DISH 921 no DVR fees?

[fenstersullivan]

Maybe this has been discussed before but I recently e-mailed DISH on the 921 and here is what they replied yesterday. Most of this is old hat to me but am I reading that "no DVR monthly charge" correctly?

Thank you for your e-mail. DISH Network is pleased to announce our new DISHDVR 921 receiver. The new high definition DISHDVR 921 satellite TV system was awarded top honors as the Best of Show in the Innovations Design and Engineering showcase in the Satellite Systems product category at the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Details of the price and availability will be announced later this year.

Below is a list of DISH DVR 921 features:

Delivers DISH Network standard and high-definition satellite TV programming

* Outputs 480i, 480p Standard Definition and 720p and 1080i High Definition resolutions

* IEEE1394 "Firewire" or "iLink" output support for additional devices

* Includes an 8VSB tuner for reception of off-air analog and digital broadcasts

* Supports Enhanced HD programming such as Discovery HD

Two tuners for:

* Normal Standard-definition Picture-in-Picture (PIP) on any TV

* Recording two live programs at once

* Recording a live program while watching another live program

* Recording two live programs while watching another recorded program

DVR features at no monthly charge include:

* Pause live TV

* Up to 250 hours of standard-definition recording capacity; up to 40 hours of high-definition recording capacity.

Records Dolby Digital (when available) and off-air broadcasts.

* Skip forward 30 seconds

* Skip back 10 seconds

* 4 fast-forward and 4 reverse speeds (4x, 15x, 60x, 300x)

* Sow motion and frame-by-frame

7-day Electronic Program Guide (EPG) with search capability

On-screen Caller ID

UHF/IR 4-component universal remote control with PIP functions

Supports DISH Pro Technology

Additional features include front panel jacks for future use with still or video cameras for capturing images to attach to e-mail, and additional USB connections for future interface with peripheral devices like printers, cameras, CD writers, etc. Standard functions include V-chip type technology for parental controls and an optical Dolby Digital output. Like all DISH Network satellite TV products, the DISHDVR 921 is software upgradeable via satellite which provides consumers new capabilities instantly as they become available.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They are sending out old information, I have been told by Jim Defranco that the 921 will have the same DVR fees of the 510.

 

[Ransack]

I wouldn't mind paying a $4.99/month DVR fee IF it had the same functionality as TiVO....

Also, paying $999 for a 921 and then still having to pay a $4.99/month fee is a tough pill to swallow....oh well, in a for a penny (or a grand!) in for a pound! Glad my 508 was grandfathered in with NO dvr fees....

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Remember if you have the everything pack the DVR fees are waived.

 

[DarrellP]

Remember if you have the everything pack the DVR fees are waived.

Whoopie! Sorry Scott, I think this is a ripoff. It's like saying, "Well, if you would have made more money, you wouldn't have had to pay taxes".

The DVR fee stinks anyway you slice it. :x

 

[Ransack]

I have always wondered IF E* would be able to download more TiVO like features into its receivers over time?

Again, i wouldn't mind paying $4.99/mo DVR fees if there was more TiVO-like stuff (Season pass, etc). Is this possible or are the updates only limited to bug-type fixes and small feature additions?

 

[DarrellP]

I agree, Ransack, IF Dish equipment actually worked without puking every other day and it had TIVO like recording then I would gladly pay the fee, but having to pay for their programming errors is not acceptable.

 

[Sparkman]

I wouldn't mind paying a $4.99/month DVR fee IF it had the same functionality as TiVO....

I understand where you're coming from. Directivo has quite the deal with no fees. If you have a stand alone TIVo, those fess are now $12.99/mo or $300 lifetime. When I bought my sa TIVO the lifetime fee was $199. Since I've had it almost 3 years now, I'm sure glad I paid the lifetime fee. I did take advantage of the 510 0ffer as well, but upgraded to AEP, was only $2 more month & added Cinemax & Starz. So, for me, I didn't mind the extra fee. For me, the 510 is a secondary recorder, but I have found it to be very easy to use. I don't see any of the gramming errors that DarrelP has mentioned.

 

[BobMurdoch]

I agree, Ransack, IF Dish equipment actually worked without puking every other day and it had TIVO like recording then I would gladly pay the fee, but having to pay for their programming errors is not acceptable.

I have a 721 and it has worked fairly well even after the new update. The only problems are some occasional slowness with the fast forward and jump buttons (this has only hit me on HBO-E, no other channels). No missed timers in 4 months (and I have about 40 a week -- a lot of 5 day kids programs and Trading Spaces reruns that often get deleted when the drive hits 30 hours remaining). It also hasn't locked up on me requiring a reboot in about a month. That isn't "puking every other day" to me.