Dish TurboHD

[othy]

I've been with my local cableco (Cox here in Phoenix) for a while now but I've been evaluating my other options. I'm thinking about dropping my TV service and going with a Dish TurboHD package. I'll keep my internet service with Cox so I think I'll still get my locals via clear QAM, but if not I'll go with OTA.

Anyway, the TurboHD page on their website says that the Bronze package has "Over 50 Channels" (in big, bold letters). Then it lists 29 channels. Now I was an English major, so you'll have to help me with the numbers: how are they getting to 50? I swear I saw some marketing majors in my math classes, so surely they can count...

I assume they must be counting a handful of PPV channels or something, but I'm hoping someone who has the service can verify that.

And actually, any feedback--positive or negative--on the TurboHD service would be appreciated. It's a big change with lots of WAF implications so I'd love to hear from subscribers. I'll be using my HD-PVR to record from the STB.

Tim

[stanger89]

I think they count RSNs in the count, honestly haven't paid attention.

The only real thing to consider is there's a group of channels (can't remember who owns them) that aren't available with the TurboHD packages, but are with the standard+HD packages.

[sic0048]

HD on Demand - they count those channels too.

I have the original HD Only package and really like it. We pay $30/mo I think for all the HD channels, but cannot get the RSNs or a couple of the newest HD channels.

EDIT - fixed spelling mistake.

[othy]

Thanks for the responses. It looks like Dish is changing their offerings on Aug 1st, so I'm sorting through the package I want to order.

One hardware question. I know that I can get an HD receiver that has a "second room" analog output. If I run that second input into my analog capture card, will I be able to change channels with my USB-UIRT, or is it RF?

Tim

[stanger89]

It's RF, but there's supposedly an TV2 IR adapter thingy out or coming out to convert that second zone to be IR controlled.

[lobosrul]

I dumped cable about 3 or 4 years ago, and was OTA-HD only until about a month ago I signed up for Dish-HD Bronze. There are only about 28 or so legit channels, once I deduct the 3 months of free HBO/Showtime and year of free Cinemax I get. They count all the RSN's even though its impossible to really get all of them. Apparently you can pay 5 bucks for the mult-sports pack and get them... but then they block out all the games outside of your region (this is according to posts I've seen at avsforum), otherwise why would anyone bother buying the MLB, NBA or NHL packages? They're lying about their number of channels because so do DirecTV and especially Cable (some systems count every on-demand movie/TV show as a channel).

What have you heard about them re-assigning packages on august 1st?

Some thoughts on the service:

Install went smoothly, but my house has a flat roof and already had holes a previous owner had put in to the living room and bedroom for wiring.

-Quality of some of the channels is great (ie ESPN and HDNET) others is pretty bad (ie Discovery, and many of the premiums). MPEG-4 compression artifact on sat is different than MPEG-2 on cable or OTA. No big blocks, its just softer.
-Signal was fine during a moderate rain.
-The price is actually as advertised. There are no hidden fees.
-Quality of TV on non-premium channels has taken a giant nose-dive in the last few years IMO. For example I used to watch History for hours on end, now its Ice Road Truckers marathon.
-I guess I'm spoiled by BluRay but I can't hardly stand to watch movies where they are cropped or edited in any way, or just don't look very good, or theres a giant annoying logo and banners all over the place.

I'm basically getting the service for sports only, I'll move up to the silver package in the fall for NFL-N and CBS college sports.

The big problem with the packages is that they're not including all available HD channels on Turbo-HD (even if you go with the gold package). FX, Fox News, MSNBC and Speed are examples. Its a major annoyance, if you want those channels. All channels they've added this year, haven't made it to the Turbo packages, regardless of who owns the channel.

Overall the service is what I expected, no surprises. I still feel a bit gypped that I have to pay for many channels that I have no interested in. But it beats the hell out of cable. My parents pay about 3 times more (after my promotional price ends) for about the same amount of HD channels on Comcast.

[othy]

Stanger, thanks for the tip. I found the IR product and it looks like it just hit the shelves last month. MSRP is in the $40 range.

lobosrul, thanks for your comments. Here's the details of the changes (quoted from fatwallet):

Starts Saturday, August 1, 2009 at DishNetwork.com

---Classic Packages Save an additional $180.00 the First Year!

---Free 18 Premium Movie Channels of HBO & Showtime for 3 months! ($86.94 value) No commitment to keep after free promotion.

---Plus also receive 5 Premium Movie Channels of Cinemax for only a penny a year! ($155.87 value) No commitment to keep.

---Free installation on up to 4 TVs! ($99.00 value)

---Free activation! ($99.00 value)

---Free DHHP protection plan for 9 months! ($35.84 value) No commitment to keep after free promotion.

