I am sceduled to switch to Dish tomorrow, but am having some second thoughts after reading some of the posts. A lot of people say Direct TV has a better picture quality that do not compress as much as Dish. I would appreciate your opinions. Who has the better picture?
Who has better Picture Quality Direct TV or Dish?
- Thread starter Hawkeyee
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Hawkeyee said:
Both services over compress the picture. Some channels look better on D* some better on E*. Choose the service that provides the programming and equipment that best fits your needs and don't sweat the other stuff
NightRyder
I swithced from DirecTv to Dish because of the free (leased) HD equipment that Dish was offering at the time and generally found that the standard definition (non HD) pic quality from Dish was better than it was from DirecTv when viewed on a RPTV HD Tv.
On a std. direct view Tv, the pic quality seemed about the same but I think that DirecTv's receivers have fewer bugs.
On a std. direct view Tv, the pic quality seemed about the same but I think that DirecTv's receivers have fewer bugs.
new_to_hdtv said:
On my Hitachi (4X3) 50-inch TV, DirecTV channels look GREAT!! On my Aunt and Uncle's RCA (4X3) 61-inch TV, Dish Network looks grainy and just unattractive. On my cousin's and her husbands old RCA (4X3) 50(?)-inch TV, the picture looked better than my Aunt and Uncle's TV. The differences are considerable...however, I must say that on my Uncle's 20(?)-inch Apex in his garage, TV Land came in looking considerably less digital looking than on mine. I think it really depends on who is looking at the picture, what TV, and what channel you're looking at.
~Alan
Alan Gordon said:
Your description is like walking into a Dept store looking at the TVs and then purchasing based on what one looks the best. First off a 50 inch TV will PQ will look better than a 60 inch the picture is not being blown up as much. Also where the connections the same? I saw a 60" GWII on Tweeters on day hooked up to a 700 doller DVD player with a picture that looked like crap. When I looked futher I saw it was hooked up as composite. What a waste!!
That is way buying a TV based on how it looks on the floor is a bad idea at best. Who are very right that it depends a lot on the TV and channel. There is a lot of factors that go into PQ: Quality of TV, Picture Size, how far you are from the TV , connection from the receiver to the box etc, video stream quality etc. You can also add in what content the person is watching at a given time and also the channel they are watching.
PQ is very subject and in my opinion there are so many factors that this question really cannot be answered to any level of accuracy. By the way, with at 20" TV both Dish and DirectTV should look great.
IMHO, this question will never be answered.. To subjective and too many variables.
What I have been told by ex-Dish installer:
D* uses MPEG 1.5 (MPEG 1 with software tweak)
E* uses MPEG 2
V* uses MPEG 2 but scheduled to goto MPEG 4 (more channels with same PQ on same transponders) this fall.
DVD = MPEG 2
Thus technically Dish has better compression PQ with MPEG 2. D* cannot improve without causing millions of consumers to replace hardware. Ouch! So, E* should be better than D*. The trend that I see in the forums is that E* better than D* with side by side comparisons.
D* uses MPEG 1.5 (MPEG 1 with software tweak)
E* uses MPEG 2
V* uses MPEG 2 but scheduled to goto MPEG 4 (more channels with same PQ on same transponders) this fall.
DVD = MPEG 2
Thus technically Dish has better compression PQ with MPEG 2. D* cannot improve without causing millions of consumers to replace hardware. Ouch! So, E* should be better than D*. The trend that I see in the forums is that E* better than D* with side by side comparisons.
I have BOTH systems here through the same tv using the same method, I prefer the DirecTV picture! its just my opinion,I am an INDEPENDANT installer installing a lot of different satellite systems, check all the channels before you sign off, if it looks shabby tell them to take it away! Then go DirecTV!
I thought he was a DirecTV AND Dish installer. If that's the case, his opinion might be quite valid.
GaryPen said:
No mention of E* on his site. Also went through some of his posts. There's a definite D* bias there. While this in itself doesn't invalidate his opinion, it causes me to question his sincerity and motives.
http://www.psbsatellite.com/
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=16049
NightRyder
I -just- switched from a DirectTivo to a 522 (yes I read all the forums, I have my reasons).
I have been very pleased with the picture quality of E* vs D*. Overall I would say that for me (meaning the channels I watch) E* has a slight edge in picture quality.
