Dish to Direct questions

[Coach Knight]

I am nearing the end of my two year commitment with Dish and feel it is in my best interest to seriously investigate my options. Dish's unwillingness to "officially" support a 2 Hopper/1 Joey setup prompted me to begin my search, as I have been very happy with them overall during the past two years. Any promotional savings would be an added plus, but monthly cost isn't nearly as important to me as overall satisfaction with my provider.

I am here to ask for help to determine if Direct would be an option for me and in no way do I want this thread to evolve into a thread where either provider is being bashed or fan-boys or trolls are posting inaccurate information. Hopefully, if others are considering a similar move they will also be able to find this thread helpful (and factual).

So to start my questions I would like to know the following:
1. I am in zip 27587 and I am just curious if my actual dish would be pointed in the same general direction for Direct as it is now (EA). I have great line of sight in this direction but in virtually any other it would be tough to get a clean line.
2. My dish is mounted on a pole in my yard beside my house. Would a Direct satellite dish be able to go there on the same mount?
3. I currently have two 722s, and would be interested in the HR34 whole home system with two HD receivers (non-dvr). My understanding is that would give me 5 tuners plus two more (one in each HD receiver). Is that right?
4. Is it likely that my current wiring would work or would other wiring need to be run? I know that the wiring coming from my dish is labeled 3 ghz or whatever it was that the Hopper was supposed to require. It is a relatively new home (about 5 yrs old) and the Dish installer commented a couple of years ago what great wiring we had. Sorry but I am not a techie that would know a lot of details on this item. What should I look for to be able to tell what else I may need?
5. My 722 currently has OTA...does the HR34 have that feature? If so, do OTA channels show up in the guide similar to Dish?
6. My 722 has wireless internet and it works great. In fact, I can stream Blockbuster, Netflix, or anything else in very high quality HD virtually instantly so I know signal strength and speed is good. How does the HR34 connect, is wireless an option?

I'll stop with those half-dozen questions and once I know more about those items I have a few others I'll probably want to ask as well.

I sincerely appreciate anyone who takes the time to respond!

 

[dfergie]

1. Should be close.
2. Larger mount for the DIRECTV dish, be better with a larger pole.
3. Yes, but consider 2 HR's giving you 2 tuners plus storage.
4. Possibly.

 

[dfergie]

5. With the external AM21.
6. Thinking DECA should get your Internet (don't use DECA for my system).

 

[Coach Knight]

Thanks for those replies. Is the on-demand dependent on internet? I would assume so.

 

[OSD771]

There are some on demand items and cinema that download through the satellite signal, but it takes a day or so from what I've heard from customers.

 

[Coach Knight]

Ok, so that gets me through the basic setup type questions. Thanks! Now I have some other ones. (Although anyone feel free to chime in on the questions already answered if you have differing views or clarifications you'd like to make.)

I know how forums are and you have to take everything you read with a grain of salt and consider the source. I have read that the Direct boxes can be sluggish and even non-responsive at times (or regularly). My 722 suffered from the delay bug in the guide for a short time and that about drove me bananas! I cannot imagine having to live with that on a daily basis. Thankfully it only lasted a day or two and only happened one time. Is delay/sluggishness a reality on these boxes? I know that this question is subjective based on what you are comparing it to and for those who've come from cable companies with poor equipment it may not be an issue at all...same if you've never had a speedy box like Dish. I'm wondering how those who have had Dish feel the Direct equipment compares in response time.

This may seem like a minor thing to a lot of people but for me, it would kill the experience for me if the boxes/guides are sluggish. Since I know that, I am trying to do my due diligence and see what is true about this issue.

 

[lparsons21]

Coming from Dish with their relatively snappy DVRs, you'll notice some slowness with D*'s stuff, and the more often than it should be, ignoring of remote pushes. Fortunately the remote response is not always bad and generally even if it does ignore, it is maybe just a couple seconds before another push is recognized.

How much you'll notice and/or hate it is very subjective. I notice it and have commented many times about it, but it isn't earth shakingly bad imo, just a minor irritant.

Others will most likely have different views.

 

[Jimbo]

Coach,
You mentioned in the first post that your Dish is currently pointed at (EA) if thats Eastern Arc, then your D* dish will NOT point in the same direction.
Your in N.C. your dish for D* will point S/SW.

I didn't look it up, but would guess 210-230 on a compass.

I would check that first before going any further.

edit:

Heres the info you need for pointing the dish, you'll more than likely need a Slimline 3 dish (SWM as well).

