Dish Receiver Compatibilty with Pay As You Go

[sloman2001]

I have the Travler SK-1000 dish using the VIP211K. I want to get the Hopper with the built in DVR compatibilities. I know this combination works according to Dish, but my question is:

1) Is this still compatible with the Pay As You Go Service?

Occasionally we move our local stations to another city and we do not want to loose that. I don't want to get into a 2 year contract if I don't have to, but might consider it if it were required. What I can't loose is the flexibility with the local channels.

Any experience on this on out there?

Thanks, Tom

[TechWriter]

sloman2001 wrote:
I have the Travler SK-1000 dish using the VIP211K. I want to get the Hopper with the built in DVR compatibilities. I know this combination works according to Dish, but my question is:

1) Is this still compatible with the Pay As You Go Service?

Occasionally we move our local stations to another city and we do not want to loose that. I don't want to get into a 2 year contract if I don't have to, but might consider it if it were required. What I can't loose is the flexibility with the local channels.

As Bill said previously, buy a Hopper and have it installed. Either contact DISH (they will send out a tech) or activate the Hopper yourself (see "Hopper Activation" on this web page).

You can still get local TV stations with the Hopper. Just call DISH and have them change your Service Address to where you're currently camped. However, you know that that you will lose your current local stations if you travel about 200 miles.

BTW, using a 211 receiver (instead of a Hopper) with a Winegard Travler is like using snow tires on a Ferrari.

[AllegroD]

Dish4myrv,com

[_tpc_]

BB_TX wrote:
Be sure you call the dishformyrv number rather than the regular dish number.

Anyone know what number this is? I just went to their website and did an online chat and he said to call the regular dish number.

[Dale_Traveling]

sloman2001 wrote:
I have the Travler SK-1000 dish using the VIP211K. I want to get the Hopper with the built in DVR compatibilities. I know this combination works according to Dish, but my question is:

1) Is this still compatible with the Pay As You Go Service?

For compatibles with Pay As You Go a Hopper receiver might not work. I used to have prepaid service and switch in June to Pay As You Go. I was using a ViP612 DVR with the post paid account and wanted to keep using in with the new account. When I switch and set up a new account with the Dish for my RV they could not activate the account with the ViP612 receiver and referred me to Dish tech support. Working with Dish they also were not able to activate the account also and after a few call transfers they determined that with Pay As You Go accounts only a DISH ViP 211z receiver is authorized. At least that's what happened to me. Best to call and Dish for my RV to find out. Same for switch local channels. I keep my line up as I have at home and just use the crank up roof antenna for locals.

I did not utilize auto pay or any other such feature for billing and my service stopped on schedule a few weeks ago. No call required to pay and reactivate all I did was pay via the web site and the service came back in a few minutes.

[alid]

You don't have to get a hopper for DVR just had an external hard drive to your VIP211.. That's what I did.

BTW I have the Hopper at home and love it.

My suggestion to you would be to go to the Hopper zone on the Satellite guys forum. There are actually Dish Network personnel that are on there daily to help with issues. I had many questions before I went to the hopper at home and they not only helped with the questions but also got me some extra discounts. You will have to create a log-in on the site and then you are set to go.. there is alot of info just searching but you can direct message the Dish support person called "DIRT" here is the link Hopper Zone

[jorbill2or]

My experience they send me the payment notice then a late payment notice!! with a warning they are charging a penalty then the next month charge ( 2months due showing)
and soon after it all just disappears ..Called to complain told me thats normal .. just the way the system works. Personally I think their billing system is a mess . If I don't pay .. it Should just Disappear but they go through a 2 month process .. stupid!

[AllegroD]

K Charles wrote:
pay as you go used to turn off if you didn't pay but now they won't turn it off until you ask them to.

Mine still turns off. The online bill due will go up and down from 1-2 months owed but when I reconnect I still only pay current month. I am currently disconnected until I restart the service. I always do the reconnect by phone or chat so as not to use the automated or online billing process.

[BB_TX]

Be sure you call the dishformyrv number rather than the regular dish number.

[ljr]

{tpc} wrote:
Ya thats the thing, I didn't sign up for auto pay. So they charged me for a month I didn't use, then tried to bill me for this coming month. When I finally set up an account online, I clicked the button that said "reactivate receiver" and it paid for the month I didn't use.

Calling them wasn't fruitful, due to the communication barrier between me and the person on the phone, I think from another country? Its not that she didn't try to help, but I don't think she understands what pay as you go is, nor what happened to me.

I've found that if you keep calling you'll eventually find somebody that understands the problem. It might take 4 or 5 calls.

I almost always end up with an acceptable answer to my question but rarely on the first call.

[K_Charles]

pay as you go used to turn off if you didn't pay but now they won't turn it off until you ask them to.

[_tpc_]

Ya thats the thing, I didn't sign up for auto pay. So they charged me for a month I didn't use, then tried to bill me for this coming month. When I finally set up an account online, I clicked the button that said "reactivate receiver" and it paid for the month I didn't use.

Calling them wasn't fruitful, due to the communication barrier between me and the person on the phone, I think from another country? Its not that she didn't try to help, but I don't think she understands what pay as you go is, nor what happened to me.

[BB_TX]

{tpc} wrote:
I'm having an issue with the pay as you go service as advertised in general. They never seem to "turn off the service" but instead require that I call to turn it on or off? Doesn't the defeat the purpose of how they bill the pay as you go service to work?
..............

Did you sign up for auto pay? If so, they will charge your card every month and continue the service. If you did not sign up for auto pay, then they should turn off your service at the end of the month (actually at the end of 30 days after your sign up date) and not restart it until you call and authorize another month's payment.

[ljr]

I can't help with PG but I have an an SK-1000, Hopper and Joey. I'm almost full time and travel over much of the country. I've never had a problem with locals as long as they are on the western arc.

[_tpc_]

I'm having an issue with the pay as you go service as advertised in general. They never seem to "turn off the service" but instead require that I call to turn it on or off? Doesn't the defeat the purpose of how they bill the pay as you go service to work?

As for local channels, when we can get them (which seems spotty at times), we get them anywhere we are at..but we don't have the hopper so not sure how that affects it. It would seem to me that if you can tune to the local station you should be able to dvr it..