DirecTV to Dish?

[CEV]

Longtime DirecTV customer here. I like the service and features, but am really getting tired of the $140+ monthly charge. That is with a Genie, 3 wireless clients, HD, Whole-Home DVR, and protection plan. Program package is the middle option, XTRA. That's with no premium channels, which we do not watch anyways.

I am considering switching to Dish for the new customer package with 2 year price guarantee. Not sure of the feature benefits of the Hopper compared to the Genie. How's the quality of programming service and features compared to DirecTV and the Genie? Are the Hopper clients wireless like for the Genie, or will they need to be wired in? Will I miss out on many features, and save a decent amount of money?

Thanks for any insight you may be able to provide. All opinions are welcome. As I said, I do like DirecTV, but just don't want to be locked into a 2 year contract if I won't be satisfied. Ah, one more question. If I call up DirecTV to cancel, and then call Dish right away, what will my wait time be before Dish comes to install?

 

[AZ.]

Dish has the best equipment hands down.....You will lack sports, but gain more movies.......If either of those are a big thing, the decision should be easy and not based on money as much.

 

[boba]

Look in this forum many recent posts show DISH having some problems with programming of the Hopper 3.

 

[CEV]

Dish has the best equipment hands down.....You will lack sports, but gain more movies.......If either of those are a big thing, the decision should be easy and not based on money as much.

Lacking sports is ok, besides NFL Network. Dish has that? More movies is a plus.

 

[KAB]

Look in this forum many recent posts show DISH having some problems with programming of the Hopper 3.

Like what?? Be specific. I am not having any problems of any kind with my H3, other than the latest update OTA issue.

 

[charlesrshell]

I also have no issues with my Hopper 3 system and my OTA is working great in the Western Arc. I my damn self want quality equipment versus number of HD channels, cost, sports programs, or the most movie channels, etc, etc. That is why I switched to DISH ten years ago and have been happy happy ever since.

 

[KAB]

Are the Hopper clients wireless like for the Genie, or will they need to be wired in? Will I miss out on many features, and save a decent amount of money?

You can get Wireless Joeys. I have one. The only issue is occasional loss ot connection with the Wireless Access Point. Easily corrected by power reboot of WAP.
As said above, H3 runs rings around the Genie.

 

[KAB]

I also have no issues with my Hopper 3 system and my OTA is working great in the Western Arc.

You are not having OTA break-up on your Joeys and recordings?

 

[charlesrshell]

You are not having OTA break-up on your Joeys and recordings?

None

 

[HipKat]

You can get Wireless Joeys. I have one. The only issue is occasional loss ot connection with the Wireless Access Point. Easily corrected by power reboot of WAP.
As said above, H3 runs rings around the Genie.

I'm curious about your wireless Joey connection issues because mine is a fair distance and it's never ever lost connection. I wondered if yours is further away than mine or maybe you have something in the walls like plaster and lathe or something that could be interfering with the signal

 

[CEV]

Hopper 3 is better than the Genie 2?

Once I call Dish, how long would it be before they could come and install? I won't be able to go without service for long.

 

[camo]

Tip if you do go to Dish and add premiums and turn around and cancel you will get a 6 month offer for 1/2 price and no $5 penalty as new customer. I've not had any Hopper3 issues either other than a couple program guide issues which was no biggy for me
.
Directv receivers are like dinosaurs compared to the H3 which does it all with 16 turners,
Another big Dish advantage undermentioned is the ability to store recordings on cheaper USB external HD's and just change out as they get full. EHD's are married to account not reciever. With Directv when receiver dies or gets replaced all recordings are lost with Dish you can keep forever.

Directv offers more premium movie channels in HD i'm pretty sure contrary to what some are saying. Dish has Pac12 Network but most RSN's are still part time HD unlike Directv many are full-time. Directv has more live 4K, Dish none.
The main advantage I see with Directv over Dish is ability to spend $300+ for Sunday Ticket if its a must. With Dish you have the ability to have RedZone at much cheaper price so it's basically a wash for me.
PQ is slightly better on some but not all channels with Directv but it's really a non issue with most.

 

[KAB]

I'm curious about your wireless Joey connection issues because mine is a fair distance and it's never ever lost connection. I wondered if yours is further away than mine or maybe you have something in the walls like plaster and lathe or something that could be interfering with the signal

Nope, nope and nope. As I've told you before, the WAP is on the opposite end of a 20' room. It only happens AFTER overnight updates...about every 5 or 6 days.

 

[HipKat]

Nope, nope and nope. As I've told you before, the WAP is on the opposite end of a 20' room. It only happens AFTER overnight updates...about every 5 or 6 days.

Oh yeah, yeah. For some reason I was thinking the WAP conversation I had was with someone else. It's just a head scratcher

 

[NCLiquidations]

I am a contractor for both dish and Directv. I have dish installed in my house with a hopper 3 and 2 wireless Joeys. The hopper has to be wired like DTV but the Joeys can be wireless. There is a $25 up front charge for each wireless Joey (one time fee) but I love mine. The hopper 3 has so many more options and apps like youtube, game finder, and so many more, there is no comparison for me. You can also watch every single live channel with the dish app for free if it is connected to your internet. No blocked channels like with DTV. Best of all is the 16 tuners that allow you to record anything you want with no conflicts. Built in Netflix app is awesome too.
Price is lowest you can get anywhere when you compare apples to apples.
Bottom line, I had DTV for 10 years but when I switched to dish after working for them a while I have never looked back nor will I ever go back. I love my hopper, nothing else even close on the market.

 

[CEV]

I am a contractor for both dish and Directv. I have dish installed in my house with a hopper 3 and 2 wireless Joeys. The hopper has to be wired like DTV but the Joeys can be wireless. There is a $25 up front charge for each wireless Joey (one time fee) but I love mine. The hopper 3 has so many more options and apps like youtube, game finder, and so many more, there is no comparison for me. You can also watch every single live channel with the dish app for free if it is connected to your internet. No blocked channels like with DTV. Best of all is the 16 tuners that allow you to record anything you want with no conflicts. Built in Netflix app is awesome too.
Price is lowest you can get anywhere when you compare apples to apples.
Bottom line, I had DTV for 10 years but when I switched to dish after working for them a while I have never looked back nor will I ever go back. I love my hopper, nothing else even close on the market.

Second post now that is pushing me to the Dish side. You mention watching live channels on the app. I could do this on my tablet and then cast it to my TV in the garage? I only want to do that once in awhile so need to put a Joey in there.

 

[nsafreak]

Second post now that is pushing me to the Dish side. You mention watching live channels on the app. I could do this on my tablet and then cast it to my TV in the garage? I only want to do that once in awhile so need to put a Joey in there.

Unfortunately the Dish app does not currently have the capability to cast it from a phone/tablet. However the app is present on the Amazon app store so you can load it onto a Fire TV stick and then stream from the stick onto your TV in the garage.

 

[KAB]

Second post now that is pushing me to the Dish side. You mention watching live channels on the app. I could do this on my tablet and then cast it to my TV in the garage?

Depends on your tablet. Apple won't cast unless you have AirTv.

 

[CEV]

Depends on your tablet. Apple won't cast unless you have AirTv.

No no no. Not Apple. Android all all the way.

 

[dolfan3033]

Second post now that is pushing me to the Dish side. You mention watching live channels on the app. I could do this on my tablet and then cast it to my TV in the garage? I only want to do that once in awhile so need to put a Joey in there.

Like others said, get a firetv stick and install dish anywhere from the App Store. You’ll have access to all your channels and DVR content (except stuff on an external drive if you have one connected). I do this in my office instead of a Joey and it works great.