Will You Take The HD Upgrade? [Archive]

Stewart Vernon

01-10-06, 03:27 AM

Since I have a 501 for everything else DVR-wise... I'll take the path of least resistance, and do the $49 upgrade for the "basic" ViP211. Should be an improvement over my 6000u which is starting to act up a little anyway, and its a cheap way to get me the new channels.

I've been putting off the splurge for an HD DVR for a while now anyway... so I can wait a little longer until they have a cheap HD-DVR available in another year or two.

Nick

01-10-06, 04:48 AM

If I were still with Dish, I would absolutely take the 811-to-VIP622 deal for $249. I've enjoyed the flexibility of having a PVR/DVR since 2000 and upgrading to a non-DVR stb would make no sense whatsoever.

HDMe, I would encourage you and others reading this to take the plunge, cough up the incremental difference for the 622 and become part of the future - it's time to get with the program.

Remember, happiness is an HD DVR! Just do it and you can thank me later! :D

rbird

01-10-06, 05:29 AM

I chose "None of the Above". I want the option to buy my receiver. No leases for me.

Bob

Edit: I've since read that the lease fee replaces the additional receiver fee, which pretty much negates that objection. I still have another objection, though. I have "moved" to get NY locals (my wife is from that area) and this makes the forced installation tricky. Unless I can get a local guy I know to do it for me.

technoguy

01-10-06, 05:32 AM

I chose "None of the Above". I want the option to buy my receiver. No leases for me.

Bob
Ditto

DAMAC

01-10-06, 06:31 AM

I will be happy to upgrade my 942 in April from $99. And I was someone who just posted over as AVS Forum yesterday that I probably wouldn't upgrade anytime soon. But the price is right, and it looks like Indianapolis locals will be here sometime in 2006. Also, my wife loves HGTV and Food Network. They are two parts of her trinity of channels along with TLC. :D

I am leasing already, so continuing to lease isn't a problem with me. I still think people who want to own are crazy. This upgrade is another reason why not to own your equipment. I paid $250 a year ago, and yes I am about to pay another $99 along with a continual $5/mo. But I don't have to worry if I have equipment failure, and I have an easy upgrade path. I pay these lease upgrades plus $60/year. I will have paid out $350 in upgrade costs and $300 in lease fees over 5 years. That is about what someone pays for a new 942. But I won't have a 942 (would if I had bought instead of leased), I will have a 622. By that time I will probably have some other upgrade option for an even better receiver.

I understand the feeling of paying out money without feeling like you have anything to show for it, but I don't understand not leasing in this situation with the ever-changing technology involved.

Sorry for the rant on leasing vs owning. I just don't understand it. If you find fault in my logic please say so. I won't get mad because I am in a pretty good mood from the CC.:D

drfreeman

01-10-06, 06:31 AM

I will never lease!!
sooooo... no dish hd for you!...
oh well
as long as i dont want hd from dish i will be able to keep
the receivers i have now and keep the same channels i have now..
right???
o.t.a ...o.ta........o.t.a.!!!!!!!!

oljim

01-10-06, 06:59 AM

I will keep my 921 and buy a 622, I will never lease

DAMAC

01-10-06, 07:06 AM

I will keep my 921 and buy a 622, I will never lease

Please explain WHY you will never lease. There are many who say the same thing as you and I am trying to figure out why.

dave1234

01-10-06, 07:13 AM

Please explain WHY you will never lease. There are many who say the same thing as you and I am trying to figure out why.

Well one very good reason is: A year and a half ago Dish was offerring the Free Dish package(or something named similar). I received a 301 and 811 for free with a 1 year commitment, no monthly lease fee and I owned all the equipment. MUCH better deal than leasing.
I've since sold both and purchased a 942. Waiting for April to upgrade to the 622. I'm hoping the 942 will be worth at least a few bucks on ebay by then, but since I received the 301 and 811 for free I'm not out much money.

I wouldn't say I'd never lease, but leasing has rarely been a better deal for me.

GeeWhiz1

01-10-06, 07:26 AM

I've been wanting to upgrade to add the Voom channels, but waited for all this to come down. Now I will wait until April and upgrade my 921 to the 622.

