Freaking Dish Network!!! (RANT!! and warning)

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Freaking Dish Network!!! (RANT!! and warning)

Posted: 1/19/2006 12:49:15 PM EDT

Well I just got a new plasma TV. Plugged in my dishnetwork DVR 625 and lower channels are fuzzy. The letters, if there are letters in the picture, look like as if I was near sighted. Picture sometime will have some ghosting. Like running a rabbit ears antenna. Upper channels, 100+ are a little better not much, ghosting seem to disappear. So I plug the old TV back in and everything is clear. So I am thinking I got ripped on the TV. I call the mfg and spend 3hrs on the phone with the tech guys. Well seems it not the TV. I put on a DVD and the freaking picture looks almost 3D.

So I call Dish.

1st Call, tech says I am outta luck. Need to get HD tuner for $600. I hang up call again.

2nd call, has me trying different inputs. RCA, COAX, and S-Video. No compnent and DVI cause its not an HD recvr. No improvement. Tried a few different settings. No improvement. She then says to point dish differently. Seems to enhance a little. Next she said she will send DB booster. Got it last night. NO freaking help. Also check grounding issues. Nothing.

3rd call, got to advanced tech dept. Guy gets on the phone and goes, let me guess you have an HDTV plasma. I say yes. He says "well the problem is your tv is trying to convert SDTV signal to HD signal" Unfortunately that is as good as it gets with our SD recvr. Need to get the new HD recvr, new sat dish coming out in Mar. It will up the ehancement and will convert SD to ED. HD to HD. Apparently a ton of people have been complaining specially with local channels. He recommended I get a Terk HD antenna for $40.

This really pisses me off. Wish I knew this before going with DishNetwork. No I am stuck with an 18mos contract.

So here's a warning to you guys. If you are getting an HDTV plasma, don't get dishnetwork. They want you to freaking buy expensive ass equipment to get the full potential of your tv. I am so pissed an dissapointed and not to mention broke.

Posted: 1/19/2006 12:52:41 PM EDT

[#1]

went through the same thing they wanted $600.00 for reciever 1 1\2 on the phone with them and I got it for Like $25.00 NO LIE Tell them you want out of your contract and are willing to pay cancelation fee and they will change their tone. Ask to talk to a supervisor they told me this price is negotiable.

Posted: 1/19/2006 12:55:39 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
went through the same thing they wanted $600.00 for reciever 1 1\2 on the phone with them and I got it for Like $25.00 NO LIE Tell them you want out of your contract and are willing to pay cancelation fee and they will change their tone. Ask to talk to a supervisor they told me this price is negotiable.

Hmmmm.....thanks!! THat is good to know. Worth the try. Will call them tonight.....again!!!

Posted: 1/19/2006 12:58:12 PM EDT

[#3]

My dad got The Dish Network six months ago and it has never worked right.

I keep telling him to sell their crap to the cable company and they will set him up right.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:03:49 PM EDT

[#4]

Got a dishNet set up about 5 years ago and it worked fine ~~for about 6 months~~ long enough for the contract to run out......they sat on the phone line with me and did a check over the phone line, etc sent signals.....turns out the box was bad and when I asked them what they were going to do about it, they said it was my baby to get fixed.

I told them to send me a final bill and that they can go to hell.

They sent me the bill but it appears that they haven't left for hell yet.

editted for clarity

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:05:18 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

They sent me the bill but it appears that they haven't left for hell yet.

Bus is running late. A lot of people waiting

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:15:09 PM EDT

[#6]

If your TV is upconverting it and making it look bad, could you not turn that feature off? I have an HDTV and Dish and it looks fine.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:20:11 PM EDT

[#7]

Um, the tv looks crappy be cause you are just putting a low quality piture onto a huge tv and making it biger.

You can have a regular dish HD rcvr installed for most usualy $100. OR if you have a single tuner, replace it for $50.

The new HD-DVR dual tuner upgrade will cost you $299. Or if you wait a few more months $99.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:22:59 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
If your TV is upconverting it and making it look bad, could you not turn that feature off? I have an HDTV and Dish and it looks fine.

