Posted: 2/22/2003 5:16:14 PM EDT
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go here: [url][url=http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/technology/receivers/dishpvr501/index.shtml]Dish Network[/url] Anyone have one of these, and if so what do you think of it? Do they charge you extra per month like with tivo? |
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I have one of the older models. They are great. This thing will change the way you watch TV. You watch what you want when you want to. If you want to get a snack hit the pause button and go get it. Skip commercials, if you want to go to the ball game... go and watch your show later. The Dish Network recorders do not have all the features of TIVO systems but… the picture on the Dish Network recorders is vastly superior to TIVO. The picture quality is recorded exactly as it comes from the satellite and not recompressed. The recorded you link to is the 501 recorder which is a very good unit it allows you to watch recorded programs and record live feeds at the same time. Dish Network also has the 701 recorder which has dual tuners so you can watch a live feed and record and another channel at the same time or record 2 programs at the same time while you are away, the 701 is spendy though. If you can afford to get one of the recorders do you will not regret it. |
| An extra $9.95 from DirecTV for the UltimateTV features. Well worth it. There was some rumor that the service fees would die off as DirectTV/Dish go for market saturation. Consumer approvals for Personal Video Recorders have been consistently 95%, which is an outstanding indication of customer satisfaction. I think the PVR is the greatest piece of technology since the television. |
| I have a 501 and except for some odd problems that require a hard reset every few months, it's a great box. I love being able to scroll ahead through the next week's programming tagging the things I want to watch. When I get home from work I just hit the button, go through the list of shows that are waiting and watch what I want when I want. Pausing and rewinding an hour of live TV doesn't suck either. |
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I would be really interested about some of your thoughts about this, as I'm considering which system to go with. I've been a Dish Network subscriber for ~3 years now, and the thanks I get is old worn out equipment that's obsolete now. A new subscriber gets all the nice new equipment for free, so I'm considering switching to DirecTV (even though I despise them after having them before). Here's my understanding: [b]Dish Network[/b] PVR Digital Recorder available to existing customers for $199/receiver. Requires Dish 500 upgrade, which they offer for free. There is no monthly charge for PVR, although you have to select any programs you want recorded (it is not TIVO-functionality). [b]DirecTV[/b] TIVO receivers available - $250/receiver at Circuit City (don't know if package deal is offered to new subscribers). Requires $5/month TIVO fee unless you subscribe to their $80/month package (then it's free). It is true TIVO - meaning it will learn your interests and automatically record programs you'd be interested in. Both systems have Dolby Digital and S-video, similar remotes and functionality. Dish Network's prices for similar services are usually a few $ lower, and their customer service is excellent. I have no idea about either one's political leanings.... Black Fox |
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Just got off the phone with dishnetwork re: the pvr. There is a rental fee with the pvr, they just hide it. The regular 100 channel plan is $33.99/ month, or $31.16/month if you pay a year in advance. Local Channels are $5.99 extra. If you want the PVR, you have to get the Digital Home Plan. The DHP 100 is $38.99/ month, with no discount for paying up front, and the local channels are still $5.99. They also hit you up for an additional $50 setup fee. So, what you get is Basic w/ local: $445.80 for a year w/ equip. DHP w/ PVR & local: $589.76 for a year w/ equip. A difference of $143.96. Not really chump change, and certainly the price of a VCR that doesn't do as much. But, its still alot of cash to float up front for tv, and that's alot of ammo. Of course, you HAVE to pay it monthly, and they can always raise the rates if you do. Anybody that has it already, what're your taxes and fees like each month? If its gonna cost me $44.98/month for the service and equip, what's my total bill gonna look like? |
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I had one of the Dish recorders, and it sucked hard. Replaced it three times. Eventually got their base model receiver with no record feature. When teh recorder worked it was great - I loved it. It just broke every three months or so. Eventually I kicked Dish Net-doesn't-work to the curb and got DirecTV, and with it Sunday Ticket. MUCH better. ' |
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For what it's worth, I just called Dish Network and you do NOT have to have the Digital Home Plan to get the PVRs. Norman - you may want to call again, because this is not a requirement for me. There were two interesting pieces of information - if you have two receivers, you only get the $100 rebate on one, so your total cost to upgrade is $500. They also claim to have a new "existing customer" offer within the next 1-2 months that they really recommend waiting for.... Black Fox |
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the bitch on the phone was stupid as hell. But now there's two stories, I wonder which idiot we talked to was lying? The bimbo I go read it off the screen, I could almost see her finger following it along. When I try to sign up onthe web it forces you to pic the 38.99 plan too. |
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I've been a Dish subscriber since their inception (circa 1994??? I think, when I subscribed)... I've been totally happy. I will not down-talk Direct TV as their technology is the same as Dish, the programming is the main difference. I bought a Dish 501PVR last year, all it cost me was the unit. I called Dish, got the unit online and it's been working just fine ever since. No extra charges, no extra fees, no package requirements, no additional monthly fees. I already had the Dish 500 setup - things are going "swimmingly well" as they say.... I have no major complaints with the PVR501, but, the hard drive runs all the time (power ON or OFF). You can hear it all the time - just like your 'puter - it sometimes bothers me when I'm listening to Classical CD's with quiet audio passages. All in all I like the PVR and would never go back to the standard receiver. IM me if you have any direct questions. |
