Dish Depot website claims Pvr 721 costs $549!!!

[rolou21]

I hope this price covers either new subscribers or dish/receiver combo...This price is pretty steep and hopefully if this unit which it says will be out late May/Early June better have all the software built in and no bugs... I have heard initially that it takes about 45 min. to download software when unit is installed....My god Directivo cost onlt $99 with a dual tuner....I hope I am wrong about this.....:mad:

[SParker]

they are nuts if they expect people to buy it at that price!

[STXJim]

The original price was $499...and that was way too high.
Oh, I get it...
Make us wait almost a year past the original projected release date and the consumers will pay anything for one of these 'babys'.
We need to show them who the real fools are.
It's time to boycott the 721 until the price comes down.
Or at least an upgrade option for us long time Dishplayer sufferers comes along.

[markh]

I'm hoping BOTH of you who get one will let us know how it works. :)

[Scott Greczkowski]

I saw this an my jaw dropped, it was hard enough talking her into $499, now $599 may be really hard to sell to the wife.

We are looking so forward to getting rid of our Dishplayers.

Let's hope this way a Misprint on Mark part. But for some reason I doubt it is.

[John Corn]

:eek: I was afraid of this. :eek:
It sure looks like it's the price for the standalone model, it doesn't apperar to be the new subscribers or dish/receiver combo price. :mad:

[scooper]

The first thing the wife asked me - "Does this do HDTV also ?" - with that price tag, I don't think I will be getting one anytime soon. I guess I'll be waiting for the 921 PVR (hopefully HDTV/PVR (also downconverts to NTSC)) .

[kstuart]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
I saw this an my jaw dropped, it was hard enough talking her into $499, now $599 may be really hard to sell to the wife.

We are looking so forward to getting rid of our Dishplayers.

Let's hope this way a Misprint on Mark part. But for some reason I doubt it is.

Scott:

I have two 501's (which have been available to subscribers for $199 each).

Like a 721, the pair of them together can record two different events simultaneously, but unlike a 721, they can be used to watch two different things at the same time.

A single person (for example in a dorm room or small apartment) only needs a 721, but anyone who lives in a situation with more than one person might appreciate the capability to watch two different programs at the same time that you get with two 501s.

PS The 153 upgrade added the search and caller ID functions that people felt were necessary, and the 154 fixed virtually all of the outstanding stability problems (note that the 154 "bug" thread consists of feature requests and other OT comments).

[Chaos]

Tech forum just announced $549 price for existing customers. $599 for new customers. Ick.

[Geronimo]

I never heard the $599 for new customers. And you would think they would get a BETTER Deal. Did i miss something?

[Swampthing]

Um... close but not quite, Chaos. According to the Tech Forum tonight, the $599 721 package includes a satellite dish, while the $549 package is simply a standalone 721. Availability was stated as late June.

[MrPete]

That is $599 with a dish kit.
It is $549 just for the receiver itself.

They also said there was no upgrade available for 501 users. :(

[Geronimo]

another mystery solved.

[Karl Foster]

Not to pour salt on anyone's wounds, but minidishes.tv has an Ultimatetv deal for new Directv subs - two Sony UTV receivers and a dish for $0 after rebate. Much better deal than $549 for one receiver.

I paid $299 for my first UTV receiver and had a hard time gettig my wife to bite off on that one, I'd never be able to get her to go for $549!

[spanishannouncetable]

Originally posted by MrPete
That is $599 with a dish kit.
It is $549 just for the receiver itself.

They also said there was no upgrade available for 501 users. :(

:eek2: :rotfl: $600 for a two-tuner Dish Network PVR system from Dish Depot to a new Echostar customer VS $100 ($350 w/lifetime sub) for a DirecTiVo system from American Satellite to a new Directv customer ? :lol: Yessiree, Charlie really looooooves his customers alright :rolling:

[Bob Haller]

that price is a rip, I wonder what the new sub price is? I have multiple phone numbers and a new name....:)

[Chris Blount]

That price is definitely too high. It's cheaper just to buy a couple of used Dishplayers and use those as "dual tuners" as long as you are willing to endure the bugs.

[Neil Derryberry]

I'm getting madder by the minute about that outrageous price. I'm actually thinking of switching to DTV now... I wouldn't mind the $10 ultimatetv subscription if I could get a Sony reciever, and I could probably get two really cheap.