---Free HD DVR lease upgrade! ($200 value) Covers two televisions independently! The DISH Network HD DVR has been reviewed by CNET to be “the Best HD DVR on the Planet” and “Better than TiVo.”

---Free Platinum HD channels permanently when you subscribe to a Classic Package and HD! ($120.00/year value); existing customers will also be eligible for this new free Platinum HD promotion. Existing customers do NOT need to call. Existing customers already paying for Platinum HD will have any advance payments for August 1st service and beyond credited back automatically within 2 billing cycles. Existing customers with the $10 HD addon will automatically have the Platinum channels added at no extra charge.

Total first year savings with HD is $976.65! Receive almost a thousand dollars in savings in return for a 24 month commitment to the best value in television in America. You only need to maintain a minimum basic qualifying package of at least $19.99/mo. Starting August 1st more International packages will qualify as minimum basic qualifying packages.


Classic Bronze 100 with local channels: Regular: $39.99 Promo: $24.99 (Full Year)

Classic Silver 200 with local channels: Regular: $52.99 Promo: $37.99 (Full Year)

Classic Gold 250 with local channels: Regular: $62.99 Promo: $47.99 (Full Year)

Options:

DVR service: $5.98/mo.

HD: $10/mo. Starting Aug. 1st includes Platinum HD channels which WAS an additional $10/mo.!

There's nothing in there about the TurboHD packages, but from what I've gathered (there's also a discussion at SatelliteGuys US forum) I could go with the classic 100 + bronzeHD (locals are now included in the "standard price, but you can drop them and still save the $5, as before) and when the promotional savings end I could downgrade to a TurboHD package.

And I couldn't agree more about the quality of non-premium cable programming, and History Channel in particular. Like you, I could almost always flip it on and find something interesting, but lately it's a lot of garbage.

At any rate, my father-in-law is getting a referral code for me, then I'll be taking the plunge. I do plan on getting the ir receiver for the TV2 output, so I'll keep you guys posted.

Tim

EDIT: I just noticed that my earlier post implies changes to the packages themselves. As far as I know, no lineups are changing--just the promotions that Dish is offering to new subscribers.

[btrcp2000]

I have posted this many times before, but since you are new to Dish, I'll say it again. Verify ANYTHING the Dish CSRs tell you with someone who actually has the service. I made three calls on three separate days last June 08 to three different CSRs to ask whether the RSN was included with the old Absolute plan, all said yes (it wasn't). I was compensated with 3 free months or something, but as you can see, it still pi$$es me off.

They WILL tell you whatever they think you want to hear to sign on the dotted line, so ask them your questions, then VERIFY VERIFY VERIFY here or satelliteguys.us or dbstalk.com. Or all 3.

Rant aside, I have been very pleased with my r5000 dish setup within sage. Just forced me to maintain a cable box for the time being, all so I could watch the Reds suck in crystal clear HD. I will likely cancel dish next summer when I'm out of contract and transfer my r5000s to cable boxes.

[othy]

Originally Posted by btrcp2000

I have posted this many times before, but since you are new to Dish, I'll say it again. Verify ANYTHING the Dish CSRs tell you with someone who actually has the service. I made three calls on three separate days last June 08 to three different CSRs to ask whether the RSN was included with the old Absolute plan, all said yes (it wasn't). I was compensated with 3 free months or something, but as you can see, it still pi$$es me off.

Point well taken, and unfortunately you're not the only one with that kind of experience. In my case, there are not really any specific situations that would be deal-breakers like that. Still, the 24-month contract, along with posts about poor CS and unkept promises to Turbo subscribers, is enough make me very cautious with all of this. But I'm likely to go for it in the next few days.

Tim

[lobosrul]

It sounds to me like DISH is really trying to phase out the TurboHD packages. The Silver package with HD minus locals with the platinum for free comes to $58 and would have nearly every channel I want except ESPNU-HD and AMC-HD, which DISH doesnt carry anyway. I'll probably switch to that in November when NFL-N is worth having, and my current promotional price is about to end.

Also, be aware that you must cancel any free premiums your getting before the deal expires, or you will be charged automatically. I asked the installer about that.

EDIT: I just went to Dish's website and logged in. I can't even switch to TurboHD Silver or Gold anymore, the options are gone (they were there last week). Also Platinum HD is gone.

[othy]

Yeah, it looks like "phase out" is an understatement. The TurboHD packages are no longer available to new subscribers.

This was large predicted on the dish-related forums that I've looked at in the past week; people on those forums seem to feel the Turbo subscribers were always getting shafted, so this can't make them feel good.

I'm likely to do the Classic 100 Bronze package, but like you I'm temped by the idea of having NFL Network the latter part of the season. As always, life sure would be easier if tv providers could offer a la carte!

Tim