh. I was simply saying that it isn't a bad deal any way you look at it in my opinion. That even if you wanted none of it, you could spend $1600 and fairly easily sell both for several hundred above that, I think.

Of course, I'd love to actually have and KEEP the 921. But I don't have a spare $1000+ lying around... :(

As for TVs, yes, I already have a 57" widescreen that I am very happy with.

I'm not sure what I could get for the 40" RP HDTV in the deal as far as value goes locally. If I could buy the package for $1600, get $1000 for the TV -- and get $300 for my current 811 -- then that would mean an upgrade from an 811 to a 921 only cost me $300. That'd be worth it to me and I have enough cash for that... So, something I'm considering. But, so far, I've been able to find few details on the specs for the 40" RP HDTV that is in the deal. Therefore, I haven't been able to determine if getting $1000 is reasonable for it. Probably not, unfortunately...

So, again, just to clarify -- my take on it isn't that odd. It's just that I know I can't afford $1000 -- or even $600 for the 921. Therefore, to me, it is just a matter of what deal can I work to make some money to put toward a 921 later. :)

Heck -- that's why I bought two 811s! I'm going to sell one for certain and possibly both -- depending on what other deals I can work...

(On a side note, AntennaWeb had 6 digital channels broadcasting within "large directional antenna" distance of me when I ordered the 811. Today, there are NONE. I found out that they recently changed the algorithm to be a bit more conservative -- so a lot of the "large direction antenna" ones are now considered too far to get. So, I'm not sure I want to invest in some large antenna to get HD OTA when it seems unlikely that I'd pick up a good signal...)

Oh well -- it's all wheeling-and-dealing to try to get things to a level that I can afford. I get much of my stuff that way. heh.

- John...