Dish Network vs. DirecTv

[tjcnole]

I want to get into the satellite market, but I can't decide on which service. I want a DVR/PVR type receiver, maybe even HD. I'm looking at all options. Any advice is appreciated

 

[Cyclone]

Everyone agrees that Dish Network is much better for DVRs and HDTV than either Voom or DirectTV. Dish Network is the way to go. Plus its much cheaper too.

 

[rad]

Everyone agrees that Dish Network is much better for DVRs and HDTV than either Voom or DirectTV. Dish Network is the way to go. Plus its much cheaper too.

Mr. Nobody here doesn't agree with Cyclone's assesment. IMHO the D* DVR's are more stable then E*'s products (except for the 5XX line and the 721 is getting better but the 921 is still buggy). Just look through this site concerning the 811 and 921 for reported problems. If you want to check the problems with the D* Tivo's check out www.tivocommunity.com.

As for programming, I do agree that E*'s is better for the moment. But again, check some of the post on this web site and www.dbstalk.com and you'll see that in the next few weeks the rumors are that D*'s going to make a major announcement about more HD programming.

As for V*, don't know how much longer they'll be around and they don't have a DVR at this time.

 

[tony17]

Everyone agrees that Dish Network is much better for DVRs ........]


That might be one of the most misleading comments I have ever seen. If you search the forums....there is an enormous amount of information and personal stories to the contrary.

Wow....that is pretty funny!

 

[Neutron]

I have had both DISH and currently have both Directv's HD and DVR receivers. IMHO, Directv wins hands down on both. The Directivo is much more stable and more useful than DISH's crap, and the HD receiver is MUCH more stable than DISH's 811.

 

[korsjs]

you'll see that in the next few weeks the rumors are that D*'s going to make a major announcement about more HD programming.

They have been saying this for a while and starting to sound like Dish. I would look at the programming and go with what is right for you.

 

[Cascade]

The Directivo is much more stable and more useful than DISH's crap,

Anything has to be more stable than this POS 522.
You know you're in for a fun ride when the wife starts noticing how bad it's become.
I've seen better stability on a 1 legged donkey in a hurricane.

 

[Cyclone]

Bah! Sour Grapes from these few. My 510 DVR has been rock solid for a year now. The Tivo's are notoriously slow and even DirectTV is going to discontinue them soon in favor of their own in house DVR.

In the Past year, Dish has added 5 channels to its lineup while DirectTV hasn't added a single one. While DirectTV has hinted that there will be more HD channels soon, they are also linked to reports of some monstrosity of a Dish to receive them.

Finally Voom while neat, is just not going to survive unless it can pick up a bunch of new capacity and a sugar-daddy to keep it alive for the next few years.

 

[Unthinkable]

Just curious since I never check the DirecTV boards... Do regular Dish posters here hang out in the DirecTV forums looking to sway opinions on matters like this to the degree Rad and Neutron do?

 

[fredfa]

My DirecTV HD-TiVo is not slow, and is perhaps the best piece of electronics equipment I have ever purchased.
Do your homework, tjcnole.
Read lots of threads here and at AVS and at dbstalk and then make up your mind.
You'll find fanatic fans (and fanatic opponents) of VOOM and Dish and DirecTV.
But since you are going to have to spend some money, (and probably live with your choice for a while) make the decision on what programming and equipment characteristics YOU want and what you think the most important qualities in a DBS system are.

 

[Cascade]

Bah! Sour Grapes from these few.

That's all it is, sour grapes.
The dropped audio, freezing and color bands are all in my head.
I assume you've never owned a 522.

 

[Curtis0620]

Everyone agrees that Dish Network is much better for DVRs and HDTV than either Voom or DirectTV. Dish Network is the way to go. Plus its much cheaper too.

This is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.

 

[rad]

Cyclone said he owns a 510, which since that product line's been out for a few years E* has finally gotten the software fairly stable. But as folks have learned over the years, it takes E* a year or more to get the new hardware boxes to be farily stable. The 721 when it was first released was horrible. The 811 is still going through it's growing pains. The 921 is still waiting for features that were supposed to be there at GA and the firewire support that was advertisied on the box was yanked by E*.

