Thinking of switching to DTV

[ShawnB137]

Hello. I am a long time Dish customer, but have been contemplating switching to DTV. I am brand new to this site, and I am hoping I can get some feedback from the experts. Years ago (probably 10 years or more) I had purchased DTV equipment at Best Buy. I quickly learned that I should have purchased the equipment directly from the provider, but being new to satellite I was ignorant about the process. After a huge headache with DTV customer service, and a return to Best Buy, I was finally able to set up an install appointment. After a month and three cancelled appointments by the installer (which meant using 3 vacation days that I didn't have to) I cancelled DTV and went to Dish. I have been extremely happy with Dish; both their equipment and customer service. These days responsive, polite customer service seems to be hard to find.

My reasons for the proposed switch:

I currently have America's Top 250 plus HD for $79.99, HBO $13.00, Cinemax $13.00, Blockbuster that just appeared one day which runs me $10.00 per month and I have found no use for. My equipment is the VIP22K and VIP612, which gives me 3 TV's and two DVR's. My total bill is $138.99 per month. I will probably drop Blockbuster and Cinemax which will drop my bill to $115.99. $115.99 is still much more than I would like to spend.

At a glance, and being a potential new subscriber, it looks like I could save by switching to DTV. But is it worth it?

What really got me considering the switch was the potential for Dish to drop AMC etc. I almost switched a few years ago when they dropped my local sports channel. I do not watch a ton of sports, but aside from football, I rarely get to see the hockey or baseball teams I like on Dish. And I don't want to pay even more for the various sports packages. Like I said, I considered switching then, but never pulled the trigger. Now with the potential loss of AMC and other channels that I do watch, I am seriously considering a switch. Checking the various channel packages from both, I just can't seem to find one that covers all the channels I like to watch (unfortunately for me I enjoy some of the more obscure channels that tend to only be on the premier packages if at all. Fios is not an option where I live and Cable is just terrible. I spent the last few hours going through threads on this site and this looks like the place to go for advice.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Whether it be how to reduce my bill, opinions regarding quality of equipment of either company, customer service, the whole Hopper/Joey thing vs DTV's whole home system, or just which company is better overall. I realize I am asking a myriad of questions that are all over the place, but I just want to make an educated choice and figure that the people on this site are the best people to ask.

Thanks.

- Shawn

 

[darrengs]

Funny, I just went the other way, from a long time DTV subscriber to Dish, so here is my take on it. You will get the best deal that DTV, has to offer as a new subscriber, so you will save money in the short term and that is a good thing.

I had 1 HR21 HD DVR and 3 owned series 2 DTV Tivos, I had no issues with DTV until a change they made removed all local stations from my 3 owned series 2 Tivo units, that was over 2 months ago and from what I see on their own forums and others it is still not corrected. So after trying and failing to get it fixd DTV cancelled my service with less then 13 hours notice based, this was in response to my question asking about their cancellation policy. This prompted me to call Dish and order an install for the next day which was a Saturday. Now there was an issue with the install but with the help of this site and DiRT members I got it straightened out and all is great now. Funny thing is after DTV cancelled me they called and emailed me an offer to come back that would have not only solved my issue with the lost locals but would have made me happy to stay on with them for years to come, why they didn't offer this over the month I was talking to them is beyond me. But the fact that they cancelled me without me asking had left a pretty bad taste in my mouth, and I do not see myself returning.

Now I can tell you that based on my experience, the hardware, technology and support I got from Dish runs circles around what I experienced from DTV. I didn't realize how unresponsive my HR21 really was until using my Hoppers and Joeys, and having access to the DiRT members is an incredible asset. But if you want to save some money in the short term, and DTV has the channels/sports you want then if I were you I would most likely switch. But stick with DTV leased equipment and perhaps you won't get the run around if something goes wrong.

 

[Jimbo]

Welcome to the Site !

I would consider what Obscure channels you need and look at the rest of the line up to make my choice.
Programming is the Top concern for those changing services, are you getting the programming you need, in HD if available.

