Dish Network and HDTV (1 Viewer)

[JasonS]

I'm just curious as to whether anyone here has Dish Network and HDTV. What hardware do you need, and what is the cost of the hardware/programming?

 

[Dan Hitchman]

If you do not want to record HDTV broadcasts from DISH, get their new 811 satellite and over the air HDTV box.

Currently, you can get an 811 HD decoder box, satellite dish and install for FREE (after a $49.95 credit). The first three months of their Top 100 programming and HBO (including HBO-HD) & Cinemax are FREE. If you want their HDTV ala cart package (ESPN-HD, Discovery Channel-HD, HDNet-Sports, HDNet-Movies), local channels (possibly with CBS-HD if you can get a waiver), and more than one receiver for more than one TV, there are additional fees.

www.dishnetwork.com has a listing of package prices, and what you get with their tiered channel offerings. You do have to use a retailer (see below) to get their deals. Supposedly, they aren't offering products directly right now on their latest HD decoder deals (see below).

If you require a second satellite dish to get your local stations, DISH will have to install a second dish for free. Some customers will get a 3-LNB SuperDish (big sucker!!) that can pick up all three satellite groupings depending on their area.

If time shifting is a must, get a 921 (there has been a delay in getting them in, but DISH says they are coming). Pricing is around $900 for this unit (and a $5 a month DVR fee unless you get their Everything service), but you can archive many hours of HD programming from DISH and from a roof top UHF antenna (if you are lucky enough to be in an area that can receive local HDTV channels over the air-- you then wouldn't need to pay DISH for locals anyway) and it has two tuners to record two simultaneous programs. There are very few options to record HD satellite programming right now (in fact, only the DirecTV Tivo HD unit coming next year is its competitor), so this will be a Godsend.

Go to Satellite Guys for more details. You will get more information there, plus if you order from their store you make $10 on the deal!

Another place to try too is Dish Depot. They also have good deals on packages.

Dan

 

[Robert_J]

get a 921 ..... it has two tuners to record two simultaneous programs.

It actually has two satellite HD tuners and one OTA HD tuner. It can record two HD streams from any combination.

-Robert

 

[JasonS]

Thanks for the help, guys. I'll look into those site a bit.