Thread: Former E* Customer, Now D*, What provider to go to next?

I had Dish Network (E*) for 8 years and was very pleased with it. Then went to DirecTV (D*) 2 years ago as part of a telephone package deal. I was not pleased with D* as the hardware was very flaky (especially the DVR), channel lineups were illogical, and DVR with menus were definitely inferior to the E* product. My D* two-year commitment contract is up at the end of October 2008 and I'm thinking of switching back to E* and going with HD service as I now have HD 720P Panasonic Plasma. My past experience with E* customer service was OK as I never had an issue with it. I've been reading the WAR ZONE posts trying to decide which way to go and cannot really find unbiased and real side-by-side comparison between the two providers. Opinions appear to be all over the spectrum, depending on whether you like (rhetorically speaking) your Mac or you like your Windows PC, if you folks know what I mean. I still have my (owned) E* SD DVR receiver & SD receiver, but the D* receivers are leased. I generally have disliked the performance of the D* DVR and SD receiver.

So, can anyone answer these questions to help me make an informed decision:

a) What is the installation / startup cost difference between E* and D* for HD DVR setup?

b) For the two providers HD service, how many antennas & LNB's will be installed?

c) For the two providers, do you own the receivers, or do you lease them? I don't think D* does anything other than equipment leasing, but I may be wrong.

d) Would anyone agree with me that E* appears to offer more channels for less? That is why I selected E* back in 1998.

e) Do you really think that E* is in serious financial trouble and will go out of business, or sellout to or merge with D*?

Thanks for replies..........

ciwsguy

I can only answer from a DirecTV perspective.

Originally Posted by ciwsguy

So, can anyone answer these questions to help me make an informed decision:

a) What is the installation / startup cost difference between E* and D* for HD DVR setup?

Call DirecTV and see what they will do for you. At most the HD DVR will be $199, most likely you'll get it for $99 and you may even get it free, especially if you have a Tivo unit. Dish and multiswitch upgrade will all be free.

b) For the two providers HD service, how many antennas & LNB's will be installed?

DirecTV is just one dish to get everything. You'll most likely get the Slimline 5 LNB model (99/101/103/110/119) but if your locals don't come from 119 then you may get the new Slimline 3 LNB (99/101/103) as everything come from these 3 slots now.

Only exception would be if you are in one of the few markets with SD locals on 72.5 then you'd need a second dish, but those are being moved to the core slot soon. And if you don't care about SD locals then you don't even need it at all. I assume you aren't in one of those markets or else you would have mentioned it.

Most people I know with Dish have 2 dishes, but this will vary on your location.

c) For the two providers, do you own the receivers, or do you lease them? I don't think D* does anything other than equipment leasing, but I may be wrong.

DirecTV is leased. Which is fine by me, if it breaks they replace it at no cost other then maybe $20 shipping.

d) Would anyone agree with me that E* appears to offer more channels for less? That is why I selected E* back in 1998.

This really depends on what channels you want. I think in general the package costs are now very similar between the two, Dish a couple bucks cheaper generaly. But DirecTV by far carries more channels I care about the Dish doesn't have, especially HD.

Basically just print out both providers packages with prices and compare. Only you can really answer this question for yourself. Not much advice we can give you on this one.

e) Do you really think that E* is in serious financial trouble and will go out of business, or sellout to or merge with D*?

I'd highly doubt it. But if they have a few more quarters of sub loss or no sub growth they might start having problems. But frankly I don't see this as an issue if you want the Dish service anyway. If they go under 2 years from now then simply switch to D* or cable. No biggy.

Originally Posted by ciwsguy

a) What is the installation / startup cost difference between E* and D* for HD DVR setup?

You've probably been away from E* long enough to be considered "born again". You'll likely get something very near a new customer deal.

On the DIRECTV side, you will be offered and new dish, one HD DVR for $100 or less and a 24 month commitment.

b) For the two providers HD service, how many antennas & LNB's will be installed?

Can't say unless you offer up the region in which you reside. A ZIP code is often helpful here.

c) For the two providers, do you own the receivers, or do you lease them? I don't think D* does anything other than equipment leasing, but I may be wrong.

Both offer leases by default.

d) Would anyone agree with me that E* appears to offer more channels for less? That is why I selected E* back in 1998.

This depends on what channels appeal to you and how your desires line up with the respective company's bundling. This is something you can (and must) investigate on your own.

e) Do you really think that E* is in serious financial trouble and will go out of business, or sellout to or merge with D*?

