Considering Moving To Direct TV From Dish

[dalyew]

This question probably been asked a million times but can't seem to find the thread/s.....

I currently have a Hopper and 1 Joey setup but the most important feature and the reason why I chose Dish over Direct last year is the Sling Box feature as I have a kid in college and it saves me subscribing to cable for her. I also am a huge live sports fan so I'm able to keep up with my games when I'm away from home and my daughter is not using it. I've tried to do a little research on the Dish Genie and Genie Go but it doesn't seem to be a good substitute and it looks like if I do switch I may have to buy a sling box seperately. Any thoughts, especially from those who have used both Dish Hopper and Direct's Genie system?

Also I'm a big Android user and most of Direct's features seems to be geared to Ipad and IPhone, am I wrong? One of the reasons (small) is that I'm having pq issues with my Hopper but not on my Joey and Dish insists I pay an upgrade fee for the new Hopper With Sling although I have insurance. I wasn't overly impressed with the pq from the start anyway but it was certainly better than Uverse. However, although having pretty decent HDTV sets (just purchased a high quality plasma) Direct TV from friends home seem sharper to me but the experts online seem to notice no difference in both service. Most people I know who had Dish and moved to Direct has also said they think Direct's picture is better. So anecdotally I'm hearing one thing and the experts are saying another. Any thoughts on this?

I do love the features of Dish's Hopper but the bad CSR (not the reps but Dish Mgt/policies), constant uncertainty of channels disappearing (AMC last year, pending ESPN/Disney agreement and now Dish last minute decision not to carry the free Premier League Extra Time channels) has forced me to consider Direct. I did initially choose Direct last year but found out just before the installation I couldn't get the NFL Redzone Channel unless I subscribed to Sunday Ticket as well, which I wasn't willing to at the time. Not as big a football fan as I once was (thanks Dolphins :-(, yaay Heat) so that's not such a big deal anymore but I do want to pick a subscriber and have a long relationship with them. Had Uverse for 7 years and only moved from Comcast (5 years) because of Uverse's whole home dvr but when I got HDTVs, found out how horrible there pq was and even then I stuck it out for 1 more year.

Really hope Direct's Genie system is a good Hopper replacement but as a newbie to Direct I would also like suggestions as to what I should ask for "free" as I know now will be the best time to ask and not after I've signed up.

Sorry for the lengthy post, just wanted to give some background.

 

[jdspencer]

I suspect that the lengthy post is one reason why you haven't seen too many replies.

Asking a specific question can go a long way.
Then followup with other questions.

 

[jcrandall]

I'd take a slingbox over the GenieGo unless you need to watch things without broadband access (like an airplane).

PQ - I've watched both and they are so close that to me they are the same. Dish has better SD picture quality, it seems like DirecTV knows and doesn't care that the SD channels are way too compressed.

Genie is an excellent box, 5 tuners beats 3 anyway, regardless of the prime time feature.

 

[satinstallerguy]

I don't recommend Genie Go to any of my customers..... I always recommend the Sling Box. You can Sling Directv.

SIG

 

[dalyew]

I don't recommend Genie Go to any of my customers..... I always recommend the Sling Box. You can Sling Directv.

SIG

I appreciate all the responses. I too am leaning to the Sling Box but I'm a little concerned that, unlike the Hopper's Sling, the person using the Sling will have full control of the receiver leaving it unavailable for those at home. Alternative would be to connect it to one of the subs but that would mean having internet access there which we don't. I also like the feature of transferring my recordings to my mobile devices and the ability to access them from my wifi at work (according to Direct TV, you can use the Genie Go from your own or external wifi). Let me know if I'm missing or overlooking anything or being misinformed by Direct.

 

[darrengs]

Did you try to contact a DiRT member here to resolve you Hopper issues? They have always been able to quickly resolve any issues and I just got a free upgrade to a Hopper with Sling from a standard Hopper.

As for switching to Genie, perhaps an extra Genie client with a Slingbox installed would be the way to go.

 

[dalyew]

Did you try to contact a DiRT member here to resolve you Hopper issues? They have always been able to quickly resolve any issues and I just got a free upgrade to a Hopper with Sling from a standard Hopper.

As for switching to Genie, perhaps an extra Genie client with a Slingbox installed would be the way to go.

Yeah, I checked DIRT but they couldn't help. Now that I'm disconnecting they're offering it for $100 and other stuff but too late, started looking at Direct and liked what I saw. Just in the last few months it's been an accumulation of small issues but the straw that broke the camel's back is Dish's handling of NBC's new EPL soccer coverage (see my posts) & the possible looming battle with espn & Disney. May not amount to anything but Dish didn't make me feel it values its customers and I like being committed to my service providers for the long term (was with Uverse for 7 years before, currently with Tmobile for 11). The Hopper is really amazing though and will miss it.

 

[dallascowboy]

I think your mistaken on the redzone channel. Directv does offer the red zone channel as part of the Sunday ticket package. It is not the redzone channel of NFL network it is two different channels. I'm partial to the one that comes with NFL Sunday ticket; I think it's better. I think you can subscribe to the NFL network version through direct if I'm not mistaken. Good luck hope this helps.

