Considering a Switch to D*

[js6425]

I have been an E* customer for 8+ years and am considering switching to D* service. We have the top 250 with HBO and superstations; one HD DVR (for 2 tv's) and two other standard tv's hooked up. Would the Plus HD DVR package be the most cost effective package for our equipment, or would it be better to go for the premier (does that cut out DVR fees like E*?)? And for those of you who have the HD from D*, what is it like (PQ and the HD DVR-is it similar to the 622?)? If you have any other advice about switching to D* please let me know!

Thanks for answering my never-ending questions!

 

[jcrandall]

premier no longer waives dvr fees. but D* only charges fee per account, not receiver.

top250 is very comparable to the D* Plus packages.

Hardware is very comparable, but no second TV option like the 622. The external hard drive option is much different on D*.

 

[jcrandall]

I should point out that D* does not offer the 5 superstations like E* does.

 

[rad]

And I should point out that D* has the NFL, MLB and NASCAR sports packages with E* doesn't. Plus D* does carry Noogin as a seperate channel vs. sharing it in the evening with The N.

 

[mikew]

The HBO HD options are weak right now, but there was an annoucement a few months back that stated HBO would have all channels in HD and that DirecTV would be carrying it. You would be looking to get the PLUS HD/DVR package at $69.99 plus HBO at $13.00 for a total of $82.99/month. If you went premier, it would be $99.99 plus $10 for HD, plus $5 for DVR for a total of $114/month. You'll also have another $5 for each additional reciever.

Personally, I go with the Premier because of the HD premiums (Starz, Showtime, Movie Channel, HBO, Cinemax) and skip on renting DVDs. The extra $30 is worth it.

I am very satisfied with the PQ in HD, there is still a lingering issue with lip sync. I can't comment on which is better as I've not seen a Dish HD signal since they went to MPEG4. All I can say is, I'm very picky and with DirecTV, I am very satisfied.

The HR20 series has made tremendous strides in the last year. The On-Demand stuff is working well (requires a high speed internet connection and an HR20). Remote scheduling is working on my account and will be available to everyone soon. I'm also able to play music and photos from my computer along with a few video files (not all...yet..).

I enjoyed having the Superstations, but it is something I've done without and not missed for over 2 years. I really liked them for baseball, but as teams moved off of the supers, that advantage disappeared. It was...Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Rockies games, now, you only get a few Mets games.

 

[js6425]

Would it be cheaper to go with the premier package for first three months, and then switch to plus HD DVR after the three month premium channel credit is over?

 

[js6425]

Also, since the HDDVR is expected to drop $100 on the 10th, is there any news of any other promotions being introduced soon?

 

[IcEWoLF]

Yes, whenever you order DTV just tell the representative the price is dropping 100$, they should be able to honor that for you.