When you make statements like this, you lose a lot of credibility in my eyes.
Oh dre-er...another X-mas card I won't be getting this year...
Are there channels that Directv doesn't carry yet, of course there are. That's the case with ALL providers.
So what are you going to tell me next, that remote control TV's are all the rage now...
To claim their hd offerings are pitiful is, well, pitiful!
If you are going to quote me, at least do it correctly...I said HD
basics, as you can plainly see.
Of course, D* SHINES in HD premiums, AND on having every RSN in HD 24/7.
Well don't fall down in a dead faint - but NOT everyone even remotely cares about either of these (overpriced) things.
Obviously if you are NOT a premium sub, then having EVERY HD premium available still means a big, fat ZERO for HD channels for us.
OK, since obviously in YOUR eyes I should DARE to blasphemy the great D*, let's break it down:
ALL of the following 13 basic channels are available in HD on 3 out of the 4 providers available to me:
(I assume I don't have to mention the missing provider...)
Cooking
DIY
E!
G4
HLN
H2
HUB
Investigation Discovery
LMN
Nat Geo Wild
Style
TruTV
TCM
The following 3 channels are in HD on 2 out of those other 3 said providers:
BBC-A
OWN
WEIU-51 (a local PBS station)
So, now lets go back to the supposed "HD leader" & what it's offers over the competition in HD basics...
ABC Family
Disney & XD
ESPN-U & News
I'm bring these up first, since everyone is well aware they are missing from DISH.
But guess what...all are ALSO available on the other 2 providers in my area. So it's NOT like D* scores a big-ass coup by having these 5 HD channels.
As for the other HD basics the leader has over other providers:
Fuel - well you got me on this one, since NONE of the other 3 providers offer it. Since none of them seem fit to carry it yet, there's probably a reason why all 3 choose NOT to.
Shorts HD & Smithsonian - although these ARE in an extra-cost (basic) tier, I'll even say both are currently on 1 other provider currently. And, Smithsonian appears to be coming to E*...so there's another one in E*'s favor.
OoooK, so unless I missed something, sure doesn't look like D* exactly has a phenomenal HD basics lineup over anyone else.
And, I did NOT even bother getting into all of the HD basics the OTHER providers have over D*, but I think I've more than proved my point.
Sorry, STILL stand by my "pitiful HD basics" statement...
Would LOVE to, but since you have DVR(s) as well, you KNOW it's not always a quick decision, when you have multiple hard drives full of unwatched shows.
I would even just suspend D* for the max 6 months, but it (eventually) disables DVR playback. May just have to bite the bullet though, & have "dual service" for a few months....