Equipment is very comparable, each does thier thing a little different, equipment is changing constantly.

You will be in a New Sub 2 year agreement when you sign with D*.

Get everything recvr wise when you sign up as you'll get the best price in the beginning, so if your thinking you might want an extra recvr, do it in the beginning.

 

[raoul5788]

Funny, I just went the other way, from a long time DTV subscriber to Dish, so here is my take on it. You will get the best deal that DTV, has to offer as a new subscriber, so you will save money in the short term and that is a good thing.

I had 1 HR21 HD DVR and 3 owned series 2 DTV Tivos, I had no issues with DTV until a change they made removed all local stations from my 3 owned series 2 Tivo units, that was over 2 months ago and from what I see on their own forums and others it is still not corrected. So after trying and failing to get it fixd DTV cancelled my service with less then 13 hours notice based, this was in response to my question asking about their cancellation policy. This prompted me to call Dish and order an install for the next day which was a Saturday. Now there was an issue with the install but with the help of this site and DiRT members I got it straightened out and all is great now. Funny thing is after DTV cancelled me they called and emailed me an offer to come back that would have not only solved my issue with the lost locals but would have made me happy to stay on with them for years to come, why they didn't offer this over the month I was talking to them is beyond me. But the fact that they cancelled me without me asking had left a pretty bad taste in my mouth, and I do not see myself returning.

Now I can tell you that based on my experience, the hardware, technology and support I got from Dish runs circles around what I experienced from DTV. I didn't realize how unresponsive my HR21 really was until using my Hoppers and Joeys, and having access to the DiRT members is an incredible asset. But if you want to save some money in the short term, and DTV has the channels/sports you want then if I were you I would most likely switch. But stick with DTV leased equipment and perhaps you won't get the run around if something goes wrong.

I suspect your local channels were removed because the original Tivos didn't do mpeg4.

 

[JUCJ85]

I haven't had Dish since 2009, so not sure on prices anymore, but what I pay now with DirecTV, I paid then with Dish, but without DVR and HD receivers/fees.

I would check to see what best suits you and your families needs. Channels wise.

I can's speak on HD and HD DVR receivers as I didn't have one with Dish, where I have 4 (2 HD and 2 HD DVR). But I do like the current setup.

 

[mdram]

the place you may save your money is secondary reciever fees
directv charges the same price whether is a dvr or a non dvr

but you will need one unit for each tv

i would suggest an hr34, hr24 and then regular units
this would allow you to record up to 7 shows

as for packages
get what has your stations in it
you didnt mention what station you want so we cant help with that

 

[Hutch1814]

I suspect your local channels were removed because the original Tivos didn't do mpeg4.

Software removed them. To reinstate them you had to plug a phone line in and force a download. It would typically take about 24 hours to see them restored on the receiver. People with no home phone and older TiVo receivers=no locals unless Directv set up a service call and we swapped the receiver out with an R series receiver

 

[raoul5788]

If he was referring to the hd channels, software won't help him. The older Tivos don't do mpeg4. He didn't say which locals were removed, so there is no way to tell which he meant.

 

[Hutch1814]

If he was referring to the hd channels, software won't help him. The older Tivos don't do mpeg4. He didn't say which locals were removed, so there is no way to tell which he meant.

This is true, I was just going on the old standard TiVo.

 

[darrengs]

This is true, I was just going on the old standard TiVo.

I was referring to series 2 SD Tivos. I tried getting software to upgrade for 3 weeks before giving up, now after some people have been without locals for 3 months or more they do seem to have the update back in the stream and downloading again. BTW it was all locals that we're gone.

 

[Hutch1814]

I was referring to series 2 SD Tivos. I tried getting software to upgrade for 3 weeks before giving up, now after some people have been without locals for 3 months or more they do seem to have the update back in the stream and downloading again. BTW it was all locals that we're gone.

Yeah I don't understand what happened to them myself. Did you have the phone line hooked up?

 

[ShawnB137]

Thanks to everyone for their input. It is greatly appreciated.
- Shawn