Please stop me from going to Dicectv

[Ronnie-]

Could be that something isnt hooked up right! I do have to agree that Dish's sd is better than directs.

Generally I agree. However since I got a new living room tv, I am having a harder time saying that (it looked a bit better on my older, now bedroom plasma). I have some more playing around with the picture to do, maybe it is just the settings on the different inputs.

 

[grb]

The only thing that has kept me from seriously considering switching to D* is the HD Only package that I now get from E*. With locals, it costs me only $48/month with 622 lease and DVR fees. However, I may switch anyway if E* doesn't come up with some way to sell me the two RSN's for L.A. This is what I miss most -- I don't miss the rest of the "America's Top 250" SD channels.

Also, I would like to see some additional HD channels "soon". So far, there have been only eliminations from the HD package (Big 10 and alternates).

Over the past 12 years, I have had both D* and E* twice, so I won't hesitate to switch again if E* doesn't get their act together "soon". And Charlie needs to get all the RSN's in HD. NHL Center Ice on Dish has had pathetic HD coverage this season, whereas I understand D*'s has been great.

 

[shodobe]

Could be that something isnt hooked up right! I do have to agree that Dish's sd is better than directs.

Doesn't matter. I had many baseball games in HD last year on Direct and they were very good. I look at both OTA locals and thru Direct and the HD is very poor. I also look at both on my Dish and it looks fantastic. Everybody is different and for me I wouldn't go to Direct if it was free. I would pay Dish for their prgramming so I would get a good picture, not a washed out version.

 

[yaz96]

 

[Ronnie-]

Doesn't matter. I had many baseball games in HD last year on Direct and they were very good. I look at both OTA locals and thru Direct and the HD is very poor. I also look at both on my Dish and it looks fantastic. Everybody is different and for me I wouldn't go to Direct if it was free. I would pay Dish for their prgramming so I would get a good picture, not a washed out version.

That leads me to believe that it was hooked up incorectly. What cables were you using for both setups?

 

[kvnfl]

Your link also hasn't been updated in over 6 months:Reviewed on 10/3/06 Updated on: 7/24/07 Release date: 9/1/06 : and only 88 people reviewed the 622/722.

The differences between the HR20 and "new" HR21 include color change and fewer outputs. The software remains the same. The user reviews are the only thing worth a grain of salt. There are many recent user reviews.

 

[Ronnie-]

The differences between the HR20 and "new" HR21 include color change and fewer outputs. The software remains the same. The user reviews are the only thing worth a grain of salt. There are many recent user reviews.

He didnt say that the Hr-21 had any major differences, however the software has been updated to a point where the score could be considerably higher if the ratings were done from today on. The box is considerably different today than when it was released

 

[wolfjc]

The only thing that has kept me from seriously considering switching to D* is the HD Only package that I now get from E*. With locals, it costs me only $48/month with 622 lease and DVR fees. However, I may switch anyway if E* doesn't come up with some way to sell me the two RSN's for L.A. This is what I miss most -- I don't miss the rest of the "America's Top 250" SD channels.

Also, I would like to see some additional HD channels "soon". So far, there have been only eliminations from the HD package (Big 10 and alternates).

Over the past 12 years, I have had both D* and E* twice, so I won't hesitate to switch again if E* doesn't get their act together "soon". And Charlie needs to get all the RSN's in HD. NHL Center Ice on Dish has had pathetic HD coverage this season, whereas I understand D*'s has been great.

Over on DBStalk you should read some of the complaints about Center Ice on D*
cutting off games before they are finished, missing the OT/shootout because the time had expired, not carrying the HNIC full broadcast.
Also in one case D* did NOT carry the Colorado game in HD and E* did.
So just check up over there before you decided that D* coverage of CI is better than E*'s

 

[shodobe]

That leads me to believe that it was hooked up incorectly. What cables were you using for both setups?

HDMI on both. Like I said this is the same connections I had last year for baseball and got great HD games on Direct so the connections are OK. It is the so-called HD that Direct isn't delivering on the Mega package. I think it is the feeds that CBS is giving them and not entirely their fault. I just hope that the games on the MLBEI that are supposed to be HD ARE HD.

 

[TRSmudge]

Here is what I have been thinking for some time now......

1) I love Dish for their receivers (HD OTA)
2) I envy the Direct guys for all the HD
3) I "believe" Charlie will match Direct HD "soon"

The question you need to ask yourself is this.....
How long will you wait?
For me, I will not switch for a few channels which Charlie might get soon, and in return get a crappy receiver.

Personally I am very surprised Charlie has waited this long to catch up. In fact even allow Direct to take the lead. Most of us on this board are up to date on what and when things are possibly going to happen. But take the "average Joe" out there. He doesn't have a clue to whats really going on in terms of future plans for either. All he probably sees is the Girl telling him to listen for the next 60 seconds and that Direct has the most HD. I just can't believe Dish continues to allow this to happen.....

Maybe this is why Dish stock is $2 off it's 52 week low and Direct is $2 off it's 52 week high?

 

[dishcomm]

Stop You? I will probably be joining you. No new HD channels since about November. They took the Big Ten away from me this week. Unless Charlie tells his legal team to start signing contracts with the National HD channels, we will not see any of those ( soon, maybe) channels that were mentioned on the last Charlie Chat any time soon. Dish has four of my locals in HD. Direct has at least 6. Let’s see, raise my rates in February, then not add but take away channels in March. They are really making it hard not to jump ship. If they would add at least 2 or 3 quality HD channels by Wednesday night, not only will I stay, but I will upgrade to a VIP722, with the 24 month commitment. If not I will be ordering Direct TV on Thursday

you lost BTN even though you live in a state with a Big Ten Conference member? That stinks. And adds to the mystery of which areas should get BTN....

