Dish and Cable HDTV upgrade prices...

[pioneernut]

For months, I've contemplated upgrading to HD from various cable, and sat providers and as an existing customer of Dish it seems the best deal is to just jump ship and switch to a competitor to get free equipment.

However, this is were it starts to peeve me off.
1 why don't they give the same deal to existing customers? You'd think they'd want to keep us, but no, you have to pay to upgrade equipment while new customers get it for free. Total BS.
2 Why do they have to charge so much more for HD content? Its going to be standard anyway in a year, why should I pay more for something thats a standard broadcast that should be offered by default.

Seriously, what do they think they are going to charge when HD is the norm and its no longer just an added perk? At this point, I don't want to pay more for what will be regular HD broadcasts in a year anyway. I almost want to hold out until all broadcasts are HD over Satillite and cable and then they have to give me new equipment just to be a customer.

I know it won't happen though, as this is a perfect way to acustom all these early adopters to paying more for the same content.

Does anyone else think the pricing for HDTV is suckering us all in for higher cable bills in the long run?

[bigstereo]

For months, I've contemplated upgrading to HD from various cable, and sat providers and as an existing customer of Dish it seems the best deal is to just jump ship and switch to a competitor to get free equipment.

However, this is were it starts to peeve me off.
1 why don't they give the same deal to existing customers? You'd think they'd want to keep us, but no, you have to pay to upgrade equipment while new customers get it for free. Total BS.

I feel exactly the same way bud. The thought of switching to Direct has crossed my mind more than once for this very reason. I have'nt bought one of the latest and greatest tv's yet but it's going to happen eventually. I've been a Dishnet customer for six years running.
I'm moving to a new place this month and I called customer service to see about having my dish installed at the new place. They want $99 to install it or free if you sign a new two year contract. I told them forget it, I'll do it myself or find a guy who does it on the side for say $25-$50. Now I'm thinking about holding off altogether because I'm worried about some trees being in the way once the leaves come out and I've just learned that the town I'm moving to has just signed a franchise agreement with Verizon for their Fios TV.
Finally, a competitor to the evil cable company Time Warner.

[sauuuuuce]

Trust me....no matter how bad you have it............Be glad you aren't dealing with Comcast.

[soundmotor]

Originally Posted by sauuuuuce

............Be glad you aren't dealing with Comcast.

And when Comcast called to ask why we'd gone over to FIOS, the answer was easy:

"Because You Suck!"

[Andyman]

Originally Posted by pioneernut

F2 Why do they have to charge so much more for HD content? Its going to be standard anyway in a year, why should I pay more for something thats a standard broadcast that should be offered by default.

Well, that's not quite true. You're confusing HDTV with Digital TV.
all HD is digital, but all digital isn't HD.

Digital TV is what the switch is on to in Feb. 2009. Analog TV will no longer be the broadcast norm and you will need a digital tuner to receive over the air broadcasts. Cable customer won't as long as they receive via the cable; the cable companies signal will already be converted.

HDTV is a high resolution programming, not a type of transmission, and is either 720 or 1080 lines vs the 480 lines of regular TV. However, most folks don't realize that two things are happening out there and get them confused.

But what I do hate about the HDTV is that last time I messed with it, much of it was a la carte', or pay as you go. You'd get a package with 5-6 HD channels, usually the ABC, FOX and you local content, but the HD altenatives such as TNT-HD, Discovery HD, NFL HD were all an extra subscruption fee, usually 5 bucks a pop. Now that sucks.

I downgraded the package and watch my HD via an antenna via the airwaves as I am fortunate enough to have at least 4 over the air HD channels here.

[no1maestro]

Thank you Andyman for clearing the air,(no pun intended), about the change coming next February. I am getting digital on two boxes and HD on one other.
On the upstairs setup, I have used an antenna to get my local HD channels.
I am ticked at the fact that my cable company does all these come-ons for new subscribers. My wife, a customer relations person, got on the horn with the cable company and argued for rewriting our contract and she WON!
It takes time and might not work with all cable folks but if you stick to it you just might get a "deal" if you keep at it!!

[mwr885]

Originally Posted by sauuuuuce

Trust me....no matter how bad you have it............Be glad you aren't dealing with Comcast.

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

Comcast is Con-Craptic! I could write a book about the ways Comcast blows. Say Hello To My Little Friend!