I really didn't want to purchase the 921, but it wasn't offered on a lease when I bought it. I have no problem changing over to a lease. I already have a couple of OLD receivers in the garage. I don't need any more.

Congrats to those of you who can get locals OTA. I don't have that option. So I will rely on Charlie again.

oljim

01-10-06, 07:32 AM

I have had dish sence 1999, paid full price for every thing I have ( 1 2700, 3 7200 2 721 1 921 3 D500 and superdish) I was going to add a 942 till this new 622 talk started.
Now I will drop 1 721 and add a 622, I want to be able to record 2 OTA ch at same time
I have never had a dealer at my home and not going to pay some one to hook up a 622 that I can do myself.
I do not use the 2700 or 7200 any more, but have never had a recever fail, needed a service call. I installed em and can replace em

larrystotler

01-10-06, 07:39 AM

Link

01-10-06, 07:44 AM

I'm not sure what it means trading my 811 for a leased receiver--Does that mean there is an additional monthly lease fee?? I wonder how much it will cost to get an HD receiver to just buy it.

The new packages are good, but really the only channels I watch in the HD package are the HDnet, HDMovies, and ESPN-HD now. Plus getting ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox plus WB and UPN off air in HD is what I care about the most. Getting my network primetime shows in HD is the main thing I want. I'm not interested in Food or HGTV and I have no clue what kind of shows are on VOOM.

navychop

01-10-06, 07:47 AM

I have a 721, 508 & 301. If I understand correctly, I can turn in the 301 and pay $299 and get a VIP622. If I can really do that, I'm ready now. But I'm not sure from the talk when that could happen- Feb/Mar/Apr.

Do I understand correctly? Is the deal REALLY that good?

rsdiver01

01-10-06, 07:49 AM

I currently own a 942. I was on hold for a question for Charlie and after the show, my call got bumped to customer service. So I went ahead and asked the customer service rep. my questions. Maybe this girl was clueless but, she told me that I could call back on February 1st and upgrade to a VIP622 dvr for $50! I told her we would install it ourselves that we didn't want someone to come install it. I kept asking if it was the VIP622 and she said yes. She only said that they couldn't place an order yet because their system wouldn't let them.....she said I would have to call back on February 1st. She did say there was a $5 a month lease fee on the VIP622 dvr. So, I don't know if what she said was accurate. Has anyone else heard anything like this? Guess I'll call back on February 1st and see what happens.

Cold Irons

01-10-06, 08:31 AM

Uhggg....already have my 2nd dish at 61.5 & my 942 (leased in November).

I want the new HD channels ASAP, but really don't want to waste the $200 "rebate" (silly word for this). I really don't mind the net $99 - of course, I'd rather NOT have to spend that just to unhook my 942 & hook up the 622, but I can afford it & I knew that the swap wouldn't be free. My real problem is the wait - why do I (long term E* customer, already HD savy, already spending big $$s for HD) have to wait 2 months to get the new channels??

I understand that this keeps the demand down - which is probably the real reason to delay the existing HD subs swap out til April - let's them ramp up the 622 production. But it still sucks!

Cold Irons

01-10-06, 08:35 AM

I have always (probably will always) chose the lease option when I have that option. Heck - I'd lease my Desktop & Laptops at home if I had an affordable option for that.

I figure, that at $5/month, with electronic stuff that I tend to replace/upgrade after about 3 years, I come out ahead on the lease. (3 yrs = 36 months = $180). Stuff like Sat recvrs seem to need to be upgraded before I can get my money's worth at prices near $700.

C*Tedesco

01-10-06, 02:33 PM

I went Direct TV. Yeeehaw!!!!!!

BFG

01-10-06, 02:59 PM

Um....I don't think that E* considers the 5000 to be an HD receiver UNLESS you have the HD Adapter for it. Otherwise, it would be considered an SD receiver since it does not do 8PSK without the adapter. And, you may have to fight with E* about that if you want to replace a 5000/Adapter with a 211.

i think you're right. You'd have to trade in an HD receiver that's currently getting HD to get a 211 for $49. So even a 6000 without 8PSK would not qualify.

Kendick

01-10-06, 05:27 PM

A quick poll now that we've had a few hours to digest the chat.
Will you be taking one of E*'s upgrade offers?

Select all that apply except for the last three options which are mutually exclusive with all other options.

