# purhase 522 or 721 ?



## SDiego (May 19, 2003)

:nono2: 

I have the chance to pickup either a 721 or a 522. Wonder which one I should go with. I wonder which one maybe more stable. Seems like both are the same, except the 522 you can watch on two different tv's at the same time. I wonder it you can have two tv's on the 721 and watch them both at the same time but only the same channel?

Ron


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## SDiego (May 19, 2003)

I just read the the 522 requires a phone line for initial setup. That rules me out. Looks like I will go with the 721. I hope It does not require a phone line.


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## Mainstreet (Jun 29, 2002)

SDiego said:


> I just read the the 522 requires a phone line for initial setup. That rules me out. Looks like I will go with the 721. I hope It does not require a phone line.


Actually, the 522 does not require a phone line at all. You just have to pay a $4.99 additional outlet fee every month for the second tuner if you don't keep a phone line plugged in.

The 721 doesn't require a phone line. You just won't get impluse Pay-Per-View, caller-id, and a couple other interactive features.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Technically you cant purchase a 522, they are for LEASE ONLY and reportedly will not let you activate it even if you find a way to buy one.

Their reason is short supply, and although previous new boxes were elegible for promios this is the first box they refuse to activate a customer purchased one at full price.

thats no way to treat a customer...


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## Mainstreet (Jun 29, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> Technically you cant purchase a 522, they are for LEASE ONLY and reportedly will not let you activate it even if you find a way to buy one.
> 
> Their reason is short supply, and although previous new boxes were elegible for promios this is the first box they refuse to activate a customer purchased one at full price.
> 
> thats no way to treat a customer...


"short supply" may be a reason they give, but I can order 522's when no other model is in stock. They seem to have these stacked to the rafters in the warehouses. I think their reasoning for 522/322 being lease only is a little more sneaky. I believe that they are reserving them for DHA accounts so that retailers will have to sell DHA instead of Free Dish. Retailers aren't liking DHA because DISH is advertising NO COMMITMENT everywhere, but still charges the dealer back on installation, activation, and equipment payments if the customer doesn't stay active for a year. With the cost of equipment on DHA, a retailer could easily get stuck with a thousand or more dollar chargeback because of the no commitment deal.

DISH will activate the 522 on a non-DHA account. You just have to play CSR roulette until you get one that will. A retailer just doesn't make any commission for activating one on a non-DHA account.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

It may also be building inventory for the SBC deal. Meanwhile the dealers who built E to where it is are being starved for inventory


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## iamaddman (Jan 17, 2004)

Bob Haller said:


> It may also be building inventory for the SBC deal. Meanwhile the dealers who built E to where it is are being starved for inventory


I think E* won't let anyone but new customers pickup a 322 or 522 because these receivers don't require the extra $5/mo receiver charge because there are 2 outputs. E* would loose a lot of monthly revenue from everyone switching to these units. Personally I think that stinks, and I have sent a lengthy complant to them about this. We will see if I even get a response from them.


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## Roger Tee (Feb 22, 2004)

iamaddman said:


> I think E* won't let anyone but new customers pickup a 322 or 522 because these receivers don't require the extra $5/mo receiver charge because there are 2 outputs. E* would loose a lot of monthly revenue from everyone switching to these units. Personally I think that stinks, and I have sent a lengthy complant to them about this. We will see if I even get a response from them.


Could be, or could be they only designed them for lease to save money and still supply two DVRs on the lease plan as a selling point. Plus saving on wiring with DishPro. Loss of revenue, yes they would to a small percentage only. If you paid $200 it would take 40 months before you reached the break even point @ $4.99 outlet fee savings, actually a bit longer from the cost of money loss. So I know I wouldn't switch to save money on it. in less than 40 months something better would come along.

I'd still be interested in what they say.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I am ANAL I bought my own cable converters and such because I HATE lease payments on anything. Leases always cost more. Because the 40 months is true but you can always sell the leftovers to anyone else. Did that with my DPs


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## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

Bob Haller said:


> I am ANAL I bought my own cable converters and such because I HATE lease payments on anything. Leases always cost more. Because the 40 months is true but you can always sell the leftovers to anyone else. Did that with my DPs


Actually the DHA doesn't seem to cost any more as long as you can get locals or distants, but I hear that if you can't get either of those then you still have to pay for them even though you don't get them.


