Directv vs. Dish vs. Digital Cable (1 Viewer)

[James_C]

I currently have Digital Cable hooked up to my Panny. The picture quality is ~O.K. I'm thinking of changing to Directv or Dish. Will I notice a differnce? Which service is better? Directv or Dish?

Thanks AGAIN!!

 

[Han]

I don't think there's a single all encompassing level of quality to digital cable. It depends on your provider and area.

I personally think the Adelphia in my area is crappa crap crap, while Cox at my parents' place nearby is pretty decent compared to DirectTV.

 

[MikeM]

Please give as many specifics as possible about your TV. Is it direct view, or a RPTV? What size is it? How old? What's the Model? Is it HDTV ready?
All of these factors will effect what looks best, so please let us know, and hopefully we will point you in the right direction.
As a generic rule of thumb, if you have poor quality going in, it will look poor going out. Thus, you obviously want the clearest signal possible going into your TV. Smaller TVs, and non-HDTVs can compensate for a weaker signal, and still make the picture look fairly good. The larger the display, and if it had a built-in line doubler, the more chances for a weak signal to look, well, weak.
Please give more info, thanks.

 

[James_C]

Thanks for taking the time to help me out!!

I have a Panasonic (47WX49) 47" HD RPTV. It is widescreen and has HDTV capability. It is only about 6 months old. I currently have digital cable. I am moderatly happy with it. Some channels are good and others are not. I live for hockey so I will be buying the NHL Center Ice package again this year. We pay about $60 per month for digital cable. I have seen packages for Directv for $25 with two room hook ups. Directv would be $31 per month plus $4 extra room plus $4 local programs. ANY help would be great!!!

 

[Lew Crippen]

I don’t have Dish, James, so I can’t compare. One thing that DirectTV has going for it that Dish lacks is HDNet, mostly devoted to sports programming. Right now HDNet is exclusive to DriectTV, but that agreement is (apparently) due to lapse, so might be available on Dish or various cable systems.

Neither Dish nor DirectTV provide local HD channels, even though they might provide local SD channels in your area, as they do mine.

 

[Jeff_Hunt]

I have recently gotten DirecTV in my house. Until now we only had AT&T digital cable. The decision was mostly because we wanted to get HD-HBO, HD-Showtime, and HDNet with the added bonus of getting digital sound since AT&T doesn't handout cable boxes with digital outputs. When we got it running I couldn't believe the difference in the picture quality! We watch this on a Toshiba 57HX81 with an RCA HD/Satellite receiver. I'm not sure, but I think the RCA unit is upconverting regular signals to 480p also. It looks really good, I highly recommend the switch!
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Jeff Hunt
http://www.jeffhunt.org
(I need a job!)

 

[RyanFa]

Will TiVo or something like it work with Dish Network

 

[Joe Szott]

James,
We were in the same boat a few years back, we had AT&T digital cable and it was pretty lousy. We switched to DISH and have been mostly happy ever since. Picture quality is typically much higher, monthly costs lower, and we get a lot more channels for less $. I highly recommend it if you are fed up with lousy cable in your area. Only drawback is that initial costs may are higher due to buying all the recievers/dishs/installation, and an HD receiver is even more money. But DISH/DTV have lots of hookup specials that can make it free or darn close for non-HDTV programming.
As far as DirectTV vs. DISH goes, they are pretty equal in price, picture quality, and channels offered. DTV is slanted a little more towards sports, DISH leans a hair towards nature programming and more future HD channels. Really, they are almost identical -- I would be happy with either.
If you want James, I can send you this coupon thingie DISH keeps giving us that gives a new 'friend' a free DISH installation (with dishes/cables/etc), 2 free receivers, and 1 month free programming just for signing up. By using this coupon, I think they give us $60 off our bill or something for hooking someone up (I'm not sure ) Anyway, if you want DISH for free let me know through email/PM and I can mail you a coupon.
Ryan,
For DISH you can buy a more $ receiver that has PVR functionality for no month-to-month extra charge. I'm sure 3rd party suppliers make ones for DirectTV too, can't comment cuz I don't have DTV. I hear the PVRs work ok, I don't own one though so can't really say. DISH actually has 2 PVRs available, one for ~$300 and a fancier one for ~$500.
Hope this helps you all a little...

 

[Lyle_JP]

One thing that DirectTV has going for it that Dish lacks is HDNet, mostly devoted to sports programming. Right now HDNet is exclusive to DriectTV, but that agreement is (apparently) due to lapse, so might be available on Dish or various cable systems.

Neither Dish nor DirectTV provide local HD channels, even though they might provide local SD channels in your area, as they do mine.

Dish may not have HDNet, but it does have the Discovery Channel HD, which DirecTV lacks. Also, Dish Network does provide the CBS network in High Def (WCBS NY for the Eastern time zone, and KCBS LA for the Pacific time zone), as long as you either a.) Live in a DMA with an O&O CBS station or b.) Qualify for distant CBS signals.

-Lyle J.P.

 

[Mark_E_Smith]

One of the neatest things about DTV is you can get a Direct TiVo. This unit records 2 things at once and can record DD 5.1 They are coming out with the new series 2 unit VERY soon and it is to sell for $199, starting Nov 1, the fee for DirecTiVo will be $4.99 a month(1 fee for any number of DTiVos). If you choose the premium pacage they wave the TiVo fee. For sports this is a killer piece of equipment, actually for any tv watching it is a killer piece of equipment.