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The 501's are the older model. I got a pair of 508's three weeks ago and they're very good. They'll do 60 hours of recording on their hard drives which is a WHOLE bunch. If I catch a movie that I want to add to the collection I dump it off via the "S" video and analog audio jacks. The MPEG picture is very good. Not as good as a good analog but all the satellite services sacrafice the quality for the quanity. Watching carefully I can see the MPEG artifacts but that's not due to the PVR. The hard drives are always going on these things so if you want to pause live TV or do an instant replay you can. You can jump back an hour to catch something you missed earlier. The trip is watching programs "live" and skipping though the commercials - set the machine to watch the channel your show is on - goof off for 20 minutes of the first hour and then start watching the show off the PVR - you'll skip a head on each commercial and eventually catch up with the live show. I've had mine for three weeks and have forgotten that I can skip commericals 30 seconds at a time while using the PVR. The Dish Network doesn't require the subscription like TiVo nor does it send your viewing habbits into Big Brother every night. It can't "guess" what shows you'd like either but ya' know what? I know what shows I want and just mark them for recording with two clicks of one button. I'm a certified professional broadcast engineer with the Society of Broadcast Engineers and work for the worlds largest satellite broadcast network (AFN.net) which uses 7 satellites to transmit into 166 countries worldwide ... including to the troops in Afghanistan, Bosnia, and the Navy's ships at sea... and soon to Iraq! |
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Digital Home? I don't know who gave you the mis-information but the PVR models cost ZERO - nothing - nadda - more per month then the 301 non-PVR model. If you'll check the fee schedule you'll find one price for the 50, 100, 150, and America's Choice (180 channels with HBO, Showtime, Cinemax etc.), and the local channels. [url]http://www.allsat.com/programming/index.shtml[/url] I got mine though AllSat too and my first 508 was free and the second one was $189 plus shipping. Programming is $5 additional for the second receiver, $5.99 for the 25 something local channels. I'm looking for The Dish Network to give me $100 worth of free movies as the installer never called nor showed up. It took me nearly an hour and a half to install the dish, run the cables, and peak the system. |
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Alright, now I'm really confused. If I buy from allsat, I just buy the dish from them, and then I have to call dishnetwork to: 1) get the thing hooked up 2) work out the details of the rebate of $49.99 What's the benefit of going through them instead of directly through dishnetwork.com? Seems like if I go direct, the installation is scheduled and the rebate is taken care of automatically. If I go through the dishnetwork.com, they want $200 for the pvr, $49.99 of which will be refunded. If I go through the allsat.com, its $139.99, and I'll supposedly get the $49.99 back as well? so the total price will be $89.95? Everytime I think I know what's goin on with this shit, I get more confused. I just wish I didn't live in South Florida, I'd go to a store and get some customer service. |
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There is no monthly charge for the current generation Dish Network PVR recorders. norman74 could it be what you have run into with Dish Network is programming plans for new customers that include new equipment. The PVR recorders do cost more and that will drive up the per month cost because the PVR equipment cost more not because of a monthly charge for the PVR. You are paying a higher price for better initial equipment. |
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Quoted: There is no monthly charge for the current generation Dish Network PVR recorders. norman74 could it be what you have run into with Dish Network is programming plans for new customers that include new equipment. The PVR recorders do cost more and that will drive up the per month cost because the PVR equipment cost more not because of a monthly charge for the PVR. You are paying a higher price for better initial equipment. OK, however you want to phrase it, but the bottom line is that, however they're justifying it, it costs me $5 extra a month to have the PVR. Who cares how they justify it, or what account they put it in, or if they simply use the xtra $5 bill to wipe their ass with. At the end of the day, I'm out an extra $5. That may or may not be alot, but they could at least try to be clear about it. Any company (cable, telephone, cell phone, car dealer) that can't explain their pricing in a clear and concise manner is tipping you off in some way shape or form. Its your decision whether or not you want to be ripped off, but you chould at least be able to make an informed decision. |
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OK, however you want to phrase it, but the bottom line is that, however they're justifying it, it costs me $5 extra a month to have the PVR. So let me get this right you want better equipment than offered in the base package and think Dish Network should give it to you for no additional cost. You are paying for the equipment only. If you have a TIVO recorder from DirectTV you will pay additional for the equipment and will pay a monthly (or one time) charge for the PVR features (ie programming guide ect…) No one is going to give you the PVR equipment at no extra cost. |
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Quoted: There is no monthly charge for the current generation Dish Network PVR recorders. Quoted: No one is going to give you the PVR equipment at no extra cost. Which is it? I'm not trying to be a dick, and I'm not trying to start an argument, I'm just trying to figure this out. Do you work for them? Because you're just as confusing as they are. |
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No offence taken I will try to be clearer. The increased cost in the package is because you are getting the PVR equipment that cost more that the equipment that normally comes with the basic package. The PVR receiver costs more than the non-PVR receiver. You want a receiver that costs more than the basic receiver therefore the monthly cost is more for the equipment. As a current customer I can get a 301 receiver (not a PVR) for about $110. But if I want the PVR 508 receiver it will cost me about $300 from my dealer. You can upgrade to the 508 PVR receiver for $99 ($50 for the receiver + a $49 one time activation fee). This is called the Digital Home Plan and the part of the extra cost is spread out over the first year. Any why you slice it you are getting the 508 PVR at $100 less than current street price. For the first year in your monthly program price the price of the better equipment is included, so it is more expensive. It is a good deal you are getting the PVR for an additional $100 dollars during the first year. They are not going to give you a receiver that cost $200 more than the base receiver at no additional cost. |