I just cancelled Dish for DirecTV. The installation was yesterday. If receiving OTA channels is important to you, the current DirecTV DVR has no provision for an outside antenna. Therefore I cannot receive my locals OTA omitting the best pc and the HD signal from my PBS station. I must therefore, attach the outside antenna directly to the TV set. To get OTA I must change the TV signal source. I never anticipated that. Also, HDNet, and HDnet Movies cost extra. Out of the pan and into the fire...look hard before you leap.
DirecTV v. Dish...
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There is an OTA add on (AM21 I believe) to get OTA HD into your DVR.
HDNet is not extra (included in the $10 HD Access fee).
HDNet Movies is in the HD Extra pack for $5 (also includes: UHD, Paladia, Smithsonian, CIHD, MGM).
Very easy to get ATSC added to the HD DVR, it's the AM21 dual ATSC tuner module. You can order it for $50 on the DirecTV web site or call them and may times you can get it for free if you don't have all your local HD channels via satellite already (FYI, D*'s been adding local PBS stations the past few weeks). It intergrates the ATSC channels into the guide just like the DBS channels and includes all your local ATSC channels and sub channels.
As for HDNet/HDNet Movies, that's incorrect. HDNet is included in the Choice or higher programming package as long as you have HD Access which get's you all the HD channels in your package. HDNet Movies is an extra charge since it's part of the HD Extra pack which has C&I, MGM, Plladia, Smithsonian and Universal, along with HDNet Movies for $4.99 per month. IIRC you can get it free for 3 months as a preview if you call and ask.
May I ask what made you want to switch? Seems like some of your confusion could have been avoided with a look at the D* website. Good to see others have informed you of the OTA solution though:up
What do you think about the dvr functions? I have heard people say the dvr for direct is slower and harder to use. What do you tink in terms of picture quality? I have been thinking of taking the leap myself.
While with Dish, were you experiencing the sound dropout problem (i.e., audio drops for a second or two)? If so, then is the problem no longer a problem with Direct?
Did you just go for the single free HD-DVR Direct-TV offers or put money out for the ability to have a second HD-DVR? That's the largest problem I have, putting money out for equipment I do not own, pay monthly rental and pay monthly DVR fee.
While Dish gives you it free from day one!
While Dish gives you it free from day one!
Directv has a lot of hd channels that really don't show any hd ,like: MTV,VH1,CMT, NICK.Dish has some channels that DIRECTV doesn't either, travel channel,WGN,LIfetime,Lifetime movies. That being said before DISH uploaded a bunch of channels like Sci-Fi etc, I was tempted to leave.
While I would love to have all channels in hd , it isn't the overriding factor in my decision to stay with DISH. Their 722 dvr is. It makes no difference to me how many hd channels there are with DIRECTV if I can't record the shows with their dvr. I had Directv for about 6 months this year and I had a lot of trouble getting the hr 21 to record reliably the shows I wanted it to. Granted if Directv had the 722 dvr , I would of stayed with Directv. To me the cutting edge technology is the reason I stay with one company over another.
As for audio dropouts, Both sat companies experience problems with audio/video problems on their locals especially. I think this has more to do with the encoders that they use for locals vs national channels. The national encoders are the latest tech and seem to work flawlessly. The local encoders are the older tech hand me downs and as such they experience more problems. I am sure that once we get all digital ota reception for locals and a newer generation of encoders for locals, that most problems will go away on both providers. I did see these problems on BOTH sat companies on the same locals. This could also be the local stations themselves having problems.
While I would love to have all channels in hd , it isn't the overriding factor in my decision to stay with DISH. Their 722 dvr is. It makes no difference to me how many hd channels there are with DIRECTV if I can't record the shows with their dvr. I had Directv for about 6 months this year and I had a lot of trouble getting the hr 21 to record reliably the shows I wanted it to. Granted if Directv had the 722 dvr , I would of stayed with Directv. To me the cutting edge technology is the reason I stay with one company over another.
As for audio dropouts, Both sat companies experience problems with audio/video problems on their locals especially. I think this has more to do with the encoders that they use for locals vs national channels. The national encoders are the latest tech and seem to work flawlessly. The local encoders are the older tech hand me downs and as such they experience more problems. I am sure that once we get all digital ota reception for locals and a newer generation of encoders for locals, that most problems will go away on both providers. I did see these problems on BOTH sat companies on the same locals. This could also be the local stations themselves having problems.
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Actually, looking at the Dish sign up page, if one wants TWO 612 HD DVRs from E*, you would have to pay a $99 receiver fee for the second one. So TWO HD-DVRs are rarely free from either company based on current offers.
