ASK DBSTALK:Call From Dish CSR About Replacement 921

[Eagles]

Mark, could you please check into this? Received a call from Dish tonight concerning my 921 replacement status. Was told they are in the process of fixing units for shipment. Two to three weeks till delivery. This next part really got me upset. As has been reported or rumored in this forum, I asked if my replacement will be a new unit. I was told the units that will ship first will be refurbished units. She said these are units which were returned after a couple of days because the customers weren't happy with them. Translation:RECEIVERS THAT WERE BROKE AND RETURNED. I proceeded to tell the CSR that I can't believe Dish would even consider such a policy. This is no mom and pop business. I could not imagine returning a defective $1000.00 receiver to Circuit City (AND I HAVE) and be given an open box special. The CSR then told me to check back Monday for an answer concerning giving me a new receiver when they replace my unit. After that conversation, no matter what they tell me on Monday I will feel cheated. The CSR also said these units will pass as series of QC tests prior to shipment. Well Whoopdi Do!!! A $1000.00 for a "USED" 921. Mark, as you know from reading my posts I'm not a complainer, but this for me will be the straw that broke the camels back. Once again, any real time info on this would be great. Thanks !pride

[bcw]

I definitely see your viewpoint, but here is another. Is dish getting a 'new' 921 from you or a 'used' 921?

[reedl]

I may be in the minority here, but I usually prefer a refurbished unit over a new one when dealing with electronics any day of the week.

If you understand how items are manufactured on an assembly line, they are put together, given a quick functionality test, and then shipped. When they are individually tested and looked over with a fine tooth comb (as they should be on the bench), typically all the bad parts are replaced, and the unit is better than new.

A good example is my Sony Projector. It had some convergence problems with the three LCD panels in it (The convergence is not user adjustable at all), so it went back to Sony to get repaired. The unit came back better than a new one would have been since the bench techs actually convergenced the panels even better than two other new ones I have seen.

I routinely purchase used computers for my company and they work much better than new ones again because the "kinks" have been worked out. A satellite receiver is basically a small computer in that it has a processor, motherboard, and in DVR's a hard drive. Just because it was broken then fixed does not make it worse than a new one that was not broken to start with.

The other thing to keep in mind is that many items are returned even though they work perfectly simply because the purchaser suffered "buyer's remorse" and did not want the item. For example I purchased a portable DVD player from a Pawn Shop in West Virginia for a real good price a couple of years ago that was in great shape simply because someone locally purchased it, and could not afford to keep it. The owner of the shop said they he gets lots of people in with expensive electronics in who purchase them and then cannot return then to the place of purchase so they pawn them.

Electronics do not "wear out" like other items, so a "used" one is not going to last a shorter period of time than a "new" one.

Reedl

[Mark Lamutt]

Eagles, that's the Dish policy. Your replacement receiver will be fully covered under warranty, and will have been checked over and had the hardware problem fixed, whereas a "new" receiver today may not have the hardware problem fixed.

This is the standard policy with every receiver. I'm not saying it's good or bad, but it is the way it is.

[bytre]

I'm with Reedl on this. So long as the exterior or remote isn't worn or scratched and the cables are included, used equipment is more likely to work well.

The danger is if the product was returned for some obscure problem that the refurbisher wasn't able to replicate, and the equipment was deemed functional.

[FarNorth]

Fine with me, too. After all, how much use could a refurb 921 have had? If I had pulled a brand new 921 out of the box and it's dead, I'd expect a new one. If, as happened, my 921 failed with maybe 50 hours on it, if my replacement is another in similar condition is fine with me.

I would bet the refurbs will be indistinguishable from new but can't be sold as new for legal reasons.

[Eagles]

whereas a "new" receiver today may not have the hardware problem fixed.

This is the standard policy with every receiver. I'm not saying it's good or bad, but it is the way it is.

Mark and All, Thanks for the replies. I guess based on the opinions expressed here a refurb would not be all that bad. But Mark, are you saying that Dish will let new units out he door without making the necessary hardware changes? I'm sure there are a number of new units that were built prior to the discovery of the hardware problem, and are bieng held because of this. Once again, wouldn't Dish fix or properly refit these units prior to shipment? Thanks. !pride

[Mark Lamutt]

I really hope they fix those. I can't say absolutely for sure because I don't work for Dish.

With that said, I suspect that all of those new units will become refurbs when they get fixed, and that the only "NEW" until available will be the ones coming off the assembly lines from the plants after the hardware is fixed.

[markcollins]

B.S.-- If dish has defective hardware and is aware of it.then I want a new receiver.When I plucked down my money for the 921 it wasn't for a defective unit or a slightly used one. They put out this unit and if it's bad then they eat the defective ones and replace with new units.Let them sell the refurbs online like dell computer.

[Geronimo]

Reedl is right. Refurb is not necessarily inferior.

[texas39]

question similar to the topic of exchanging

My 301 Died this week after having it 2 years/ exactly 24 months

of course it wasnt under warranty and I ended up owning it after being with dish
for 12 months..
Rep told me if I signed up for Dish hope plan(warranty) for 5.99 that they
would replace it at no charge and free shipping

Question is , when they ship me a new one( or refurbished) will it belong to me or them again? I have a PVR that isnt mine til my 12 month commitment is up.
but this possibly dead 301 im sending back is mine.. for now?

we think its dead cause getting a error 019, card not inserted correctly

and yes, I have unplugged all cables into box and then unplugged cord for 24 hours and back in and pulled card a dozen times... no other ideas

[Mark Lamutt]

Moving to Dish DVR forum now to continue the discussion there.

[BobMurdoch]

Plus, you can always go the "Lemon Law" route if they can't fix it after three attempts.....

A lot of the times the "broken" receivers merely had bad software updates that tripped them up (how many Dishplayers got sent back for modems that "failed" when most of us knew that unplugging the unit and plugging it back in magically FIXED the modem (and it still does). I get this bug about once every six months on the 2 dishplayers in my kids rooms.....