After, lemme think, 11 years... leaving Dish. Not a brag thread - just info and saying good bye her

[Muckrak3r]

Hey all. I have been a loyal and happy customer for most of the 11 year relationship I have had with Dish Network. For the longest time they had the best equipment and pricing. When I got my 722 Vip it was late-breaking and cutting edge. Now it's old hat. Also, the total lack of 3D content is something that I can't handle any longer. I have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for Dish to get 3D stuff. (if you want to go all stalker, feel free to go through my previous posts on this site and see for yourself). But after having a 3D tv for 2 years now, I decided to maximize the value of the 3D tv purchase by getting... 3D content!

I know it's all roses and glory for new customers, and that's it. It's that way with cellphone companies as well. Roll out the carpet for the noobs with discounts and great gear. Put existing customers on the back burner. Anyways, my Dad got a 3D tv recently and has been going on non-stop about the 3D content on DirecTV. So I decided to investigate. The HR34 (HMC) "whole home DVR" that they have is absolutely stunning. Record 5 shows at once, send 1080P to your TV's, record 200 hours of HD (without adding an external hard drive), and of course, it has 3D channels. They discount $10/month for myself and my Dad for providing his account number as a referral (which he was a legit referrer), $5/month off for auto-pay, $5/month off for providing our email address (that we already provided lol), and $5/month off for 24 months because I told them I would have to pay Dish $60 for the ETF. So lots of discounts to go on top of our introductory pricing to make it even sweeter (for now). I'm sure by the time the 2 year contract with Direct is up, Dish will have superior hardware again, and great discounts for "new" customers. For the near future though, the DirecTV 5 tuner receiver is ballin' - and I gotta have my 3D.

Peace out ya'll - this has been an excellent and helpful forum through the years with Dish. I am already posting on the DirecTV side and hope there are just as good of folks over there.

 

[MaryB@SlingTV]

We are always sorry to lose long standing customers. Hopefully in 2 years we can get the opportunity to win back your buisness! We wish you nothing but the best in the future! Wishing you and your family a safe and happy New Year!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

There is no perfect choice, you got to go with the company who gives you what you want, and in this case it's DIRECTV. So I am sure you will be happy with your choice.

 

[Muckrak3r]

We are always sorry to lose long standing customers. Hopefully in 2 years we can get the opportunity to win back your buisness! We wish you nothing but the best in the future! Wishing you and your family and safe and happy New Year!

Thanks Mary B. - nothing Dish did wrong (other than not having 3D content). I just got lured away by introductory pricing and equipment (existing DirecTV customers can't even get the new DVR unless they buy it full price from a stand-alone retailer) and 3D so I can say I am keeping up with my Dad!

There is no perfect choice, you got to go with the company who gives you what you want, and in this case it's DIRECTV. So I am sure you will be happy with your choice.

Thanks Scott - you have always been super helpful on this forum.

 

[wyattwd]

The GUI is problematic for me, too.

 

[Tampa8]

Probably the best choice for you.
Someone who works with my wife switched to Direct TV for similar reasons, (not 3D, but for the whole home) and yesterday paid alot to get out of it. Seems his wife was not told two of her favorite channels are not in HD, and they don't carry another at this time. He also assumed he would get NFL Zone, but found out only if you get the NFL package.
All his fault though, not Direct TV, he never asked. Just as everyone said, there isn't one best satellite provider. Either for me before cable.

 

[scsa]

I agree 1000 percent about the 3d they definitely need to add it. 3d is not going anywhere in the next few years why not get espn 3d. Just my 2 cents

 

[Muckrak3r]

I agree 1000 percent about the 3d they definitely need to add it. 3d is not going anywhere in the next few years why not get espn 3d. Just my 2 cents

I don't remember the specifics, but from what I understand, Dish will *never* get ESPN 3D because of the partnership that brought it about. Could be wrong on that one, but that's the way I interpreted it. And 3D is not only not going anywhere, it's advancing very rapidly. From just getting standardized recently, to now having passive 3D sets, and soon there will even be sets that don't require users to wear glasses at all. It's going to get bigger and better, no longer a fad the way it once was with the cheap paper glasses.

