moving to D*

[aboz]

I am (soon to be was) an 8 year customer of dish. I have decided that its time for a change that conference call kinda of scared me a little. It seems that Charlie has kinda lost control. I called a dealer will install a DTivo for $99, plus HD reciever and one room for free. I will actually be sad to go because I have been a loyal customer for so long, but I dont see a direction that E* is taking. I do appriaciate all that Charlie has done for the industry. Hey, No one says I have to leave for good. We shall see whats going on. In all honesty I am sick of waiting for stuff to come out, and hearing reciever prices changing. I do feel Dish has a good product but management has a "small" company mentallity, when the company grew. I may be back, we shall see what the future holds. I dont bash either company. I feel DBS in general is the best. I am open to both companies.

Thanks,

Alex

 

[sclaws]

I'm considering the same thing...been hanging on for the 921--even have it preordered at DishDepot--but I just got a taste of DirecTivo at a friend's place and loved it! Very solid, mostly well designed menu structure and pretty easy to use. If HDTivo is the same, then I think it may be worth the wait vs. the 921 (with software molded from the 721). With their current deal of free install with a $99 DirecTivo, its getting hard for me to not consider the switch.

 

[dbronstein]

I'm probably going to bail on Dish next summer if they haven't come out with name-based recording in the 721 by then (which I doubt they will). We've started recording shows for my son now and it's getting to be too much of a pain in the rear trying to keep the timers on track.

Dennis

 

[Bowtieman]

I am still thinking it over. I am 95% convinced I will leave Dish for Direct by this weekend.

The only thing that has stopped me is making sure I can get an antenna that will get ota where I live. At least 60 miles from signal and absolutely no line of site.

Then I read the D* is going to have room for all the locals in HD sometime next year. Huummm that would be good. Real good.

I like the thought of the dual tuner tivo vs the bug ridden 721. That dish will not make any deals on anymore. So this afternoon I will order the Samsung HD receiver and dual tuner tivo and end my 5 years with Dish.

All they had to do to keep me and probably a lot of other people was to complete the promises of the 811/921 they made months ago. Every month that goes by the 811 goes up $100 and no new channnels talked about in last charlie chat is enough to make me bail.

 

[dlsnyder]

Bowtieman -

What city do you live in? Here in Moreno Valley we are 55 miles from Mt. Wilson as the electrons fly and have quite good reception of LA stations. No special setup either - just a cheap RS antenna on a 5ft mast and a cheap RS distribution amp. I even had to put an attenuator on the input of the amp because it was overloading!

 

[Bowtieman]

I live in Menifee. I have decided to try a 15-2160 by Radio Shack with a 30 DB amp. I have read on

http://www.hdtvpub.com/local/localarea.cfm/group_plasma-hdtv/

that several people in our area are using this antenna and achieving good success with it.

I fairly sure I do not have line of site with Mt. Wilson but I think the amp will pull it out for me. This antenna has a small footprint (not very large) and will help me keep it mostly out of sight if I dont put it over 3' higher than my roof.. Don't want to do battle with the ole HOA regardeless what the FCC says. I like and respect my neighbors.

I did pull the trigger this afternoon and put my order in to Direct. I will drop dish as soon as the Direct is up and running. Got the Samsung with DVI for $30 less than the latest price on the 811 along with a dual tuner Tivo installed for $569.00. That is only $70 more than the 811.

Sorry Charlie I just got tired of all the delays and the price increases.

 

[Phil T]

I am coming up on two weeks since I activated 2-DirectTIVOs after 6+ years with Dish. I wanted a two tuner DVR and am glad I didn't wait any longer.

The family has a weeks worth of season passes to watch this weekend!

My family and friends were shocked that I made the switch. After all, Echostar is a home town company, and I was one of their most loyal supporters.

I purchased one of the first Dishplayers available in June of 1999. What a ride that was!

When the DirecTIVO first came out (fall of 2001 I think) I came close to switching, but I had a false hope that Dish would have the 721 out soon, at a competitive price, and continue to be a leader in the industry. I bought a 501 then for $199.00 and in the summer of 2002 bought a 6000 for close to $700.00.

I though the HD was great but my family rarely watches it. They prefer to time shift everything.

Early last year the Dishplayer problems got really bad and their was no satisfaction from Dish.

In the meantime my family was hooked on the DVR's ( Dishplayer 7100 and 501) but the single tuner was making it difficult for me to see any TV because both units were always recording something.

The delay in getting the HD programming packages this summer and living in Denver where over the air HD is very hard to get without a 6 ft. uhf antenna added to my frustration.

When I walked into Circuit City a couple of weeks ago and walked out with two DirecTIVOS for $49.00 each + rebates. I actually felt sad for the situation DishNetwork is in, and wondered what the people who know me would think about me jumping ship.

I did my own install, and it was not easy. I had a tree blocking the 101 satellite.

Two weeks into this I have to say it is well worth it.

The DirecTIVOS hum along with out problems, record things as asked, and give me added benefits of some different channels, concerts, and just a different type of experience then I have had for a while. The kids have already mastered the channel numbers and setting up recordings and the options.

My dilemma now is what to do with my 7100 with a Maxor 30Gig hard drive, 501, SW64 and my 6000 8PSK/8VSB. I am keeping the 6000 for now, but may try and sell off all my Dish equipment for a future DirecTIVO HD box.

If someone is interested in my equipment, (I would prefer to deal with someone local, so I don't have to deal with shipping) make me an offer. (Tinslep@juno.com)

I am not in any hurry to sell and will post my equipment in the classified threads later, when I am ready.