Hiyas - I know zero about satellite - I'm on cable. But my inlaws DISH network box (3800 series I think) was fried in a lightning strike. Can you just go buy a new one from ebay and replace it - or do they have to go through DISH directly - could they buy a DISH DVR to replace the old one or is that a DISH only thing?

I would contact Dish. They have DVR's and might allow an upgrade for little or no money.
John