Direct TV or Dish Network - Page 2

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

I'm looking at these options now. Any updates from satisfied/dissatisfied customers?

Darren: Your experience?

DishTV seems to have a price edge right now for minimal HD service.

It looks like I can get the following:

$24.95 for their minimum tier of 40 HD channels
$5.00 for my local channels in HD
$5.00 for a DVR with two separate tuners (one HD & one SD. This would work out okay to feed my HDTV and my SD-DVD Recorder.)

This would mean all the cable lines running to my PC and various other DVD recorders and VCRs would go away...but that's what happens when you pare back services, right?!?

I'm looking to reduce monthly bills. This is easily half of what my monthly Time-Warner cable bill is and seems like it would keep me from going completely barebones with just my local OTA and the upcoming DTV transition. MY HDTV has an analog tuner so going OTA would require a more extensive (read: expensive) DTV converter box.

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Best I can figure from DirectTV (whose website seems much more convoluted and mysterious than Dish Network. I'm used to complicated information from my local Time-Warner) is:

$34.99 gets me a tier which offers a "Free" HD-DVR
$5.99 gets me DVR functionality(!)
$9.99 gets me HD access (after the first three months are free.

That comes to $50.97/month and I'm still not sure that's all the "hidden" costs involved.

They might be offering more channels...better service...but cost is a huge concern for me right now.

And that's why I'm asking for updates from people on their experiences with either provider.

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Since I'm opting for DishTV...is there anyone who has had DishTV who can give me some opinions based on their experience? Please?!?

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

If that's accurate, it means that DirecTV has an advantage because both tuners in its HD DVR are HD. So you can record two HD programs at once and you can watch one HD program while recording another.

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Mike, I've been a DISH subscriber since, (I think), sometime in 1996 or early 1997, and I've been quite happy with their service.

After I purchased an HDTV a few months back, I called DISH to upgrade from a SD DVR to a HD DVR (model 722) because once I got the new TV I just had to have the HD programming. They brought it out and set it up the next day. I've been satisfied with the service.

I'm currently paying $59.99. I have the DISH DVR Advantage package, then added the SilverHD package for $10/month.

The DVR Advantage plan eliminates the DVR fees, includes locals and gives you 2-room DVR options.

We don't have any premium channels, as we either check out DVDs from our local library, buy them or stream them.

I think DISH has a current promotion for DVR Advantage ... Free HBO and Starz for 3 months, Cinemax for a penny a month for 12 months, and PlatinumHD for 3 months.

Anything more specific you're interested in?

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Matt:

Thanks for the answers! Thanks a lot! I've had a hard time finding other Dish Network users to get their stories.

You have made me feel a lot better as I just took the plunge and have the installation guys coming out Wednesday!

I've always had cable. So I am really used to hearing the cable provider commercials about how bad satellite service is!

While I've had cable with an HD tier the past few years, I have found myself watching less and less SD-TV. Very little, in fact. So, I thought it was VERY cool that Dish Network is offering to new subscribers these different tiers of HD-only service. Since I'm looking to keep monthly costs down I went for the Bronze (smallest) package of about 35 HD channels PLUS my local channels (in hD) AND an HD DVR (the VIP 622) for just $34.99/month. Of course, I am bound to a two-year commitment to avoid any equipment costs and have heard a ton of horror stories about what happens when equipment stops working correctly. Any experience in that area?

I will be sad to miss most of the baseball games I'm used to seeing on the YES network (NY Yankees)...but I can listen on radio and will still have access to ESPN, ESPN2, my local Fox affilate, and TBS. I'm a Red Sox fan anyway...but a baseball fan first & foremost.

I know the 722 would be a definite upgrade but that would be more costly per month, I guess. And, the 622 already has more storage than my Scientific Atlanta 8300 HD that I'll be giving up.

So, while I'm feeling good for a number of reasons (especially cutting the monthly cable bill in half!), I am just a little nervous about making a long term commitment with a technology I know very little about.

And, BTW, welcome to the HTF! Don't be a stranger!

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Hope this isn't a harbinger of things to come...

But my appointment for an installation tomorrow has now been canceled due to a "lack of receivers." It has been pushed back to next week.

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Mike, Here is my recent Dish experience: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...ml#post3485087
I hope yours goes better.

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Okay, Dave. It looks like the two of us are going to enter this strange experiment together. Although you actually had Dish some years ago, huh?

I find almost ANY company to be difficult when it comes to information-gathering over the p[hone. I've had the same issues with Time-Warner, AT&T, Verizon, etc. I don't think Dish is unique in that way.

The only upside I have going into this arrangement is that I have found a few different households that have had Dish and tell me they have had no problems and like the service. That's what I'm holding onto as I make this transition.

Thanks for sharing that link to your other thread. I have subscribed to it in the event of any updates! Good luck! And, Happy New Year!

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Sorry for the late entry to this thread. I've had Dish for about 3-4 years now and haven't had any problems with the service.

