Questions from a Dish Customer thinking about going to Direct.

[jericko]

Hello

I have been with Dish since 2001 and have been pretty happy overall. I have 2 722 HD DVRs, one keeps dying and Dish keeps sending me a refurb unit. I am thinking about going to DirectTV and getting the Whole House DVR with 5 tuners, and 2 HD receivers so I can have 3 TVs connected. Being with Dish for over 10 years I am a bit scared to switch. For people that have switch from Dish to Direct, are they happy? Are the receivers pretty easy to use (Menu, guide, record just new shows, ect)? Any feedback I would really appreciate!

Thanks
Jason

 

[raoul5788]

I've never been a Dish customer, so my perspective is a bit skewed, but here goes. From what I have read, the Dish equipment is somewhat better than Directv's, but Directv has somewhat better picture quality. That may be considered a wash. For me, the most important factor is the programming. Who has most of the channels that you want to watch? I say most because neither has all of the ones I want. Although Dish has more national hd channels, they have none of the NY rsns, which for me is the biggest reason I stay with Directv.

 

[jericko]

Thanks Raoul for the reply. Programming for me is pretty much a wash between the two, but DirectTV does carry my local CW in HD where Dish only carries it in SD.

 

[HIFI]

having been a customer and installer with both companies I can tell you I prefer Directv equipment and service.

 

[primetimeguy]

Hello

I have been with Dish since 2001 and have been pretty happy overall. I have 2 722 HD DVRs, one keeps dying and Dish keeps sending me a refurb unit. I am thinking about going to DirectTV and getting the Whole House DVR with 5 tuners, and 2 HD receivers so I can have 3 TVs connected. Being with Dish for over 10 years I am a bit scared to switch. For people that have switch from Dish to Direct, are they happy? Are the receivers pretty easy to use (Menu, guide, record just new shows, ect)? Any feedback I would really appreciate!

Thanks
Jason

Are you aware of the hopper/joey whole house dvr system dish is rolling out mar 15th?

 

[ejb1980]

A comparison between Dish and Directv is not complete without knowing your zip code. There are a few markets were one provider has HD locals and the other doesn't. Also, since Dish is anti-sports, your RSNs could vary significantly. Dish has more HD basics, Directv has slightly better PQ. Directv has supposedly has cheaper lease fees from what I've read here.

 

[DVDDAD]

I'm very happy that I made the switch to DirecTV last May and I started with Dish and the Dishplayer 7000, and was a Dish customer just a little longer than you have been with them. Whole Home DVR, the HR-34 with five tuners, all the NY RSN's in full-time HD and Sunday Ticket, should be enough to convince you to make the switch. However, I have to say I was extremely surprised that when I called DirecTV for a discounted price on the HR-34 after only being with them for nine months, they actually gave me a great price and I was surprised that I didn't have to wait for my one year anniversary like I would have had to do with Dish. I agree with many here that DirecTV's HD picture quality is a little better than Dish, while Dish's SD quality is slightly better than DirecTV's. But I don't watch much SD, so that doesn't bother me. While Dish may have a few more basic national channels in HD that DirecTV doesn't carry, having all of my NY RSN's in full time HD, while Dish stopped carrying all NY RSN's, certainly outways having BBCA-HD, DIY-HD and a few others absent in DirecTV's HD line-up. Sure, I liked Dish's receivers a little more than my DirecTV receivers, they had a better GUI and better use of External Hard Drives, but they don't do Whole Home DVR yet and can't record five different shows at once. And now that DirecTV has updated their receivers with an HD-GUI, it's hard for me to say that Dish's receivers are any better.

Remember that if you are going with the HR-34 and if you skip getting a DVR for the other two TV's, that for those TV's, you'll only be able to pause live TV if you hit the record button first. Thus recording and using one of the HR-34's tuners. If you get two HD-DVR's in addition to the HR-34, you'll pay a little more upfront, nothing extra each month and you'll be able to record nine shows at once and pause live TV on all of your TV's. Good luck.

 

[dfergie]

Look this over to see if "your" programming is available on Directv... (last post) http://www.satelliteguys.us/general...nnel-list-dish-network-vs-57.html#post2802497

 

[jericko]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am not a big sports fan, so that benefit does not really weigh in for me. All the channels that are important to me (Locals, USA, FX, TNT, AMC, ect) are in HD on Direct, so for me its the new equipment, and the whole house DVR. I know Dish is coming out with their new House DVD, I just called and CSR said its supposed to come out March 15th, but she thought it was going to be delayed as she has seen no pricing.

