Want to Upgrade to HD - Help w / some Questions

[BrianSLA]

Hi All,

I am getting my HDTV tomorrow ( delivered ) and I already bought my Xbox 360 ( I waited until I got a HDTV. ) so now I want HD content. I have been a Dishnetwork Everything Package customer for three years ( I currently pay around $120 / month for Everything plus an international station plus 3 x RCVRs ). I have 3 x standard RCVRs ( I think they are 801's or something. I own them. ) . I also have Comcast for my Cable modem.

I am looking to upgrade to one HD DVR ( the 622 ) and Dish HD Platinum plus my Intl Stattion. So I call Dish and the CSR rep says I can get a $200 rebate if I wait until April 1st. So I said sure why not. BUT then I found this forum and now I hear that that $200 rebate MIGHT not apply to me. Does it?

In addition HOW is Dishnetwork HD packages? Like I said I am also a Comcast Cable Modem customer so they are an option ( plus I get a 2 service discount ). I noticed that Comcast HD has Starz HD & Cinemax HD. Does Dishnetwork also have those 2 premium channels ? I am still leaning to DISH because it doesn't look like I would get East Coast feeds of my favorite premiums on Comcast. BUT If I got Comcast I would get ON DEMAND & access to Howard Stern on Demand.

And can someone tell me what MPEG 4 is ? Does the 622 have it. Is it that great ?

AND is there a long wait for the 622s ?

THANKS IN ADVANCE,
Brian

[James Long]

Unless you have a 921 or 942 (and I don't believe you do) and are willing to part with it there is no rebate. (Some CSRs are confused about this.)

There is a backlog of installs for the 622s but there does not seem to be a delay getting them to customers (now that they are shipping).

DishHD Platinum includes your current AEP channels plus 25 HD channels. 15 of those are Voom theme movie channels. E* currently does not have Starz and Cinemax but we expect that they will be added within the next few months.

MPEG4 is a new more efficient way of getting more content on the same satellite space - yes the 622 is capable of recieving this encoding, which is the future of HD.

[garys]

Unless you have a 921 or 942 (and I don't believe you do) and are willing to part with it there is no rebate. (Some CSRs are confused about this.)

There is a backlog of installs for the 622s but there does not seem to be a delay getting them to customers (now that they are shipping).

DishHD Platinum includes your current AEP channels plus 25 HD channels. 15 of those are Voom theme movie channels. E* currently does not have Starz and Cinemax but we expect that they will be added within the next few months.

MPEG4 is a new more efficient way of getting more content on the same satellite space - yes the 622 is capable of recieving this encoding, which is the future of HD.

The more of these posts I read the luckier I feel that my local dealer had one in stock. Had it hooked up in no time.

[Bill R]

The more of these posts I read the luckier I feel that my local dealer had one in stock. Had it hooked up in no time.


That is exactly how I feel and what I did (bought one directly from my local dealer who was able to get one for me in three days).

I don't know if I will be with DISH for 18 more months (FiOS TV is coming to our area and/or we might be moving within the next year) so I didn't want to go with the lease and be stuck with the commitment. I figure that in a year (or so) I can sell the 622 for just about what I paid for it (and I did get a discount off of list price from my dealer). Another reason that I bought one is that I didn't want to go through the wait and hassle of an installer (my local dealer that sells satellite equipment does not install it). Recently, a neighbor had satellite installed (not DISH, the other guys) and the installer drilled through a gas pipe! They had to move out of their house (no heat) until they got the pipe fixed and now will likey have to take the installers' company to small claims court to get them to pay for the repair.

Installing the 622 was no big deal. Mine replaced a DishPlayer 7100 so I had to run another cable from my (legacy) switch to where the 7100 was. I also ran the cable for the TV2 connection. I moved my other DISH receiver (a 721 connected to an HDTV) to where the DishPlayer was the new ViP622 was installed were the 721 was (on the HDTV). Getting the ViP622 activated was a no hassle experience. ViP622 activations are now done by experienced tech level CSRs in a U.S. call center (I feared that I would get someone at one of those overseas call centers who I can never understand).

I can understand why most people want to go with the lease option but, for some of us, buying and installing your own ViP622 is the best choice.

And to answer BrianSLA's question about DISH's HD programming, I would rate it as outstanding even thought they don't carry Starz! or Cinemax HD yet. As James noted, they likely will be adding them and we know that next month that DISH is going to add Food and HGTV in HD. And don't forget the 15 VOOM channels. Some of them have some very good programming and you can't get them from cable. The picture quality on all the HD channels is very, very good and the ATSC tuner in the 622 pulls in local digital stations better than the HD STB that I did use before I got the 622.

[BrianSLA]

THANKS James, Gary & Bill for your great and prompt answers. I finally got my HDTV yesterday. Making the huge stand took more time than the HDTV. And within the last few minutes I just called Dish and went for the VIP622 plus the Platinum HD pack plus locals plus my International for monthly total $140.

UNFORTUNATELY my install date is March 15th. And this time I think I got a decently knowledgeable CSR who said I didn't qualify for the $200 rebate. I wonder what my install date would have been had I did it last week when I called. I did want it by the 7th so I could copy THE UNIT on CBS ( can't wait for that tv about the Delta Force / created by David Mamet & CSM Eric Haney ( Delta Force CSM ) and Shawn Ryan ( of the Shield ) plus I work in the Motion Picture & TV industry and my company worked on it.

THANKS AGAIN

Oh I did ask about installing it myself. The CSR told me that I would need the Superdish ( the 1000? ) to replace my Dish 500 by the look of things.

[Mikey]

...
Oh I did ask about installing it myself. The CSR told me that I would need the Superdish ( the 1000? ) to replace my Dish 500 by the look of things.Yes, you'll get the L.A. locals in HD off 129, and some additional national HD.

[BobaBird]

... I would need the Superdish ( the 1000? ) to replace my Dish 500SuperDISH is about 1 meter, sees 119, 110 and an FSS slot 105 or 121.
Dish 1000 is slightly bigger than Dish 500, sees 119, 110 and 129.

Since you have a Dish 500, you probably get your international off 148. You could end up with a SuperDISH (intl from 121) and swing your 148 dish to 129. I would expect a Dish1000 and keep your 148 dish as is. Either way you need a DPP44 for 4 slots.