[ebaltz]

Does each Joey really cost an additional $7 a month?

 

[komondor]

yes

 

[ebaltz]

That seems a little excessive for what amounts to a dumb box (just accesses the Hopper). It's not like you are adding a separate DVR.

 

[Wire Nut]

It is a leased piece of equipment (leased in most cases), which uses a live tuner at times. It requires maintenance and initial setup, which is what you pay for.

 

[frodob9]

You are paying for the ability to access all of the Hoppers functions (except PIP) from another TV. In the early days before DVR you had to pay $5 per month for each additional receiver. Hoppers and Joeys have a lot more functionality than a standard non-DVR receiver. I think that the $7 per month is a reasonable price for what you get, especially if you consider that it is the same cost for either an additional Joey or an additional Hopper.

 

[mdavej]

I'm with the OP. I makes absolutely no sense that a dumb terminal costs the same as a 3 tuner server. DirecTV takes it to another level, charging the same for an RVU client which consists only of the customers owned TV, no DirecTV equipment at all. They do it simply because they can get away with it, not because it makes any sense. If you watch a second tv, they want more money. Doesn't matter if you do it on a cheap device, an expensive device or your own device that you bought and paid for entirely.

 

[P Smith]

It is a leased piece of equipment (leased in most cases), which uses a live tuner at times. It requires maintenance and initial setup, which is what you pay for.

If I own it ? Your two phrases have no sense for the broad statement.
What maintenance ? Initial setup ? Tell me that, when no one tech involved.
You are just sounds as the company's employee.

 

[Stewart Vernon]

We can argue in circles... or just accept that each receiver (or Hopper/Joey in this case) requires a fee after the first one.

IF that is not acceptable, try another provider. IF it is acceptable, then have at it and watch TV.

 

[James Long]

That seems a little excessive for what amounts to a dumb box (just accesses the Hopper). It's not like you are adding a separate DVR.

That "dumb box" is an output where content can be seen on a TV. DISH charges $7 per output.

Thanks to a price restructuring a couple of years ago one can get around that on the first receiver. (A Duo that would cost $14+ per month as a second receiver is included as a first receiver.) Hopper/Joey pricing is a simplified $7 per output.

BTW: The Joey is a receiver with a smart card (built in, with a slot for a potential replacement). It is more than just a dumb box.

 

[Wire Nut]

If I own it ? Your two phrases have no sense for the broad statement.
What maintenance ? Initial setup ? Tell me that, when no one tech involved.
You are just sounds as the company's employee.

I suppose you would be an authority in nonsensical phrases, so I'll let that be. I don't work for Dish directly. It has always been their policy to charge a monthly equipment fee for all serialized equipment that requires activation, with no emphasis on ownership status. If it operates undesirably it will be replaced, hence maintenance, and 90+% of those installed are put in by technicians, hence initial setup.

 

[patmurphey]

That seems a little excessive for what amounts to a dumb box (just accesses the Hopper). It's not like you are adding a separate DVR.

There are no providers that are not charging a fee for each HDTV independently supported. At DirecTV they even charge a fee for an RVU TV with no box. So, get over it, unless you just copy output with component or HDMI splitting, you are going to pay a fee for each HDTV - anywhere you go.

 

[FormerMarineSgt]

That seems a little excessive for what amounts to a dumb box (just accesses the Hopper). It's not like you are adding a separate DVR.

Heck, DirecTV charges $9 for each box. $7 would be a great deal in comparison.

 

[P Smith]

As a Molecule water in NY. Pay if you want, not when someone is force you.

 

[tommiet]

Dump the Joey's as Dish replaced mine with Hoppers for the same price. Why get a Joey for $7.00 a month when I can get another Hopper for the same price?

I thought about buying a Joey but DISH would still charge me $7.00 a month to authorize it.

 

[3HaloODST]

Dump the Joey's as Dish replaced mine with Hoppers for the same price. Why get a Joey for $7.00 a month when I can get another Hopper for the same price?

I thought about buying a Joey but DISH would still charge me $7.00 a month to authorize it.

In my case it's good to have 2 Joeys as I can only have 3 Hoppers, but have 4 TVs, plus I have a spare Joey connected wirelessly that I can take anywhere in the house and edit timers for any of the 3 Hoppers at any location.

Did you get the second Hopper at no upfront cost? That's the main reason that most opt for Joeys instead. Plus Dish won't allow configurations such as 2 Hoppers / 0 Joeys (easily anyway.)

 

[david_jr]

Thinking long term up front cost of $99 is negligible for essentially a >$500 piece of equipment that adds so much more value to a whole home system than a joey. If there are only a few users or the customer is on very tight budget I could understand not getting it, but for most multiple family member households it is bordering on a no brainer wouldn't you agree?

 

[Marlin Guy]

$7 per. It's not a hidden fee buried somewhere in your bill.
Pay it or not.

 

[garys]

If you are using the Joey, you should be paying the fee to use it. If you not using it, take it off your account and the fee will go away.

 

[mdavej]

You can avoid these fees. Just get cable TV, a cable card tuner, an HTPC running WMC and extenders (Xbox or Ceton Echo) for each of your TV's. The only recurring fees are the programming package itself and $2 for the cable card. I have access to multiple, independent tuners all over my house, access to all my recordings from anywhere, plus AMC and IFC in HD. Upfront equipment costs are on par with a similar number of Hoppers.

 

[tommiet]

In my case it's good to have 2 Joeys as I can only have 3 Hoppers, but have 4 TVs, plus I have a spare Joey connected wirelessly that I can take anywhere in the house and edit timers for any of the 3 Hoppers at any location.

Did you get the second Hopper at no upfront cost? That's the main reason that most opt for Joeys instead. Plus Dish won't allow configurations such as 2 Hoppers / 0 Joeys (easily anyway.)

No cost as they have replaced my Joey, 3 times and could not get it to work right. I asked for another Hopper OR change my system back to use a 722.
Got the Hopper 2 days later.