I had E* for 8 years and just switched about a month ago and couldn't be happier. I would like to have all the HD that E* offers, but got a great deal with D* when I switched. Customer service could be an excuse, but who really has good CS these days. I haven't needed them with D* yet, so can't judge from that standpoint. Good luck with whichever choice you make. Rain faid seems to be about the same with both for me, that's why I have basic cable when the weather gets really bad (tornadoes, etc.)
Direct Tv v:s Dish Network?
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It would be great if you all left so they would notice something is wrong and maybe get us faithful D* customers some more HD channels
I think DirecTV will end up matching, and perhaps even surpassing, what Dish Network currently has to offer in HD programming.
DirecTV will have to do this.
DirecTV will have to do so within the next, say, year because it's competition and HD keeps gradually catching more and more fire (er, consumers). (Hey, imagination for a moment that I'm wrong. How successful, longterm into the future and starting with today as Day One, do you suppose DirecTV would continue being if it dismissed the necessity in upgrading its slate of HD programming?)
So rather than make a decision based on HD only, I'd focus on the programming. For the longest time, the choice was really this: Do you want foreign-language or sports programming? Select Dish Network in such case as applicable to the former -- or go for DirecTV if it's the latter you're wanting in extensive programming options.
This is not a complex issue.
DirecTV will have to do this.
DirecTV will have to do so within the next, say, year because it's competition and HD keeps gradually catching more and more fire (er, consumers). (Hey, imagination for a moment that I'm wrong. How successful, longterm into the future and starting with today as Day One, do you suppose DirecTV would continue being if it dismissed the necessity in upgrading its slate of HD programming?)
So rather than make a decision based on HD only, I'd focus on the programming. For the longest time, the choice was really this: Do you want foreign-language or sports programming? Select Dish Network in such case as applicable to the former -- or go for DirecTV if it's the latter you're wanting in extensive programming options.
This is not a complex issue.
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This question like so many others basically it is what ever one`s personnel preference is.I had D* for 5 years before I moved.Once in the new house went with E* and had that for a little over 2 years.Once E* started all the receiver swap outs and so called upgrades I went back to D* and will never go back to the land of Charlie unless D* goes out of business and I am forced to choose between cable or E*. Both have some advantages over one another but I think in the next few years D* will put a serious hurt on E* unless Charlie and Co. get there act together.But once again this is MY OWN OPINION.
E* loses DNS fight also Tivo DVR rights?
The National Association of Broadcasters said the U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled in favor of affiliate associations for ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, along with the FOX network, in a copyright lawsuit filed against EchoStar.
The NAB said the decision could prevent EchoStar's DISH Network from delivering distant network TV signals to its satellite subscribers.
Meanwhile, news reports said TiVo asked a U.S. District judge to shut down the DVR service offered by EchoStar. TiVo won a jury verdict in April that found EchoStar had infringed on one of its patents pertaining to digital recorder technology. There also was no comment available from EchoStar concerning the case.
http://www.skyreport.com/view.cfm?ReleaseID=1926
The National Association of Broadcasters said the U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled in favor of affiliate associations for ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, along with the FOX network, in a copyright lawsuit filed against EchoStar.
The NAB said the decision could prevent EchoStar's DISH Network from delivering distant network TV signals to its satellite subscribers.
Meanwhile, news reports said TiVo asked a U.S. District judge to shut down the DVR service offered by EchoStar. TiVo won a jury verdict in April that found EchoStar had infringed on one of its patents pertaining to digital recorder technology. There also was no comment available from EchoStar concerning the case.
http://www.skyreport.com/view.cfm?ReleaseID=1926
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It's one sided but here is my DTV experience. Take from it what is important to you.
