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6 Posts
I was really sick of ATT cable, and really wanted a PVR... so I started looking into my options. I learned a ton from this newsgroup, and had heard of some problems with the 501, but decided it was my only "free" option (see cost compare below).
Sure I was drooling over the 721, and wanted 2 PVR's (like UTV)... but I decided to sign up for the Dish digital home plan.
It was $49 to sign up, $50 for the PVR upgrade, and $60 for them to do "wall fishing" and install new cable outlets (see why below).
Total out of pocket $159
Free 3 months @ ~$55/mo = $165.
Net cost = FREE
and the best part... Sacramento area is out of refurbished 501's, so I got a brand new 508 !!!! WOOHOOO. I went with the digital home plan because it was no money out of pocket and covered me in case I got stuck with a bad receiver.
Been very happy with it so far. It has P154 on it, and has been very quick, and very stable, with SOOO much better quality than the ATT digital cable box I had.
============================
Here is a cost compare for anyone trying to make a similar decision... (comparing 2 room configs w/ Top 100 packages + locals, no pay channels)
ATT Cable
1 digital converter, 1 analog converter
$55/mo.
$0 install.
Avg cost over 24months = $55/mo.
DTV + Tivo
30hr two tuner tivo + second receiver
$31.99 DTV + $6 locals + $5 2nd receiver + $13 Tivo = $56/mo.
~$200 for equipment, dish, tax, etc. from orbitsat.com
Avg cost over 24months = $64.32/mo.
DTV + Tivo w/ Lifetime
30hr two tuner tivo + second receiver
$31.99 DTV + $6 locals + $5 2nd receiver = $43/mo.
~$200 for equipment, dish, tax, etc. from orbitsat.com
$250 for Tivo lifetime
Avg cost over 24months = $61.74/mo.
Dish Digital Home Plan
1 PVR 501 and 1 dish301
$41.99 (2 receiver top 100 digitial home plan) + $6 locals = $48/mo
$159 equip + install ($49 install, $50 PVR upgrade, + $60 for special wiring)
-$144 (3 months free @ $48/mo)
Avg cost over 24months = $48.66/mo.
=======================
Wiring and setup...
I recommend to anyone doing dish network install to ask for them to run NEW wires straight from the dish to a NEW wall outlet near your TV. The guy did great work for me, and it allows me to leave my existing house cable network alone.
Why? well I plugged the coax output of my 508 to the existing cable outlet, then went to my cable box, disconnected the incoming feed from ATT, and put the output of the 508 into the input of the splitter, so it now sends the 508 signal to all outlets in the house !!!!
And because the 501/508 have UHV remotes, I can carry the remote with me to any room, turn to channel 4, and watch something I recorded, or any live show that is on in the family room.
My next step is to multiplex the output of the 301 onto the same existing cable lines, but use channel 3... that way when the PVR needs to record something, I can switch to channel 3 and start using the 301 tuner from the other room. Of course I'll need to get an IR sender so I can control the 301 from the other room, but this still seemed like a good workaround instead of buying a 721 with dual tuners for $500. At least it will last me through the year commitment
Best of luck to all.
-Don
Sure I was drooling over the 721, and wanted 2 PVR's (like UTV)... but I decided to sign up for the Dish digital home plan.
It was $49 to sign up, $50 for the PVR upgrade, and $60 for them to do "wall fishing" and install new cable outlets (see why below).
Total out of pocket $159
Free 3 months @ ~$55/mo = $165.
Net cost = FREE
and the best part... Sacramento area is out of refurbished 501's, so I got a brand new 508 !!!! WOOHOOO. I went with the digital home plan because it was no money out of pocket and covered me in case I got stuck with a bad receiver.
Been very happy with it so far. It has P154 on it, and has been very quick, and very stable, with SOOO much better quality than the ATT digital cable box I had.
============================
Here is a cost compare for anyone trying to make a similar decision... (comparing 2 room configs w/ Top 100 packages + locals, no pay channels)
ATT Cable
1 digital converter, 1 analog converter
$55/mo.
$0 install.
Avg cost over 24months = $55/mo.
DTV + Tivo
30hr two tuner tivo + second receiver
$31.99 DTV + $6 locals + $5 2nd receiver + $13 Tivo = $56/mo.
~$200 for equipment, dish, tax, etc. from orbitsat.com
Avg cost over 24months = $64.32/mo.
DTV + Tivo w/ Lifetime
30hr two tuner tivo + second receiver
$31.99 DTV + $6 locals + $5 2nd receiver = $43/mo.
~$200 for equipment, dish, tax, etc. from orbitsat.com
$250 for Tivo lifetime
Avg cost over 24months = $61.74/mo.
Dish Digital Home Plan
1 PVR 501 and 1 dish301
$41.99 (2 receiver top 100 digitial home plan) + $6 locals = $48/mo
$159 equip + install ($49 install, $50 PVR upgrade, + $60 for special wiring)
-$144 (3 months free @ $48/mo)
Avg cost over 24months = $48.66/mo.
=======================
Wiring and setup...
I recommend to anyone doing dish network install to ask for them to run NEW wires straight from the dish to a NEW wall outlet near your TV. The guy did great work for me, and it allows me to leave my existing house cable network alone.
Why? well I plugged the coax output of my 508 to the existing cable outlet, then went to my cable box, disconnected the incoming feed from ATT, and put the output of the 508 into the input of the splitter, so it now sends the 508 signal to all outlets in the house !!!!
And because the 501/508 have UHV remotes, I can carry the remote with me to any room, turn to channel 4, and watch something I recorded, or any live show that is on in the family room.
My next step is to multiplex the output of the 301 onto the same existing cable lines, but use channel 3... that way when the PVR needs to record something, I can switch to channel 3 and start using the 301 tuner from the other room. Of course I'll need to get an IR sender so I can control the 301 from the other room, but this still seemed like a good workaround instead of buying a 721 with dual tuners for $500. At least it will last me through the year commitment
Best of luck to all.
-Don