Back with DirecTV - some observations.
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If they're the same company, would they not just automatically carry the complete slate of channels from each?
I am thinking that the two companies will continue to work separately in the beginning.
That's a hot topic at times! Technically the HD PQ with D* is better than E*'s, but other than with fast moving sports I don't notice that being much of a difference. The HD PQ differences are slight enough otherwise that it isn't a consideration when looking at which to get. That's all very subjective btw.
There are differences though. D* tends to more color saturation it seems and tends to make dark scenes seem a bit darker. At the moment I have both services going and have my TV setup with two settings depending on which I'm watching at the time. Just some slight differences in contrast/brightness are needed so it isn't a huge changover.
One thing I didn't note in my first post and should have. Photos & More, D*'s media share operation, now works quite well with my Playon Media Server. It runs the shows that I get in HD and actually keeps them HD. In the past, D*' version of media sharing was very weak and flakey. Glad to see they have this fixed.
Now they need to get the damned Channels I Get fixed!!
Considering that D14 is getting parked today, and the bandwidth is available to mirror the lineup on both the sat side and uverse side, it wont be hard to add the channels that are on uverse but not on Directv, and the same goes for uverse as its all IP based, they just have to add it. I suspect a channel lineup change will actually happen quite quickly and within a year from the merger.
Nope not the way Randall Stevenson is wanting to handle things. He's itching to get on the DirecTV bandwagon and make the changes now. From what I have seen, it looks like the opposite is going to happen. Once the merger is closed ATT is going to come in and do their thing as soon as they can.
In my case, other than the premiums, the total I might watch is 31. But even in that number, there are some that are only watched on rare occasions.
In the Premiums, it is a hard guess as the tendency is to watch the E (or West) of each, and the others much less.
Don't forget that Contracts come into play with this thought as well.
Just because they merge the companies doesn't mean the contracts are not for one or the other.
Well, after turning D* back on and making my observations, I ended up cancelling D* today and paying the ETF to do so.
Between the screwy recordings because Channels I Get is messed up and the totally ancient UI with all its fiddleyness, I decided that I like Dish much better overall.
I will miss the extra info about shows and the better fast action sports HD differences though...
Maybe going forward the AT&T buyout might get something done about both those issues and I'll revisit if it does.
Between the screwy recordings because Channels I Get is messed up and the totally ancient UI with all its fiddleyness, I decided that I like Dish much better overall.
I will miss the extra info about shows and the better fast action sports HD differences though...
Maybe going forward the AT&T buyout might get something done about both those issues and I'll revisit if it does.
You switched providers because of the guide and the broken CIG? Just make a favorites list and it's a non-issue. You really must not like PQ, Dish is the worst in the industry.
I agree about the things you experience with Directv - the interface and little things are funky. But Directv's PQ can't be beat.
I agree about the things you experience with Directv - the interface and little things are funky. But Directv's PQ can't be beat.
It is all about perception. I can see a pimple on a fly's butt on my 73" TV with both of them. The only improvement D* brings to the table with HD PQ is in fast action sports, for all other things it is about differences with neither holding the mantle of champ when it comes to HD PQ. And that is my opinion based on personal experience over many years with many different top quality TVs. HD PQ between Dish and Direct is nearly a total non issue and not one of the considerations when I decide to pick one over the other. YMMV.
One other place PQ is very much different is in SD. Direct's is and has been pathetic for lots of years. Dish's isn't great, but it is head and shoulders above Direct in that respect.
And CIG is more about the issues it causes than about the overall fact that the list is bogus on its face. Because it isn't representative of what you actually get, it screws up series links by recording crap you can't watch 'cause you don't get the channel. Taking up space on the single hard drive that it supports and making fiddling with the list something you have to do instead of something you do on rare occasions.
Direct has missed the ideal time in their history to change their awful UI. The only plus about their UI is that it is functional. It isn't up to snuff compared to practically any Cable or Sat provider.
Different folks, different strokes. I have never had Dish, so I can't comment.
I'm going back to Direct very soon! I just loved DirecTV's PQ. The guide wasn't bad to me. The overall equipment wasn't all that responsive, but it never bothered me a lot. I never watch SD (everything I like to watch is in HD).
I think equipment/software overall should be looked at. I've been reading on here that Dish's Joeys have been unusually slow lately (to the point where people don't want to use them). That would drive me nuts! This is not the first time apparently that has happened. Direct's never got that slow. Also, I never missed one recording or had one problem with a receiver in the 4 years I was with Direct.
More than half of what I watch on TV is basketball. If I knew that Dish had HD for all RSN programming, that their HD for sports was not worse than Direct's, and that their Joeys didn't slow down to the point where it's nearly unusable, I'd give them a shot. All of that has led me to choose Direct over Dish when the time is right!