No.

Originally Posted by harshness

On the DIRECTV side, you will be offered and new dish, one HD DVR for $100 or less and a 24 month commitment.Can't say unless you offer up the region in which you reside. A ZIP code is often helpful here.

40014 is my ZIP

a) What is the installation / startup cost difference between E* and D* for HD DVR setup?

Between $0 and $99 for both companies, depending on which fiscal quarter you call during. Currently I believe the deal is $99 for Ds HD DVR.... $49 for Es. Installation is free from both companies.

b) For the two providers HD service, how many antennas & LNB's will be installed?

No way to tell.... both companies have a 1 Dish solution.... but it depends not only on your area, but what kind of foliage and Line of Sight you have and your installer. Impossible for anyone on here to tell you whether you will 1 or 2 dishes.

c) For the two providers, do you own the receivers, or do you lease them? I don't think D* does anything other than equipment leasing, but I may be wrong.

D is lease when you order through them. E is lease by default too, but you DO have the option to purchase the receivers up front. No advantage to doing this as you're going to pay a monthly fee per receiver anyway (didn't use to be the case)....

d) Would anyone agree with me that E* appears to offer more channels for less? That is why I selected E* back in 1998.

Dish Network is, and for the most part, always has been just a bit cheaper, per channel. This depends on what channels are important to you however, since some channels that both companies carry might only be available in a package that is a tier up in terms of cost compared to the other company. For instance, if you have to have "The Pink Elephant Channel" and it is available in Ds entry level package, but only available from E in their Premium package, E is obviously not cheaper for you.

e) Do you really think that E* is in serious financial trouble and will go out of business, or sellout to or merge with D*?

No... E is going nowhere. Charlie MIGHT get out... but even that I doubt... he is such an egomaniac that I can not see him leaving Dish Network on such a downward trend. This company is HUGE... the doomsayers are just speculating on something that has less than a 1% chance of happening. In the end, money talks, and Charlie has plenty of it.

I'm not going to trash D..... but I feel the same way you do about their equipment. I have had several of their DVRs, and I have used their newer DVRs that everyone claims are "so much better"... yeah, so much better than the lump of poop that my previous D DVR was? I still think they are trash compared to Dish DVRs.... nothing out there compares to my 722 yet, and I hardly ever watch anything that I haven't recorded anymore, so this is a HUGE selling point for me.

Personally, I would wait on FIOS... it is still too new, and just like with every other technology, It is never to your advantage to jump on the bandwagon until the kinks have been worked out.

Do your self a big favor and switch back to dish network,their model 722 HD DVR is a much better reciever than what directv has.just look at all the problems directv hd dvr receivers have had recently.i would not trust any receiver that unreliable.

Fios has more bandwidth and a better picture, but Verizon's DVR is awful I hear...... You also only get one for teh whole house instead of each TV so your kids may zap your recordings with too many Spongebob timers..... Not ready for prime time yet....

But if they improve the DVR and put a massive drive in it, I might reconsider (oh and allow us to expand capacity with USB drives like E* as well)

Originally Posted by Beagle

Do your self a big favor and switch back to dish network,their model 722 HD DVR is a much better reciever than what directv has.just look at all the problems directv hd dvr receivers have had recently.i would not trust any receiver that unreliable.

I have had the HR series for two years. Out of those two years I have had 2 times that required me to reboot them, both within the past month. Other than that, I have had ZERO problems. No missed recordings, no locking up, no deleted favorites lists, nothing.

Originally Posted by BobMurdoch

Fios has more bandwidth and a better picture, but Verizon's DVR is awful I hear...... You also only get one for teh whole house instead of each TV so your kids may zap your recordings with too many Spongebob timers..... Not ready for prime time yet....

But if they improve the DVR and put a massive drive in it, I might reconsider (oh and allow us to expand capacity with USB drives like E* as well)

FIOS is a pipedream for alot of folks outside the major metropolitan areas. It's a moot option for many of us, including me! The only viable viewing option for me is Satellite TV. Digital cable is available, but doesn't offer near the quantity of channels (HD included) than satellite, and is more expensive than satellite. That in addition to being a fomer analog cable TV subsriber who became very PO'd about their constant rate increases, ......... Well, as I said, Satellite TV is the only viable TV viewing option for me. I think I've decided to go back to Dish Network. I'm sure Charlie Ergen is cheering me on! Expect to give Charlie a call by 31 October.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

ciwsguy