 

[grb]

Over on DBStalk you should read some of the complaints about Center Ice on D*
cutting off games before they are finished, missing the OT/shootout because the time had expired, not carrying the HNIC full broadcast.
Also in one case D* did NOT carry the Colorado game in HD and E* did.
So just check up over there before you decided that D* coverage of CI is better than E*'s

My comment was directed toward the amount of HD coverage on D* vs. E*. I have heard that D* has all the RSN's in HD and therefore has far more CI games in HD.

I wasn't aware that D* had cut off games early, although E* has been guilty of that a few times as well. But if I were to have a game cut off early, I would prefer that the part I got to see was in HD...

 

[sA :: Shaggy]

ok heres a reason... I was able to mess w/ DTV for a lil while at my uncles house.. I have had Dish for 11 yrs at my house.. I only have one thing to say about it..

THE MENUS SUCK SOOOOOOO MUCH.

It took me damn near the entire day just to find out how to change the guide to only see wat he got, and I had to keep changing the menu to see "only hd" every time you go to the guide.

The only reason I went to "HD" was so I could figure out wat was in HD. The labels SUCK

Oh and the channel orders make even Less since.

give dish another month. Cant hurt to wait a month. (also at this point i would do anything and everything to avoid contracts things change to fast to be in a 2 yr commitment)

 

[jokeworm]

they only suck because you are not used to them - I've had directv 4 days now and in my opinion .. the guide is much easier for me to read and navigate than the one on my 622 was.

if it took you all day to figure it out - maybe you were just mashing the remote - or you are unable to read ... it took me around 5 mins with remote in hand - without reading the guide to figure out how to navigate - you press guide . it tells you "for guide options press yellow" - you press yellow and it gives you option to view all channels .. only what you get ... or one of your custom setups. Once set - that is the guide that sticks .. until you change it again.

No idea why you had to keep going in and changing things around - must be all of that mashing on the remote

You can skip to a date or time at any point in the future .. not just skip ahead one day at a time ... but to a date and time in the guide.

You can read the menu much easier too - my dish menu always hung right at the bottom of the screen so the last line was difficult to read ... directv menu is not scrunched at the bottom of the screen which makes it easier to read.

channel order is much more intuitive than Dish's setup in my opinion.

(9000+ for Hd - why?)

I've got no bias one way or the other .. the 622 was a better bit of hardware because of the OTA and ability to record three things at once not just two and the tv2 output ... but in my opinion the software/guide/on-demand-media player blows the 622 out of the water.

I'm just sorry i waited so long to switch ... as i have said many times in the past though - what may be good for one person - may not be good for another person ... only the OP can decide what is best for him/her. But from someone who has now used both systems - very recently .. in my opinion the guide/menu/navigation on the HR-21 is much better and easier for me (and more importantly for my wife) to use.

 

[mattopia]

I only have one thing to say about it..

THE MENUS SUCK SOOOOOOO MUCH.

It took me damn near the entire day just to find out how to change the guide to only see wat he got, and I had to keep changing the menu to see "only hd" every time you go to the guide.

I agree with you! I'm sure it takes some getting used to. My grandma has DTV (albeit SD) and even as a smart guy I had a hard time getting used to it. Of course, I had a hard time at first going from TiVo to the 722 until I figured out where everything was.

 

[cebbigh]

I switched in October. Since that time I've had no nagging issues that I could consistently gripe about because the signal is always there for me and I get all the channels I want. And if I did, I couldn't blame Charlie anymore. I'm forced to admit I'm happy with my service. What's the fun in that?

 

[MikeD-C05]

The thing I hate about Directv's guides and menus is that the response to every command by the remote contol is SLOWWWWWWW. There is a 2 second delay instead of instantaneous with DISH remote commands. THere is also the sound drop outs when you skip back and forward with DIRECTV . BUt you can't beat the hd selection with DIRECTV .

 

[rad]

The thing I hate about Directv's guides and menus is that the response to every command by the remote contol is SLOWWWWWWW. There is a 2 second delay instead of instantaneous with DISH remote commands. THere is also the sound drop outs when you skip back and forward with DIRECTV . BUt you can't beat the hd selection with DIRECTV .

Have you tried getting a replacment box yet since you're HR20 isn't supposed to hang every morning like you say yours does?

 

[darrencp22]

Have you tried getting a replacment box yet since you're HR20 isn't supposed to hang every morning like you say yours does?

I know two people with D* who have the same issues... my main reason for having no interest in switching. If "it is not supposed to do it", it sure seems to be common.

 

[rad]

I know two people with D* who have the same issues... my main reason for having no interest in switching. If "it is not supposed to do it", it sure seems to be common.

And did they try to get a new box? Scott was also not happy with the performance of his HR20 and finally called and got a replacement, now he's happy, check http://www.satelliteguys.us/directv-forum/128168-i-am-sorry.html . From Scott's post:

The speed difference and stability of this unit is WORLDS ahead of how my old unit acted. I am VERY impressed with the HR20 now and as of late have been doing more of my TV watching with my HR20 then with my Dish Network system.

So unless you've actually taken steps to get the box replaced how do you know that's the way it's supposed to be?