# DVR Fees



## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

I think Dish should just charge any account with a DVR a $4.99 fee per account, not per receiver. I have a 510 in the closet that I don't use because I refuse to pay another $4.98 fee, so I use a 508 and 522.

The whole fee at all is ridiculous, but one fee per account is enough.


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

Don't tell us tell Charlie he is the one that says he can do it. Charlie is also the only one who can say one fee per account like Directv charges with TiVo.


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## Chris Freeland (Mar 24, 2002)

I agree this fee should be per account. I would also like to see E* drop the DVR510 and make the 522 the basic DVR for all subs and add "name based recording" as soon as possible and sell it for the same msrp and promotion prices that they currently sell and lease the 510 for. If E* did this it would give them a duel tuner dvr with comparable features with a larger hard drive for same or less money then what D* charges for D*Tivo.


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

I also agree that the fee should be "per account" but as long as people are _willing_ to pay "per box" DISH will continue to charge it.

DISH needs to hear from more customers (or potential customers) saying that they are going to the "other guys" (cable or DirecTV) before they change it.


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## amit5roy5 (Mar 4, 2004)

DirecTV charges a fee per account. And DISH charges per receiver. That is annoying.


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## cc77 (Apr 6, 2004)

Yeah, and with the DirecTivo you actually _get something_ for that $5...the Tivo service. Versus the (basically) digital VCR that Dish gives you. Forget per account, I mean where do they get off charging _anything_ for the PVR service? Until they implement name based recording they really aren't giving you anything for that $5 a month. I'm a prospective Dish customer and was actually going to order a few days ago. But after reading these forums quite a bit, learning about the bugs with the 522 unit, and some of the other quirks Dish has (like charging for/per the PVR), I'm seriously considering just going with DirecTivo. They do some things I'm not too keen about also, but at least their product is bug free, reliable, and includes the all-important name based recording. We'll see.


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## ypsiguy (Jan 28, 2004)

With the 510 $99 upgrade, the fee is less of an issue now since all it really does is recover the cost of the receiver. When the DVR's were $299, the fee was pure profit. I have a 501 and 510 so I figure that effectively halves the fee anyway. Heck, Comcrap doesn't even offer DVR's in my area.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

A $99 510 receiver is a
$159 receiver after the first year
$219 receiver after two years
$279 receiver after three years
$339 receiver after four years (my $200 Dishplayer is this old right now...still no "because we can fee")
$399 receiver after five years
$459 receiver after six years (My 1000 receiver is this old now)
$520 receiver after seven years (My 4000 receiver is this old now)

Absolutely NOT a good deal.

See ya
Tony


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

It's a good deal if one only plans to keep it for a year or less.


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## narnia777 (Mar 28, 2003)

I returned a 301 that was on my DHP and someone messed up and said hey didn't receive it so they charged me $399 for it!

I sent email to [email protected] and I think they found it and reversed the charge, we'll see what my bank statement says.

IF they think the 301 is worth $399 what do they think a 508 or 510 is worth?

I have a 508 still on my DHP.

Jim


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## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

narnia777 said:


> I returned a 301 that was on my DHP and someone messed up and said hey didn't receive it so they charged me $399 for it!
> 
> I sent email to [email protected] and I think they found it and reversed the charge, we'll see what my bank statement says.
> 
> ...


The 301 MSRPs for $99, but according to an old DHP brocure I got from Sears when we signed up, unreturned 301s are subject to a $199 fee.


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## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

cc77 said:


> Yeah, and with the DirecTivo you actually _get something_ for that $5...the Tivo service. Versus the (basically) digital VCR that Dish gives you. Forget per account, I mean where do they get off charging _anything_ for the PVR service? Until they implement name based recording they really aren't giving you anything for that $5 a month.


Yes you are correct. They aren't giving you anything for your $5 fee. You are just setting timers like a VCR.

RCA sells a DVD player with a 40gb hard drive that can record 40 hours of programming off air and cable or video inputs for around $249.99. There is no kind of DVR fee at all. The Tivo service with Directv is $4.99 and is worth the cost, but regular Tivo's for cable do not have dual tuners and the service is $12.99 per month? No way is it worth $13 per month.


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## stonecold (Feb 20, 2004)

The only Dish DVR worth paying a fee for is now free if you ***** enough and it not even designed or made by dish. Orginal 7x00 series Dishplayer 2 (1 for now having no ptv fee and 1 for name based recording) actually make that 3 ( you can swap out yoru hd easily with out any hassle.) I use my 501 and my 721 for nothing other than pausing tv. I dont have any timers setup on it. Only timers I have set are on my 3 dishplayers. currently subed and active 2 -301s 3- 7x00s 1- 501 1- 721 1- 921 And with only paying dvr fees on the 921 I am still ahead of the game I am still cheaper than what my cable bill use to be with only 4 digital boxes.