Nope. Asked the mfg that this morning. The TV is set to recv digital or HD signals. That's it. Since the lower channels on Dish is not really digital it gives that ghosting effect.

Quoted:
Um, the tv looks crappy be cause you are just putting a low quality piture onto a huge tv and making it biger.

You can have a regular dish HD rcvr installed for most usualy $100. OR if you have a single tuner, replace it for $50.

The new HD-DVR dual tuner upgrade will cost you $299. Or if you wait a few more months $99.

So where do you get a HD DVR dual tuner for DishNetwork @ $299??? Everywhere I have looked, WalMart, Best buy, even Radio Shack is $600+

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:24:57 PM EDT

[#9]

It is a new generation that is not out yet. It will be a leased unit as well. You will be able to purches them later if you want but it costs the same per month to have them on your acct and if you lease it you get the unit for alot less.

I would wait personally, it uses MPEG-4, which is a different compression format and will allow you to get more channels. The new dvrs they are shipping out have this feature.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:25:41 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Well I just got a new plasma TV. Plugged in my dishnetwork DVR 625 and lower channels are fuzzy. The letters, if there are letters in the picture, look like as if I was near sighted. Picture sometime will have some ghosting. Like running a rabbit ears antenna. Upper channels, 100+ are a little better not much, ghosting seem to disappear. So I plug the old TV back in and everything is clear. So I am thinking I got ripped on the TV. I call the mfg and spend 3hrs on the phone with the tech guys. Well seems it not the TV. I put on a DVD and the freaking picture looks almost 3D.

So I call Dish.

1st Call, tech says I am outta luck. Need to get HD tuner for $600. I hang up call again.

2nd call, has me trying different inputs. RCA, COAX, and S-Video. No compnent and DVI cause its not an HD recvr. No improvement. Tried a few different settings. No improvement. She then says to point dish differently. Seems to enhance a little. Next she said she will send DB booster. Got it last night. NO freaking help. Also check grounding issues. Nothing.

3rd call, got to advanced tech dept. Guy gets on the phone and goes, let me guess you have an HDTV plasma. I say yes. He says "well the problem is your tv is trying to convert SDTV signal to HD signal" Unfortunately that is as good as it gets with our SD recvr. Need to get the new HD recvr, new sat dish coming out in Mar. It will up the ehancement and will convert SD to ED. HD to HD. Apparently a ton of people have been complaining specially with local channels. He recommended I get a Terk HD antenna for $40.

This really pisses me off. Wish I knew this before going with DishNetwork. No I am stuck with an 18mos contract.

So here's a warning to you guys. If you are getting an HDTV plasma, don't get dishnetwork. They want you to freaking buy expensive ass equipment to get the full potential of your tv. I am so pissed an dissapointed and not to mention broke.

Isn't technology wonderful??

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:26:09 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
It is a new generation that is not out yet.

I would wait personally, it uses MPEG-4, which is a different compression format and will allow you to get more channels. The new dvrs they are shipping out have this feature.

That is the one they are telling me to wait for in April. $299 with $200 rebate.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:28:07 PM EDT

[#12]

Dish keeps pulling channels, it looks like they are going down the tubes, time to bail out!

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:29:25 PM EDT

[#13]

That's one reason I went with Cox the get HD. No need to buy any receiver, let alone one for $600 and it's only $4 more a month than non HD cable. It's the best deal in HD right now.

Some of the lower number channels picture isn't great, but it's not too bad. HD looks great. I think some of the non HD channels llok worse because after you see HD everything else looks like shit.

I know this doesn't really help you if you have a 18 month contract.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:29:37 PM EDT

[#14]

this is something you should have investigated before pumping serious cash into a new tv.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:30:41 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Quoted:
It is a new generation that is not out yet.

I would wait personally, it uses MPEG-4, which is a different compression format and will allow you to get more channels. The new dvrs they are shipping out have this feature.

That is the one they are telling me to wait for in April. $299 with $200 rebate.

what...? for a 942 dual Hd tuner?

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:32:24 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
That's one reason I went with Cox the get HD. No need to buy any receiver, let alone one for $600 and it's only $4 more a month than non HD cable. It's the best deal in HD right now.