The only issue I have had with them is a couple of years ago they informed me that I needed to replace my dish and receiver (which they did at no cost to me) so they could add a few more HD channels now and more in the future. At the same time they offered me another year long agreement that would save me $10 a month on my bill. Before the new dish/receiver were installed I was getting about 15 HD channels + the locals. Shortly after signing on for the new agreement I lost 5-6 HD channels which were moved to a higher priced package. You know, prices and packages subject to change without notice. Well, they did. Kinda ticked me off.

BTW, before Dish I had DirectTv for 6-7 years without any service or programming issues. I only changed to Dish because my brother got a job at AT&T which has an agreement with Dish to market their service with other AT&T products. You know, keep peace in the family. Now it looks like AT&T is ending the association with Dish and may move to DirectTv in which case I will probably change over as well.

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Thanks, Gene. That's good to hear as well.

No horror stories about outages or dishes going out of whack and trying to fix them yourself or expensive repair visits from Dish technicians? Those are the stories my cable company keeps wanting me to hear!

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Thanks for the Welcome, Mike!

Sorry to hear about your installation being canceled. I've had a few different installation companies come out over the years -- since I always deal with DISH directly -- so it appears that they farm things out to different installers they contract with. You might want to call DISH back and let them know of the cancellation (unless they were the one that canceled it) and see if they can hook you up with another installer.

As for equipment issues, I've not had any -- having had 3-4 different models over the years (switching from a standard receiver to a DVR to a 2-tuner DVR and now to an HD DVR). And, only in very heavy snow or rain, have I had signal problems -- which is rare. (They seemed to have resolved many issues that occurred "in the old days", by going to a dish a few inches larger than the 18" dish they first tried.)

Back in 2004, I think, they stood up to Viacom regarding some price increases and channel lineup changes they were mandating to DISH in a new contract. We lost the Viacom channels for about 4-5 days, and I think they ultimately gave in -- but I think it was mostly because of demand from customers to settle the issue so they could get the channels back. (At least they let the customers appear to drive the decision.)

There are a few channels in the DIRECT lineups that I wish DISH had (mostly for the kids), but for the price and service I've been getting, I'm not complaining (though I've contacted DISH to ask them to do what they can to get these).

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

No, none of that. I live right in the middle of three major airports so occasionally there will be a little interference but nothing to complain about. A severe rain storm can cause the screen to go blank but we haven't had that kind of rain here for a very long time. Not sure how a snow storm affects the reception. I have to drive 250 miles to find the fluffy stuff.

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Thanks, fellas! I'll let you know how things go...when they finally get here. Glad I didn't cancel the cable outright until the satellite install is complete!

No snow, Gene? Hmpf! We got nearly a foot...just today!

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

I had DirecTV for about 10 years and it was one constant headache after another. I also had their satellite internet service. It worked great early on but it got progressively worse until it was unusable. My area was contracted out to Pegasus which possibly made a difference.

I have since switched to Dish and Wildblue. The difference in customer service is nothing short of amazing. I've almost never had any problem with Dish. I had hundreds of problems with DirecTV. I wouldn't go back for $10k.

Dish has 65 HD channels plus their on demand service and their regular PPV service. I don't think DirecTV has that many more channels if they have any more at all. Dish also has my local channels in HD now and I live in an area that's way down the list for upgrades.

The Dish DVR allows you to connect an external hard drive for additional storage. It has to connect via USB. You can swap hard drives as often as you like for storing programs.

To me the difference in customer support is well worth any lack of channels and again I don't believe there is much of a difference. DirecTV no doubt claims there is but they are bad about making claims they don't live up to. They are also bad about changing packages so that you end up paying more money for the same channels.

Also my price increase for adding HD to my package was $10 per month. That's not bad for 65 channels of HD a month even if you can get the same channels via SD. And the list of channels is growing. Like someone already said they launched a new satellite for HD programming but it failed. They will put a new one up soon enough. But from what I see DirecTV counts their on demand service as part of their channel total. If that's true then Dish is right on par with them in how many HD channels they provide.

Again I wouldn't switch back for $10k.

Re: Direct TV or Dish Network

Yes, I have had those horror stories with Dish and I only have two more months that I have to stay with them (thank you Jesus). The first installer was at my house for 10hr. trying to align this Stuper Dish. I already had a poll set and all my drops made to my rooms so all he had to do was align the dish. SD channels seem to never lose signal. HD channels go out a lot. $30 every time they come out if it is anything except equipment failure. The last installer that came out know what he was doing and finally got it right. It is too late though I am running from these people as soon as I can. I have been dealing with this crap for 13 months. Dish couldn't give me HD locals like they said they could, and they stopped giving me my local ABC in SD because off price fights. They are now talking about dropping Fox for the same reason.

I had SD Direct for years before Dish, with no problems, I am going back to them. I went through two hurricanes with Direct and they come out a realign for free if needed. One hurricane with Dish cost me $30.

That Dish DVR USB additional storage, if I am not mistaking, will cost you $40 to use. I don't have a land line either, that will cost you another $5 a month too.

Personally, I do enjoy both services though people have different satisfaction with what they think is useful for them. As I browsed over the internet, I came across with a topic which merely summarizes the difference between cable TV and dish network.
You may find this link useful: Dish Network Vs Direct TV