I have a few family members who have switched from dish to direct within the last 12 months. They insist that the pq is way better on direct. I havent been able to verify. Ive always thought dish had a slight edge, from what i read. Has something changed recently?
Dish pq vs direct
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I really think such opinions are usually self-fullfilling or placebo effect. I'd have to do (or see the results) of a blind ABX test to believe that anyone can really tell the difference.
I doubt there are any noticeable differences. HD OTA programming is better quality than satellite but I doubt many notice.
When moving to a totally new STB, it's usually necessary to make some adjustments to the TV's picture settings, if they have not done so.
I am a D* subscriber. My next door neighbor uses E*. We both have HD packages. He has a VIP722, and I have an HR24. I can't see any observable differences in PQ myself.
IN testing both services a few years back on hd channels on the same tv , I gave DIRECTV a slight edge on HD pq. Their SD sucked balls. Now the DISH hd was comparable and their SD channels were 10 times better. DISH also had more hd cable channels I actually watched over DIRECTV wwhich seems to be focused on nothing but sports. So DISH won in my house and I kicked Directv to the curb.
My girlfriend has d*and I have e* we both have the same hdtv and in my opinion only ji feel e* has a better picture. Plus I like the features of my dvr better. Along with more basic channels in hd.The only thing she has that I like is mlb network
I did an A/B comparison of the HD channels right after the DirecTV install. ViP622 versus HR24 plugged directly into the HDMI jacks of my plasma display. On every channel I checked, the difference was not subtle. DirecTV picture quality was noticeably better.
Try an A/B comparison on the same display. You'll be amazed. Need to update my sig.
Im watching on a calibrated 64". Dish is slightly softer than Directv, but Dish seems to have more vibrant color.
IMO, Directv looks better, and most people that switched have commented the same, but it's small. Where Dish suffers is the compression at times, and thats just because they are cramming too much on a TP IMO.
Id compare it to Vudu HDX and Blu-ray. HDX looks great, but if you watch bost, HDX is noticeably more soft than Blu-ray. But, its not a deal breaker because they both look good, one is just better. Its not a bad vs good thing.
IMO, Directv looks better, and most people that switched have commented the same, but it's small. Where Dish suffers is the compression at times, and thats just because they are cramming too much on a TP IMO.
Id compare it to Vudu HDX and Blu-ray. HDX looks great, but if you watch bost, HDX is noticeably more soft than Blu-ray. But, its not a deal breaker because they both look good, one is just better. Its not a bad vs good thing.
I did just that a few years ago. I had a JVC 61" HD-iLA rear projector at the time. There were differences between the two services in HD, but I wouldn't say one was noticeably better than the other, just different. In SD, Dish was very much better hands down.
The differences between D* and E*'s HD is more like the difference in how color is done between Windows and Mac OSX. With Windows being a bit more garish and intense in the color.
Edit: IMO, the differences are small enough that after a day or two with either service, you won't notice it being at all different.
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I love the Dish DVR. I also, at this point, think the Dish SD stuff is far cleaner than Direct. I am on Eastern Arc and I can only do A/B with Comcast and Dish HD makes Comcast look horrible. I would imagine Direct's HD is quite comparable to Dish (but that is an opinion, as I do not have Direct).
Content should be your only parameter in choosing between "D" and "E". If HD is your sweet spot then it boils down to more sports in HD ("D") vs. more national channels in HD ("E"). If you want both, then join the club. sigh!
The common assessment of those on this site and other sites whom have both services give Direct the slight edge but state the difference is subtle
I have a 58 inch Samsung Plasma. Have both DTV and Dish/ Dish's installed cuz if one gets under my skin I can jump back and forth. Had my buddy bring over his DTV receiver and I have a 722k same channels back and forth looks about the same to the naked eye any way.At least to us and the wife. Now if I use the OTA thru the receiver and straight into the TV. Well the Locals/HD with no STB are by far the best I can get. As far as SD, can say don't care. If it is not in HD I don't watch it. Kids do but everything I watch now on Dish I can see in HD as well as all my locals are in HD. Peace
I have both now at different homes. I think HD PQ on Direct is slightly better, but not to the point I think "oh wow" or feel I'm being cheated with Dish. I like Dish DVR best hands down for general viewing though- but that is a very subjective thing. Will probably go to all Dish at some point once D contract is up \(but I'm lazy and that may or may not ever happen).
So Im hearing that direct is better for sports, dish for all other programing. Pq MAY be slighty better on direct, but the dish interface is way better. Sound about right?
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