Some of the lower number channels picture isn't great, but it's not too bad. HD looks great. I think some of the non HD channels llok worse because after you see HD everything else looks like shit.

I know this doesn't really help you if you have a 18 month contract.

Wish I had COX where I live. I would've never considered Dish

Quoted:
this is something you should have investigated before pumping serious cash into a new tv.

Yeah I know, I'm a dumbass.

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
It is a new generation that is not out yet.

I would wait personally, it uses MPEG-4, which is a different compression format and will allow you to get more channels. The new dvrs they are shipping out have this feature.

That is the one they are telling me to wait for in April. $299 with $200 rebate.

what...? for a 942 dual Hd tuner?

No this is a whole new recv that will be out in Feb. rebate from what I was told will not be available till Apr. I believe its called the 622. Its supposed to upconvert SD signals to ED signals. 942 is jsut to recv and send HD it does not upconverting as I understand it.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:33:51 PM EDT

[#17]

622

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:35:05 PM EDT

[#18]

I bet they're all like that. If they can fuck you they will.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:35:44 PM EDT

[#19]

Dish Network is kinda the Ford Pinto of satellite TV.

Lotta people owned them. None of the owners were happy about it.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:35:58 PM EDT

[#20]

Dish has been pretty good to me as far as service goes. I dont have HD though.

The main reason I like them is they have $33 a month plan. Nobody else offers any plans that cheap around me.
I get local channels clear and about 70 other channels with disc,sci-fi,history channel for $33+$5 for DVR. Thats a hell of a lot better than rabbit ears and still affordable.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:42:23 PM EDT

[#21]

Oh ya dish monthly bills are all going up ini Feb.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:43:47 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Oh ya dish monthly bills are all going up ini Feb.

You woudn't happen to work for them would you???

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:44:13 PM EDT

[#23]

So, you bought an HD TV and expected it to work on a regular reciever and that's Dish Network's fault?

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:46:14 PM EDT

[#24]

I particularly liked all the ads for a new DVR system, installed in 4 rooms, no less, for free.

I call Dish. Sorry, new customers only. I remind them that I have been on the credit card autopay for a couple of years and have, therefore, been a star customer. I moved and didn't ask them to do squat, I took care of the dish, wiring, and everything myself.

"Sorry, that offer is for new customers only." She does offer to set me up with a DVR for several hundred dollars, plus installation, plus Dish fees, plus DVR service fees. I told her to kiss my ass.

I have been very tempted to switch to DirecTV but I suspect they are not much better. Screw your good customers, that's the new American way.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:47:48 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
So, you bought an HD TV and expected it to work on a regular reciever and that's Dish Network's fault?

Well when a company advertises "digital" channels and then they say, "oh well only the ones considered premium are digital." There is something wrong with that.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:48:58 PM EDT

[#26]

TV is very educational ........
Everytime someone turns it on, I just go read a book

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:49:55 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Oh ya dish monthly bills are all going up ini Feb.

You woudn't happen to work for them would you???

yep

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:54:50 PM EDT

[#28]

Dishnetwork is fine as long as you do your research first and realize the limits of the resolution existing hardware. Five years of service and probably a total of 1 day without service. All of the AV forums on the internet list the requirements for HD content on the various satelite and cable companies.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:55:41 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Quoted:
So, you bought an HD TV and expected it to work on a regular reciever and that's Dish Network's fault?

Well when a company advertises "digital" channels and then they say, "oh well only the ones considered premium are digital." There is something wrong with that.

Digital and HD are 2 different things. Who said "only the ones considered premium are digital"?

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:56:49 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Dish Network is kinda the Ford Pinto of satellite TV.

Lotta people owned them. None of the owners were happy about it.

I have had Dish since '99. No problems, very happy.

Posted: 1/19/2006 1:57:55 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
Dish keeps pulling channels, it looks like they are going down the tubes, time to bail out!

Gee, they lost Lifetime and OLN. If those clowns want a 70 percent increase for Dish to carry them, I don't blame Dish.

Posted: 1/19/2006 2:00:09 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Dish Network is kinda the Ford Pinto of satellite TV.

