September 16, 2007
Dish Network
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When comes to ordering Dish Network satellite deals, Dish’s programming packages are often the main issues to be discussed. With more than 250 programming channels to be selected, Dish Network programming can be a confusing question to uninformed shoppers.
As an overview, satellite shoppers should be noticed that Dish Network programming is packaged into a few standard packages. They are Dish Family Pak, America’s Top 100, America’s Top 200, America’s Top 250, and America’s Everything Pak. These are standard packages for Dish Network entry level users.
In case you are looking for HD channels, there are four major HD programming packages, including DishHD Bronze, DishHD Silver, DishHD Gold, and DishHD Platinum. These HD packages will require extra monthly charges, ranging from $49.99 to $99.99 per month. Also, for International programming, users are open with a wide choice on Spanish, Chinese, Russia, as well as other foreign language programming. A few popular Dish Network International Packages are Dish Latino Max, Dish Latino Dos, and Great Wall TV.
As for our articles here, we will limit our discussion on Dish Network standard programming packages, which are Dish Network Top America’s packages.
Dish Network America’s Top 100
Previously America’s Top 60, America’s Top 100 package is the new Dish Network entry package. The basic America’s Top 100 cost $29.99/month (current promotion price $19.99 for the first ten months). This basic package is considered as the most economical Dish Network programming package. It is kind of popular as it provides a larger selection than the cable TVs in a lower price. Most cable TV users who switch to Dish Network started with America’s Top 100 to try out the dish TV program.
In brief, the package is consist of major paid TV channels in United States, such well-known channels include ABC Family, CNBC, Court TV, Comedy Central, ESPN, MTV, Nickelodeon, Star Sports and a host of others. Additionally, local channels are always included for free whenever it’s possible.
Dish Network America’s Top 200
This mid-level programming package will cost you $42.99 per month ($32.99 during current promotion period). It includes all programming with America’s Top 100, plus additional of sports, movies, documentary, and kids channels. These extra programming channels includes all time kid favorites– Toon Disney, F/X, Soap Net, Tech TV, American Movie Classics, The Speed Channel, Turner Classic Movies, as well as a big bunch of sports channels.
If you watch TV a lot during your free time, America’s Top 200 is something you must look into as the package provide a very wide range of TV programmes in an acceptable price tag.
Dish Network America’s Top 250
If you are a big music TV fans, America’s Top 250 is the Dish Network programming package to go for. With $52.99/month, you get an extra of 15++ music channels in this package. Further more, America’s Top 250 also include some of the famous TV channels that America’s Top 100 and America’s Top 200 do not have. These channels include Discovery Kids, Encore, National Geographic Channel, Nicktoons, The Golf Channel, Action Westerns, as well as The Movie Channel.
Dish Network America’s Everything Pak
America’s Everything Pak is for those TV maniacs that can’t live without TV entertainments. This package is the ultimate of the Dish Network that provides every TV channels available under the sun, premium movie channels are included here in this package: Showtime Unlimited, HBO The Works, Multimax from Cinemax, and Starz Encore Super Pak. You will get more than 2000 movies per month with America’s Everything Pak.
Wide selections in Dish Network programming packages had been always the main discussion point when we are talking about Dish Network deals. It’s true that the programming package sounds a lot more better when compare to cable TV’s. However, consumer should always aware that extra programming means extra monthly subscription fees. You should always pick the best programming package that suits you the best; but not picking up the package that offers the most programming channels.
Last advice
By going thru this guide, you should be clear enough with Dish Network standard programming packages. Although Dish Network offers wide programming selection in a cheap price, consumers should aware that they probably do not need that much of channels in their package. As a wise consumer, you should avoid ordering more than you can take – what’s the point of ordering America’s Everything Pak if all you watch is just CNN and Discovery channels.
September 14, 2007
Satellite TV Shopping
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For satellite TV shoppers that are looking for the best dish TV deals, here are some basic questions to be asked about a dealer before any money are paid. These are basic, but important consumer questions as assigning a reliable satellite TV dealer are the most important thing to secure a good deal.
So what’re the questions to ask about your satellite TV dealers?
1. What’s free and what’s not?
Satellite TV dealers are offering free satellite systems everywhere. But not every free deals are the same – some offer free satellite TV systems free for four rooms, some three rooms and some maybe single rooms; some offer free decoder systems plus the dish, some exclude the remote controls, some exclude the extra decoder system, or some even exclude the dish system. There are fraud deals everyway on the Internet so you are advised to shop wisely and get along only with those who are authorized by the Dish Network or DirecTV authorities.
2. Do you offer a 30-days full money return guarantee?
Most Internet vendors offer a month of cooling off period for shoppers. This is indeed necessary for consumers as buying stuffs online are a bit more risky than buying at the brick-and-mortar shop. You should be given the time to test and use the product before any firm purchase decisions are made. This includes your satellite TV system. So, remember to get a dealer that allows you to get full money back if you are unhappy about the dish system. That’s point number two.
3. Do you offer free shipping and installation?
Don’t be foolish. Gone are the days where you need to pay for big bucks on the satellite TV system installations. Nowadays, you get your dish systems installed for free. Do not fall into the fraud deal that requires you to pay extremely high installation fees.