With both the round dish and now the oval, I've had maybe 6 times in over 3 years it's gone out. (includes rain and built up snow/ice) I've aimed the dishes myself so know they are peaked here in my PA location. As stated above, your dish must not be aimed right if you are getting outtages from a southern state in even light rain. (or cable problems etc)
My T60 tivo thrilled me for years until I decided I needed more tuners. I have no other dvr experience but can say that my wife and I quickly learned tivo without the manual. I can't think of a feature on it that we would yet want. (well dual outputs would be nice to burn dvds while watching another show
)
Then bought an HDtivo dirt cheap (fire sale last year) but the true reason i got it was because i needed another 2 tuners. I got an antenna for the fun of it and found my OTA was good also so bought a HDTV. 90% of my HD is OTA. If you dont watch/are not able to get OTA, I believe this unit is pretty much a waste at 400 bucks. That is, unless you like those 7 or so channels in the HD pak.
Also in a few years when they do turn off mpeg2 HD , unless you get OTA, it literally wont do a thing for you for HD. but it WILL work for SD directv channels and OTA so I think it's a great buy for someone like me (just bought another at 400 from newegg).
So it truly comes down to your viewing habits in my opinion. good luck!
With both the round dish and now the oval, I've had maybe 6 times in over 3 years it's gone out. (includes rain and built up snow/ice) I've aimed the dishes myself so know they are peaked here in my PA location. As stated above, your dish must not be aimed right if you are getting outtages from a southern state in even light rain. (or cable problems etc)
My T60 tivo thrilled me for years until I decided I needed more tuners. I have no other dvr experience but can say that my wife and I quickly learned tivo without the manual. I can't think of a feature on it that we would yet want. (well dual outputs would be nice to burn dvds while watching another show
)Then bought an HDtivo dirt cheap (fire sale last year) but the true reason i got it was because i needed another 2 tuners. I got an antenna for the fun of it and found my OTA was good also so bought a HDTV. 90% of my HD is OTA. If you dont watch/are not able to get OTA, I believe this unit is pretty much a waste at 400 bucks. That is, unless you like those 7 or so channels in the HD pak.
Also in a few years when they do turn off mpeg2 HD , unless you get OTA, it literally wont do a thing for you for HD. but it WILL work for SD directv channels and OTA so I think it's a great buy for someone like me (just bought another at 400 from newegg).
So it truly comes down to your viewing habits in my opinion. good luck!
I have had both and currently have Driectv. I had dish in 1996 when it first came out and got directv in 2002. I had no problems with dish during that time. Than I switched to Dish again in 2004 and it was a mistake. The boxes were buggy and the satellite would loose signal every now and than for no reason. replaced three switches. Than I got driectv back and the boxes are so much more stable. Ya it's neat to have 50 cool models of dvrs and hd systems but none of them work that great. The guide is faster on dish which is a big plus but the boxes suck. I'm sticking with DTV. It always works.
I have Dish network now, and I am currently thinking about leaving, Like stone Phillips said, they have alot of little charges that get ya when you get into Dvr, I dont want to pay for that!!! my bill is a little under a hundred dollars, and I have the 59.99, Little charges get ya!
I've had both & prefer DirecTV for customer service
I can't believe Echostar/Dish Network can stay in business the way their customer service hemorrhages subscribers. They must rely on getting new ones because I can't believe anyone would re-up for their abuse.
I contracted for HD service and receiver in September and things were installed shortly after. Except that I felt the HD channels looked like crap. I thought it must be my TV, that I hadn't selected the proper settings or something. I'm not the type to complain until I'm sure a problem is not my fault. Well, I was wrong, it was THEIR fault.
The "genius" that installed my system hooked the HD outputs of the receiver to the standard inputs on my TV. After I disassembled my home theater system (no small feat) I fixed that mistake.
Still no HD so I checked the programming on my receiver and found it had never been setup for HD by the installer so again I fixed his error. And again I had no HD so I called "customer service" at Dish Network. I found that even though the installer, Dish Network and I all had signed copies of the contract which proved I specified HDTV and paid extra to lease the HD receiver it had never been turned on.