[Jim Rochefort]

One item not addressed. LNBs. If you need two leads from the dish will e* replace the single lnb with a dual lnb for free? I have 2 DPs so already have dual lnbs. Will they give me a quad lnb for free if I go to the 721? And necessary switches?

[jwhite]

I seems like they are trying to recoup the money they would normally collect on the $5/month for the second tuner AND the TIVO-like lifetime subscription costs all in the up front cost of the receiver.

I think it makes the cost of the unit way too expensive. I have gotten about every new receiver they make, but I will wait on this one. I won't pay top dollar for receivers that I don't know will work as advertised. I also really want an HD capable one anyhow.

Jay

[DarrellP]

Using Pricewatch.com I just searched for 120GB hard drives and the price is down to $144 to us lowly consumers, so I bet Dish gets them easily for $100 in bulk if not cheaper.

$549 is Waaaaay to expensive for this box. I'll wager right now that the 921 won't sell for less than $1,000.

[invaliduser88]

You know why the Direct TV stuff is cheaper right? Competition! You've got most of the major electronics companies manufacturing receivers.

With Dish, you've got the one...hopefully, they will come to their senses and reduce the price.

[Scott Greczkowski]

The name of this thread has been changed as Dish Depot lowered the price to last nights announced price of $549.

The current price for the 721 is ridiculous because E*star won't have many of them to sell at any price for awhile.

After awhile the 721 will be available cheaper. Question is how much cheaper?

Right now I can't see buying one at all. I'll reconsider when the price is below $350.

UTV is better in almost every way than the 721. Get one for "free" and it'll be more than four and a half years before it'll cost as much as the 721. Of course you won't get the complementary 721 bug collection.

[motjes2]

It is amazing that E* is trying to sell a product that has not been QC tested to the public for $549.00. To say the least, Charlie thinks that he has every Dish customer on his hand. This is similar to the comments he used in the last Charlie Chat when he basically said join D* if you want the Yes Network or go back to cable. I am getting tired of E*'s inability to come up with very excuses and plans. I really hope that the merger fails because this is what E* is counting on. I am going to wait out until I hear what's going on with the merger. If it fails, I am joining D* immediately. E* is becoming more and more like Cable... Do you really think E* is protecting their customer? Most of the time, they proctect themselves first.

[Mike Phillips]

Is there possibly some hidden reason other than business greed that these units are priced so high?Are the costs of producing the 501 units markedly lower with a better profit margin than producing the 721,thus the obvious push to sell 501's over 721's?Does Charlie hope with the approval of the merger that the 721 will become vaporware ,and with such a high price tag,there won't be that many units sold?Thanks,Mike

[Frapp]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
The name of this thread has been changed as Dish Depot lowered the price to last nights announced price of $549.

I wonder what the "New customer" pricing will be for this unit with a dish included ?

Echostar typically pays dealers anywhere from $250.00 - $300.00 per head for new customer sign ups. Doing the math here, that would make this units final cost, after the dealer incentive, at around $249.00 - $300.00.

It will be interesting to see what D.D. ( and others ) will offer the unit for with a new customer activation.

Also, Echostar typically pays dealers an incentive of $40.00 - $50.00 for an additonal receiver sale, so once again, the units cost to the dealer is closer to $499.00 if sold to an exhisting customer.


If any of my numbers are off a bit, any E* dealer here can feel free to correct them.

[kstuart]

The cost of a dual tuner PVR is something like $500, if not more.

And all standalone satellite receivers are subsidized by the $5/month second receiver fee.

The DirecTiVo units are being heavily subsidized, just as the DishPlayer units were years ago.

This is why DirecTV is going out of business, they've never even broke even, and so they are being sold to parties who have a reason for absorbing a losing enterprise - either EchoStar because they can achieve cost savings, or News Corp. simply so Murdoch can have a satellite company in every major country.

BTW, the original price on the 501s was something like $349, so it seems likely that the 721 price could come down if there is greater production of the unit in the future.

[Swampthing]

The truth is that Charlie knows many of us are either early adopters or simply too upset with our Dishplayers, and while we bitch and moan here at the $549 price tag, most of us will probably still go out and buy a 721 within the next six months....