Direct Or Dish That Is The Question?

[JoeRoastbeef]

Hey Guy's,
Just got my HD setup with DirectTV did it all myself.No problems works great.I'm useing the three LNB dish and a used Samsung SIR-TS360,didn't want to deal with all the problems D's having with with their most current system,the H20 headache!
Anyway I'm not impressed with D's HD package and I was wondering how Dish stacks up to DirectTV.About the only problem I do have is a fair amount of rain fade which I had even with standard service,I heard Dish was better in that area.I'm not into sports just the movie end of it.I figured I'd check out the Dish forum and see how it was going with you guy's as far as problems and such.I have to say you guy's don't seem to have all the problems that D is having which is why I'm doing this post.So gentleman I put it to you:

...............DirectTV or Dish which do you think is better?............

 

[PowerCommunications]

Most people on this forum will tell you that DISH HD blows DirecTV, and anybody else, out of the water. I sell both DISH and DirecTV and I agree. 30 channels+ compared to 10 or 12? It's an easy choice. The picture quality is generally better on DISH.

 

[Jared Twomey]

My opinion is the same. I am a retailer for both... and out of the systems I sell 8 out of 10 are Dish Network. And in my home, it's Dish.

 

[Digital Dude]

After 6 tears with DirecTV HD service I switched to Dish Thursday, no looking back!

 

[Anole]

JoeRoastBeef -

You might tell us what city/state you are in.
There are some areas where Dish has trouble with some of the antenna systems they deploy.
I'm sure any installers in your area will be able to comment on which setups work well there.

 

[boston area dtv]

http://www.13donuts.com/sat-tv.html

Maybe this will help

 

[JoeRoastbeef]

http://www.13donuts.com/sat-tv.html

Maybe this will help

Thanks guy's that was a big help.I feel listening to you guys the picture quality from
Dish is better then D.However I wasn't aware that Dish was missing some important
programs that I watch all the time,AMC,and TCM as I said I'm into movies.I remember
back when I was gonna fist switch from cable I looked at both Dish and D's packages and I would have sworn they offered the same programming,I do remember Dish was lite on the sports channels at the time.So I guess I'll stay with D for now.I'm useing a Samsung DirectView HD TV right now with only componant in.When I go
FlatScreen maybe I'll make the change then.To answer as to where I'm based.I live
in Eastern Long Island in New York.

 

[DaveyBoy26]

JoeRoastbeef, Dish offers both AMC and TCM in its top 120 pak or higher.:up

 

[srs913]

Dish is sooooooooooo much better at HD, thats why we bought out Voom is to strengthen our HD package. The resolution is also much higher on dish compared to Direct so choose dish and i promise you will not regret it.

 

[Anole]

I think JOE has come to the wrong conclusion, based on that one web site.

... I wasn't aware that Dish was missing some important programs that I watch all the time,AMC,and TCM....
...So I guess I'll stay with D for now.
I live in Eastern Long Island in New York.

 

[srs913]

No wrong conclusion, dish is the best when it comes to HD.

 

[Mike_H]

Both Dish and Direct will make attempts to stay competitive in the market. thus they will tend to flip flop on performance as time goes on. Sometimes Dish is a better deal, sometimes Direct is a better deal. It's variable. Perhaps the key is that both see HD as a direction to be moving. How and when they both get there will be different, but that they will get there seems obvious.

I'm sticking with Dish mostly because of my current investment in equipment and the fact that DirecTV simply doesn't have a competitive setup to what I have with dish for a competitive cost.

 

[rickaren]

As a present customer of both DISH and DirecTV (HD) I can only recommend DISH and their VIP 622 DVR at present. I have talked two friends into going with DISH and they are still friends!

 

[gutwrencher]

Comments and questions.

I am not happy with Direct. I read everywhere that Dish, although it has it's share of problems, blows Direct away in both PQ and programming. I want MonstersHD. I don't care about NFL in HD on every channel so no special ticket needed. I want the best HDPQ for my Sony 34" tube. My TV deserves better and really wants to bust loose and show what it can do. The obvious, no-brainer seems to be..."switch"!

I'm tired of waiting for things to improve with DirectTV. I too LOVE my films and aside from sports...THATS what I watch on my HDTV for the most part when it comes to programmimg. Horror and sc-fi are personal fave genres, so MonstersHD seems essential.

But I keep thinking, I can see DierctTV, after all the "birds" have flown the coup, looking awesome and better then ever before. Maybe even "real" HD. Buying my first HDTV last year, I don't think I've ever seen true HD, except for some great looking things OTA. Will DirectTV blow minds next year? Will they keep their promise? Will I have to switch back all over again? Will Voom/Monsters ever come to Direct?

And I hold off switching just in case. I think I'm wasting my time. I can't afford both.

I'd like to know though...with DISH, and at a decent, affordable price....what would I need(model) to record anything on TV, including HD stuff? Can I record OTA programming?

And the standard programming looks pretty good on my set. Will those programs look the same or better at DISH?

Thanks for the ears and eyes....

 

[Jhon69]

Well if your not happy with D* you switch to E* but don't take down your D* dish.
Keep both dishes up and just go with who has the best package for you.Good Luck!

 

[daboogas94e]

I am in favor of Dish's HD package since the quality is better and the offerings are alot better as well. I've seen what they both offer and i'd be more inclined to go Dish if I had the money

 

[nlk10010]

I'm in western Nassau County and had D* up until mid-June. I had an old Phase III dish with the Samsung 360 and wanted more HD channels. I also could NOT put up the 5-LNB dish and wanted an HD DVR. That pretty much left me with E*.

Dish has more HD channels (it's up to you whether NGC-HD, FoodHD, HGTV-HD, NFLNetwork-HD, the VOOM channels and Starz-HD are worth it). But it also doesn't have some channels that D* has (e.g. YES, Setanta). If you're switching for a marked difference in quality you'll be somewhat disappointed, IMHO. While SOME channels do look very good there is also an INORDINATE amount of motion blocking, especially on NYC HD Locals and Food-HD. There are also periodic breakups on some NYC Locals (mostly Fox-5) which may or may not be due to the station itself. MPEG-4 seems to be at least partly responsible for this and from what I've heard you'll find much the same thing with DirecTV, although as I said I have no first-hand experience with its MPEG-4 channels.

Look to E* if you want the HDDVR (the 622 is great) and the expanded HD channel selection is attractive. If you're going for quality in the picture well, then, I don't think you're going to see a marked difference (at least I haven't, but I'm no aficianado).

Good Luck.

=NLK=

 

[Manjo62]

Hey Guy's,
Just got my HD setup with DirectTV did it all myself.No problems works great.I'm useing the three LNB dish and a used Samsung SIR-TS360,didn't want to deal with

I switched from Direct to Dish as Dish has more HD to offer but take a look at channel lineup and make sure you like to watch the channels broadcasting HD. I am happy with the PQ on Dish and love to watch some of the HD channels not offered by Direct.

Only negative point I have seen so far is Dish customer service and technical support is horrible. I have tried calling more than 4 times (assuming first time it was a individual person issue) and all the 4 times the technical support guys were useless, Direct was far more better than Dish.