Uverse set top box rental fee?

Jdegid · 09-26-2009, 05:34 PM

Okay I was going over my bill and with 7 set top (VIP1200) boxes installed in my house thats $42 a month in rental fees + tax

I see that people are selling these boxes on the internet Ebay and craigslist.

Can I purchase these to work around the monthly fee?

Thank you,

John

**rbinck** · 09-26-2009, 06:17 PM

No.

DreGun · 09-30-2009, 10:46 AM

Each box has a specific MAC address, and IP address so even if you were to purchase them from ebay, they would not work unless activated and being paid for.

wathsuroon · 10-14-2009, 01:04 AM

it was a good studd

isszguy · 10-21-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdegid

I was going over my bill and with 7 set top (VIP1200) boxes installed in my house thats $42 a month in rental fees + tax

I see that people are selling these boxes on the internet Ebay and craigslist.

Can I purchase these to work around the monthly fee?

I'm presently a DTV person, but I assume that you are paying $6 a month per box. From a quick eBay check, it would appear that you can "buy" one of these units for $25-$50. However, if you do, it will be the same as burning your money in the fireplace.

These eBayers are selling what isn't theirs as these units are leased and supposed to be returned.

The short version of this is that "There isn't any free lunch" with ANY video service company except see below.

I don't know why you need 7 receivers, but if you can afford 7 HD tv's, $42 shouldn't mean anything. If it does, have you considered getting rid of some of the boxes and feeding the TV's with a 2nd line from the remaining boxes?

My "free lunch". I'm feeding 2 HD TV's from one box. One with a HDMI cable (long run) and the second from the component output. Granted, both TV's are on the same channel. If you have 7 different TV watchers, all watching a different channel, your family needs to get outside more often. Way too much video.

davecramer74 · 10-21-2009, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isszguy

I'm presently a DTV person, but I assume that you are paying $6 a month per box. From a quick eBay check, it would appear that you can "buy" one of these units for $25-$50. However, if you do, it will be the same as burning your money in the fireplace.

These eBayers are selling what isn't theirs as these units are leased and supposed to be returned.

The short version of this is that "There isn't any free lunch" with ANY video service company except see below.

I don't know why you need 7 receivers, but if you can afford 7 HD tv's, $42 shouldn't mean anything. If it does, have you considered getting rid of some of the boxes and feeding the TV's with a 2nd line from the remaining boxes?

My "free lunch". I'm feeding 2 HD TV's from one box. One with a HDMI cable (long run) and the second from the component output. Granted, both TV's are on the same channel. If you have 7 different TV watchers, all watching a different channel, your family needs to get outside more often. Way too much video.

Well, one example where you'd need 7 boxes is if you are renting a house and have 6 roommates (college).

**rbinck** · 10-21-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davecramer74

Well, one example where you'd need 7 boxes is if you are renting a house and have 6 roommates (college).

Problem is only 4 streams are available to spread over the 7 receivers. Not practical.

davecramer74 · 10-22-2009, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbinck

Problem is only 4 streams are available to spread over the 7 receivers. Not practical.

it is if one is in the garage and one is in a spare bedroom ,etc. Like in my case. I dont use 7 at one time but like my guests to have a tv or have the game on out in the garage if im working on something.

DreGun · 10-22-2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davecramer74

it is if one is in the garage and one is in a spare bedroom ,etc. Like in my case. I dont use 7 at one time but like my guests to have a tv or have the game on out in the garage if im working on something.

If the same show is on mutiple TV's on the same channel (not SD and HD) then that should only be one stream.

09-26-2009, 05:34 PM	#1
Jdegid What is HD? Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1	Uverse set top box rental fee? Okay I was going over my bill and with 7 set top (VIP1200) boxes installed in my house thats $42 a month in rental fees + tax I see that people are selling these boxes on the internet Ebay and craigslist. Can I purchase these to work around the monthly fee? Thank you, John

09-26-2009, 06:17 PM	#2
rbinck Administrator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 12,337	No. __________________ www.highdefinitionblog.com www.BlogOfHawaii.com

09-30-2009, 10:46 AM	#3
DreGun HD and Away!!! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 301	Each box has a specific MAC address, and IP address so even if you were to purchase them from ebay, they would not work unless activated and being paid for. __________________ Sharp 42" LC42D64U Denon - AVR-588 Boston Acoustics - Horizon MCS 130 X360: ZDS Dre Gun -- Zombie Death Squad PSN: Dre Gun (My Media Center)

Similar Threads to Uverse set top box rental fee?
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Comcast set top box	HD Newbie08	Cable Providers	4	12-03-2008 05:40 PM
Set top cable box to PC	lolowhat	Computers/HTPCs	4	01-25-2008 09:44 PM
FIOS HD set top box and TIVO HD on same TV?	igginsq1	Verizon FiOS	5	12-18-2007 09:54 AM
Recommendations for OTA set top box?	Darren Hug	High Definition Receivers, Recorders, Players, Tivos	10	01-27-2005 02:53 PM
terrestrial set top box vs. high def programming providers	bardot861	Local HDTV Info and Reception	1	07-29-2004 01:50 PM

10-14-2009, 01:04 AM	#4
wathsuroon My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 6	it was a good studd