JL
I currently have a leased 811 , a leased 311 and an owned 510.
I only have one HD TV.. i see no reason to have the 510 and the 622. Otherwise, I would upgrade the 811 to the 622 and try to swap my owned 510 for any upgrade that Dish will accept. I wonder why I should upgrade the 311?
Do you see any other options. I am not too concerned about the up front cost. I value your advise.

James Long

01-10-06, 05:36 PM

Kendick

01-10-06, 05:43 PM

How about trade the 311 for a ViP622 and sell the 510?
You can also trade the 811 for a ViP211 for another room - even if there is no HD set there you can watch DishHD downrezed to that TV.
The ViP622 has two SD outputs that can be used in another room (TV1 and TV2 can be distributed). Either can be downrezed HD programs.

JL
Never having sold any of my equipment...( and I still will need 3 receivers??.)..is there any way to swap it with Dish. I would like to not own anything and lease everything. Thanks for your solid advise. I will follow it as soon as Dish will accept my order. I tried once and the CSR didn't know what I was talking about.

satguy06

01-10-06, 05:52 PM

BFG

01-10-06, 05:56 PM

$299

satguy06

01-10-06, 05:58 PM

So, I Pay $299 To Upgrade From 811 To Vip622. Is This A Good Deal Or Is There A Better Deal Come April 1st?

BFG

01-10-06, 06:00 PM

that looks like the only deal. But It would make more sense to trade in a non hd receiver for a 622 since it's the same upgrade cost.

satguy06

01-10-06, 06:06 PM

I Have A 311 And 811. What Should I Trade For The 311? What Should I Trade For The 811? And, Should I Keep Any Of These? I Have The 811 In My Living Room. The 311 I Have In My Bedroom.

Jim Parker

01-10-06, 06:37 PM

I own a 921, a 510 as well as a 501 that is not hooked up. The inputs for the SW44 are all used, with one dish looking at 110 and the other looking at 119. I need another dish for 129.

I think that I will hook up the 501 so that all of the outputs from the SW44 are used. (only 3 are used now)

Then I swap the 501 for a 622 for $299 in February. This means that I will get a new dish and the switches for 6 inputs and 5 outputs included in the $299. In April I can swap the 921 for a 622 for $99.

When it is all done, I will have an HD source for 2 of my 3 HDTVs. (3 HDTVs may sound excessive, but both of my older TVs quit last summer, so I just spent a bit more and got HDTVs to replace them with)

That's the plan anyway, I will see what developes over the next 3 months.

James Long

01-10-06, 06:43 PM

This means that I will get a new dish and the switches for 6 inputs and 5 outputs included in the $299. In April I can swap the 921 for a 622 for $99.If they invent one by then. :)

They will probably just upgrade you to a DPP44 and appropriate DP LNBs.
No need to keep you in legacy mode, especially when each output of the DPP44 can feed a dual tuner receiver (like the ViP622), a DP receiver or even a legacy receiver.

JL

JM Anthony

01-10-06, 08:24 PM

I chose none of the above. Having bought a 921 back in the bad old days and then bought a 942 when I got fed up; and since I've been with E* since '96, I expect them to take better care of me. I shot off an e-mail to that effect, but haven't heard anything back yet. I also want a firmer answer on when Seattle locals are going to be available. Sometime in '06 doesn't quite cut it for me.

John

drbloom

01-10-06, 09:45 PM

I never could afford HD or DVR and there wasn't really ever an affordable upgrade for existing customers. Now it seems that not only is there a good upgrade, I can trade my 301 receiver the same as if i had shelled out for a 811. Wow, monthly fee or not, the HD package seems affordable with more channels and hopefully better technology behind it all!

I like all of us want these new toys ASAP! Please correct me if im wrong though, Feburary 1 they will offer the ViP receivers to new customers and to those willing to pay outright. But if we wait until April 1 we can get a rebate.

SD to HD Upgrade Offers
Lease ViP211 HD Receiver (from ANY receiver)
Lease Upgrade Fee: $49
Professional Install: $49 (everything needed)
Total Upgrade Price: $98

Lease ViP622 HD Receiver (from ANY receiver)
Promotional Price to New and Existing Customers: $299
Includes install and dish if applicable

So for me to go from no HD and no DVR to a multi-tuner HD DVR seems like a one time offer that is just flat out amazing. The 942 receiver is selling someplaces for $600 and its as good as antiquidated. I only hope this bubble doesn't burst Feb. 1 when I call and they say the lease fee is something more along the lines of $15 a month.