4. Any special promotion?
Chances are some satellite TV dealers are offering special incentive gifts for their first time customers. Do look around the dealer websites and check on their latest promotions. Some might be offering more than just free satellite TV systems. As a wise consumer, you should be willing to take more time in studying different dealer so you are entitled to the best satellite TV deal.
5. Dish Network or DirecTV?
When you are looking and searching for satellite TV deals, most probably you will spend lots of time deciding Dish Network or DirecTV to go for.
Both DirecTV and Dish Network are practically similar — both offer free satellite TV systems up to 4 rooms, more than 250 program selections, integrated digital video recording (DVR) capabilities, high definition TV (HDTV) capabilities, astonishing picture and sound quality and award-winning 24-hour customer services.
Where they differ is in the programming choices. Dish Network offers more International and movie channels while DirecTV seems more attractive to sports fans as they provide a much better coverage on sports programming. If you love football, DirecTV will be your first pick because their NFL Sunday Tickets will be covering every football game thru out the whole season. If you are a movie fans and would like to enjoy more on International channels, Dish Network is the service to go for.
September 14, 2007
Satellite TV Shopping
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Are you looking for satellite TV deals? I bet you have lots of questions to be answered before putting your order on the right satellite TV deals. The fact is that most satellite TV shoppers are not sure what are they ordering and getting when they place their order online, this is why we think our article here might be useful for you to decide to have or not to have the satellite TV deal.
Is satellite TV entertainment a must have entertainment?
The answer is a loud ‘NO’. No, I do not think satellite TV system is a must have house hold product (of course!). Even though there are more and more people are subscribing to satellite TV services (Dish Network or DirecTV) but no, I do not think satellite TV service is a must for every home.
The reason of satellite TV entertainment is getting more and more popular is because of they are offering a lot more TV programming choices in a cheaper price. This makes consumers (cable TV users especially) to switch over their cables and get subscribed to either Dish Network or DirecTV services. Currently, DirecTV owns around 20 millions subscribers in United States, while Dish Network has around 15-16 millions of subscribers. In such a short period (10 years time), both satellite TV companies had gained more than 35 millions subscribers and that’s a scary numbers to be known by cable TV companies.
So what makes cable users switch over satellite TV services?
Reason behind the big boost on satellite TV services is due to two major reasons: Free equipment systems and the programming selections.
Free equipments and start up cost
Perhaps one of the most important reasons behind the success in satellite TV business is because of their marketing policy to give free satellite TV equipments and require no start up cost at all for satellite TV users. As said in satellite TV promotion advertisement, you will get free satellite TV systems (up to 4 rooms) when first ordering the satellite TV deals. Further more you get other promotions gifts such as digital video recorder (DVR), DVD player, home theater systems and HD systems for free. This makes the switching relatively easy and painless as it doesn’t cost you anything.
On the other hand, setting up on cables seems more hassles. Equipment Cable TV systems require a cable to be installed from the network to your house. If your street has no cable you may need to wait a while before it is available in your area. Besides the cable you need a receiver. With digital services you need an additional box. To get a cable TV services, you need to buy your own cable systems that might cost you around hundred bucks or more. For Dish Network or DirecTV, you get free satellite TV systems for free up to four rooms. All you need to be is that you are their first time customers and you are ready to commit a one year subscription contracts. Some of these equipments are even granted with life-time warranty!
Programming selections
Another reason why satellite TV is so success is because of the programming choices provided by satellite TV companies. Programming choice is what separate cable TV and satellite TV the most. Dish Network and DirecTV offers a wide range of programming selections; while with cable TV the programming options are rather limited.
You can easily get up to hundreds of programming channels with satellite TV systems. With cable TV, you get support of 90+ channels for the basic packages. Further more, satellite TV channels are all digital broadcast, meaning that all your satellite TV pictures are all 100% digitized. In the meantime, cable TV programming is mostly analog signals. Digital channels on cable TV might cost you extra subscription fees ranged from $10 - $15.
Enough said on the cable and satellite TV comparisons.
Going back to our main question: Satellite TV entertainment: To have, or not? The answer is really at your own hand.
Are you a TV maniac? Do you need the satellite TV service for live broadcast sport events? Do you spend your time at home doing nothing and crave for more entertainment? Do you prefer a more outing lifestyle and refuse to stay at home watching TV? Do you have kids that wish to watch more cartoons (and do less homework?) Is your wife mumbling all day long to make you order a satellite TV system? Do you enjoy watching HD ready TV entertainments? Are you tired of non-stop rising in cable TV fees? Are you happy with your local channels? Do you seldom watch TVs? Are you a sport fans that cannot miss a match of your favorite team?
Being a smart consumer, I would suggest you to think before you make the purchase.
In short, if you enjoy TV a lot and wouldn’t mind to spend twenty to fourty bucks on TV entertainments, satellite TV could be the best bargain you can find in the market. On the other way round, if you hardly watch TV programs once a week, save your money for the extra beer! Satellite TV is not for you at all.