So I have a dilemma...

[Tex Arcana]

I've had Dish before, for damn near 10 years straight; so, obviously, I kinda liked them. But when we moved to an apartment from our house (long story, basically downsizing), we thought we couldn't do Dish because how the apartments are set up. So we went with uVerse for tv and Internet.

Needless to say, uVerse is insanely expensive. And the picture quality isn't all that good--severe pixelation on "busy" scenes and scene transistions.

Needless to say, I'm not pleased.

So, I'm looking to change, and I'd like to see what advice y'all can give me. We need TV & Internet, and I must have at least mostly HD with BBCA-HD and SPEED-HD; we also need the local channels.

The kicker is, we just pulled the trigger on a new home build, and the target completion date is around mid-late September, so we will have to move the service.

So, what say ye, ye experts of satellite guys? Am I just barking up a tree? Or is there something out there (the only choices afaik are Dish, Direct, AT&T, and Time-Warner) that will give me what I need?

Local zip code is 75070; zip where we're moving: 75409.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

First you got to go with who gets you the programming you want.
Second take a look at the equipment visit a local retailer and play with the equipment and find which equipment you are comfortable with.
Third take a look at price, although after promotions both services cost about the same.

Then order.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Off the top of my head, locals, Speed HD, and BBC America HD are included in America's Top 200 for $59.99/month regularly ($34.99/month for a year with $15 monthly bonus credit and $10 online bonus credit) and Dish Latino Max for $57.99/month ($39.99/month for a year with $13 monthly bonus credit and $5 online bonus credit). Both channel lineups vary.

Here is a PDF lineup card for the English America's Top packages: http://www.mydish.com/downloads/Channel-Lineup/StandardHDChannelGuide.pdf

Here is a PDF lineup card for the Sirius XM Channel Guide (as the channels are included in America's Top 120 and above as well as Dish Latino Clasico and above): http://www.mydish.com/downloads/Channel-Lineup/SiriusChannelGuide.pdf

Dish Latino PDF lineup card page 1: http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/channel-lineup/ChannelCardDishLatino1.pdf
Dish Latino PDF lineup card page 2: http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/channel-lineup/ChannelCardDishLatino2.pdf

Wow! With your zip, it looks like there are 16 local channels with 8 in HD including your local CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CW, My Network TV, PBS, and Telemundo.

Dallas, TX - ABC (WFAA)		8
Dallas, TX - AZTECA (KAZD)		55
Dallas, TX - CBS (KTVT)		11
Dallas, TX - CW (KDAF)		33
Dallas, TX - FOX (KDFW)		4
Dallas, TX - IND (KFWD)		52
Dallas, TX - IND (KMPX)		29
Dallas, TX - IND (KTXA)		21
Dallas, TX - IND (KTXD)		47
Dallas, TX - ION (KPXD)		68
Dallas, TX - MNT (KDFI)		27
Dallas, TX - NBC (KXAS)		5
Dallas, TX - PBS (KERA)		13
Dallas, TX - TELEF (KSTR)		49
Dallas, TX - TMNDO (KXTX)		39
Dallas, TX - UNVSN (KUVN)		23

It also looks like you qualify for the optional superstations for $2/each or $7/5 Superstations.

Superstations - $2.00 per month**
Station	Affiliate	DISH Network Channel Number
Superstation KTLA	WB	233
Superstation KWGN	WB	235
Superstation WPIX	WB	234
Superstation WSBK	UPN	236
Superstation WWOR	UPN	238

Note: So, according to Wikipedia the first three are now CW affiliates while the bottom two are My Network TV affiliates. Since you already have a CW and My Network TV affiliate (which are both in HD), you may not find interest in these unless you enjoy CW or/and MyNetwork TV programming or/and syndicated programming.

There is also a page on Dish for bundling phone and Internet which requires an address along with the zip code for available offers. Unfortunately, I'm on my iPod Touch right now. Here is the link now that I am at my PC: http://www.dish.com/entertainment/internet-phone/

This link may be good to see if you would actually get a deal on phone or/and Internet as you would be going to a new address. I know that some people are not fans of bundling. However, if it works for you, then it may be okay. I know that some people use Voip or other services like Vonage and Ooma; however, that is for The Phone Zone forum.

