Just signed up for Dish.

Status
Please reply by conversation.
When I lose my discounts I would probably consider Dish as an option, but I would not want a provider that constantly drops networks and cannot give me my RSNs in full time HD. Being on the west coast Dish often has a lot of JIP games on the HD RSNs as well. This is why the only other option I would consider is FiOs.
 
Since Dish doesn't 'constantly drop networks' you're half right!! :)

The HD RSNs are certainly an issue with Dish for the big sports fans, but then Dish wasn't really ever the best choice for the sports diehards, imo.

I could and have switched providers between D* and E* a few times. Because of what I want to watch in HD, it isn't a huge deal to make the change. Biggest irritant with D* for me is not having BBCA in HD. Well, that and the poorly performing HRs I had, but the latest NR seems to have fixed my issues with them.

Being a boxing and golf fan, and not caring about other sports makes the switch just not a big deal. It can and often is, all about the benjamins!! :)
 

Thanks for that link, I hadn't seen that reported before. I was strongly considering changing to E* in August when my rebates expire because even after paying a $240 ETF at that time, I would save an additional $240 to put in my pocket. But this gives me reason to rethink that. I watch quite a few shows on AMC and wouldn't want to miss them.
 
I also appreciate the link.
Those are not channels that we watch, at least regularly, so they wont really have much of an impact in our house.
 
Well, I am a day into it, and while there are a few (hopefully) small issues, so far I can say that Dish has an impressive system in the Hopper/Joey setup.

The equipment, as anyone that has experience with Dish can tell you, is lightning fast. The HRs made big (although in some cases temporary) improvements in speed and response when they went with the HD UI, but the Dish equipment is still smoother. I must say though that I never had the 24 in my home, but I have used one, so my main experience with with the 20-23 models.

As far as PQ goes, I agree with those that say that the Hopper appears to offer better PQ than the VIP line. I am not sure what it does different, but it is noticable to my eyes.

That said, and I currently have Dish and D* hooked up side by side on the same set, D* still, IMHO holds a VERY SLIGHT lead in HD PQ. It is MUCH closer than what it was though, and if they were not side by side I most likely would not notice it. So, while there is an advantage, it is so slight that it would not be a deciding factor to me when choosing.

There are a few more mainstream HD channels with Dish, but fewer sports offerings, as you all most likely know. Most of the channels gained in the swap are not channels that I watched, so no real gain for me there. Some that I lost in HD, ESPNU and ESPN News are two that I did watch, so I already miss those. The others are Disney channels that my daughter watches, but she is four, so it is not a big deal there. She doesnt even know it.

I did find that some of the locals that I had in HD with D* are not in HD with Dish. I had not anticipated that. I do not mean that locals are not offered, I mean that all the locals that were in HD are not. In my market anyway.

I do not like the tuner managment with the Hopper so far, but that may have to do with my inexperience with it. It may turn out to be fine, but there are a few easy fixes that I feel could have been implemented to make it much more user friendly. We will see if this continues to annoy me.

I also am having a problem with internet connectivity, but hopefully DIRT will be able to help me there.


So all in all, I am pleased with the system considering the savings, and would be even if they were not in place.

Is it better than the D* way of doing MRV? In some ways yes. In other ways not so much.

Ill add more if and when I see the need to.
 
I looked at the system before it came out but I just couldn't get over the joeys not have tuners. I wasn't going to deal with the headaches and nightly battles over tuners.

I do understand that the savings works out for you, the savings I got for directv was the main reason I switched. The two dvrs with one having 5 tuners and gaining hd in two locations was just gravy on top. I will probably come back in 2 yrs if the pricing is right as I can really care less who provides the TV as I am not sat-racist.
 
Good to hear your experience is going good thus far. It was a bit of a change for me as well. But I am enjoying it. I went two hoppers/one Joey to avoid any possible tuner issues. When the hoppers can communicate with each other that will be a nice feature
 
Good to hear your experience is going good thus far. It was a bit of a change for me as well. But I am enjoying it. I went two hoppers/one Joey to avoid any possible tuner issues. When the hoppers can communicate with each other that will be a nice feature



I got frustrated last night and actually called Dish and ordered another Hopper to be installed tomorrow. Then I woke up this morning, and went online to cancel it. I figure I will give it more time to see if this will work out, and the way I have it figured, it should. Yesterday was a special case as the DVR had not populated with enough shows for my daughter so she was watching live tv, and her shows were recording taking up a second tuner while my wife was using the third in the living room. So when I went to turn on the bedroom tv I kicked my daughter off accidentaly.

I can not imagine that we will have that issue again as all of her shows record during the day when we are not home, she will be watching pretty much exclusively off of the DVR, and PTAT will take care of most of my wifes shows with one tuner. At most we will use the PTAT tuner, and one more for her shows (many of which will record during the day when we are gone from the food network and such) while we are home in the evenings, leaving one open at nearly all times.

If this becomes more of a hassle than it is worth, I will get a second Hopper. Maybe by then they will have them intergrated better. That would be great, and take away one of the big advantages D* has at the moment.
 
I looked at the system before it came out but I just couldn't get over the joeys not have tuners. I wasn't going to deal with the headaches and nightly battles over tuners.

I do understand that the savings works out for you, the savings I got for directv was the main reason I switched. The two dvrs with one having 5 tuners and gaining hd in two locations was just gravy on top. I will probably come back in 2 yrs if the pricing is right as I can really care less who provides the TV as I am not sat-racist.

Yeah, I am not sure how much savings of space and cost they got by leaving the tuners out of them. They are tiny boxes though.

I will be looking again as well. If I can get what I want without significant disadvantages, I do not care who it comes from.
 
Yeah, I am not sure how much savings of space and cost they got by leaving the tuners out of them. They are tiny boxes though.

I will be looking again as well. If I can get what I want without significant disadvantages, I do not care who it comes from.

Its not the boxes, its the implementation of the node that locked them into 3 tuners. There was no room on the coax left after switching in a whole polarity of the satellite 3 times along with the moca and band guards.
 
digiblur said:
Its not the boxes, its the implementation of the node that locked them into 3 tuners. There was no room on the coax left after switching in a whole polarity of the satellite 3 times along with the moca and band guards.

Aren't they working on that?

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys
 
I am receiving $54 dollars in discounts from D* off of my normal bill of 92.00. I have TC+, HDDVR, SD Receiver. I like D* but not for $92 a month. My family only watches a few channels which are available on Dish America for $35 + 6 for DVR. This August when my discounts expire I will switch to Dish if D* cannot discount their Entertainment Package to match Dish. Direct Tv needs to offer lesser priced packages. The $10 HD fee is nothing more than a junk fee.
 
Last edited:
digiblur said:
Don't think so, they just came out with the things.

I mean by implementing it where two hoppers can communicate wont that "fix" that problem more or less? What would it matter where the tuners are if you can have six to choose from? I may be wrong on what they are doing. New here. Lol.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys
 
I mean by implementing it where two hoppers can communicate wont that "fix" that problem more or less? What would it matter where the tuners are if you can have six to choose from? I may be wrong on what they are doing. New here. Lol.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

I was talking about only having 3 tuners for each side of the node. I keep hearing they are working on the two hoppa setup though.
 
Well, got the Internet problem fixed. It was a setting in the router, so not a dish problem. Still it is a problem that most techs wouldn't be knowledgable on I would wager.


One of my main problems down.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys
 
Status
Please reply by conversation.
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)

Latest posts