Need advice on HD service

[mrschwarz]

I currently am on Dish network, I just bought a 1080P HD TV and am researching the service I should sign up for. The easiest thing to do is trade my Dish SD DVR for an HD DVR, pay the increased fee and move on.

I tried researching FIOS TV, but I am one of the unlucky ones who has internet without a land lines. After spending more than an hour on hold and dealing with people that didn't have access to enough information, I couldn't get some very simple questions answered. In addition, apparently no one ever wants their service on the weekend (you know, the time when many of us aren't at work). I reluctantly have had to give up on them.

I suppose I could go with local cable, but with my experience with Comcast before they had one price increase too many, I am not going down that road. We now have Time Warner, but I tend to paint all cable companies with the same brush.

The only other alternative is Direct TV. Is the picture noticeably different between Dish and Direct? Are there any other benefits to Direct?

I have a Dish 522 DVR which is very well integrated into my home. I utilize the two TV sets feature and would miss not having it. I also have an old Tivo series one (with lifetime subscription) which I am still using occasionally.

Has anyone else faced this dilemma?

Thanks in advance for your response.

 

[tigerfan33]

If you are going to feed your tv hd and want to stay with Dish. Feb 1 is suppose to be the date they come out with a hd only pack for $30+$5 for locals. No sd. I would wait until next week to see how that shapes up. As for as Direct, they have more hd right now. So if you are inpatient like most of us, you probably want Direct. Some people have said the hd pq is better than Dish but the sd sux like Dish.

 

[mrschwarz]

Thanks for the response. If I sign up this week, I could downgrade next week, if I wanted. This week, I need an 18-month commitment for a 722. I have read that next week, it will increase to 24 months. I would pay the $5 for a shorter commitment time.

Do you agree? Does anyone else have an opinion on the difference in picture quality between Direct and Dish?

 

[JH1949]

.....Is the picture noticeably different between Dish and Direct? .....

Did you read Scott's review ?

http://www.satelliteguys.us/satellite-dish/108615-directv-launches-21-hd-channels.html