Here is the Dish Pricing Calculator (if needed): http://commercial.dishnetwork.com/calculator/default.aspx

 

[Tampa8]

Your making it too hard. Go with the best provider, Dish. Does everything you mentioned.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Also, DirecTV has BBC America, but it is not offered in HD. However, Speed is in HD, but it is in the Choice Xtra pack, which I believe is $68.99/month. (I think the promotional price is $39.99/month for a year, but I am not sure. I think they do online deals [which may be better] as well as non-online (for lack of a better term) deals.

It looks like DirecTv also offers 16 local channels with 8 in HD. The only difference is that it looks like DirecTv offers an independent channel in HD instead of Telemundo.

Available Channels

Network	Affiliate	Local Channel #	3-Digit Channel # (older receivers)	HD Channel	Alternate HD Channel
FOX	KDFW	4	885	4
NBC	KXAS	5	886	5
ABC	WFAA	8	887	8
CBS	KTVT	11	888	11
PBS	KERA	13	889	13
IND	KTXA	21	890	21
UNI	KUVN	23	891	23	891
MNT	KDFI	27	892	27
IND	KMPX	29	884
CW	KDAF	33	893	33
TMO	KXTX	39	894
IND	KTXD	47	895
TFT	KSTR	49	900
IND	KFWD	52	901
AZA	KAZD	55	896
ION	KPXD	68	896

Here is a channel lineup card for Choice Xtra:http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/compare/printablePackageChannels.jsp?packageId=960010&skuId=sku930012

 

[mdram]

1. look at the programming packs to see what meets your needs
2. look at the equipment. (what dvr setup meets your needs)
3. remember when you move you usually dont get to add equipment so get it all now

what are your recording habits?
what equipment did you have when you had dish?

 

[boba]

That move a few miles north to Anna might not affect your TV viewing but check on your intrnet availability. I moved seven miles north and ended up with 1WISP available or Verizon and my choice of slow dial ups, and I can spit out the window at Verizons building.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

I updated some of my posts from going from my iPod Touch to my PC.
I really hope that the information helps.

Here is a link to receivers: HD DVRs - Digital Video Recorder & TV Receivers - DISH
Here is a link to manuals: http://www.mydish.com/support/manuals

In my honest opinion, I think the Hopper is neat and all, but depending on the number of TVs you have along with fees, it can get rather pricey.

As an alternative, I suggest a one TV 211 or two if you have a 3-TV setup or more. The 211 has the option of being turned into a DVR with a one-time $40 fee that covers all 211s along with the need for your own external hard drive(s). Therefore, those costs may seem expensive upfront, but there is no monthly DVR fee. Rignt now the DVR fee is $6/month (Who is to say that fee cannot increase ever? DirecTV's DVR fee went up to $8/month recently.).

Best of luck to you!

 

[HanoverPretzel]

Also consider what type of contractual commitment you're willing to sign. Dish and Directv lock you in for two years, and Dish has a lot of programming disputes where channels might go off the air temporarily or permanently. Oftentimes, cable is contract free and you can "walk away" basically at any time, though I hear some cable promotions from some companies are starting to require contracts, so you might want to look into whether you can get any good price promotions contract free in your area.

In your shoes, I'd probably drop FIOS and switch to contract-less cable offering for your current apartment. Then, if you want a dish, get it at your new place. The main reason for doing cable now and Dish later? There is often a moving fee for the second setup at the new place. If you wait to get it until after the move, you may get free installation (Though an important caveat here is that Dish runs a credit check on you and makes some people pay for install- cost me $99 despite their advertising and they didn't give me HD equipment, and, yeah, I'm still a little bitter), and there is no possibility of a moving fee.

Another factor to consider: Where are you getting your Internet? The Dish/Direct bundles are usually with DSL- which is relatively slow even at it's best, and can be really difficult to deal with if the telephone wiring infrastructure in your area has gone to hell (Which is beginning to happen more and more as people switch to using cell phones as their only phones and the telephone companies don't put the money into keeping phone lines in as good of repair as they used to, or at least that's what it seems like).