 

[darrengs]

Yeah, I checked DIRT but they couldn't help. Now that I'm disconnecting they're offering it for $100 and other stuff but too late, started looking at Direct and liked what I saw. Just in the last few months it's been an accumulation of small issues but the straw that broke the camel's back is Dish's handling of NBC's new EPL soccer coverage (see my posts) & the possible looming battle with espn & Disney. May not amount to anything but Dish didn't make me feel it values its customers and I like being committed to my service providers for the long term (was with Uverse for 7 years before, currently with Tmobile for 11). The Hopper is really amazing though and will miss it.

I understand, bad customer service pushed me from D* to E* last year. The Hopper, Dish Anywhere, DiRT, and the customer service I have experienced so far has kept me with E*, in spite of the very tempting come back offers from D*. It is a shame that both companies are willing to let long term customers go, and then offer them more to come back then it would have taken to kept them in the first place.

 

[inazsully]

I've been dancing around with the idea of switching over from "E" to "D" also but it's a pain learning new technology and how it's utilized. My next door neighbor and I had "E" installed 3 years ago with 722's using the OTA ability a lot. A month ago he switched to "D" and swears his PQ is better. Last night I went over and checked and unless I'm blind I have to agree with him. I know this debate has been kicked around here forever but seeing in believing. One minor hiccup for me is that I have no need for anything other than just the Genie (only one TV in the house) which means I'll have to pay a $99 install charge. Not a matter of life and death but still it kind of sticks in my craw.

 

[lparsons21]

Hmmm....

I wonder why the $99 install charge. I just did a quick build with one Genie only at D*'s site and they show no installation charge.

As to switching, yeah it can be a bit of a PITA learning how to use the different box, but it becomes 2nd nature pretty quick. What is a big PITA when I make the switch, and I do it often, is re-setting up all the timers! And of course, losing all those recordings.
?

 

[Ronnie-]

If you wanted to save a little money over the sling, but get the same functionality, you might consider a Vulkano device. It does the same thing, but at a much lower price.

 

[dalyew]

If you wanted to save a little money over the sling, but get the same functionality, you might consider a Vulkano device. It does the same thing, but at a much lower price.

I've considered the Vulkano in the past. Do you own one? If you do I would love to hear your review on it. I'll probably still try the Genie Go and report back here how that's working out for me but I'll definitely look into that Vulkano again as you suggested, thanks.

 

[Ronnie-]

I do. I had a sling in the past, had a lightning hit, and when I went to replace it I discovered the vulkano and decided to try it and save some money.

From my experience, the experience is comparable. I'm sure I did a review on here somewhere a year ago. I'll try to find it for you.

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[dalyew]

I think your mistaken on the redzone channel. Directv does offer the red zone channel as part of the Sunday ticket package. It is not the redzone channel of NFL network it is two different channels. I'm partial to the one that comes with NFL Sunday ticket; I think it's better. I think you can subscribe to the NFL network version through direct if I'm not mistaken. Good luck hope this helps.

I should check that out with Direct although it's not a problem this year since they are giving me Sunday Ticket Max free for signing up, but if it is as you say it will be an option for me next year.

 

[Blackhawks]

I was with DISH ("E") for 7 years and made the switch after months of should I do it. I'm glad I made the jump to DirecTV.

All providers have their ups & downs. Give "D" a try, you just might like the change.

Although, I do miss DISH prices, but you get what you pay for.


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[inazsully]

What exactly do you get for what you're paying for? In comparing packages it looks like I'm actually losing some good channels by switching to "D". Like PAC-12, NHL (in a similar tiered package), most if not all of the channels included in the Blockbuster Package. My wife and I sat last night comparing packages and even though I've seriously contemplated making the switch I just can't come up with a solid reason. Maybe better PQ?

 

[Steelcurtain]

maybe ESPNU in HD?

 

[lparsons21]

What exactly do you get for what you're paying for? In comparing packages it looks like I'm actually losing some good channels by switching to "D". Like PAC-12, NHL (in a similar tiered package), most if not all of the channels included in the Blockbuster Package. My wife and I sat last night comparing packages and even though I've seriously contemplated making the switch I just can't come up with a solid reason. Maybe better PQ?

Outside of some extra cost sports channels, and of course the sainted ESPNU in HD, the channel lineups between the two services are close enough and the equipment is good enough, and of course the PQ in HD is certainly good enough, that changing services is more of a financial decision than anything else.

I switch fairly often as it is in my financial best interest, and I'm the only one I who has to answer to my financial decisions. D* and E* are required to enhance shareholder value as much as possible and both have a room full of people to ensure that happens. I just have me, the old switcheroo!!
?

 

[Steelcurtain]

D* has more Full time HD Sports channels. More HD Movie channels. And definately better HD picture Quality. A 5-tuner DVR with whole home setup. So there are 4 good reasons to switch.