Comparing both providers

[menelfloss]

I am planning to replace my two SD tv's with HD ones within a month.
Currently paying $67.75 for Dish Top100 and Showtime.
Below is what I can get from them:

1. 2 HD dvr's $99.99 each with rebate of $100.00 (no cost)

2. Rental for both boxes (one $5 and the other $6 per month) ..$11bucks a month

3. Then there is a $20.00 month HD fee per month after 6 months free.

Total would be $67.75 for current programing with Shotime + $11 box rental + $20 HD = $97.95

How does this stack up to DirectTV? I am no longer on contract with Dish so I could jump without penalty.

Thanks in advance for any insight.
Mike in Minneapolis

 

[ClemSole]

Go the Directv's web page and look at their prices.

 

[menelfloss]

OK,
This is what I came up with for two tv's....
Looks pretty good to me,.. can it be true that even after the $10.00 off per month for a full year that DTV is less expensive than Dish? Best buy also mentions that DTV has better signal.
True?
Mike

Startup Costs

 

[menelfloss]

Let me try this again. I was not able to paste the quote into the quick reply last time....Hmmmmm

 

[menelfloss]

Ok sorry The jest of it is

Ok, I cut and pasted into plain text and now trying this one more time.

Startup Costs
2 DIRECTV HD Receiver
$198.00
Instant Online Rebate -$99.00
1 Handling and Delivery Fee
$0.00
1 Standard Professional Installation
$0.00
Total Startup Costs: $99.00
Your First Month's Bill
CHOICE
$49.99
SHOWTIME UNLIMITED
$12.00
HD Access
$9.99
Lease Fee
$4.99
First Month's Total: $76.97
Mail-in Redemption -$10.00
Final Monthly Total:* $66.97

 

[jokeworm]

looks like you only have HD recvrs .. not HD DVR's - I don't see a way to add those with the "choice" package .. you may need to call them.

edit - got it ..

this is what i got ..


Startup Costs
2 DIRECTV® HD DVR $398.00
Instant Online Rebate -$100.00

Total Startup Costs: $298.00

Your First Month's Bill
CHOICE $49.99
SHOWTIME UNLIMITED® $12.00
DIRECTV DVR Service $5.99
HD Access $9.99
Lease Fee $4.99
First Month's Total: $82.96
Mail-in Redemption -$10.00
Final Monthly Total:* $72.96

with Dish - top 100 = $30 + $5 locals + $20 HD + $12 Showtime + $6 Addtl Receiver fee. = $73.00 less $20 per month for 6 months ... (best to call them though to find out what upfront fee is for two HD DVR's - i think its free with Dish) you will also be able to downgrade your HD package after February to be just $10 per month according to posts on these forums ... so that it will be a true match to Directv ...

 

[harshness]

Below is what I can get from them:

Is this your theory, or do you have a quote in writing? If this is based on the DISH configuration gizmo, did you specify that you were a current customer?

1. 2 HD dvr's $99.99 each with rebate of $100.00 (no cost)

Make absolutely certain that you would get two rebates. My guess is that they will allow only one per account.

2. Rental for both boxes (one $5 and the other $6 per month) ..$11bucks a month

This isn't right. The first box leases for free and the second box is $6. Both boxes demand a $5.00 DVR fee.

Be careful that you have considered all of the charges with both carriers before making a price comparison. Jokeworm's roll-up seems to be accurate.

Remember also that both companies will be raising their prices in a matter of weeks.

 

[menelfloss]

The Dish prices are based on a conversation I had over the phone with Dish sales. I went over it three times to make sure. they did know that I am an existing customer.

Still it is intriguing to me that DTV could be better signal and also possibly more HD content.
Mike

 

[jokeworm]

or with Dish you should be able to go with the DVR advantage for 39.99 + 20 HD + 10 Showtime + $6 extra receiver (which could be a 211 if you don't need a DVR for the second room) which would be $75 for everything ... or an extra $6 maybe for the additional DVR - less $20 per month for 6 months - less showtime free for 3 months .. so $150 in credits total ... and then ask them for the penny cinamax offer to get cinemax for one cent for the next two years too ....

are you confused yet ?

 

[menelfloss]

Hey Jokeworm,
That sounds like a pretty good idea!
Penny for Cinamax huh? cool. Yes I will need the other DVR,..(don't want my teenagers messin with my recording line up)
Thank you so much for responding.
Mike

 

[jokeworm]

HERE is the page showing the deal above ...

and HERE

Is the cinemax thread for info about that ...

Let us know how you get on.

 

[menelfloss]

This looks like a good deal to me. I plan to buy the new tv's by the 30th.
I'll let you know how things turned out.
Thanks again.
Mike

 

[Cincyray]

Menelfloss as of right now Direct does have the most Hd content plus they are all on mpeg 4 i believe. So the quality is better. I beleive there arent any hd lil still running on Direct.

 

[menelfloss]

Well, That is kinda what I was wondering. I have heard that the quality is better but did not know it was because of less lossy compression.
I plan to run my locals from the antenna in my attic but the rest from a HD provider. The SD compression from Dish looks pretty bad.
I do appreciate a good quality image. I make graphics on a 30 lcd running at 2560 all day.

Thanks for the heads up. Until now I thought everybody compressed imagery the same.

Any other opinions?
Mike

 

[tigerfan33]

Menelfloss as of right now Direct does have the most Hd content plus they are all on mpeg 4 i believe. So the quality is better. I beleive there arent any hd lil still running on Direct.

There is still a handfull of hd that is MPEG2. Hopefully sometime this year all hd will be MPEG4.

 

[tds4182]

Hey Jokeworm,
That sounds like a pretty good idea!
Penny for Cinamax huh? cool. Yes I will need the other DVR,..(don't want my teenagers messin with my recording line up)
Thank you so much for responding.
Mike

Menelfloss, check your private messages.