622 and 722 are fantasic working receivers. 612 is very good as well. I've had over 1 year to compair HD DVR's from E* and D* and E* IMO is the best receivers I've ever had. E* IMO though has PQ issue that don't sit real easy with me right now. Most of the E* satellites are old,and some are failing. D* satellite fleet are in very good shape ,lots of newer satellites and a much better stable PQ and a much better Mpeg 4 HD PQ. If I had to choose 1 provider ,, I can't really say anymore who I'd rather choose. I like D* customer service, which is good since Problems with receivers made me call D* 7 times since July of last year. I hate E* customer service, But I've only called then 3 times , but for billing mistakes Not repairs. I've had much less problems with D* since I've trashed my H20. You do whats right for you. I don't care how great everyone thinks their Equipment is, Its how you think it is.
ZDNet Article "DirecTV... Make Products Work"
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This is intersting !!!
DISH will have as many HD channels as D* by January, thats cool, the more the better
I did not realixe that I could get the same programming options with DISH as I do with D* and pay LESS money. (you just said that they would catch up with D* in HD channels in January, how can I do that now ?)
When is DISH going to have the MLB EI package in HD ? If I recall, they could have it right now, but they were too cheap to give it as an option for thier subs.
They must not like thier subs much.
D* doesn't have as many movie channels as DISH, but they are adequate, they do have them. and in HD, more depending on which movie channels you prefer.
DISH also could have had the NFL Sunday Ticket available to thier subs had they wanted to put out the money back in the day, but they and many others didn't want to...
Thats why D* has the exclusive rights to the ST.
Look, I want as many HD channels as the next guy without degrading the signal quality.
D* just said they will have 130 HD by the end of summer, thats great, the others will now have something to shoot for as well.
For years when I sell D* and DISH it was, if you want Soprts get D* if you want Movies get DISH, pretty simple that way.
As I have mentioned many times here, IF I have 30 channels that I watch regularly, and they are ALL HD, thats all I need, I could care less about the other 100 HD that I don't watch.
No one watches every channel up there, if the channels YOU watch are in HD and in good quality signal, what more is there ?
Jimbo
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This is good news for DISH /Echostar and Sling.
The only problem I have with what you mentioned is the technologies that made DISH DVR's so good was the TIVO technology NOT E's (Echostar), DISH and TIVO no longer want to play together, so this would mean that DISH/ E* would have to start from scratch , just as D* did.
Hopefully for them, SLING has some DVR technology that is working well for them, or it may be a very trying time for DISH to come up with thier own DVR as well.
Jimbo
The HR-20 is just a brutally bad piece of equipment. Typically, the only users who like it have never experienced another provider. I have only missed one recording, but it's just so clunky and slow and needs a reboot about once a week. D* is really smart to require 2 year contracts. I have another 6 months and I can happily head back to E* or Comcast.
Curious, I reboot mine once a week for the typical CE update, but thats MY choice, outside of that, I can't remember the last time I had to do a reboot .
The local cable co.s DVR's are very basic and hard to get around, I don't care for the way they work thier program guide either. I think they are Motorola's but I don't know what model they are.
Jimbo
About once every 2-3 weeks my HR 20 need a reboot. Mainly Game lounge issues or audio issues. Not that big of a deal. If the power goes out and my eithernet is plugged in that causes problems as well. The receiver won't start up ,unless I unplug the ethernet and unplug the power cord and reboot it again. Then I can plug Ethernet back in.
To be fair, I've never experienced a Dish HD DVR, because I don't know anybody with a Dish HD system as they have basically decided against competing in the Las Vegas market (missing SD locals, no HD locals).
Your claim that the only users who like it have never experienced another provider is easily debunked:
My HR20 blows away the Scientific Atlanta HD DVR that Cox uses. I subjectively prefer DirecTV interface and, by any objective basis, the DirecTV DVR is more responsive. I also prefer overall feel of VOD on DirecTV to Cox. The interface is better (VOD channel screens and triple tap program search beat the pants off of bland nested lists for me). There are more VOD selections over all, and that makes up for the current absence of HBO and HowardTV for me. Queuing might annoy some, but at least it's always been reliable for me, which is more than I can say for the crapshoot that is whether a Cox VOD selection will decide to play at any given time.
