Dish quality is horrible, period!
There SD (and it only carries 5 or so HD channels (for 10 bucks more of course)) looks like a bad SVCD, blocky, blurry, and always loss of audio video sync.
I had E* and the SD quality is horrible. HD wasn't too bad, but 10 bucks more it costs for 4 or 5 stations.... a waist of money, especially after seeing voom.
I upgraded to the 20" dish (here in California) and still loose signal during rain (however less frequently than the smaller dish). I aint complaining though...I would much rather loose signal here and there than put up with D* and E* or even cable again :)