Lotta people owned them. None of the owners were happy about it.

I have had Dish since '99. No problems, very happy.

I had to replace three receivers, and their DVR never worked.

Reception was not as good as DirecTV.

Made the switch, never looked back.

Posted: 1/19/2006 2:14:27 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
Quoted:
So, you bought an HD TV and expected it to work on a regular reciever and that's Dish Network's fault?

Well when a company advertises "digital" channels and then they say, "oh well only the ones considered premium are digital." There is something wrong with that.

All of dish networks channels are digital. That is not the problem. The problem here is that you are putting a low resolution signal into a HD TV. The TV takes the crappie signal and magnifies all of the flaws it has. This is not dish's fault you are using old technology with a new HD set. It's kind of like buying the best gaming computer you can find and playing solitaire on it.

Now here are some suggestions I have. First go to your local home theater store and pick up a DVD called Home Theater essentials. This disc will help you calibrate your TV and get a better picture from all sources.

Next you really will need a HD receiver as it's stupid to have a HD TV and no HD content. The HD receiver will give you a noticeably better picture than you SD set but SD will still look worse than a DVD or HD content. Now if you wait until Feb 1st you will be able to get a VIP622 receiver for $299.00 this is a dual tuner HD DVR. $299 is not that bad for a top of the line DVR.

Once you get your TV calibrated and a receiver hooked up with DVI or component you will be allot happier with Dish. Also check out Satellite Guys if you have any issues.

Posted: 1/19/2006 2:16:22 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Dish Network is kinda the Ford Pinto of satellite TV.

Lotta people owned them. None of the owners were happy about it.

I have had Dish since '99. No problems, very happy.

I had to replace three receivers, and their DVR never worked.

Reception was not as good as DirecTV.

Made the switch, never looked back.

I have 3 DVRs, 1 of which is a dual tuner DVR. Never had a problem. Maybe the problem was the electrical system in your house.

Posted: 1/19/2006 2:32:38 PM EDT

[#35]

Just upgraded my rec'r to HD. After going through customer service and finding the price, I got the new one for 50 bucks and a 25 dollar credit if i send my old one in to them.

I too find the SD channels aren't as good on my new HD tv. I just found a post say you may be able to improve this by going through a different type of input(s-video) for the SD and component for the HD.

Posted: 1/19/2006 2:50:57 PM EDT

[#36]

www.satelliteguys.us/forumdisplay.php?f=10

Forum for Dish Network .. kinda like AR15.com...

Ted...

Posted: 1/19/2006 4:41:34 PM EDT

[#37]

LT...getting laid will calm you down.

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:05:51 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Dish Network is kinda the Ford Pinto of satellite TV.

Lotta people owned them. None of the owners were happy about it.

Bullshit...

Dish Network has ALWAYS done better that DirecTV in customer satisfaction survey. And Dish Network has better programming at better prices.

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:10:05 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
Oh ya dish monthly bills are all going up ini Feb.

hell, for three straight years in Louisiana my bill went up by $2 every 3 months like clockwork. I dumped their ass when I moved to VA.

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:12:08 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
Quoted:
So, you bought an HD TV and expected it to work on a regular reciever and that's Dish Network's fault?

Well when a company advertises "digital" channels and then they say, "oh well only the ones considered premium are digital." There is something wrong with that.

There is a problem and it is you… You do not understand HDTV and what you are talking about.

DISH is all digital. Digital does NOT mean HDTV.

You need to educate yourself on HDTV. To get a HDTV picture you must input a HDTV signal... the 625 is ALL digital but it is NOT a HDTV receiver. You put a non-HDTV video input in to a HDTV big screen and you get a bad picture. This is what YOU have done... garbage in - garbage out.

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:15:22 PM EDT

[#41]

(cough)DirectTV(cough)

I sent you an IM, LT.

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:16:00 PM EDT

[#42]

a digital signal is TOTALY different than a HD signal.

all HD tvs look like shit with a low def signal!!! they look slightly better with a digital low def but still look like shit.

