Dish or Direct for HD programming (current Dish customer)?

[Lets_Dance]

am currently in Phoenix and have Cox's HD package with a Toshiba 32" LCD TV.

I am moving back to SoCal from school and will be living with my parents. They currently have Dish Networks and I was wondering if it would be better to stay with Dish and upgrade to their HD service or move over to Direct TV.

Time Warner isn't an option because they have the worst HD package.

I still watch a lot of SD television and would like to have as good of a SD picture quality as possible.

Also, how does HD work with Satellite? I'm looking into the "Silver" package. WHen I went to the website it doesn't look like they charge you a monthly fee for the HD reciever, just the difference in the package price.

How much is it going to cost me now? Right now my parents are paying $39 a month plus $5 for an extra receiver. They use an antenna for locals. They have one in their room and the other in the living room. I would put my HDTV in the living room so it would still be only a total of 2 rooms with their room being a standard definition receiver.

I want the "silver" package, with locals. Will I have to pay a total of $10 for locals on 2 receivers or is it a one time $5 fee for locals and it covers all the receivers in your house? Also if I get an HD DVR, I know I have to pay $200 upfront, but does it cost me a per month fee as well?

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

If HD is the main desire...E* all the way. Just switched to it myself after years with D*. Not a perfect company but for HD they are the leader

 

[iafirebuff]

Dish for HD, no doubt!

 

[slacker9876]

Ditto! I just signed up with E* on Tuesday of last week. The HD is good and clean and the hardware, at this point appears to be better than that offered by D*.

From a dollar perspective ...
D* TC pack + HD Pack 56.99/mo 9 HD channels
E* BronzeHD pack 49.99/mo 25 HD channels (pkg is -20/mo for 10 months for a new sub with 18/mo commit)

I have both providers becuase of NFL ST, but I just purchased my NHL CI Package with E*

 

[Poke]

Well Dish has more HD than anyone so Dish is the way to go...

 

[Jolard]

For the sake of an alternate view, Direct TV says they will have a hundred new national HD channels soon, when they launche their new satellites.

But honestly, who knows how long that could take.

Dish Network has more channels right now, and most indicate that the picture quality is better on Dish. Dish's HD DVR receiver (the VIP622) is better than the Direct TV version as well, so I would recommend Dish.

 

[redman042]

D* is talking about LOCAL channels when they say they will have 100 new HD channels soon, NOT nationals. One day they will have more nationals, once they get the new birds up, test them, finalize agreements with providers, etc. Once they get all that done, I'll revisit my satellite provider choice. But today I'm enjoying great HD and a great DVR from E*.

 

[Poke]

Yeah all Direct is doing is adding more Locals in HD.. But Dish is also doing this but where Dish has everyone beat is they have more other networks like FoodHD so forth than Direct.. Dish also will be putting up a new bird just like Direct but again overall Dish has more HD Channels than Direct.. So even in the future Dish will still have more HD.. I have another friend who been with Direct for years who saw they light and he wanted more HD so he made the switch and was glad he did..

 

[MikeD-C05]

Well if things keep going the way I see it, in about 3 years or less, we will have a combined or merged sat company . So let Dish pursue national hd channels now and Directv keep on adding hd locals and we will ALL get what we want in the future with a merged sat provider.

 

[slacker9876]

Well if things keep going the way I see it, in about 3 years or less, we will have a combined or merged sat company . So let Dish pursue national hd channels now and Directv keep on adding hd locals and we will ALL get what we want in the future with a merged sat provider.

They will never merge, there are too many anti-trust complications and that was why it did not happen in 2003. While I agree that they should merge, the feds will not let it happen. It is so funny too, becuase a merger would just create a competitor for cable. What is it, Comcast at 23.5M, D* & E* at 31M?

I guess we can dream.

 

[TulsaCoker]

Yeah all Direct is doing is adding more Locals in HD.. But Dish is also doing this but where Dish has everyone beat is they have more other networks like FoodHD so forth than Direct.. Dish also will be putting up a new bird just like Direct but again overall Dish has more HD Channels than Direct.. So even in the future Dish will still have more HD.. I have another friend who been with Direct for years who saw they light and he wanted more HD so he made the switch and was glad he did..

Dish is way behind on Local Channels along with RSN. Yes Dish has more National HD but don't compare Local HD between the two. When was the last time Dish added Local HD? what is their planned rollout?