I don't think you will regret your choice. But as many here will tell you it is a good idea to let both of them run for a week before you make up your mind and cut one loose.
I have been very pleased with the picture quality of E* vs D*. Overall I would say that for me (meaning the channels I watch) E* has a slight edge in picture quality.
I don't think you will regret your choice. But as many here will tell you it is a good idea to let both of them run for a week before you make up your mind and cut one loose.
NightRyder said:
You could very well be right about his motives being financial. But, the only commercial mention I saw on his site regarding DirecTV was a link to a different independant DirecTV dealer.
Couldn't his DirecTV bias also be from his experience with both companies' service and equipment? He wouldn't be the first, you know.
GaryPen said:
Well I popped over to the site and I got the same impression as Ryder did. The fact that there was no mention of Dish in the Ad makes me think he does not do Dish installs. Wonder if he does. The fact that the post tends one to believe he does both and if he doesnt makes one wonder the motive. However, as I stated earlier I don't think there is a answer here and in most situations it does not really matter. I would base my decision on other personal factors such as cost, programming and equipment.
I have learned that the biggest impact is the TV and it's settings and the signal quality. Stronger signals mean less drop outs and less pixelation. There are so many different variables that it is very possible that they both have the same quality in different situations.
Before I joined this forum I thought my E* picture was quite mediocre, but after reading several postings about setting up your TV and checking signal quality and several other little tweaks that I have now found that most poor pictures are operator error yes thats right I just admitted that this forum has made me realize how uneducated I was when it came to TV's and Satellite signals.
So in closing I really believe that on a well Tuned 50" TV (Toshiba FP HD ready Theater Wide 16x9) both E* and D* will look great.
If you read any of my posts you can see that I am an E* customer, but if the price was right or the equipment was right I would drop E* to go to D* in a heartbeat. Thats just my 2 cents
Before I joined this forum I thought my E* picture was quite mediocre, but after reading several postings about setting up your TV and checking signal quality and several other little tweaks that I have now found that most poor pictures are operator error yes thats right I just admitted that this forum has made me realize how uneducated I was when it came to TV's and Satellite signals.
So in closing I really believe that on a well Tuned 50" TV (Toshiba FP HD ready Theater Wide 16x9) both E* and D* will look great.
If you read any of my posts you can see that I am an E* customer, but if the price was right or the equipment was right I would drop E* to go to D* in a heartbeat.
Thats just my 2 cents
I like all things SATELLITE, Dishnetwork included, I like the fact that they have alot of programming in the clear and thus FTA, its a big selling point for FTA systems (my main interest) DirecTV can never offer that with their rushed out system. As a state licensed "Technology Systems Contractor/Power Limited Technician" I install MANY different satellite (and cable "spit") systems including....DirecTV, Dishnetwork, VoOM certified, Direcway, Starband (certified, forgot to put that on my web site thanks) FTA systems, homeschool systems, and a few more less popular services.....(I have the latest satellite identification meter , if I only installed DirecTV a simple beeper would do : ) ) I can assure you I am completely independent, anything else would be crazy in satellite installation. I offered my opinion as someone who has both pictures in front of me nothing more, I am happy to install any system for any person at any time, I am not affiliated with any of the two big DBS providers. As for the link to an online DirecTV retailer I really believe that this is the best way to buy a DirecTV system if you are a first time buyer, its a win, win, win, win situation its cheaper for the customer (free sometimes) they get a free DVD player, they also get free advise from a licensed professional on upgrades and support (email or they can call), I don't know of any on line retailers that do the same for Dishnetwork, if you do PLEASE let me know and I will add them to my web site. Another reason I use this retailer is that can also install systems for them for customers in my area, meaning customers deal with one person for the sale, install, service and future upgrades of their satellite system, I ALWAYS say to customers to play the two big boys off each other for the best deal, and I am sorry my answer to the question did not please you, thanks for visiting my web site and I am happy to be able to announce that I also install Dishnetwork, have done hundreds of them and have the meter/license..... that most Dishnetwork installers dont have! I install ALL satellite systems with the same pride and to local and NEC code, or not at all!
Have both, some channels better on one than other on sd, cannot comment on hd as I only have E*hd.
I have dishnetwork and I get a dvd quality picture thru my 301 recievers.They offer mpeg 2 picture quality.The place I work at has direct tv and it doesn't look as sharp and crisp and at times snowy although it could be there satellite is having issiues that's just what I notice.