I have an 'ancient' 3D set that's 2 years old. It requires battery powered active-shutter glasses. Couldn't be happier with the quality of the 3D images on 3D blu-rays on the PS3. Can't wait for 3D TV when I convert to Direct. My Dad says he never used to watch college football, but finds himself immersed in ESPN 3D for hours before he realizes how long he has been watching it. He got a passive Vizio I believe. 240hz refresh rate LED LCD.

 

[scsa]

Yup I agree I think I heard that dish associates think 3d isnt going anywhere big so they aren't going to support it I don't know if it's true though.

 

[psdstu]

I recently left DISH after 12 years and it was primarily due to DISH not having my locals in HD.

Comcast just started providing our locals in HD as well as HSI, and although I liked the DISH 722K better, as well as DISH having more HD channels, the lack of locals in HD, and no known time frame of when DISH might provide them, I decided to go with COMCAST. If DISH ever does provide our locals in HD I will take a look at them once again.

 

[whatchel1]

Hope you like it for 2yrs. And when the 3D fade goes belly up you will still have a good TV.

 

[wyattwd]

I recently left DISH after 12 years and it was primarily due to DISH not having my locals in HD.

Comcast just started providing our locals in HD as well as HSI, and although I liked the DISH 722K better, as well as DISH having more HD channels, the lack of locals in HD, and no known time frame of when DISH might provide them, I decided to go with COMCAST. If DISH ever does provide our locals in HD I will take a look at them once again.

What about a cheap $20 OTA antenna to pick up HD locals?

 

[HanoverPretzel]

What about a cheap $20 OTA antenna to pick up HD locals?

A lot of people can't get locals even with an expensive antenna, especially now with digital signals that are either "You get them or you don't", resulting in what were once fringe areas that could get the signals with a little snow or fade but in generally watchable condition that now get nothing or a picture that flicks on and off completely. And even people who get some OTA stations may not get others.

And there are still others that just take the tact that "Hey, I pay someone big bucks for TV, the channels should just be there.". Personally, I'd probably just get a little indoor antenna in that situation if it'd work for me (It wouldn't, I've tried just to see what I could get when I've been without a pay television providers and/or as a backup solution and/or to get some secondary market locals Dish doesn't carry. Even bought a nicer antenna at RadioShack to test with and returned it the next day.), but it's hard to argue with someone who says "Hey, I pay for it, I should get it through the dish/cable/whatever". Those people are correct in principle.

I actually wonder about the percentage of people who can get locals over the air without paying for someone to install an antenna on the roof. Americans are pretty spread out. Digital signals tend not to penetrate as far as the old analog signals in practice. And things like mountains or buildings in the area can interfere with getting a signal through. One of these stations currently is only like a 30 minute drive from me and I still can't get it. I remember living in a place where I could literally walk to a major city about a decade ago, back in the area of analog signals even, and I could only get 3 stations with an indoor antenna- 2 or 3 others in the market only came through where you couldn't make out a picture or get good sound.

 

[wyattwd]

A lot of people can't get locals even with an expensive antenna, especially now with digital signals that are either "You get them or you don't", resulting in what were once fringe areas that could get the signals with a little snow or fade but in generally watchable condition that now get nothing or a picture that flicks on and off completely. And even people who get some OTA stations may not get others.

And there are still others that just take the tact that "Hey, I pay someone big bucks for TV, the channels should just be there.". Personally, I'd probably just get a little indoor antenna in that situation if it'd work for me (It wouldn't, I've tried just to see what I could get when I've been without a pay television providers and/or as a backup solution and/or to get some secondary market locals Dish doesn't carry. Even bought a nicer antenna at RadioShack to test with and returned it the next day.), but it's hard to argue with someone who says "Hey, I pay for it, I should get it through the dish/cable/whatever". Those people are correct in principle.