 

[Poke]

Well probally couple months ago that Dish had added any local HD but they will be adding more just like Direct.. But the National HD is the main thing due to anyone cant get their local HD with OTA.. Nice thing is when Dish and Direct adds your locals in HD you dont half to mess with the OTA.. But overall the nationals HD channels is the big thing due to there are more of them compair to just 4 local channels that everyone gets.. Overall Dish is doing the same as Direct in Locals in HD but as far as HD itself Dish offers more..

 

[bhelms]

...How much is it going to cost me now? Right now my parents are paying $39 a month plus $5 for an extra receiver. They use an antenna for locals. They have one in their room and the other in the living room. I would put my HDTV in the living room so it would still be only a total of 2 rooms with their room being a standard definition receiver.

I want the "silver" package, with locals. Will I have to pay a total of $10 for locals on 2 receivers or is it a one time $5 fee for locals and it covers all the receivers in your house? Also if I get an HD DVR, I know I have to pay $200 upfront, but does it cost me a per month fee as well?

If you're going to just have those 2 receivers, you could simply upgrade to a single ViP622 2-TV DVR. You'll have the HDTV TV1 capabilities in the living room and SD TV2 for your parent's room. There are 2 independent sat. tuners and a single OTA tuner. All 3 are HD capable and you can record from all 3, even simulaneously! You can return what ever receivers your parents have now.

So you'd end up with the $6 per month lease fee (waived for the first receiver, I believe) and the $5.98 per month DVR fee, $64.99 per month for HDSilver plus locals ($5 per month extra for locals regardless of the number of receivers). With the current upgrade deals you should be able to get the 622 installed for just $199 with an 18-month commitment, and I believe you will have a $20 per month programming discount for the first 10 months. You'll need to confirm my figures - as always, YMMV...

 

[TulsaCoker]

Poke, I don't disagree with National HD Dish hands down beats D*. But don't be naive about Locals. For one 90+% of Sat subs sub to Locals so rolling out local HD is a smart move. Second, Dish only has about 20 local HD channels had has not added any for a while and do not have any plans this year while D* has over 40 with another 10 to be added by the end of the year. Third D* is rolling out and has out dozens on RSN in HD and think what you will but FSNSW in HD for football would be great. Dish does not have any RSN now.

 

[Poke]

Yeah I agree! Dish needs to keep adding more locals in HD which I think they will.. As far as RSN go I hope that we will see that before the end of the year we will just half to waite and see.

 

[Lets_Dance]

If you're going to just have those 2 receivers, you could simply upgrade to a single ViP622 2-TV DVR. You'll have the HDTV TV1 capabilities in the living room and SD TV2 for your parent's room. There are 2 independent sat. tuners and a single OTA tuner. All 3 are HD capable and you can record from all 3, even simulaneously! You can return what ever receivers your parents have now.

So you'd end up with the $6 per month lease fee (waived for the first receiver, I believe) and the $5.98 per month DVR fee, $64.99 per month for HDSilver plus locals ($5 per month extra for locals regardless of the number of receivers). With the current upgrade deals you should be able to get the 622 installed for just $199 with an 18-month commitment, and I believe you will have a $20 per month programming discount for the first 10 months. You'll need to confirm my figures - as always, YMMV...

Could you explain this to me like you would a 5 year old, haha. I am really not that well educated in this field, it's all new to me.

Are you saying that I can get the ViP622 DVR and you could control it from either room or are you saying to just replace the current receiver in the living room with the 622? As to the $200 credit, will I qualify for it since I am not a new member?

 

[stereoron]

i have Dish for national HD its super.....i am in LA and get all the locals in HD to.....just got a new 1080p Westinghouse 42 inch LCD HD monitor....wow!!!!!!!!the picture is soooooooooooooooooooo sharp its amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MikeD-C05]

But how does sd look on your new 1080p tv?

 

[digiblur]

i have Dish for national HD its super.....i am in LA and get all the locals in HD to.....just got a new 1080p Westinghouse 42 inch LCD HD monitor....wow!!!!!!!!the picture is soooooooooooooooooooo sharp its amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too bad you're only hope for some 1080p content is from future HD DVD formats.

 

[Poke]

Yeah Dish is the choice for HD as far as 1080p there will be few things that will run at 1080p. But there is some diffrence between 1080i to 1080p but not night day..