I asked that it be turned on and much to my dismay, sorry but I love that phrase, I was told that my recently aquired equipment was now obsolete. "Customer service" informed me that I would have to pay for a new install and equipment if I wanted HD and they quoted me a "special" price of $50. Well I checked the website and damn if that isn't the price everyone gets! The programming price would also be doubled. I was informed that this was all my fault because I didn't complain soon enough!
I asked if others who signed on for HD when I did were still getting the programming at the price I contracted for. Yes they said, but because I wasn't getting it, despite the fact that I had a contract for it, I couldn't get that package. Another alternative they offered was I could use my "obsolete" receiver and pay for the new programming but only get the old package. Twice the money for one fourth service?
With DirecTV you can add and delete programming. With Dish all you can do is add, you MUST call customer service to delete and YOU DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM. Also, I've had billing problems and even though Dish says they've been handled I find them still on my bill the next month.
My advice? Cable, DirecTV or go without! Can you imagine what things would be like if the Echostar/DirecTV merger had gone through?
I can't believe Echostar/Dish Network can stay in business the way their customer service hemorrhages subscribers. They must rely on getting new ones because I can't believe anyone would re-up for their abuse.
I contracted for HD service and receiver in September and things were installed shortly after. Except that I felt the HD channels looked like crap. I thought it must be my TV, that I hadn't selected the proper settings or something. I'm not the type to complain until I'm sure a problem is not my fault. Well, I was wrong, it was THEIR fault.
The "genius" that installed my system hooked the HD outputs of the receiver to the standard inputs on my TV. After I disassembled my home theater system (no small feat) I fixed that mistake.
Still no HD so I checked the programming on my receiver and found it had never been setup for HD by the installer so again I fixed his error. And again I had no HD so I called "customer service" at Dish Network. I found that even though the installer, Dish Network and I all had signed copies of the contract which proved I specified HDTV and paid extra to lease the HD receiver it had never been turned on.
I asked that it be turned on and much to my dismay, sorry but I love that phrase, I was told that my recently aquired equipment was now obsolete. "Customer service" informed me that I would have to pay for a new install and equipment if I wanted HD and they quoted me a "special" price of $50. Well I checked the website and damn if that isn't the price everyone gets! The programming price would also be doubled. I was informed that this was all my fault because I didn't complain soon enough!
I asked if others who signed on for HD when I did were still getting the programming at the price I contracted for. Yes they said, but because I wasn't getting it, despite the fact that I had a contract for it, I couldn't get that package. Another alternative they offered was I could use my "obsolete" receiver and pay for the new programming but only get the old package. Twice the money for one fourth service?
With DirecTV you can add and delete programming. With Dish all you can do is add, you MUST call customer service to delete and YOU DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM. Also, I've had billing problems and even though Dish says they've been handled I find them still on my bill the next month.
My advice? Cable, DirecTV or go without! Can you imagine what things would be like if the Echostar/DirecTV merger had gone through?
I've had both & prefer DirecTV for customer service
I can't believe Echostar/Dish Network can stay in business the way their customer service hemorrhages subscribers. They must rely on getting new ones because I can't believe anyone would re-up for their abuse.
I contracted for HD service and receiver in September and things were installed shortly after. Except that I felt the HD channels looked like crap. I thought it must be my TV, that I hadn't selected the proper settings or something. I'm not the type to complain until I'm sure a problem is not my fault. Well, I was wrong, it was THEIR fault.
The "genius" that installed my system hooked the HD outputs of the receiver to the standard inputs on my TV. After I disassembled my home theater system (no small feat) I fixed that mistake.
Still no HD so I checked the programming on my receiver and found it had never been setup for HD by the installer so again I fixed his error. And again I had no HD so I called "customer service" at Dish Network. I found that even though the installer, Dish Network and I all had signed copies of the contract which proved I specified HDTV and paid extra to lease the HD receiver it had never been turned on.