Right now I have Dish for TV and the local cable company for Internet. That works out because I have a great promotional rate for the Internet. Once that rate expires, I will get hit with a non-bundling fee, and because there is no FIOS in my area and the phone lines weren't even good for voice calls when I had a landline, I may wind up switching my television to cable in part to get a bundling promo. I do think there is one Internet package that doesn't have a "no-TV" fee, but it's a little slower than standard and costs a little more, so I'm not sure whether it's worth it (Might be worth trying for a while to find out).

I guess my post is kind of sounding pro-cable, but that's not necessarily the vibe I'm trying to send. I've had issues with cable too. Comcast didn't carry the alternate games of a local regional sports network in my area, even though they do to the east, west, and south of me (Not kidding). Then Comcast added it for a season. Then Comcast took it away the next season. And no one I talked to even seemed to know what I was talking about when I called to complain. And when I cancelled my TV and Internet with them and went back to get Internet 6-7 months later because the wireless broadband card thing I had from another company was horrific, they claimed my address didn't exist (Even though I had service with them at this same address 6-7 months prior) and I went through hell trying to get Internet back up (Only a slight exaggeration- a zilllion phone calls, two or three office visits, two or three visits to my apartment, a missed installation appointment, a letter to the consumerist, a bunch of e-mails, more phone calls, and finally an appointment I only agreed to because they sweetened the pot and made the deal impossible to pass up- otherwise I would have told them to forget it after going through all that).

One thing I'll say about Dish positively is that- despite their contracts, their discrimination against people with low credit, their implying your first year rate is locked in when it's not, and their frequent programming disputes that lose you channels you need- they are actually fairly easy to deal with. When I called to install, they had people out here within a couple days. Service calls, the same. I can switch programming packages right on the Internet. That is one area that they are way better than cable in.

 

[KAB]

If you want BBCA, cross Direct off your list. Amazing to me they don't carry it. And I could never get mad enough at Dish to switch to D* because of that. Rather have BBCA than AMC !!!

 

[Tex Arcana]

Mojo, yer amazing. Thanks for the extensive research. I know it's been a month, but I'm funny that way. Hell, I haven't even called uverse and bitched about the picture quality (too busy). I thought I HAD to make a fast choice; but given my druthers, I don't like being forced into fast choices, and typically don't do them.

So right now I'm still in limbo and just dealing with uVerse. Hanover, it ain't FIOS, not even close. The only good thing is I don't lose signal during bad storms; otherwise, the picture quality is as described before (crap), and the Internet service is crap--supposed to be 6Mbps, but it rarely sees better than 4, and it has these "pauses" that pretty much interrupt any decent form of TV viewing or web surfing. >_<

Mojo, I haven't forgotten this, and I'm going to bookmark the thread so I can find it.

Hanover, thanks for the post, it's good information. A word of advice: when shift like what you experienced happens, DEMAND THE SUPERVISOR. Kick that stuff so far upstairs they're tasting it for breakfast. AND DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. If they want to keep their customer, they will eventually capitulate. And that applies to just about anything, not just cable or dish.

Mojo, one last thing: if you have any pull with the site owners, ask them to make posted links show in another color, on my iPad they're all the same, I can't tell what's a link and what's not.

Thanks guys! <3

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Mojo, one last thing: if you have any pull with the site owners, ask them to make posted links show in another color, on my iPad they're all the same, I can't tell what's a link and what's not.

Thanks guys! <3

I am sorry, but I do not have any pull with the site owners. I did update my app the other day, but I'm not sure if that will fix the issues with the color. The links are somewhat close in color to the regular text. I am not sure if you can go into the app or the iPad to change link colors. I am also using an iPod right now; sometimes I get frustrated with the iPod and jump on the PC.

If Dish needs someone for programming help, I would love it (if I could do it online from home)

 

[Claude Greiner]

If I where in your position, I would just put up with that Uverse garbage for another few months till your ready to move.

Then you can do a brand new customer offer with either DISH Network or Directv and get all the correct equipment the first time.

Anything you get installed now is just going to be a hassle in 3 months when you try to do a mover deal, and add or upgrade your equipment when you move into your new home.