POOR POLICIES FOR EQUIPMT OWNERS. Also, picture has improved from dull to sharper.
Written: Feb 16 '01 (Updated Dec 19 '02)
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Pros: Many channels at reasonable cost, online guide operates VCR.
Picture sharpness has improved greatly.
Cons: AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE. BOXES BLANK OUT. SEE BELOW.
The Bottom Line: DON'T OWN YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT. DON'T DEAL WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. POLICIES FOR EQUIPMENT OWNERS ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST. I have reduced the rating from Above Average to Avoid.
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| BRFurman's Full Review: EchoStar 4700 |
I wrote this a while ago, but since then I have had problems which make me HATE Dish Network.
My 3 4700 boxes (but not my model 2700 box) blank out every 10 days or so, and won't show a picture again unless the smart card is removed and reinserted. Not good when you're on vacation and want to record shows!
Dish Network has been no help to me. They says it's likely a defective software upgrade (which they made in June 02) and my only recourse is to buy new boxes. That's absurd! I am writing to the Better Business Bureau, Attorney General and CEO of Dish about this.
If you own your boxes (and don't lease) they won't let you switch to leasing even years later if you've abandoned them.
Leasing would give me free repairs for $5 a month.
Back in 2000, I wrote about the improved picture. It is now even better still. But losing the picture every week and a half is not a pleasant thing! Here's what I had written then:
I live in Long Island, NY, and also have kept cable for a while. The cable comes in via fiber-optics, and may be considered digital. Its picture is as close to a DVD as you can get, as far as sharpness goes. There can be some video noise displayed, but the edges of people, objects, etc. are RAZOR SHARP!
The Dish picture was originally very dull, but has definitely gotten better! The background has vibrant color, and absolutely NO video noise, and the sound is even superior to cable. On some premium channels, the picture is now almost razor sharp. Unfortunately, on some channels it's worse than a VHS tape picture, and the tapes one records on his VCR also lack sharpness.
There are many pluses with this system, and that's why I keep it. The online guide is great, and selecting a show will program your VCR automatically (the infra-red signals sends a RECORD and STOP signal when necessary). I only wish it would send an ON - RECORD - STOP - OFF signal. Currently, the VCR must be left on at all times. (With my suggestion, you could turn it off. By turning it off, you could program it to record local channels from cable or an antenna as well as from the guide.)
I have 4 boxes on one dish, and it has caused problems.
The boxes lose the ability to set the VCR, and you have to occasionally pull its "card" out to reset the box.
The number of channels you receive for the money is well worth it. My cable company refuses to offer TV LAND and TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES. For $11 a month, they give you 2 premium channels (e.g., Showtime and Showtime 2). With Dish Network, you get many more channels for the $11: Showtime, Showtime 2, Showtime 3, Showtime Beyond, Showtime Extreme, TMC, TMC2, Sundance, Flix and for some, the Western versions .
I did need a repair to my dish after a storm. I had the dish for only 6 months, and it cost me $60 labor (to the local installer), since the warranty covered 1-year parts, but only 90-days labor. I complained to the Dish customer service folks, and they gave me a credit on my account toward future monthly bills which I think was fair.
One last thing...Epinions requests these write-ups based on dish boxes, and there is no category for the Dish Service (picture quality, customer service, etc.). I notice that almost everyone is writing about these Dish attributes, e.g., the programming and the service, not the individual boxes. With the current Epinions configuration, the Dish opinions are spread all over the place. Epinions should change this format to just the Dish Network versus Direct TV, etc., not the individual boxes.
For amount paid, I will indicate the amount for the box, but that's just the point. People should want to know what the service costs! (I had free installation, free dish, 2 free 2700 boxes. I now pay $69.99 for every channel except locals $5 for each box over the initial box.)
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 250
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Epinions.com ID:
BRFurman
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Member: Barry Furman
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 1 member
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