I'm going back to Direct very soon! I just loved DirecTV's PQ. The guide wasn't bad to me. The overall equipment wasn't all that responsive, but it never bothered me a lot. I never watch SD (everything I like to watch is in HD).
I think equipment/software overall should be looked at. I've been reading on here that Dish's Joeys have been unusually slow lately (to the point where people don't want to use them). That would drive me nuts! This is not the first time apparently that has happened. Direct's never got that slow. Also, I never missed one recording or had one problem with a receiver in the 4 years I was with Direct.
More than half of what I watch on TV is basketball. If I knew that Dish had HD for all RSN programming, that their HD for sports was not worse than Direct's, and that their Joeys didn't slow down to the point where it's nearly unusable, I'd give them a shot. All of that has led me to choose Direct over Dish when the time is right!
I've never had a Joey so other than reading here, I don't have first hand experience.
But I've had a few different boxes from D* and I can sure tell you that the HR21 was so slow and the HRs that came after until the HR24 that I cancelled over it. Absolutely unuseable without just wanting to throw the remote through the TV!! I cannot fathom the Joey being slower than them. 
The HR24 and the HR44 (the newest Genie) are much quicker, and the HR44 is the fastest of the bunch. If you sign up make sure to get one of those and don't let them palm off the older HR34 as it is slow and is not as fully featured as the HR44.
And if I was a heavy duty sports fan, I'd be with Direct too! But I'm not. Other than golf and boxing, I seldom watch sports. And those two are covered well in HD on both services.
But I've had a few different boxes from D* and I can sure tell you that the HR21 was so slow and the HRs that came after until the HR24 that I cancelled over it. Absolutely unuseable without just wanting to throw the remote through the TV!!
I cannot fathom the Joey being slower than them. The HR24 and the HR44 (the newest Genie) are much quicker, and the HR44 is the fastest of the bunch. If you sign up make sure to get one of those and don't let them palm off the older HR34 as it is slow and is not as fully featured as the HR44.
And if I was a heavy duty sports fan, I'd be with Direct too! But I'm not. Other than golf and boxing, I seldom watch sports. And those two are covered well in HD on both services.
I have used all of the current gen boxes from both companies and in my experience, the HRs 21-23/34 are the slowest of the lot by far. The 20 was a little faster
The clients have lag compared to current server boxes, but Ive found the genie minis and joeys to be comparable.
The fastest out of the bunch is the HR-44. The one I had was lightning fast.
The hoppers are also quick, with the HWS being the faster of the two, but still some behind the 44 in my experience.
Out of all of them the hr 21-23 were the ones that I found maddening slow.
The clients have lag compared to current server boxes, but Ive found the genie minis and joeys to be comparable.
The fastest out of the bunch is the HR-44. The one I had was lightning fast.
The hoppers are also quick, with the HWS being the faster of the two, but still some behind the 44 in my experience.
Out of all of them the hr 21-23 were the ones that I found maddening slow.
When the HWS and HR44s came out I thought they were about equal in speed, but over time the HWS has slowed just a tad and I'd give the nod to the HR44 for speed of operations. That said, all the HRs suffer from slowdowns as the hard drive fills up according to some. I never kept enough on the HR44 for that to be an issue since the hard drive is tied to the receiver and I thought that made them not suitable for real archive use.
And yeah, the HR21 was so very slow and got worse over time and the reports from those that had the HR23 it was even worse. Total pigs that should never have left the manufacturing floor!!
How can you request the HR44? One rep said that if I re-connect (long story..was not due to non-payment) I will have to pay upfront for the equipment. So if I talk to someone that doesn't charge me upfront, it sounds kind of snoody to requst the 44 haha.
It is a bit of a crap shoot, but there are a couple ways that work.
1. Use a local DirecTV dealer - if they can do the job for you, it is easy to get one from them, just tell them you won't take anything else.
2. Deal with DirecTV and when the installer calls before coming, ask him to make sure he has an HR44 for you. If he doesn't, cancel and reschedule the install, rinse-repeat ad nauseum.
Usually it isn't problem to get one, but D* won't guarantee you will as they have 'pronounced from on high' that the HR34 and 44 are the same thing. They are in only very basic terms. IOW, they both have 5 tuners and support whole home. Other than those 2 things, they are very different boxes.
Of course all the install tricks only work if you left on good terms and are returning on good terms.
If by "industry", you mean the satellite TV industry, you may be right if you limit it to just D* and E*. But, if you are talking about all TV carriers, cable, fiber, and satellite, you are incorrect.
I have both at work, and the difference is negligible for most programming, ranging from barely noticeable to not noticeable, other than fast-motion-sports, as has been noted.
That would drive me nuts too, if it was true. But, it's not, at least not with my original series Joey.
THAT is the number one reason to choose D* over E*...Sports.
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