By the way, found this forum while browsing a totally different satellite need. What a great site and top notch moderating.

Stewart Vernon

01-10-06, 11:26 PM

One thing I haven't seen definitively...

Existing customers can stand pat and not upgrade hardware or programming and we are ok for now... or we can upgrade to the new stuff via promotional offers, maybe trade our receivers maybe not.

But... it also sounds like after Feb 1st, any new customers will have to get the new equipment, i.e. no activation of 811/921/942/6000 after that date if you don't have it activated already.

Sooo... this seems (notice I say seems) to imply that after Feb 1st, no one can activate any of the legacy HD receivers... which also seems to imply that if you have one, the value for it on eBay should effectively drop to $0.00 except for the hacker market, right?

James Long

01-11-06, 12:15 AM

That would be my guess. You could probably activate one for SD and OTA, but I suspect you will not be able to get any DishHD package once E* stops selling/leasing those receivers.

JL

Stewart Vernon

01-11-06, 03:32 AM

That would be my guess. You could probably activate one for SD and OTA, but I suspect you will not be able to get any DishHD package once E* stops selling/leasing those receivers.

JL

If that does turn out to be the case... it certainly makes me think again how much I mind trading it in (if I had to)... if it isn't going to be valid for HD, then the only reason anyone would buy it from me is if they were going to hack it... and since I don't want to feed the hackers nor do I want to rip anyone off selling them a receiver they can't use... maybe I don't mind sending it to Dish if they wanted it after all.

I wonder... in the case of the swap deal... if they will have the installer who comes take the receiver in swap and me sign something... as opposed to me having to ship it back in a box. Last time I did a swap was when I got my 501 DVR, and I swapped a 301 for it... and I believe the installer took that with him when he left. That would be the nice way to do things, since I wouldn't have to do anything besides pay the initial bill and sign the paper and its a done deal.

Now just need to decide whether I am ok sticking with default HD and getting a Vip211 or if I could swing the budget to get the 611 and have HD-DVR functions.

BobMurdoch

01-11-06, 07:48 AM

Gonna ditch an ancient 4900 to keep my 921 AND get the channels as soon as possible (assuming the 622 is available in February and not April)

tech_head

01-11-06, 09:54 AM

Hi,

I can't wait to ditch my 921!! POS.
I don't want to buy anymore expensive receivers. I want to lease.
If new equipment comes out and they won't let me upgrade, they can come and get the whole bundle of crap. Also leased equipment doesn't need an extended warranty because you don't own it. If it breaks, just send it back for a replacement.

I own a 921 and 508 and lease a 508 and 510.
I would have leased the 921 but the only way to get it was to purchase. I'm glad I was able to get it for less than Costco was selling it for. In hindsight, Costco would have been a great place to buy from because I would have been able to return it up to six months after I bought it and get my cash back.

tech

J. Allen Head

01-11-06, 11:26 AM

I'm going to wait untill April and trade my 811 for a VIP 622 for $99 after the $200 rebate

olgeezer

01-11-06, 11:40 AM

I'm going to wait untill April and trade my 811 for a VIP 622 for $99 after the $200 rebate

The $99 deal is for 921, 942 customers only. for everyone else I believe its $299, no rebate.

JohnL

01-11-06, 12:11 PM

I went Direct TV. Yeeehaw!!!!!!

Tedesco,

Really congrats, hope you enjoy 16 fewer HD channels. BTW your locals in HD don't count as they are available OTA.

Remember DirecTV has no time table for ever showing HD in its full resolution. Dish already commited to showing the VOOM Channels in full 1980x1080, after their new satellite is up.

Enjoy your fewer HD channels that are downrezed.

John
John

Redster

01-11-06, 12:28 PM

921 is gone as soon as Dish wants to take it. I have had 2 years of fun out of it, it may not have had all the functions as advertised but it did work. 2 year life span for a techy toy is pretty good. Time to move on up to the 622 and see where that road leads.

