# Do you think Dish will add a DVR fee to all receivers after NBR is introduced?



## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

When name based recording is finally rolled out on all Dish Network DVR's, do you think Dish will start charging the DVR fee on the 501, 508 and 721?


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

That's a good question. Maybe that's why they're blowing out the 721's?


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

Why not include enforcing collection of the fee on 7100s and 7200s? Heck they have NBR too. And if they do want to retire them what better way to do it?


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

No.. I don't think so. It is one thing to do this when introducing a new product it is another when adding a feature to an existing one. If you have no way of allowing the person who bought the feature to disable a feature you plan on charging for then you can get away with it. If you don't and you add the feature and then charge, you will be asking for the flood of email and expect a lot of cancellations. 

If they decided to charge, they would Grandfather people who already have the boxes unless they had the software such that they can disable/enable certain features on a per box basis. They have the mechanism in place to do this, I sure hope they don't start service based charging.


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

If they made it retroactive Directv would probably gain more customers than DISH could afford to lose.


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## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

I don't think they'll add one since they are already charging $4.98 per receiver mind you for absolutely nothing.

I think they need to change it where it is $4.98 per account. It is crazy that customers with more than one 510 or 522 have to pay $4.98 per receiver!


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## jrbdmb (Sep 5, 2002)

How about a new poll option "They better not!" 

I did a little analysis yesterday comparing my current E* setup with a comparable offering on D*, and the E* setup costs me about $10/mo. less. This savings enables me to deal with no YES Network, no FSW2, no PBS Kids, etc. 

Any plan to add the DVR fee to my two 508s will negate the costs savings of E* and cause me to switch to D* very quickly.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

garypen said:


> That's a good question. Maybe that's why they're blowing out the 721's?


I talked to my retailer today -- he'd been inquiring about a 721 for me. He said that the upgrade offer is for refurb'ed units, while the supply lasts and that they are currently available only from Dish. Interesting blowout!


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## JM Anthony (Nov 16, 2003)

WeeJavaDude said:


> No.. I don't think so. It is one thing to do this when introducing a new product it is another when adding a feature to an existing one. If you have no way of allowing the person who bought the feature to disable a feature you plan on charging for then you can get away with it. If you don't and you add the feature and then charge, you will be asking for the flood of email and expect a lot of cancellations.
> 
> If they decided to charge, they would Grandfather people who already have the boxes unless they had the software such that they can disable/enable certain features on a per box basis. They have the mechanism in place to do this, I sure hope they don't start service based charging.


Agree. Applying a fee like this after the fact is the sort of thing that really pisses consumers off. It's one thing when you know about it up front, before you've made the acquisition. Besides, I think E* needs to do more things to competitive differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack.


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## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

D* is soon going to be attacking their bread and butter, now that they've dealt with the Pegasus competitive disadvantage. They also are adding internationals to attack that front as well...

I see Charlie and Co. easing up on the new fees for a bit (especially given the recent Viacom shutdowns, the ongoing HD equipment production blunders and various other snafus). Could be wrong though.... I never thought they would institute the newer PVR fees in the first place so who knows.... Charlie is at his best though when in a brawl with his competitors.... A better focus by D* may be just the thing we E* subscribers needed to see things get better again.


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## TonyM (Aug 14, 2003)

I hope not

That's why I got a 508...If they add it, I'll go back to my 301


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## kenyarnall (May 11, 2004)

Cholly said:


> I talked to my retailer today -- he'd been inquiring about a 721 for me. He said that the upgrade offer is for refurb'ed units, while the supply lasts and that they are currently available only from Dish. Interesting blowout!


When I ordered my 721 from Dish, I asked about this. My unit is new, NOT refurbished.

Ken


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## dfergie (Feb 28, 2003)

They do, my 501 dies, my replays take on all echostar programming.


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## Unthinkable (Sep 13, 2002)

Chris Blount said:


> When name based recording is finally rolled out on all Dish Network DVR's, do you think Dish will start charging the DVR fee on the 501, 508 and 721?


Nope.


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## Mark S. (May 14, 2004)

Cholly said:


> I talked to my retailer today -- he'd been inquiring about a 721 for me. He said that the upgrade offer is for refurb'ed units, while the supply lasts and that they are currently available only from Dish. Interesting blowout!


My 721 from Dish was new also...

Maybe your retailer is telling you this to justify charging you a higher price for a 721 from him. Just out of curiosity, how much is he wanting you to pay for the unit if you were to purchase it through him? My guess would be around $300-$350 + any additional equipment + installation fee. :nono2: :nono2: :nono2:

My 721 from Dish was $249 with a free DP34 switch + free installation(which I ended up not needing). 

My dad also got the same deal.


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

Dish Network told me that they didnt sell 721's yet. 

I dont think they will introduce a fee to the grandfathered DVR receivers once NBR is released. If they did then they would lose more money from the loss of customers than what the fee would bring them. If they could implement charging just for the extra features they bring out for now on then that would be different.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

yeah make name based optional with added charge. Charlie is on a mission to increase revenues.

The big question how many bugs will name based create. 

Honestly I dioubt we will see it before spring...... historically that might be optomistic


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2004)

As I recall hearing the reson the older PVRs (501,508, 721) were not charged a fee is b/c it was built into the price of the unit. In order to reduce the up front cost of newer PVrs, they instituted the monthly fee. To give you a point of reference I paid $350 for my 501 3 years ago, yet now you can get a 510 for what $99? There's the difference.


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## HTguy (May 7, 2002)

Chris Blount said:


> When name based recording is finally rolled out on all Dish Network DVR's, do you think Dish will start charging the DVR fee on the 501, 508 and 721?


No.

I don't even understand why you would speculate such a thing unless it's a deliberate attempt to generate some controversy.

The big E* cheeses have said repeatedly and publically that 501/508/721s are "grandfathered" with respect to the lack of "VOD" fees. As *Rmmrph* correctly points out, this is due to their higher initial cost. "VOD" fees were introduced as a means of offering DVRs for free to new subscribers and at a reduced cost for upgraders.

(The exception that proves the rule is the 921...at least for now.)


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Tony when Charlie was asked about fees on older DVRs he specifically said and I quote!

"NOT AT THIS TIME!"

Well perhaps NBR is the future time he was thinking of?


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

They CAN start charging. The only question is will they?


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

Dish Network having the cost built into the price of the DVR to not charge the DVR fees with the 501, 508, and 721 may be correct in a sense but they charge full price for the 522, 510, and 921 if a customer is not eligible for the promotion and still get whacked with the DVR fee so they are just trying to make more money but at the same time they are trying to reduce churn as well all at once. The 501's, 508's, and now the 721's are/were sold for a huge discount and they still did not get the VOD fee.


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