Edit: Dish builder is even showing a $50 charge for one 722 if you wanted to do one HD set and one SD set. I know that calling can generally give you better deals, but this is what is offered on the dish builder page.
Edit#2: This is still cheaper than what it would take to get two HR series DVRs off of the D* sign up page. One is free, the other is $199. Again, in both cases, calling will get you better deals. Also remember, BOTH the ViP and the HR would be leased at these prices
DirecTv V. Dish
I changed because I never received a credit for Voom discontiuation. I also was unable to access my bill at the Dish web site, even after many requests over six months to have the problem fixed. I requested over and over again a printed copy of my bill over a six month's period and only recently received a copy. The Voom discontinuation really irritated me because I watched those channels often. The Tivo and Voom lawsuits are unseemly. I was only able to get a 1080p download once. Later attempts were denied over compatability issues with my 1080p Samsung. It all added up to "I've had a belly full". I am glad to learn that there is a DVR which allows for a seamless switch to OTA available from Directv. My DirecTV service rep said I 'd have to buy a DVR from a third party to cure the problem. I also am glad to learn that I can drop the HD Extra pack and still get HDnet and HDnet Movies. I believe that Dish has better PQ than DirecTV.
I changed because I never received a credit for Voom discontiuation. I also was unable to access my bill at the Dish web site, even after many requests over six months to have the problem fixed. I requested over and over again a printed copy of my bill over a six month's period and only recently received a copy. The Voom discontinuation really irritated me because I watched those channels often. The Tivo and Voom lawsuits are unseemly. I was only able to get a 1080p download once. Later attempts were denied over compatability issues with my 1080p Samsung. It all added up to "I've had a belly full". I am glad to learn that there is a DVR which allows for a seamless switch to OTA available from Directv. My DirecTV service rep said I 'd have to buy a DVR from a third party to cure the problem. I also am glad to learn that I can drop the HD Extra pack and still get HDnet and HDnet Movies. I believe that Dish has better PQ than DirecTV.
You would get HDNet without the HD extra pack, not HDNet Movies (it is part of the extra package)
Had both
I HAD both Directv and Dish my parents still have Dish, I do have to say the 722 is a better reciver than the 21. I can not see a lot in PQ. Each company has it up and downs, Dish has The Travel channel in HD wife LOVE travel in HD. I like MLB PACK, NFL, If Dish had not been so cheap and kept MLB PACK i would still be with Dish.Now if you look at all the cable companys, AT@T, VERISON, Both Dish and Directv better look out. I have time warner in KC they have about 40 channels all the good channels Like TravelHD, ESPNU HD, even all the sports pack in hd . But prices always seem to go up and you can never get anyone on the phone.
I HAD both Directv and Dish my parents still have Dish, I do have to say the 722 is a better reciver than the 21. I can not see a lot in PQ. Each company has it up and downs, Dish has The Travel channel in HD wife LOVE travel in HD. I like MLB PACK, NFL, If Dish had not been so cheap and kept MLB PACK i would still be with Dish.Now if you look at all the cable companys, AT@T, VERISON, Both Dish and Directv better look out. I have time warner in KC they have about 40 channels all the good channels Like TravelHD, ESPNU HD, even all the sports pack in hd . But prices always seem to go up and you can never get anyone on the phone.
I still cannot believe people say this. On my 110" screen it isn't even close. Even on my 32" HDTV it isn't close.
Granted, it has been 5 months since I had both side by side to compare, but I find it hard to believe Dish has fixed anything in that time frame.
ESPN/2HD looks bad on both, but it is MUCH better on D* compared to E*. The scrolling score looks great, no mosquito problem all over the screen like on E*. Locals in HD are nice as well.
Either way, I was happy with both companies. I just chose to go to D* over locals in HD (over satellite) and D*'s sports packages.
I considered switching to DirectTV as I would love to get FX HD. (The Viacom suite is all upconverts. Plus I would lose premiums.)
I have U-verse and Time Warner available to me as well. The only one with truly better HD channel choice (especially premiums) than Dish is U-verse. DirectTV (no FIOS here) wins on the HD PQ. AT&T also wins on the SD PQ. Dish wins on cost. TimeWarnerCable loses across the board except for local news/weather and public access channels. Actually, they are neck and neck with ATT for broadband speed.
I have U-verse and Time Warner available to me as well. The only one with truly better HD channel choice (especially premiums) than Dish is U-verse. DirectTV (no FIOS here) wins on the HD PQ. AT&T also wins on the SD PQ. Dish wins on cost. TimeWarnerCable loses across the board except for local news/weather and public access channels. Actually, they are neck and neck with ATT for broadband speed.
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