So if a new sub was looking for a 5XX or 301/311 receiver they'd have a nice stable product, other then that you might run into problems.

 

[Chris Freeland]

You can not go wrong with either E* or D*, each have their advantages and disadvantages. The most important thing to do is go to each website and study the program packages and decide which service provides the best combination of channels that are important to you and your family at a price you want to pay. If NFL Season Ticket is important to you, that is a D* exclusive, however E* has all the rest of the sports packages that D* has. E* has a few more premium movie channels and at this time 1 more HD channel then D*, however this could change at any time and D* has more PPV channels, 55 for D* vs vs 32 for E*. If their is a International channel or two that you want at this time E* is the only way to go. Sky Angel is a package of 20 Christian TV channels and 16 Christian radio channels is available from the E* 61.5 wing satellite, is a separate service from E* but uses E* equipment. E* has a few more basic channels over all then D* but once again you need to decide for your self which basic package fits your needs the best.

Reliability of standard receivers and pq are about = for both D* and E*. The E* DVR522 is not as stable as the D*Tivo DVR and at this time has the advantage of Name Based Redcording(NBR) and Season Pass, however this will change in the next few months because E* is planning on adding NBR to their DVR's and the 522 has the advantage of 2 separate outputs for the ability to watch 2 separate shows at the same time without paying a 2nd outlet or 2nd receiver fee. Also if you want a DVR or an HD receiver, you can upgrade for no additional charge up front with E*, it will cost you $99 upfront for a D*Tivo upgrade and $299 up front for a HD receiver upgrade. Both charge a just under $5 extra monthly fee for DVR service unless you go with the biggest packages from each provider, however the fee for D* is per account vs per unit for E*. E* at this time gives you the choice of owning your equipment or leasing it, however the 2 tuner 2 output receivers are only available on the lease plan but your monthly expense will be the same or less and with the 2 tuner receivers when you lease it actually comes out cheaper in most cases. With D* you own the equipment period at this time no choice of plans.

 

[cl1986]

Pvr

I dont know anything about any bugs with dish networks pvr. I have i believe the 510 dvr with 100gb hd and it rocks!!!! Also have the old webtv dvr with 8 GB hard drive, it also works fine and is over 4 years old. This is the greatest thing ever invented. Also i have always had the everythign pak and when i got my 510 the monthly fee for pvr is free with the everything pack, that rocks!!!! The webtv reciever is a little goofy with its different appearance and functionality but works great. I love the 510 dvr because the title bars and promts look just like the other recievers and acts like one until you push the pvr button, then the fun starts. I have never had any problems with either of the two, which is amazing because they are basically computers, and computers crash every week. My pvrs have been rock solid and i wouldnt recommend anything else. Not sure what you guys are talking about with the software bugs, none here. Of course i am a computer guru and expect things to freeze and lockup, thats what they do. So if restarting the pvr every six months is looked at as a software flaw, thats rediculous, like i said im not sure what your so called "bugs" are.

 

[Unthinkable]

I dont know anything about any bugs with dish networks pvr. I have i believe the 510 dvr with 100gb hd and it rocks!!!! Also have the old webtv dvr with 8 GB hard drive, it also works fine and is over 4 years old. This is the greatest thing ever invented. Also i have always had the everythign pak and when i got my 510 the monthly fee for pvr is free with the everything pack, that rocks!!!! The webtv reciever is a little goofy with its different appearance and functionality but works great. I love the 510 dvr because the title bars and promts look just like the other recievers and acts like one until you push the pvr button, then the fun starts. I have never had any problems with either of the two, which is amazing because they are basically computers, and computers crash every week. My pvrs have been rock solid and i wouldnt recommend anything else. Not sure what you guys are talking about with the software bugs, none here. Of course i am a computer guru and expect things to freeze and lockup, thats what they do. So if restarting the pvr every six months is looked at as a software flaw, thats rediculous, like i said im not sure what your so called "bugs" are.

Some posters will nitpick everything to death and make mountains out of molehills just for the love of complaining about things alone.