Ready to move to an HD/DVR. Why stay with Dish?

[timS]

I've been a Dish customer for about 3 years and love my 508. I am ready to move onto an HD/DVR and get the most out of my TV. No one can compare to my current DVR plan which only costs me $42 per month (no DVR fee). However, when I compare the costs to move to an HD/DVR, I can't see why I would stay with Dish.

Cable:

$72 per month
Includes HD/DVR, multiple rooms
Dual tuner/14 hours HD.

Dish:

$42 per month (current packaga)
$10 per month (HD)
$5 per month (DVR)
$5 per month (lease... I think)
$250 down for 942
Dual tuner/25 hours HD
Other charges?

Assuming that the Dish costs are accurate, it will cost me $10 per month less with Dish, but it will take 25 months to recoup the $250 up front costs. It is even worse if I consider the 921 for $500. I also have to purchase an OTA antenna and mess with wiring it. With cable, I could easily switch to the $72 per month plan for a year and then see what is available to me with Dish or DirectTV. No long-term investment in equipment. The multiple room option is also extremely appealing with cable. Isn't is $5 per month per receiver with Dish? If I want more than my one TV hooked up, I could be at the same cost as cable.
As I said, I've been a Dish subscriber for 3 years and generally enjoy the service/price. I just don't see them competing with cable with their current offerings. Can anyone give me good reasons to upgrade with Dish?

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

I guess you are moving to cable, well, I tried that a few weeks ago and they were pushing HD in 720P, not nearly as nice as Dish, As well, the Motorala HD DVR was as buggy as any dish stuff, and big delay in channel switching. I had mine for 6 hours, hope you have better luck. Cable companies do vary.

 

[korsjs]

it all depends on the cable company. i got a great deal on a bug free scientific atlantic 8300. works like a charm.

 

[Bruce]

I have never been happier since I left E* for Comcast a month ago, I left cable in 97 ( for D*, been with E* since 99) swore never to be back, but that crappy lease deal ( and a few more HD channels ) on the 942 drove me away.
Just check out your cable company, see if the analog channels are also in the digital spectrum ( they are here), how many HD channels, etc, etc.

 

[Zookster]

I unfortunatetly signed the 1 yr. contract with E* for an upgrade to an 811 in 12/04 thereby making myself inelegible to pay $250 for the privilege of leasing the already obsolete 942, whenever it comes out. I'm toying with minimizing my E* to AT60 and HD Pak and adding cable to get (on lease with no up front fee) an HD DVR NOW! I just discovered that with Cox's Limited Basic Service (or $12 Emergency Cable, as some call it), I can add an HD DVR with a digital cable gateway service for only $39 total. The downside is, I only get the networks, PBS, and the local sports channel in HD (not Universal, ESPN, or InHD). I'd have to subscribe to the Expanded Basic $40 service for that.

 

[ScottChez]

If the cable company does not Simulcast there Analog Channels 1-80 you will not be happy with there DVR solution.

To make the cable DVR work they had to convert the Analog into Digital and then record in on there HD so you can pause live TV. The turner they use for Analog is of a lower quality. The conversion also looses PIC quality for a double lost of Pic quality.

I would check this out before switching.

Like most, we all seem to watch mostly the popular channels and those are all on 1-80 on cable.