Just bought a 27' HD LCD TV for basement and I am considering paying $50 to upgrade to a vip211 receiver from a 301. I noticed that vip211 are on sale in ebay for about $250. What is the point of buying a receiver when you can upgrade from Dish for $50. Does Dish charge monthly fees for upgraded HD receivers? Can someone help me with pros & cons of buying vip211 for $250 vs upgrading from Dish for $50?

A monthly lease fee as well as locking you into a 2 year contract is probably why most people would opt to buy in.