Note that I seen alot of SBC Dish deal customers complain about Dish charging them a dvr fee twice for a 522. Where they are paying like 10 dollars for a dvr free and the csr telling them it because it has 2 tuners. I seen alot of complaints about this.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

Write [email protected]. You will not be the first or last to complain but perhaps your vote will be counted.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I agree the per box fee is bad, beyond that they should standardixze on just dual tuner boxes and put all their resources into making them world class. too many different platforms and DVR models dilutes the resources need to make them stable and bug free


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## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

stonecold said:


> I use my 501 and my 721 for nothing other than pausing tv


That is an insane waste of a 721. You should sell it to someone who will actuall use it in it's intended manner.


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

It's a machine. A thing. His property. He can use it to hold his patio door open, if he wants. It ain't penicillin, or food, or something that truly would be a sin to waste. If someone wants one, they can buy it from any number of places.


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## ypsiguy (Jan 28, 2004)

TNGTony said:


> A $99 510 receiver is a
> $159 receiver after the first year
> $219 receiver after two years
> $279 receiver after three years
> ...


1. I have a 501 also, so basically halve the fee.
2. Comcrap will charge the same fee or higher on DVR's if and when they have them in my area (i.e. they charge a $5/month fee on HD boxes in our area)
3. Now I get to watch programs MUCH more conviently, I luv DVR!!!
4. The way I'm using the DVR now, I doubt it will last more than 3 years.
5. By then I will want or already have a 921, so it will probably be the trade-in.

Keep in mind I do not support the fee, but I am willing to pay it on one receiver to have the higher capacity hard drive, plus the extra convience of a second DVR.


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

Current customers do not even have an option to get the dual tuner receivers (522) to save on the $4.99/mo. fee PLUS $4.99/mo. DVR fee ($9.98/mo. total to add a DVR receiver to your account). We should be given an option to do this.


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## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

garypen said:


> It's a machine. A thing. His property. He can use it to hold his patio door open, if he wants. It ain't penicillin, or food, or something that truly would be a sin to waste. If someone wants one, they can buy it from any number of places.


Using a 721 to only pause TV is like using a TiVo but only with manual time-based recording. It's like being single and buying a huge Ford Explorer so you can commute to work. No, it's not a sin, but it's crazy nonetheless.


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## kwajr (Apr 7, 2004)

stonecold said:


> The only Dish DVR worth paying a fee for is now free if you ***** enough and it not even designed or made by dish. Orginal 7x00 series Dishplayer 2 (1 for now having no ptv fee and 1 for name based recording) actually make that 3 ( you can swap out yoru hd easily with out any hassle.) I use my 501 and my 721 for nothing other than pausing tv. I dont have any timers setup on it. Only timers I have set are on my 3 dishplayers. currently subed and active 2 -301s 3- 7x00s 1- 501 1- 721 1- 921 And with only paying dvr fees on the 921 I am still ahead of the game I am still cheaper than what my cable bill use to be with only 4 digital boxes.
> 
> Note that I seen alot of SBC Dish deal customers complain about Dish charging them a dvr fee twice for a 522. Where they are paying like 10 dollars for a dvr free and the csr telling them it because it has 2 tuners. I seen alot of complaints about this.


didnt dish say no fee if hooked to phone line


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## stonecold (Feb 20, 2004)

Mike Richardson:

Until it has Name based recordings It nothing more than a digital vcr. 

my 7200 have all my timers as if west wing is not on it does not record but no matter what is on my nbc station at that time it records. I use my 721 and 921 for PIP..

I paid for them and like the guy says I could use it for a doorstop.


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## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

stonecold said:


> Until it has Name based recordings It nothing more than a digital vcr.


Where do you insert the tape? :lol:


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## stonecold (Feb 20, 2004)

Actually I do have the JVC DVHS satellite combo unit. This is back when you use to be able to get HDTV on model 5000s now it just sits in a closet doing nothing.


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## VTDishguy (Mar 22, 2004)

Link said:


> I think Dish should just charge any account with a DVR a $4.99 fee per account, not per receiver. I have a 510 in the closet that I don't use because I refuse to pay another $4.98 fee, so I use a 508 and 522.
> 
> The whole fee at all is ridiculous, but one fee per account is enough.


I disagree, Dish should not charge the fee at all, you get NOTHING for your money. They are not providing any service whatsoever, it is NOT VOD in which companies have to mantain infastructure to offer the service. it is not Tivo which offers name based recording sesons passes ect. and a much more polished interface. what it is, is a digital VCR that allows you to record programs when YOU set it. it doesn`t have conflict resolution, season pass or any of the services offered by Tivo. This fee, like so many of Dish's fees, is nothing more than a money grab.


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## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

stonecold said:


> Mike Richardson:
> 
> Unrtil it has Name based recordings It nothing more than a digital vcr.
> 
> ...


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

VTDishguy said:


> This fee, like so many of Dish's fees, is nothing more than a money grab.


My favorite is the $5 fee for programming changes.:nono2:


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