I am kind of worried that DVDDAD said the Direct receivers do not have as nice of a GUI as Dish, but I guess I will get used to it.

I am kind of a TV Junkie, so switching Sat Carriers is kind of a big deal for me

 

[primetimeguy]

The hopper/joey will be out on the 15th. I think early this week u will be able to start requesting it. Will probably cost you $99. With direct you will probably get a good deal to switch and will have more tuners availble for multiroom dvr. I'm in the same boat as you but am going to wait it out a month or so and see how new dish equip works out for people.

 

[dfergie]

I have both providers, the new HD GUI isn't that bad with Directv and it is much quicker than the older "blue" SD GUI, it's only 1.5 hours though but you get used to it. Also be aware that if you archive to EHDD with Directv it's either the internal or the external, not both and you need SATA drives with Directv as USB won't work.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Forget the Hopper.

You would be far much better off getting the HR34 and HR24's for your additional rooms.

The fact your only paying $6 per additional receiver with Directv, have the ability to record 5 things at the same time on the HR34 and be able to pull up anything in any room with the multi-room view should make it a no brainer to go to Directv.

I used to have (6) 722's with Dish on my home account. Went to an HR34, (5) HR24's and (2) H25's and couldn't be happier.

Just the $85 cost for the (5) 722's each month was reason enough to switch, where I got 8 receivers with Directv and am paying $45 in additional receiver fees.

$40 per month savings, I couldn't go wrong.

 

[jericko]

The hopper/joey will be out on the 15th. I think early this week u will be able to start requesting it. Will probably cost you $99. With direct you will probably get a good deal to switch and will have more tuners availble for multiroom dvr. I'm in the same boat as you but am going to wait it out a month or so and see how new dish equip works out for people.

The problem is Direct is offering a pretty good deal that ends on March 14th:
Directv new customer only sign up deal 2 years of savings - Slickdeals.net

From what I am reading, the Hopper/Joey system seems inferior to the Directs 5 Tuner DVR. If I switch to Direct, I can get more channels for less then I am paying Dish and new equipment and a Costco gift card for $120 (every bit helps).

 

[jericko]

I have both providers, the new HD GUI isn't that bad with Directv and it is much quicker than the older "blue" SD GUI, it's only 1.5 hours though but you get used to it. Also be aware that if you archive to EHDD with Directv it's either the internal or the external, not both and you need SATA drives with Directv as USB won't work.

Dfergie, what do you mean you can only go 1.5 hours?

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

Dfergie, what do you mean you can only go 1.5 hours?

He means that the Guide List shows 1.5 hours(90 minutes) of programing(versus Dish showing 3 hours) before you have to scroll right to continue seeing what's on.

 

[jericko]

Thanks Royrdsjr, I cant live with that

 

[scoobyxj]

He means that the Guide List shows 1.5 hours(90 minutes) of programing(versus Dish showing 3 hours) before you have to scroll right to continue seeing what's on.

That kind of sucks. I've really grown to like the three hour guide on my 722k. In fact when I was installing (only on HD TV's) I used to ask the customer which they like better, and 99% choose the three hour guide. About the only ones who didn't where elderly who found the smaller type hard to read.

 

[CK SatGuy]

Don't forget the AAA discount if you're a AAA member.

 

[dfergie]

On plus with the Directv GUI is 12 hour increments in going forward instead of 24 though...

 

[DVDDAD]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am not a big sports fan, so that benefit does not really weigh in for me. All the channels that are important to me (Locals, USA, FX, TNT, AMC, ect) are in HD on Direct, so for me its the new equipment, and the whole house DVR. I know Dish is coming out with their new House DVD, I just called and CSR said its supposed to come out March 15th, but she thought it was going to be delayed as she has seen no pricing.

I am kind of worried that DVDDAD said the Direct receivers do not have as nice of a GUI as Dish, but I guess I will get used to it.

I am kind of a TV Junkie, so switching Sat Carriers is kind of a big deal for me

Don't be worried, now that DirecTV has updated their GUI, I don't miss Dish's GUI any longer. It was DirecTV's old GUI that was not up to par with Dish's. It won't take you long, but you'll get used to DirecTV's receivers and their GUI.