David Parrish

Cable or Dish?

I currently have Time Warner Cable in San Antonio, but am considering moving over to Dish Network. Anyone out there made the cable to dish move and regret it?

My reasons for moving are twofold:
1. Dish Network has all digital content, whereas TWC has around 60 or so channels that are analog converted to digital. I've also heard satellite has more data in their signal. Perhaps this means more lines of vertical resolution?
2. Dish Network has a Hi Def DVR, and if I'm not mistaken, more Hi Def channels. Of course, the DVR is $1,000.00. Might need to run that one by the wife

Also, any VOOM subscribers out there? What do you think of their content and pricing?( www.voom.com will link you to a new Hi Def only satellite provider)

Robert_J

1. It depends on your location. I tried TWC digital cable out of Memphis and dropped it at day 29 of a 30 day free trial. The APG of the box was horrible and I had pixelization of the digital channels. Went back to Dish and later switched to DirecTV.

2. The number of HD channels carred by cable will vary. You can check Dish's site to see what they have. Right now Dish and DirecTV have the same. DirecTV will take the lead when they add Fox ED (at least it's 480p widescreen). DirecTV will soon have the HD DirecTivo. Pre-order price is $899 and it has dual OTA tuners and dual HD sat tuners. The 921 has dual HD sat tuners but only one OTA HD tuner. Both receivers can record two HD streams.

Voom has way more HD channels and the price is good. They are constantly upgrading the software in the receivers to get rid of bugs. Buying Voom is like paying to be in a beta test. Same thing with the Dish921 right now.

-Robert

Dean_S

My vote got to either Dish or Directv. I've been on HD with Directv since last January...Cable in Dallas is just terrible (both picture quality and down time). When I had non-HD cable it would go out for a few hours every time it rained, Directv will go out for a few minutes during the hardest downpours but it always comes right back. I consider it a bad thing that I have the cable company's phone number memorized

David Parrish

Thanks for the inputs... I just know I'm sick of paying outrageous fees for cable that's average quality. I want to go digital.

Has anyone gotten a deal on the Hi Def DVR with new subscription to Satellite TV?

Robert_J

Right now only the 921 is on the market in very limited numbers. Like I said earlier, it's really a round 2 of testing. You can pre-order the HD DirecTivo for $899 ($100 off MSRP) from Value Electronics. Delivery will be late March/early April. Voom has announced plans for a DVR but there are no dates.

-Robert

Joshua B

When I moved out of my parents' house and into an apartment 3 and 1/2 years ago, the one vanity I missed was my DirecTV (Sony brand) system. Comcast digital cable is slow to navigate and lacks the sophisticated preview system of my Sony DirecTV interface. Plus with cable, you never really know which channels are truly broadcast in stereo, and there is no audio or video normalization like with DirecTV, meaning each channel has a different audio level and a different picture quality. In May, I become a home owner and I'm most looking forward to setting up the Dolby Digital 5.1 or 6.1 system and playing it at a moderate volume, and if I'm really lucky, I might just be able to bring my DirecTV equipment over and attach the dish to the rear-facing deck of my townhouse. One of the other units has a dish set-up facing the same direction, so I'm praying I can get a signal even though it will be facing a fairly steep hill with trees behind my place. The condo association disallows mounting dishes to the roof.

If my dish works I will forever forsake cable.

Alan Wise

One thing to remember when considering Direct TV versus Dish Network is that for HDTV viewing via Direct TV requires two seperate dishes. One for Digital, and one oblong shaped dish for HD signals.
Dish Network does it all with one dish.
This is definitely something to consider when attaching to a small deck area.

Good Luck, Al. Wise

Al Wise
Nashua, NH.

Joshua B

Very good point and something I did not know. I have no plans to upgrade to a high-def tv set in the near future.

Dean_S

"Direct TV requires two seperate dishes. One for Digital, and one oblong shaped dish for HD signals."

Not True!!! You need one or the other, not both. If you have NO HD and NO Para Todos programming you only need the round dish. If you have HD or Para Todos you need an oval dish. The current 18x20 oval dish has three LNBs for three sats, but even better 4 outputs from the built in multiswitch. I had a round dish and did the change to the 18x20 myself...it's fairly easy if you follow the directions

Alan Wise

Dean,
You appear to be more educated on the subject than myself.
I was quoting directly from A/V magazines March-04 Buyers Guide, where last night I had read their article regarding Satellite TV. It was in that article that I learned of the need for two dishes with Direct TV.
I stand corrected.

Thanks, Al. Wise

Al Wise
Nashua, NH.