I asked that it be turned on and much to my dismay, sorry but I love that phrase, I was told that my recently aquired equipment was now obsolete. "Customer service" informed me that I would have to pay for a new install and equipment if I wanted HD and they quoted me a "special" price of $50. Well I checked the website and damn if that isn't the price everyone gets! The programming price would also be doubled. I was informed that this was all my fault because I didn't complain soon enough!
I asked if others who signed on for HD when I did were still getting the programming at the price I contracted for. Yes they said, but because I wasn't getting it, despite the fact that I had a contract for it, I couldn't get that package. Another alternative they offered was I could use my "obsolete" receiver and pay for the new programming but only get the old package. Twice the money for one fourth service?
With DirecTV you can add and delete programming online. With Dish all you can do is add, you MUST call customer service to delete and YOU DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM. Also, I've had billing problems and even though Dish says they've been handled I find them still on my bill the next month.
My advice? Cable, DirecTV or go without! Can you imagine what things would be like if the Echostar/DirecTV merger had gone through?
I can't believe Echostar/Dish Network can stay in business the way their customer service hemorrhages subscribers. They must rely on getting new ones because I can't believe anyone would re-up for their abuse.
I contracted for HD service and receiver in September and things were installed shortly after. Except that I felt the HD channels looked like crap. I thought it must be my TV, that I hadn't selected the proper settings or something. I'm not the type to complain until I'm sure a problem is not my fault. Well, I was wrong, it was THEIR fault.
The "genius" that installed my system hooked the HD outputs of the receiver to the standard inputs on my TV. After I disassembled my home theater system (no small feat) I fixed that mistake.
Still no HD so I checked the programming on my receiver and found it had never been setup for HD by the installer so again I fixed his error. And again I had no HD so I called "customer service" at Dish Network. I found that even though the installer, Dish Network and I all had signed copies of the contract which proved I specified HDTV and paid extra to lease the HD receiver it had never been turned on.
I asked that it be turned on and much to my dismay, sorry but I love that phrase, I was told that my recently aquired equipment was now obsolete. "Customer service" informed me that I would have to pay for a new install and equipment if I wanted HD and they quoted me a "special" price of $50. Well I checked the website and damn if that isn't the price everyone gets! The programming price would also be doubled. I was informed that this was all my fault because I didn't complain soon enough!
I asked if others who signed on for HD when I did were still getting the programming at the price I contracted for. Yes they said, but because I wasn't getting it, despite the fact that I had a contract for it, I couldn't get that package. Another alternative they offered was I could use my "obsolete" receiver and pay for the new programming but only get the old package. Twice the money for one fourth service?
With DirecTV you can add and delete programming online. With Dish all you can do is add, you MUST call customer service to delete and YOU DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM. Also, I've had billing problems and even though Dish says they've been handled I find them still on my bill the next month.
My advice? Cable, DirecTV or go without! Can you imagine what things would be like if the Echostar/DirecTV merger had gone through?
i dont have dish or obviously would know the answer...why does an installer have to set something for HD? Is there a secret switch in the receiver or something?
I just ordered Satillite the other day and it won't be installed until this weekend so I can't tell you if I made the right choice or not. But after months of reading what folks are posting to this forum, I went with D*. The reasons are that E* seems to have more complaints about customer service, their new boxes seem to be buggier and they seem to more willing to drop channels from their lineup then D*. It didn't appear to me that D* was having the same disputes with Lifetime and OLN that E* was having. If Lifetime was ever unavailable in my home, there'd be no living with my wife.
I'd love to be able to get all the HD content that E* is currently providing. But I'm not willing to tolerate poor customer service and buggy receivers to get it. Maybe I'll be sorry once the service is installed this weekend but I've got my fingers crossed. And I'm sure that D* has something in the works to make their HD package more competitive with what E* has.
I'd love to be able to get all the HD content that E* is currently providing. But I'm not willing to tolerate poor customer service and buggy receivers to get it. Maybe I'll be sorry once the service is installed this weekend but I've got my fingers crossed. And I'm sure that D* has something in the works to make their HD package more competitive with what E* has.
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