# HD/DVR 942 upgrade to mpeg4



## ken310 (Feb 25, 2006)

How much expense $'s would be involved to up-date a 942 to MPEG4?

We change motherboards and all other parts out in our computers so why not with these receivers?
Dish can charge $'s for both software as well as hardware upgrades but to pitch the 942 receiver seems like throwing the baby out with the bath water, especially as nice as the 942 could be with tweaked software.

Another question: How many 942's have been sold in the last 3 months??

Mine purchased new Nov 25, 05


Dish user since forced off C-Band back in what 97 or so?


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## tnsprin (Mar 16, 2003)

ken310 said:


> How much expense $'s would be involved to up-date a 942 to MPEG4?
> 
> We change motherboards and all other parts out in our computers so why not with these receivers?
> Dish can charge $'s for both software as well as hardware upgrades but to pitch the 942 receiver seems like throwing the baby out with the bath water, especially as nice as the 942 could be with tweaked software.
> ...


About $350. Seriously its the not worth it.


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## ken310 (Feb 25, 2006)

Are you sure it would be that high? I'd think on a large scale that it could be cheaper, thus my other question "how many are out there?"? Dish has told me "people would be surprised at how many 942's have been produced, lot's and lots" they say.
We're now looking at the same production problem as we've seen with all the top end receiver releases like the first dvrs up to the 942 and now on to the 622s. It would seem that a new motherboard would take care of it? The new software is built on top of the 942 code so that isn't an issue. Tuners and the hard drive wouldn't change? The more they make the less it would cost.
This disposable age is fine with cheap equipment but higher grade should be up-upgradeable. Dish still makes their money on upgrading both hardware and software rather then scrapping them at $20 or so a unit and then trying again to catch up with demand on the 622s. Personally I'd think that as big is Dish is now if they wanted to keep up with demand they could. But that's just my thought and I certainly don't know it all.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Even if they did as you suggest, and swapped out a motherboard... that would be at least a $100-$150 part most likely, which is not that much less than the $299 they are offering for an entirely new receiver.

In the past I have upgraded my PC too... and while it may sometimes be doable for less than an entire replacement PC... it isn't necessarily that much less, depending on what else needs to be replaced. Rarely have I just been able to replace a motherboard, as I usually end up having to get new memory because they changed the way that works, and new hard drives because that is different, and a new video card because that has changed too... and so forth.


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## ken310 (Feb 25, 2006)

I've been blessed with the early decision to go with Mac's
so I haven't had near the problems as PC users have with computers but,

I'd gladly pay $200 to upgrade my 3 month old 942 that I paid $600+ for,
especially if it's a mobo upgrade since it and the software are the backbone of the system.

You mention $300 for a new receiver, That's the same offer to the general public for new users which is who Dish wants to buy the current supply of 622's to establish new HD accounts. Current customers, including those like me with problematic 942's from day one can wait! To upgrade today would = $900+ for a leased receiver. If I wait until April 1st it's only $100 so that way I have to wait and it only = $700+ for a leased receiver. Go to eBay today and own a 622 for $600+. Personally I'd rather lease ever changing electronics depending on lease contracts and costs but not right after I just paid full retail for one.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I think part of the problem is some folks are counting all their past purchases and adding them together. If you're going to do that, then you could say that a ViP622 upgrade costs you several thousand dollars because not only did you have to buy your 921/942 originally but also had to subscribe to programming for the last 12-24 months... but then it starts to get silly adding all previous purchases together.

New customers get the $299 deal. Existing customers get the $299 deal. Existing customers with a 921/942 get a $99 deal if they wait until 4/1 to place the order for a ViP622.

I once bought a $5000 car... then several years later, traded it in for $2000 towards the purchase of a new $15000 car. So I paid $15000-$2000 + the original $5000 for that one? Making the new car cost $18000, right?

Then 7 years later, trade that car in for $5000 credit towards a new $25000 car... so I paid $25000-$5000+$18000... or $38000! This adds up quickly!

Eventually you'd never be able to afford a car if you keep adding all the past car purchases together.

What is being omitted in these calculations is the value-for-use of the product you get in the meantime... so a 921/942 receiver has been in use for a while and you got to enjoy/use it for those months and get some value for it.


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## ken310 (Feb 25, 2006)

In my case I used mine for 2 weeks and it was constantly messing up. Dish RA'd it and sent me a refurb that looked to be quite used. It was both filthy and scratched and after looking at it for several days I decided Not! and sent it back.

So for those of us who just recently purchased a hd/dvr because we couldn't lease one the upgrade is more expensive. Now if I hadn't just recently spent $600+ so I could finally have a hd/dvr for my new 2nd hd tv things would look different.

My old (3yr's) big screen never saw hd because I wasn't willing to give up dvr for 5 hd channels especially considering the only one I could buy was the infamously buggy 921 but I had paid for the hd tv thinking ahead. 
We were promised the 942 would not be closed out by mpeg4 and here we are. I'd be only to happy to spend $300 if they'll let me return my 942 that has never worked right from day one. Otherwise it's $900+ for a leased receiver and I'm not going to put a new 942 in the closet with all the other now outdated DISH receivers I HAD to buy including the 2 new 510's I retired for this 942. Yes I still have the C band receiver that cost me close to 2k just two months before C band basically folded, marked for me by HBO and many others dropping off. 

I don't mind paying for technology but there is a limit.


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