Jim Parker

01-11-06, 01:41 PM

If they invent one by then. :)

They will probably just upgrade you to a DPP44 and appropriate DP LNBs.
No need to keep you in legacy mode, especially when each output of the DPP44 can feed a dual tuner receiver (like the ViP622), a DP receiver or even a legacy receiver.

JL

Which is why I said switches, not switch. :) I figure that it will take a couple of switches.

I don't think that I will get changed to DP LNBs. The small dishes that you guys in the lower 48 use won't work up here. They just don't have enough area to get the signal. I have a 6' looking at 110 and a 4' looking at 119. ( I tried a 4' for 110, but had too many dropouts whenever there was a rainstorm over the mountains to the east of town. A 1m does work for 119.) I have been told by the local installers that the DP LNBs will not fit the mounting arms on the bigger dishes.

Airblair

01-11-06, 02:00 PM

The first two options in the poll say that we can trade our 921/942s in for a 622.

Has it been definitively established that Dish will demand these older boxes when it comes time to do the upgrade?

I ask because I haven't seen that anywhere.

The slides from CES said that 811 owners have to swap those out to get 211s, but there was nothing said about 921/942 owners having to swap out.

I for one would like to keep my 921 as another OTA DVR, since the 622 only gives us one OTA tuner.

Rogueone

01-11-06, 02:28 PM

I'm with you Blair, I plan on giving back either the 301 or 501 (or both if that is what they decide) as those are my lease units. My 921 was bought, so I'm leaning towards a Feb 1 622 for $299, and then maybe later the 921 for $99. Then again, if they don't plan to "take" my 921, I might as well wait and keep it for the extra 25 hours of record time :) it would still make a fine OTA recorder hehe

and to reiterate, the $99 deal is ONLY for 921/942 owners, not everyone, so those with 811's and such there is no need to wait till April, it'll still be $299 for ya

James Long

01-11-06, 03:41 PM

The first two options in the poll say that we can trade our 921/942s in for a 622.

Has it been definitively established that Dish will demand these older boxes when it comes time to do the upgrade?

I ask because I haven't seen that anywhere.At worst the offer is correct, at best it is unclear. Until E* makes it clear if it is a receiver swap or a 'keep your receiver' upgrade I'm sticking with the worst case scenario.

Not everyting made the slides.

JL

harsh

01-11-06, 04:34 PM

I went Direct TV. Yeeehaw!!!!!!So what do you do for interesting HD content?

harsh

01-11-06, 04:38 PM

At worst the offer is correct, at best it is unclear. Until E* makes it clear if it is a receiver swap or a 'keep your receiver' upgrade I'm sticking with the worst case scenario.DeFranco used the term "swapped out" at least once which adds fuel to the trade-in fire.

Stewart Vernon

01-11-06, 07:53 PM

DeFranco used the term "swapped out" at least once which adds fuel to the trade-in fire.

I'm starting to think it isn't going to matter a whole lot... if Dish decides not to activate the "legacy" receivers for new accounts, then your only use for them will be as a backup or something.

On the surface, I don't want to trade an owned for a leased either... but I prefer the lease and wouldn't own the one I have if I could have leased it way back when.

navychop

01-12-06, 07:09 AM

HDME et al:

I think JL is right. The 811/921/942 will still be usable for SD, and DISH will probably activate them for SD accounts. They just won't activate any HD on those accounts. That brings up the question- can they "turn off" the HD reception function and thereby allow someone with a VIP622 & full HD to later add a say, 942, and use the 942 just for SD? Or would the 942 still pick up MPEG-2? Or DISH not allow it's addition later, even just for SD?

We'll know soon enough.
_____________________________
It has been definitively established that nothing has been definitively established.

BobMurdoch

01-12-06, 02:37 PM

Unfortunately, E* seems to be embracing the downrezzing route as well. Let's hope they reverse course quickly. Keep emailing Charlie to voice your displeasure....

Bob Ketcham

01-12-06, 02:38 PM

A quick poll now that we've had a few hours to digest the chat.
Will you be taking one of E*'s upgrade offers?

Select all that apply except for the last three options which are mutually exclusive with all other options.

JL
With an existing 942/811/311 (lease) installation in the house, I've got a number of the listed options I'd like to explore. But, I've got a sneaking suspicion that Dish won't let me do what I want to do.

