Checked out DTV Website...

[JKeats]

...just out of curriosity this morning and see that I can now get two things from them that I can't get from DNet...

1) A single dish for normal chans and locals...

2) 6 bucks less a month.

Now granted these aren't huge things at all, but it would be nice to have only a single dish instead of the two I currently have to have.

So... my question. For just plain old TV (i.e. NOT HDTV, not DVR, etc.), which is all I have and all I'm currently interested in, is there a reason I should stick with DNet?

This isn't intended to start a whole DTV vs. DNet war. Though the single dish is very appealing to me... I'm quite open to either service and just want to know if, perhaps, theres some compelling reason why I should say with DNet instead of switching.

Not knowing any inside type of information, the only thing I can think of right now that's a down side is that I currently own my DNet equipment... whereas unless I ebayed it I'm assuming I'd be leasing my DTV equipment.

Anyway... any information would be greatly appreatiated.

 

[kevink]

You didn't mention how many TVs you want to connect, which makes a difference in my research of Direct TV.

I'll probably be going with Dish because, with Direct TV, it appears you need 2 receivers to drive 2 TVs, with a connection to the dish for both. Dish, in contrast to when I had it in the past, has receivers and PVRs that can drive 2 TVs, using existing cable wiring to drive the second TV.

The second reason is Direct TV doesn't have locals for my market. Dish can do all this with one Dish and one receiver in my market (Super Dish).

Of course, I "could" drop to the $17 cable package which gives me locals, and have the 2 rooms wired for Direct TV, but that would be more expensive and require a longer stretch of wiring.

 

[JKeats]

good point. i forgot to mention that.

i'll be connecting 2 tv's. i currently, weith DNet, have 2 receievers though each with it's own line to the dish.

also... i can get locals and my price comparison too that in mind.

 

[tonyp56]

I was a Directv customer for seven years when I switched to Dish about two and half years ago. Really, it's up to you! They both have stuff that is better than the other. One thing, if you are only a SDTV person and you are not looking for a DVR, you don't need more than one dish, (SuperDish and DISH500 are multi satellite dishes) now if you happen to live in an area that requires a second dish for your locals, I would think that will be changing in most areas soon, however, perhaps it won't in your area and you will have to have two dishes. Directv is going to start using more than one dish as well, for the 72.5 or 72 (which ever it is?) degree slot, so Dish isn't the only one that will require more than one satellite dish. D* doesn't serve as many local markets as DN, and hence are able to use their primary satellite locations more. Directv doesn't have several movie channels that Dish does. (TMC Extra, Starz Cinema and Kids and Family, HBO Comedy, etc...) Dish doens't have a few of the basic channels (PBS Kids, being one of them). Directv only has three basic packages (one being their equilivent to the Everything Pack) (more or less, yes they offer these packages with or without locals but they are the same package) Dish offers four (one being the Everything Pack), so there is more selection of what you want to pay for every month. (Directv use to have another package that was cheap, I heard that even though they didn't advertise it they still offered it, it was called Select Choice, anyways, even if they still do offer a cheaper package, they don't advertise this package and you can't count it)

Here is what I think of the two providers, listing different aspects and saying which one is the best IMHO!

Possitives:
Equipment=Directv
Customer Service=D* (D*=Directv)
Channels per dollar=Dish
Most movie channels=Dish
Larger selection of PPV movies=D*
Better selection of basic channel packages=DN (DN=Dish Network)

Negatives:
Have a lot of filler channels=DN (lots of Public interest, religious, shopping, and other crap)
More worried about Sports=D* ( I don't like sports!)

 

[JKeats]

cool. thanks for the input! that helps a lot!