Dish or Direct?

[Mark]

Sorry, after reading through about 40 threads I can't make any better decision on picking Direct or Dish - maybe you guys can help if I explain.

I have no HD systems, don't really care about HD at this time.

I have a stand-alone DVR/DVRW unit, and it works well.

I have a nice HT system and a large Rear Projection TV (50+ Inch) and 3 other TV units.

I would like to get the DVR Option, but more important that all of those is being able to scroll through a listing by station and or time as to what is on any station and I would like to be able to do it from any TV.

I don't have the best location, ranch house facing E/W with a two-story on either side and trees on their property to the SW of my house. I think I would have to mount a dish on my roof, and I really don't like that idea.

I have been hearing that Dish (which seems to have the packages I want) has bad reception any any minor weather event.

The Dish 250 DVR package (2 x DVR), 250 Channels, no premium movie channels, some music, and 2 boxes for 4 TV units, seems like a good choice at $55/month - certainly better than my Time Warner Basic service at $50/month...

So, 2 TV's with DRV, 250 Channels, all TV with the 250 package, 1 sat dish, free install, 18 month contract - from DishNetwork seems like the best deal - but if the signal is crappy it won't seem like a deal.

I live in Delaware City, so, if any of you have it here in town, what exact direction/elevation is your dish pointing at and how is your reception 99% of the time?

[festivus]

I'm the guy complaining about the Dish reception all of the time. For example, remember the rain that we got late Friday night? Since you're in Delaware I'm assuming that you got the same rain that I did. My signal was out during that entire event. We just turned off the TV and went to bed.

But, I'll admit that others don't have the same issues that I have for some reason.

If I had to do it all over, I honestly don't know what I would do. Once my 18 month commitment is up I'll consider a switch to cable or to Direct TV but I've made no decisions. It's tough.

[Mark]

Do you consider it to be enough of a problem that you would switch "today" if you didn't have a 18/mo contract?

Without a box on T/W cable, I get about 65 channels, mostly crap, and I pay about $50/month. Direct seems expensive and has fewer options than Dish, but with Dish I can get 250 channels and 2xDVR (and 2 non DVR) for my non-HR TV's, and spend about the same - and I expect that means I'll get about 50 channels I might like, 200 that are crap or music....

Do you know what the root cause of your signal loss is?

I was looking on their site and there appear to be 3 or 4 sat's to pick from, all about 35 deg in elevation, 3 are near the same direction, one is way different...

[Robbiee19]

I don't know where you get your info, but Direct has the same as Dish and the plus for Direct are the sports packages they have. Just saw a flyer in the paper today with a good offer from Direct. Also come mid Sept. Direct will add a bunch of HD CH too. But I know Dish is going to add a bunch to there line-up very soon.

[festivus]

Well, as to whether I would switch today? Yes, I probably would. It's 12:40, a moderate rain is falling, and my signal has been in and out. But as you can tell I still have my TWC RR internet.

Problem is I just finished my basement and I need another 622 dvr. Commits me to yet another 18 months of bad reception. I'm going to ask today what another 622 will cost me without another 18 month commitment.

I would really miss the NFL Network though.

[Robbiee19]

festivus,

Sorry to hear about the rain fade. I didn't have any. I know you have had Dish out a couple of times, but still you should not have that many rain fades! Seems something else is wrong.

[FlyingJ]

Dish needs to be peeked!! I have DirecTV. Should be pretty much the same as far as rain fade goes. In Columbus, Ohio...Probably in last year a total of 20 minutes downtime. Has to really be coming down hard, then I have other problems like the basement flooding. Shouldn't be out that much, I would call them and ask a tech to check your system! As for the OP, if your not into the hD thing at all, then it is a toss up, unless you are a sports guy, then Direct is the clear winner.

[festivus]

The guy that did it last time claimed that it was as good as he could get it. And he actually remembered to tighten all of the adjustment bolts/nuts. Still, when I have some time I may call again to see if my signal strength is where it needs to be. Dish changed the signal meter recently so I don't know what is and isn't a good signal.

I've just gotten into the habit of tuning into a channel that I receive via antenna when the signal fades.

[Mark]

Well, after calling TW to tell them I was going Dish, they offered me HD with everything that I was going to get from Dish for what I was already paying for my Basic Cable TV service without any contract. They don't provide the HD cable, they only provide Comp Output cables, but I can get an HD cable for about $12 if the prices I see are right on the net.

Thanks for all of your guys feedback.

[posty-mcpost]

Well, after calling TW to tell them I was going Dish, they offered me HD with everything that I was going to get from Dish. They most certainly did not. Dish offers MANY more HD channels than TWC. Seriously that's insulting to Dish. Not to mention the 622 box you won't be getting, TWC's HD DVR is not even close.

[Mark]

I see that Dish offers more, but it also means that I have to put a dish outside my house, put up with sometimes outages, and that I have to deal with several other complications. At least with TV I know what to expect, don't have any bad experiences so far (20+ years at the same location), and no contract - so if I don't like it I can always go dish.

[FlyingJ]

I don't know where you get your info, but Direct has the same as Dish and the plus for Direct are the sports packages they have. Just saw a flyer in the paper today with a good offer from Direct. Also come mid Sept. Direct will add a bunch of HD CH too. But I know Dish is going to add a bunch to there line-up very soon.

Robbie, Dish, 6 in the next mont, probably it untill first quarter, 2008.
DirecTV 70, yup you heard me, 70, around mid September with about another 30 at the end of the year. Sat is up, getting into testing and heard today that some of those new HD channels are ones that have not been announced! There is going to be some very cool news coming soon!

[Robbiee19]

FlyingJ,
Yep I know. Just didn't want to get into a D* vs Dish debate with people. Just know that come mid Sept I will have alot more HD to watch and PQ will good too.