What I assume they might let me do: Trade the 942 for a ViP622 ($99 after rebate option) and the 811 for the ViP 211 ($49 option). But according to a note elsewhere on the forums One big item left off chart:

Only 1 MPEG4 lease box per account per year!

If you need more than one MPEG4 box you must buy the receiver at retail.
What I'd most like to be able to do: Trade all three receivers for two ViP 622 DVRs. Since Dish wouldn't do a lease upgrade for two 942s to begin with, I suspect they won't do that deal. It would be great for me. I'd be able to swap the $5 extra monthly receiver fee for a $4.95 extra monthly DVR fee.

If the one MPEG4 box rule applies, I may try to keep the 942 and swap the 811 (and 311) for a ViP622. I wonder if that would squeak through the rules? ;)

If none of the above are allowed, it'll be the 942 swapped for the ViP 622 and start looking for a good price to buy a ViP 622.

J. Allen Head

01-12-06, 03:09 PM

My understanding from what Charlie and Jim said on the chat was that any receiver trade in got the same deal. But the rebate was not good untill April

First they were talking and showing a slate about the 921/942 upgrade, then they asked about other recievers such as 6000/311 and so forth that want the VIP 622 and said, What will we do for these folks that have such receivers, and they said same deal as 921/942 owners

UTFAN

01-12-06, 03:50 PM

A quick poll now that we've had a few hours to digest the chat.
Will you be taking one of E*'s upgrade offers?

Select all that apply except for the last three options which are mutually exclusive with all other options.

JL

I was one of the lucky ones who paid a thousand bucks for our 921. I'd call the first unit a lemon, but that would be an insult to lemons.

DISH made good and three receivers later it generally works very well. Despite paying for it almost two years ago, 200 bucks seems not enough in order to get a 622.

We've been with DISH since 1999, and I'm guessing I can negotiate a pretty good deal. Guessing being the key word.

But I'd like to see an upgrade opportunity so we can keep the 921 (we paid for it) as a secondary HD receiver as we'd likely get another flat-screen HD for our bedroom and use the 622 in our home theater room.

There should be some benefit for:
1. Being an early adaptor (and defacto beta tester) for HD
2. Being a long time customer.

We'll likely upgrade in April, and I'll be paying attention here to reports about the 622 from you folks taking the plunge early.

But right now, the trade deal available just doesn't seem quite fair to us.

BobaBird

01-12-06, 07:49 PM

Well said, UTFAN. In addition to your reasons, even if I replace my 921 for satellite service, I would like to keep my bought and owned unit to use as a second OTA tuner/DVR. Even if it doesn't have proper or any guide info.

And remember, it was Dish that refused to offer the 921 on a lease plan. If they're going to take back something that cost me $999 in return for something that costs $699(?) they're going to need to do a little better. Especially if the only new channel to be offered in proper HD is one that will immediately be blocked from my guide.

James Long

01-16-06, 05:28 PM

Just a reminder that this poll closes in about 5 1/2 hours, so if you have not voted and wish to express your opinion please do so!

James

tonyp56

01-16-06, 05:33 PM

Mikey

01-16-06, 06:10 PM

I am interested in trading in my 811 for a Vip211 for $49, however, I will take a wait and see approach to make sure this isn't a better deal coming down the line. What I would really like to do is get a Vip222 so that I can get rid of one of my 301's and my 811. Which in my opinion would be better. The only thing is, no one is really talking about the 222, don't know if it will even be available, let alone to current customers.I'm in general agreement with Tonyp56, but I don't want to pay for the upgrade, since I sprang for the Dish 1000 myself in December. I'll pay Dish the $25 shipping to exchange my 811 for a Vip211, or maybe a few bucks more for the Vip222. I'm waiting for a better deal.

kent6723

01-17-06, 04:43 PM

What will the retail price for 622 be?
Charlie mentioned $1000, and on eBay a dealer is accepting orders for $699!
:confused:

larrystotler

01-18-06, 07:28 AM

What will the retail price for 622 be? Charlie mentioned $1000, and on eBay a dealer is accepting orders for $699!

The retail price will be $699. The $1000 price you mention was not in the summary that JL did. Since the ViP622 is replacing the 942, the price will not change.