Please stop me from going to Dicectv

[bagsy]

I added D* last April to get MLB EI. After reading about all of the dvr issues, I decided to also keep E*. I'm so glad I did!!! I only have standard def dvrs, so I can't help you on the hd dvr comparisons, but the D* standard dvr is absolutely horrible --- not just it's unreliable behavior, but the user interface is awful. Also, I had billing issues for 4 months. It would get messed up, they would change the amount of my discounts from month to month, added the protection plan when I didn't order it and charged me to have it removed (they said they had to charge my account to remove the plan even though I didn't order it, and I would have to wait until I received a bill with the fee on the account and then contact them to have it removed). I suspended the account after baseball season. I just activated it again a week ago and have already been frustrated with the dvr. Also, I saw a shortened bill (can't view the details) online, and it looks like they messed up my bill again.

I would be willing to pay a cancellation fee to D* if only E* would bring back MLB EI. Until then I will keep E* and have D* during baseball months and suspend it in the offseason -- until they come out with a reliable, sensible, easy to use dvr.

 

[truckerD]

I just had my Direct tv hooked up yesterday. I am really glad I switched, Install went great and hd content looks just as good or maybe a little better than dish. DVR software taking some time to get used to but no big deal. When I canceled dish the csr asked why and when I told her she was very nice and said she understood. She was not hateful and said check back in 2 years.

 

[teneightyp]

It seems as though E* isn't doing much to reassure customers about the future regarding the ability to compete with D*. I think E* is getting crushed now and it will take a long time to recover. Eventually people will defect from D* to E*, but only if the product is acceptable, which E* is doing a terrible job with right now when compared to D*. Maybe E* is really scared and knows they are and will be an inferior product, which is fine as long as the price reflects that. But currently prices are very similar which we be the downfall of E* if they don't do some serious national HD adding VERY "soon".

 

[flyingsquirrel]

I think that overall this has been a very interesting thread to read.

As a long-time Dish subscriber, I am considering moving to D* because I am just frustrated as hell with the present state of things.

This is my personal issue:

I want to get a second HDTV, which with Dish would require getting a 612 to go with my 622 and would extend my commitment with Dish out another two years. Given the present state of Dish, I don't want to do that.

So I am thinking about switching to Directv.

The pros for D* are clear for me--Programming and Price:

They have Speed, Spike, Bravo, USA, and Sci-Fi. It would be nice to have ESPN News and Disney. All of These have SHOWS in HD that I or my family watch regularly. (I personally care more about shows than about the total amount of content).

Having watched and participated in all of the discussions and watched the news, I don't think that Dish will add many of those (Especially not Speed, which I watch a lot) until E11 goes up, and maybe not even then. So we are looking at the Fall for anything that I want to watch. Worst case, I think we will have one or two new channels before June 9 to allow Charlie to meet his commitment on the last Charlie Chat.

For me, equivalent programming over a two year period would save about $600.

The Pros for E* are technical:

1) I already have it. I am comfortable with it. The quality is fine.
2) I have heard that there is no 30-second skip on the HR21. I am addicted to the 30-second skip.
3) Integration with OTA. I record from OTA all the time and I record three programs at a time with some regularity, something that the HR21 can't do.
4) THE HR 21 can't record OTA and you can't get HR20s in this area.
5) I have heard that HBO is going to implement the Comcast rule with D*, that is that anything you record from HBO will be deleted after 2 hours. I have heard from a pretty good source that this will not happen with E*.
6) There is no external disk option with the HR series.

THE DECISION

My decision after a fair amount of research is that I will wait on switching to D* until the OTA box for the HR21 is released. At that point I will decide which way to go depending on what Dish has done in the interim.

Another reason for holding off on the install is that I want to wait until the trees leaf out.

Anyone have any comments on my reasoning? I appreciate the informational tone of this thread so far.

 

[JEFFinINDY]

My decision after a fair amount of research is that I will wait on switching to D* until the OTA box for the HR21 is released. At that point I will decide which way to go depending on what Dish has done in the interim.

Another reason for holding off on the install is that I want to wait until the trees leaf out.

Anyone have any comments on my reasoning? I appreciate the informational tone of this thread so far.

My reasoning is the same as yours. I'll see how things are in mid-May in terms of Dish's programming. If Dish hasn't filled out their missing channels significantly, and if the OTA tuner for the HR21 is available, then it may be time to switch.

 

[Ronnie-]

My decision after a fair amount of research is that I will wait on switching to D* until the OTA box for the HR21 is released. At that point I will decide which way to go depending on what Dish has done in the interim.

Another reason for holding off on the install is that I want to wait until the trees leaf out.

Anyone have any comments on my reasoning? I appreciate the informational tone of this thread so far.

Sounds reasonable.

Not sure about the 30 sec skip on the HR-21, it is on the 20, so if it is not available, I cant imagine that it would be too far off on the 21

 

[rkalbo]

I switched to direct lot more HD but there DVR is from the stone age compared to dish's 722 But glad I switched

 

[TRSmudge]

I am waiting for now as well.....
Hoping Dish will catch up soon.....

This was a good read from Direct during their recent Investor Day.....
Investor Day Handout

TRsmudge

 

[gopherscot]

My luck I would switch and immediately Dish will add the new HD. That is the only reason I would switch and rather than be a service hopper I will wait it out. Direct is two dishes here and the multi sports package is 12.00 versus 5.99 for Dish. It would be stupid, on my part, to switch just for a bunch of HD that I really don't watch much. Also love my 622 and feel the D* version is not in the same league. FWIW

 

[truckerD]

My luck I would switch and immediately Dish will add the new HD. That is the only reason I would switch and rather than be a service hopper I will wait it out. Direct is two dishes here and the multi sports package is 12.00 versus 5.99 for Dish. It would be stupid, on my part, to switch just for a bunch of HD that I really don't watch much. Also love my 622 and feel the D* version is not in the same league. FWIW

I think you are crazy for being loyal to one company, They don't care about you, they only care about the profit. Go where you can get the most for your money, and in 2 years if dish is up to speed go back.