Satellite: 101W DIRECTV 4S | DIRECTV 9S | SES 1
Elevation: 41.9°
Azimuth (true): 215.0°
Azimuth (magn.): 224.1°

This will get you started, 101 is the main programming Sat for D* and the 2 for HD are on both sides of it, making it much easier to pick up in most cases, as 99 and 103.

 

[Coach Knight]

Coming from Dish with their relatively snappy DVRs, you'll notice some slowness with D*'s stuff, and the more often than it should be, ignoring of remote pushes. Fortunately the remote response is not always bad and generally even if it does ignore, it is maybe just a couple seconds before another push is recognized.

How much you'll notice and/or hate it is very subjective. I notice it and have commented many times about it, but it isn't earth shakingly bad imo, just a minor irritant.

Others will most likely have different views.

I appreciate the feedback. I can't imagine D* would be worse than Time Warner from an equipment standpoint and I lived with that for many, many years. I know that the technology employed in the HR34 and other HD receivers/DVRs is much greater than what we have locally for Time Warner, which made me a pretty strong bundling offer for TV/Internet yesterday. We already have Internet with them.

I guess I've gotten to the point in life where I am "spoiled" a little with certain things and something as minor as a delay when I'm trying to accomplish something while viewing TV is definitely bothersome. As I said, the guide delay I experienced in the 722 guide for a short time made me want to throw the thing out in the yard.

I appreciate your honest feedback and opinion on that subject. :up

 

[Coach Knight]

Coach,
You mentioned in the first post that your Dish is currently pointed at (EA) if thats Eastern Arc, then your D* dish will NOT point in the same direction.
Your in N.C. your dish for D* will point S/SW.

I didn't look it up, but would guess 210-230 on a compass.

I would check that first before going any further.

edit:

Heres the info you need for pointing the dish, you'll more than likely need a Slimline 3 dish (SWM as well).

Satellite: 101W DIRECTV 4S | DIRECTV 9S | SES 1
Elevation: 41.9°
Azimuth (true): 215.0°
Azimuth (magn.): 224.1°

This will get you started, 101 is the main programming Sat for D* and the 2 for HD are on both sides of it, making it much easier to pick up in most cases, as 99 and 103.

Thanks, Jimbo. Yes, that was Eastern Arc. I have noticed that the few folks who have Direct in the neighborhood seem to have a slightly different angle and direction to their dishes but the way the road wraps around it is hard to tell how that would translate in my own yard.

Way back when I first signed up here I found a website that appeared to be like Google Maps with the actual street view of my property with the direction the dish would need to point. It was easy to use and I was able to determine that there would be no problems with location of the dish itself or line of sight. I only tried it with Dish, and not Direct, though. Any ideas what that site would have been?

 

[texasbrit]

dishpointer.com

 

[Coach Knight]

dishpointer.com

Yes, that was the site. Thanks so much! Looks like the LOS could be an issue with Direct unless I move my pole mount to another point in the yard, bordering on perhaps even needing to be in the front yard rather than on the side yard nearly hidden from street view as it is currently, or mount on the house, which I don't want to do.

I'll investigate this angle further before proceeding. I really appreciate all the help so far!

 

[dfergie]

Sorry, I'm used to the Western Arc ... with the HD GUI, DIRECTV dvr's have sped up quite a bit...

 

[Coach Knight]

Sorry, I'm used to the Western Arc ... with the HD GUI, DIRECTV dvr's have sped up quite a bit...

No worries...you have been super helpful and I appreciate it. Glad to hear the HD GUI is speedier. I am sure that Direct technology is outstanding overall.

I think this LOS issue could be my main deterrent at this point as we're very happy with the location of the dish itself and I'd truly hate to have to move it. I just drove out and looked at a few neighbors who have it and from what I can tell, the dishpointer.com website is correct that the direction it would have to point would probably cause an issue from my current dish location.

 

[dfergie]

At my setup and many I see all the time here the major difference in a Slimline & Dish 1000 (+, etc) is the skew...