These Motorola receiver Suck! Nothing worse I've seen yet. Even the SD standard boxes are junk.
Echostar has filed another lawsuit against TIVO, to try and gain approval to use their new DVR technology. Don't know if they will win, only time will tell. -----> DISH / EchoStar keep fighting back, sue TiVo again over DVR patent - Engadget
As someone mentioned, E* has added a lot more HD channels now. They accomplished this by dropping the VOOM channels. The problem with E* is exactly what you mentioned Jimbo, minimal sports coverage in HD. My main reason wanting D* is all the sports channels they have in HD: NHL Center Ice Pkg, NHL Net, NFL Net and all the regional sports channels (which feed the Center Ice Pkg) . E* can't compare and neither can cable.
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You may think I'm crazy, but I like the Motorola DCH6416 DVR that TWC uses. I like the program guide they use and the responsiveness of paging forward and back. The thing I don't like is when they are downloading to it or you are recording 2 programs, it gets sluggish. You have to wait a few seconds after pressing buttons on the remote.
Also, when they start going bad, it will start telling you its 100% full, when it’s only 50%. So at that point, it is similar to the problems some D* users experience with the HR21 not recording properly. Although with TWC, you call them and they come out and swap it for free. With D*, I guess adding the $7/mo service contract will cover it, you just have to swap it out and ship it back yourself. Not a big deal for me.
The other concern for me when dropping TWC is losing my cablecards. I have a card in both of my plasmas and they both have PIP & POP that I do use. I use the DVR for one input and the cablecard for the other. It’s great for keeping up with two games at the same time.
A cablecard also makes it easier for my wife, who is technologically challenged. With a cablecard, she can simply use the TV remote to get every cable channel. The only thing you lose is the DVR feature and you can't get the "On Demand" channels. Guess she will have to learn how to use my Harmony remote, because I want my sports in HD.
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I actully considered keeping cable and adding E* with the "Dish HD Absolute" package for $30/mo. It gives you 45 HD channels and no SD. The problem is they don't have the HD sports channels that I want. I could add the regional sports package, but they only have a few channels in HD. And since they don't carrry MLB anymore, it makes me wonder if they will offer NHL Center Ice this fall.
I'm seriously considering adding the E* HD Absolute package as well, with no locals and DVR service just because I can.
Dish may be cheaper on their base package but they nickle and dime you to death. I had Dish and I am actually paying about $15 less per month for my Directv service without any discounts.
The price is very dependent on what you want. For some Dish is cheaper and for others it is Directv. I suggest the OP do research form themselves to see which option is cheaper for what they want.
Jason at ZDNet solved his problem
Bad LNB. All is now well. Article here:
DIRECTV: Well HERE’s Your Problem, Ma’am… | Tech Broiler | ZDNet.com
Bad LNB. All is now well. Article here:
DIRECTV: Well HERE’s Your Problem, Ma’am… | Tech Broiler | ZDNet.com
Excellent news! Makes me feel better about switching to D* this fall. I'm waiting until then because I'm not interested in the current NFL Ticket offer which runs through 9/30/08. My father in law has the ticket, so I watch the games with him on Sundays. Unfortunately he only has an SD receiver, but its better then not seeing the games I want to watch. Hopefully in October, they will run the $23 discount for 12 months offer again. And maybe the HR23 will be out by then, which should eliminate the possibility of a BBC issue.
Generally speaking, the BBC's are not the issue, if you need extra's I have a few and you can go to the D* website and they will send them to you free of charge as well.
Jimbo
Its ludicrous for people to still be complaining about the HR20. Yeah, When I got it in Sept of 06, it sucked and the OTA did not work. They've since turned it into a damn fine dvr.
It is a pretty good box. I have an HR20 & HR21. My only complaint is that the HR20 periodically "forgets" that it has 2 tuners. ie. try watch a second channel while 1 show is recrding. I have never been able to figure out what causes this, but is resolved by rebooting it. Only happens sporadically fortunately.
I had the HD only pack with Dish and they won't let you add the RSN pack or even give you your local RSN, like Fox Sports WEst, if you want those you have to have the more expensive packages.
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