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## Mainstreet (Jun 29, 2002)

Mike Richardson said:


> Actually the DHA doesn't seem to cost any more as long as you can get locals or distants, but I hear that if you can't get either of those then you still have to pay for them even though you don't get them.


It has been reported by other retailers that DISH has "waivered" on this issue. If the customer lives in a market without locals, they will now save $5 on DHA. Talk to a CSR the next time you call DISH and see what they say about it.


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## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

Mainstreet said:


> It has been reported by other retailers that DISH has "waivered" on this issue. If the customer lives in a market without locals, they will now save $5 on DHA. Talk to a CSR the next time you call DISH and see what they say about it.


Could you still get the distants for $5 if you qualified?


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## Mainstreet (Jun 29, 2002)

Mike Richardson said:


> Could you still get the distants for $5 if you qualified?


YES


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## iamaddman (Jan 17, 2004)

Roger Tee said:


> Could be, or could be they only designed them for lease to save money and still supply two DVRs on the lease plan as a selling point. Plus saving on wiring with DishPro. Loss of revenue, yes they would to a small percentage only. If you paid $200 it would take 40 months before you reached the break even point @ $4.99 outlet fee savings, actually a bit longer from the cost of money loss. So I know I wouldn't switch to save money on it. in less than 40 months something better would come along.
> 
> I'd still be interested in what they say.


Just talked with Customer Resolution Specialist regarding upgrading to a 322 or 522, which are currently only available for new customers. I was told that next quarter Dish will probably start offereing them for upgrade to exisiting lease customers. Then after a period of time they will open it up to customers who own their equipment. Maybe there is hope after all....


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## Chris Freeland (Mar 24, 2002)

iamaddman said:


> Just talked with Customer Resolution Specialist regarding upgrading to a 322 or 522, which are currently only available for new customers. I was told that next quarter Dish will probably start offereing them for upgrade to exisiting lease customers. Then after a period of time they will open it up to customers who own their equipment. Maybe there is hope after all....


Which means it may be next year before us current customers who own are equipment can get a DVR522 or a 322 without buying these on e-bay and playing csr roulette to get them activated. This is one reason that I may switch to D* for a D*Tivo once they add my locals, those deals are looking good. :shrug:


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

We will have to be able to get the 322 and 522 receivers eventually, perhaps when they increase production of the receivers a good bit and when the demand drops.


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## Neutron (Oct 2, 2003)

This crap that DISH is pulling with not offering the 322/522 is starting to get to me. I think us existing customers should be allowed to get these receivers. I have been thinking a lot of switching to DirecTV and this is one of the reasons right here. I would love to have the ability to record one show while watching another. This issue and the Viacom fiasco is really pushing me.


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## Mainstreet (Jun 29, 2002)

Neutron said:


> This crap that DISH is pulling with not offering the 322/522 is starting to get to me. I think us existing customers should be allowed to get these receivers. I have been thinking a lot of switching to DirecTV and this is one of the reasons right here. I would love to have the ability to record one show while watching another. This issue and the Viacom fiasco is really pushing me.


Sure you can get them. You just can't get one for free. I don't have a problem selling them. DISH just doesn't pay any incentives for activating one if it isn't on a new DHA account, so you're looking at a $369 purchase price for a 522, or $199 for a 322.

Getting them activated can be tricky, but it can be done.


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## Neutron (Oct 2, 2003)

Mainstreet said:


> Sure you can get them. You just can't get one for free. I don't have a problem selling them. DISH just doesn't pay any incentives for activating one if it isn't on a new DHA account, so you're looking at a $369 purchase price for a 522, or $199 for a 322.
> 
> Getting them activated can be tricky, but it can be done.


I have heard that DISH will no longer activate them.


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## Mainstreet (Jun 29, 2002)

Neutron said:


> I have heard that DISH will no longer activate them.


Anyone want to try? I can sure give a receiver & smart card number!


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## iamaddman (Jan 17, 2004)

Mainstreet said:


> Anyone want to try? I can sure give a receiver & smart card number!


I too agree that it sucks we can't get these tuners now. I would like to swap out my 4 existing tuners for 2, and save my self a $10 bucks a month for not requiring the extra reciever fees.

I have emailed a bunch of people from closed ebay auctions that have purchased a 322. So far only one has responded to me, but he had no problems getting it activated.


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