I actually wonder about the percentage of people who can get locals over the air without paying for someone to install an antenna on the roof. Americans are pretty spread out. Digital signals tend not to penetrate as far as the old analog signals in practice. And things like mountains or buildings in the area can interfere with getting a signal through. One of these stations currently is only like a 30 minute drive from me and I still can't get it. I remember living in a place where I could literally walk to a major city about a decade ago, back in the area of analog signals even, and I could only get 3 stations with an indoor antenna- 2 or 3 others in the market only came through where you couldn't make out a picture or get good sound.

You make a good point. I wouldn't know about bad reception local channels. I live in LA!

 

[Tampa8]

A lot of people can't get locals even with an expensive antenna, especially now with digital signals that are either "You get them or you don't", resulting in what were once fringe areas that could get the signals with a little snow or fade but in generally watchable condition that now get nothing or a picture that flicks on and off completely. And even people who get some OTA stations may not get others.

Which is EXACTLY why Dish (or other providers) should not be paying for the networks. The Networks are shielded from any other same network channel competing for your money by the FCC because they are supposed to be giving you a free signal. If they can't do that, you at one time were entitled to "Distant" networks. No more with satellite. If Dish or Direct carries your local channel, even if you can't get it with an antenna, you still can not get another network. Yet, the network can hold the satellite provider hostage with their fees when it's because of the Satellite signal you can even watch the Network. It really does sort of sum up how our Government works so often.

 

[HanoverPretzel]

Which is EXACTLY why Dish (or other providers) should not be paying for the networks. The Networks are shielded from any other same network channel competing for your money by the FCC because they are supposed to be giving you a free signal. If they can't do that, you at one time were entitled to "Distant" networks. No more with satellite. If Dish or Direct carries your local channel, even if you can't get it with an antenna, you still can not get another network. Yet, the network can hold the satellite provider hostage with their fees when it's because of the Satellite signal you can even watch the Network.

Maybe Dish should consider adding significantly viewed over-the-air channels from adjacent markets the way cable does. In addition to helping out some sports fans who want the regional games that are televised in the DMA next door but not locally (i.e. NFL regionalization on CBS and FOX), it would also give Dish some leverage in these disputes with local OTA stations. Knowing that Dish has two CBS affiliates for the DMA may keep one from demanding the big bucks, knowing that if Dish took them off, many people would be just fine watching "How I Met Your Mother" or whatever on the other station.

 

[osu1991]

Maybe Dish should consider adding significantly viewed over-the-air channels from adjacent markets the way cable does. In addition to helping out some sports fans who want the regional games that are televised in the DMA next door but not locally (i.e. NFL regionalization on CBS and FOX), it would also give Dish some leverage in these disputes with local OTA stations. Knowing that Dish has two CBS affiliates for the DMA may keep one from demanding the big bucks, knowing that if Dish took them off, many people would be just fine watching "How I Met Your Mother" or whatever on the other station.

The rules are different for Dish than it is for cable where significantly viewed is concerned. Talk to the FCC and NAB about that.

 

[psdstu]

What about a cheap $20 OTA antenna to pick up HD locals?

I had hoped to be able to do that but was unable to pick up anything OTA due to distance from stations, and living in a very rural area.

 

[upsss]

Rural area is all relative. As long as you are less than 75 miles from the TV transmitters and you are not in a canyon, there is some good chance that you can pickup these station. Of course, a rabbit ears antenna will not work, you may need some serious tower/antenna/amplifier. Your best bet, check out your neighborhood, do you see any TV antennas there? It all depends how serious you are. Talk to some Ham Radio guys, they can bounce a radio signal of the moon, they sure can show you how to pickup a TV station.

 

[paja]

It is amazing that companies don't do more to keep loyal customers. I left DISH and they had so little to do to keep me as a customer. I was a top spender and it would not have taken much to keep my business. Worked out nice for me though.