 

[ejb1980]

Tip: If you are one of the 3 or 4 Bobcats fans that exist, you will need to "move" to Lexington (or anywhere within 75 miles of Charlotte) to get Bobcats games. I don't know if Dish showed Bobcats games outside the 75 miles (knowing Dish, I doubt it). Very minor thing, I realize, but it surprised me when I switched from evil TWC. Of course, you'd lose Raleigh locals, but you can get all of them with the AM21, all of the Raleigh subchannels are all in there except 30-3 and 30-4.
Speaking of locals, the AM21 people speak of is a dream. It's far from perfect since it doesn't scan for signals, but I love it. It's not as good as the Dish Network OTA system, but it's better than nothing. Greensboro locals are a complete JOKE compared to Raleigh, the AM21 fixes that for me since the only Raleigh local I would have in Alamance County is WTVD. I dont have it since I "moved" to Lexington, but the "move" gets me WSOC Charlotte, too.

 

[archer75]

I appreciate the feedback. I can't imagine D* would be worse than Time Warner from an equipment standpoint and I lived with that for many, many years. I know that the technology employed in the HR34 and other HD receivers/DVRs is much greater than what we have locally for Time Warner, which made me a pretty strong bundling offer for TV/Internet yesterday. We already have Internet with them.

I guess I've gotten to the point in life where I am "spoiled" a little with certain things and something as minor as a delay when I'm trying to accomplish something while viewing TV is definitely bothersome. As I said, the guide delay I experienced in the 722 guide for a short time made me want to throw the thing out in the yard.

I appreciate your honest feedback and opinion on that subject. :up

I just this past week switched to direct from Dish. I'm coming from a VIP722 to a HR34 and can tell you, without a doubt, the HR34 is slower. I get this weird hang every 5 clicks or so on the remote if i'm zipping through the guide. And channels take a second longer to tune than on the 722. It's not a slouch by any means but the difference is noticeable.
I prefer the menu layouts and guide of the 722 and overall I feel that it's a better receiver as a result. However I have not tested the HR34 with the HD GUI and am very much looking forward to doing so.

I also prefer the dish website for managing their DVR's and setting recordings. Seems to have more features. The direct site looks nicer though.

 

[Jimbo]

I just this past week switched to direct from Dish. I'm coming from a VIP722 to a HR34 and can tell you, without a doubt, the HR34 is slower. I get this weird hang every 5 clicks or so on the remote if i'm zipping through the guide. And channels take a second longer to tune than on the 722. It's not a slouch by any means but the difference is noticeable.
I prefer the menu layouts and guide of the 722 and overall I feel that it's a better receiver as a result. However I have not tested the HR34 with the HD GUI and am very much looking forward to doing so.

I also prefer the dish website for managing their DVR's and setting recordings. Seems to have more features. The direct site looks nicer though.

This is a typical response from someone that has been using one and moved to the other ... take the time to get comfortable with the other and then see how you feel about them.

 

[archer75]

This is a typical response from someone that has been using one and moved to the other ... take the time to get comfortable with the other and then see how you feel about them.

Oh sure it does take some getting used to. But there is a speed difference. And the guide difference is that on the dish it showed a larger span of time in the guide which was nice. And more channels at a given time. And no amount of time is going to change that. And on the dish website I had control over the settings when creating a series timer and on direct's website I don't have those options, at least not that I can see. But I have adjusted the default series settings on the direct box so that most of the time it doesn't matter.

Unless of course if the HD GUI is laid out differently then that would void my slow speed and layout opinions. But from the screenshots I can say it sure does look nice.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

I have both services now(thank God for only having to pay for water,electricity,gas for auomobile,car insurance,telephone & internet). With DIRECTV I have a HR22-100(with DECA adapter),HR23-700(with DECA adapter),HR24-500,H24-700,& H25-500. All of them have MRV whole home DVR with DECA set-up. With Dish I have 2 ViP722k's,each with a Logitec Revue & a Sling Adapter attached to them. Frankly I like BOTH services & their equipment. I understand that,yes,not everybody can afford both services & it comes down to a choice of what do you want to watch. With my present DTV set-up,I don't really see a need for a HR34,& since I just got Dish set up with my ViP722k's,I think it will be at least a year before I think about upgrading to the Hopper/Joey system.
Unless you are really into sports,maybe you should stick with Dish until you are sure about your LOS for DTV. You might end up having to clear some trees. It took me 3 years from planning to get Dish,to actually getting it because of my tree situation blocking my LOS for Dish. I like DTV's DVR's & receivers better because I'm used to them. On certain channels DTV's HD PQ is better than Dish's,but on the other hand Dish also has HD channels that DTV doesn't carry. I'm still learning my way around Dish's DVR's & remotes & I haven't had any negative experiences yet. Right now,I'm living in the perfect world where I can have both.