Dish Network System
Written: May 07 '01 (Updated May 07 '01)
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Pros: The price, reception and channel selection is better than cable.
Cons: Customer Service and access to local channels in some areas
The Bottom Line: If you are tired of cable and want a better selection, Dish Network is what you need.
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| khahn86351's Full Review: Dish Network DishPlayer 500 Channel Satellite Syst... |
Flashback: August 2000
Our local cable company, Time Warner, was having problem after problem. Half the time, our reception was fuzzy, the sound was static and the pay per view movies wouldn't play. We would order a movie, but there would be no visual, only sound. Not to mention we were paying over $50 a month for Beyond Basic. Beyond Basic gave us about 40 some channels, but NO MOVIES. And customer service? I won't even go there. Well, as we became frustrated over the following weeks, we decided we were going to look into a dish because that was our only other option.
We really didn't have the money at the time to actually purchase a dish. Direct TV and Dish Network sold their dishes for anywhere between $150 and $300. We figured we'd just have to stick it out with cable for a while. Then we were at a fair and DISH NETWORK was offering a special.
The system, receiver, remote and 100 channels for 39.99. We didn't have to buy anything. The only catch was that we had to sign a 1 year contract, give them a valid credit card number, and to return the equipment if we decided to cancel. If we chose to cancel before our 1 year was up, we had to pay a $240 deactivation charge. Also, if you don't return the equipment if you do cancel, they charge you for the whole system. (Around $250) That is why they ask for a credit card . . . incase you try to get away!
They offer several different programs, anywhere from $29.99 a month and up. You would need to speak with someone from the company to decide what package would be best for you.
~ On to the Programs ~
Well, since we were saving all this money, we decided to take everything they offered. For the first 3 months, we could get every movie package for free! At the end of 3 months, if we decided to keep it, we would have to pay.
We kept it all and ordered the Digital Dynamite 150:
This includes America's Everything Pack, America's Top 150, All 4 movie packages, with an in home service plan.
69.99 a month! Only $20 more than our LOUSY cable and we have SO many more choices!
We get about 150 regular channels, 70 movie channels, 100 music channels, numerous pay per view channels, adult entertainment channels and even several latin channels.
The regular channels include Fox, Disney, TNT, TNN, USA, several ESPN and CNN's, 2 MTV's, BET, VH1, History, Learning Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery, TLC, and many more.
The movie channels consist of several HBO, Cinemax, Starz, Encore, and others.
The pay per view and adult entertainment channels cost extra. You can order them at any time and prices start from 3.99 and up depending on what you order.
I can honestly say we have too many channels. Yes, that is possible, but when comparing it to cable, the price, quality and selection is well worth it!
~ Equipment ~
The dish itself is rather small, about the size of a large pizza. Ours is mounted on our back corner of our roof. We never notice it and can not see it from the street. The dish has to be able to point toward the satelite in the sky, with a clear path for the reception to be perfect.
The receivers are about the size of a DVD player. They are simple and are primarily controlled by the remote.
The remote is unbelievable! It is a small, stylish, and very light digital remote. You can access your TV, satelite, VCR, and stereo through this. Some options include a guide button (similiar to a TV guide to tell you what's playing) and info button (tells you what the show is about!) You access your whole system through this remote.
We opted for an extra receiver for our bedroom. This costs us an extra $10 a month, but it is well worth it!
Local Channels?
Nope . . . not in our area anyway. We had to purchase 2 small antennas for our TV's to get local stations. The antennas cost us $10 a piece, and we get to keep those!
Some areas do offer local stations, you just need to check with your local Dish Network provider.
Customer Service
When we first called to inquire about the system and when we scheduled instalation, customer service was wonderful. That's where it ended though.
One time, our satelite was not receive a signal. (It actually tells you this) I got out the 50 page User's Guide to look at troubleshooting, but the guide is almost impossible to understand if you aren't a satelite expert. So I called customer service. They first told me to read the guide, I explained I had and didn't understand. They obviously didn't either because it was very difficult for them to tell us to just unplug the system and plug it back in. We did that and it worked. After 3 people and a half an hour later, our satelite was fixed. No one seemed to know what they were doing.
Another time, they billed me for 2 months instead of 1. They acknowledged the problem right away, but again it took them over a half an hour to fix it, with me on the phone.
I think Dish Network needs to spend a little more time training their customer service staff!
Overall, I am much more pleased with Dish Network than our local cable we use to have. I do not ever plan on going back to Time Warner. If I had to choose again between, I'd still pick Dish Network!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 79.99 month
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Epinions.com ID:
khahn86351
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Member: Kati
Location: Ohio, USA
Reviews written: 123
Trusted by: 98 members
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God Bless America!
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