The better the tv the shityer it will look with a low def signal

if you get the HD reciever only a few of the channels will be HD, that is because it the show has to be recorded in HD and not everyone is recording like that yet. because the fcc(or which ever bloated overpaid .gov agency is in charge) keeps pushing the manditory switch date off. it was soposed to be in 2004

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:23:07 PM EDT

[#43]

GIGO

Garbage in-Garbage out

You blame the standard definition receiver because your HD tv looks like shit?!?!?!

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:29:16 PM EDT

[#44]

Biggest problem I have with Dish is stupid pay-per-porn keeps showing up on my bill about every other month that I never purchased. I told them why the hell would I pay for porn since I have the internet?

Posted: 1/19/2006 5:47:30 PM EDT

[#45]

Dish is not your problem. Pay up for the HD receiver or take the TV back.

I have a 50" HD Plasma and a Dish DVR. The picture is amazing. Even the SD channels. I had Comshaft when I first got the TV and there is no comparison between the two. For those of you who think that HD from your cable company is good, order Dish and run them both for a month. I guarantee you you will call and cancel your cable service within a few days.

Posted: 1/19/2006 8:10:38 PM EDT

[#46]

Let me post something I posted in another thread:

Just be aware that we're still in the transition period, going from standard to hi-def, and because of that, there is currently a limited amount of hi-def programming available and that a lot of the current equipment (mostly the tuner/set-top box, not the display) will be obsolete and will need to be replaced before the conversion is really complete.

There are two competing standards for Hi-Def DVDs coming out, so be ready for the format wars again (think: VHS vs Beta). Many Hi-Def TVs still have 0 or 1 HDMI input, when you're eventually going to want 3-6 of them. Analog outputs on video devices are going to start going away.

As long as you realize that Hi-Def is still evolving and that it isn't the mature technology that Standard-Def has been for the last 25 years or so, then you're fine. If you're looking to just buy a TV and have everything work perfectly and all in Hi-Def, you're heading for some frustration.

-Troy

DirecTV has JUST started releasing their new MPEG4-based HD equipment in December, and right now, the only MPEG4 channels that will be available are your "Big-4" local networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox), and it will be another 6 months or so before even that is available in all areas. They are rolling out something like 6 markets a month. Once all major markets have their local networks available in MPEG4 HD, they will start making some of the other HD programming (that is currently still MPEG2) available on MPEG4. They have added a LOT of capacity with 2 new Ka-band sats that each have 64 transponders available for MPEG4 programming.

DishNetwork is a bit further behind, and won't be releasing MPEG4 programming until the 2nd Quarter at the earliest. A few of their newest receivers will be compatible.

The cable companies offer some HD, but their systems are not all-digital yet (by law), so you will also get some crappy analog channels. And cable costs quite a bit more in most places for comparable service.

As I stated above, this is a TRANSITION PERIOD. A new TV is only one piece of the puzzle, and there are several important pieces.

-Troy

Posted: 1/20/2006 6:21:39 AM EDT

[#47]

OK first......I understand the difference between digital and HD. That is why I am comparing the "digital" signal of my DVD and the "digital" signal of my Dish DVR.

Secondly the rant was due to having to pay up a huge amount for an HD recvr since I am already a customer. You would figure they would have some kind of discount for existing customers. It seems Dish gives their existing customer the shaft when upgrading.

Posted: 1/20/2006 8:32:51 AM EDT

[#48]

They WILL offer you a heavily discounted upgrade, IN APRIL when the new equipment comes out. They are doing you a favor by NOT selling you the older technology right now. How would you feel if you spent $100 to "upgrade" right now and then in 3 months, you couldn't get the latest HD channels?

Have some patience, dude!

-Troy

Posted: 1/20/2006 8:47:09 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted: I am so pissed an dissapointed and not to mention broke.

You just bought a brand new HD Plasma TV. Of COURSE you're broke!

Edit: FWIW, I have DISH and love it. I'm upset about the OLN thing, but I'm sure they'll probably work it out and get the channel put back into the lineup. They were cheaper than DirecTV, and FAR more friendly on the telephone when answering questions when we were investigating satellite TV.

Zip, why are DISH bills going up in Feb.? And by how much?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Freaking Dish Network!!! (RANT!! and warning)

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