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Getting a satellite dish for HD channels

EliteLamerEliteLamer __BANNED USERS regular
edited August 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
Hey, we live in a town house and normal non digital cable is 58 bucks a month for 70 channels and digital cable is 88 bucks a month. The channels look like crap on our HD tv's but digital cable is way too much so we are looking at getting Dish Network for 24 bucks a month, free install but we fear we might get screwed once the intro price is up in 3-6 months. How much are we looking at paying once the first 6 months are up and how long is the contract.


We also have concerns about if the association will let up put the dish up but from my understanding they have to let us put one up.

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Posts

  • DeShadowCDeShadowC Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Ask them what the monthly rate after the promo is. If I remember correct dish's contract is 24 months.

    DeShadowC on
  • EliteLamerEliteLamer __BANNED USERS regular
    edited August 2008
    2 years!?!?

    EliteLamer on
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  • DeShadowCDeShadowC Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Thats the standard for most companies. Like I said though call them and ask. Make sure to ask about the hd rental box fee, and additional boxes you'll need, assuming you have more then 1 tv. Any additional outlets that will need activated, and what channels come in that package.

    DeShadowC on
  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I have Dish and when I asked when my contract was up, they said that I can cancel at anytime because they go month to month.

    For $25 a month, what HD channels will you be getting? That's... pretty excellent.

    Improvolone on
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  • Durandal InfinityDurandal Infinity Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    wait wait. the company is charging 88 bucks for JUST a digital io service??? Jesus my triple play costs near 96 dollars

    Durandal Infinity on
  • RavynBlackheartRavynBlackheart Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Having used to work for Dish I feel I can answer some of these questions. The rate you were quoted probably doesn't include any additional fees such as (if you have more than one HD receiver) the 7 dollar lease fee, if you're unable to keep a phone line or broadband connection included in your receivers that's another 5 bucks, your programming package doesn't include locals (another 5 bucks) and yes the contract is 24 months. Early termination is 240 prorated at 10 per month for the remaining months. I'm not sure if they've changed the promotions since I worked there a couple months ago but the price you get up front is basically the price you'll pay, not like DirecTV where you're good for 6 months or so and then they jack up the rate like 18 bucks. Any other questions about Dish just let me know. I have them and while they may nickel and dime the shit out of you it's still really good service for less than what I was paying for Comcast and a DAMN sight less than DirecTV.

    RavynBlackheart on
  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Wait a tick, I can hook up my modem to my box and get rid of that damned $5 fee? They never told me that!

    And be sure you get their HD DVR. You shouldn't be TV-ing without a DVR these days.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • RavynBlackheartRavynBlackheart Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Improvolone wrote: »
    Wait a tick, I can hook up my modem to my box and get rid of that damned $5 fee? They never told me that!

    And be sure you get their HD DVR. You shouldn't be TV-ing without a DVR these days.

    As long as you have an ethernet cable plugged in and connected to an active broadband connection the $5 programming access fee (PAFAO in their terms) will be waived. Good thing I had a free slot on my router for my 722.

    RavynBlackheart on
  • EliteLamerEliteLamer __BANNED USERS regular
    edited August 2008
    So there is no way to get any of these without a contract? Or just a one year contract?

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  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    I doubt there is a secret code for that sort of thing, so you really might as well ask them the details and read whatever they ask you to sign.

    Improvolone on
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  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    RavynBlackheart wrote: »
    Improvolone wrote: »
    Wait a tick, I can hook up my modem to my box and get rid of that damned $5 fee? They never told me that!

    And be sure you get their HD DVR. You shouldn't be TV-ing without a DVR these days.

    As long as you have an ethernet cable plugged in and connected to an active broadband connection the $5 programming access fee (PAFAO in their terms) will be waived. Good thing I had a free slot on my router for my 722.

    Aw crap, I have a 625 and there is no ethernet port on it.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • embrikembrik Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    RavynBlackheart wrote: »
    Improvolone wrote: »
    Wait a tick, I can hook up my modem to my box and get rid of that damned $5 fee? They never told me that!

    And be sure you get their HD DVR. You shouldn't be TV-ing without a DVR these days.

    As long as you have an ethernet cable plugged in and connected to an active broadband connection the $5 programming access fee (PAFAO in their terms) will be waived. Good thing I had a free slot on my router for my 722.

    That's kinda ridiculous. DirecTV doesn't charge for that if you don't hook it to phone/ethernet. The only reason to hook up to a phone line is to order PPV from the box (which you can also do online w/o the phone line). It does programming downloads over the satellite itself.
    Also, if you're a NFL fan and want Sunday Ticket, you really have to look at DTV instead.

    embrik on
    "Damn you and your Daily Doubles, you brigand!"

    I don't believe it - I'm on my THIRD PS3, and my FIRST XBOX360. What the heck?
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    DirecTV looks like ASS in HD. I wouldn't recommend it at all.

    urahonky on
  • embrikembrik Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    urahonky wrote: »
    DirecTV looks like ASS in HD. I wouldn't recommend it at all.

    Have any evidence to back this up? I've had it for a year now, and it's got a great picture, especially compared to cable HD (which I had for a year prior). The MPEG4 channels (which are now the majority, only like two left that are strictly in MPEG2) look especially good.

    embrik on
    "Damn you and your Daily Doubles, you brigand!"

    I don't believe it - I'm on my THIRD PS3, and my FIRST XBOX360. What the heck?
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    embrik wrote: »
    urahonky wrote: »
    DirecTV looks like ASS in HD. I wouldn't recommend it at all.

    Have any evidence to back this up? I've had it for a year now, and it's got a great picture, especially compared to cable HD (which I had for a year prior). The MPEG4 channels (which are now the majority, only like two left that are strictly in MPEG2) look especially good.

    I have 2 TVs setup down stairs in our basement. One with DirecTV (for the Football Package) and the other with Digital Cable. Both setup with HDMI on the highest quality.

    The DirecTV doesn't look NEARLY as good as the Digital Cable, and that's even on non-HD channels for the Digital Cable. I've had the DirecTV guys out (and they're idiots) and they said the picture is fine. The shit isn't even CLOSE to DVD quality. It's disgusting. I just wish Time Warner would be able to get that NFL Sunday Ticket... If they did I would drop DirecTV like 4th period French.

    urahonky on
  • DalbozDalboz Resident Puppy Eater Right behind you...Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    What cable company are you with now? Check the channel line up carefully. Broadcast channels are required by law (if you're in the U.S.; I don't know about elsewhere) to broadcast HD along with standard definition. You could technically just put an antennae on your roof and get HD. I'm not sure how much this applies to cable companies. I know they are also required by law (again in the U.S.) to carry local broadcast channels, which is why the FCC brought the hammer down on Time Warner when they tried to cut off ABC over the ESPN spat a few years ago. I'm not sure if this law extend to Broadcast HD, or the other HD channels. I think there are technically only two channels that are actually in the HD Tier on TW's service. The other HD channels are just packaged in some other way.

    Dalboz on
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Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum