Cable & Satellite TV → [Satellite] buy dish network or directv equipment from craigslis

can I buy a hopper or genie from craigs list or ebay? How would either activate them or setup service with them?

I'd be careful with that one. Esp. if the gear is marked used.

The Genie you cannot buy. Period. They're all leased boxes. I'm sure the Hopper is the same way.

Solidsignal is a great company to buy new gear from. Buy it, hook it up, and call D*.* and give them the required numbers, it turns on.

This is assuming you already have a compatible, operational dish setup.

if you look at ebay most of the receivers are still in the box. People are selling them in the box.
With dish network I would have to pay full price anyways for the hopper and joey.

That used to work, but neither have outright sold equipment for years, so not sure you will escape the DVR fee anymore.

I would check with DTV or DISH first and also be sure it truly is NIB, and not some ditched/stolen balance owed unit.

Get serial/recv #'s from seller and check with provider before you commit. Truly sealed NIB both are on the product/UPC label.

And seller refuses BIG RED FLAG.

what do you think of the listings on ebay?

Of any Listing, Without getting the RID # Of the BOX and checking with D* or Dish First -Falls on the BUYER!!!- Pay with Paypal and all should go well. YMMV

Ask the seller(s) for the Receiver ID # and Smart Card # and you can verify with Dish yourself. If they won't give them to you, run away.

You CAN buy NEW DirecTV and Dish receivers outright still today with ZERO issues. They're not cheap, mind you !

It may be in the box but not necessarily 'new'. I know when we had Dish, the installer left all the packing materials and boxes for our receivers. Wouldn't take much at all to pack it back up, tape shut, and pawn off as 'new'.

Just some food for thought. It really is going to be common sense in this case. Take the price difference into account, check the receiver id/smartcard, etc.. 'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is'