The only thing holding me to *E is...

[pulltab]

If E* was not offering the HD only pack, and at that great price, w/locals....I would switch to D* in a heartbeat. I mean, as of last count there are 30+ more channels offered by D*. Paying $75+ per month for TV is getting pretty ridiculous...(just TV)

Not sure how you folks feel....but "soon" is getting pretty old....

 

[Apologist]

If E* was not offering the HD only pack, and at that great price, w/locals....I would switch to D* in a heartbeat. I mean, as of last count there are 30+ more channels offered by D*. Paying $75+ per month for TV is getting pretty ridiculous...(just TV)

Not sure how you folks feel....but "soon" is getting pretty old....

They just added 22 channels. Of course they took 15 away but thats another story. I am more disappointed in the quality of these channels than anything. Mostly sd.

 

[butzchan]

I second that. Without HD Only, I would be Netflix'n only.

 

[mperdue]

I agree that Dish is in a sad state. Even if you didn't like VOOM, you've got to be disappointed with the SD crap that was added - not to mention the BS way that the channels were yanked off line in the middle of the night without notice. I'm leaning towards getting a Blu-Ray player and just buying the HD stuff I want to watch. The BR library should be large enough to do this by the end of this year.

Mario

 

[M Sparks]

I shopped for DirecTV seriously the other day. I had looked before, but never got to the pricing before now.

In the past, DISH had too much keeping me to seriously consider the switch. First, it was the greater variety of premiums. Then it was Voom.

Now, DISH doesn't really have anything to keep me, but Direct doesn't really have anything to draw me.

DirecTV advantage- Many more HD Premiums, FX-HD

DISH Advantage- already in my house, more premiums overall (including HBO Comedy, which is big in my house), currently more space to add more HD, IFC-HD supposedly on the way (but the Voom deal probably killed that), I own a 622.

Pricing wise, to get the same thing I have now, DirecTV is the exactly the same price (not counting the first year discounts.). If I drop Cinemax again, DirecTV would be $2 cheaper. (I would also drop the sports pack on DirecTV because I don't watch sports. So it's $2 cheaper, but for much less programming)

Selling my 622 would pay for the start-up costs on DirecTV, but I love my 622. I'd almost rather sell it to get the 722s when it comes out.

For now, I'm staying with DISH. We will see what DirecTV does in Septemeber when they get the new bird, and then I'll give DISH until the end of the year to respond.

 

[rjfrandle]

I don't care if Directv has 200 more HD channels than Dish. How many show much of anything in HD. I think Dish has pretty much all the channels that show a lot of HD content.

 

[M Sparks]

I don't care if Directv has 200 more HD channels than Dish. How many show much of anything in HD. I think Dish has pretty much all the channels that show a lot of HD content.

Like I said...for me, more HD premiums and FX HD were the only selling points.

 

[Apologist]

I don't care if Directv has 200 more HD channels than Dish. How many show much of anything in HD. I think Dish has pretty much all the channels that show a lot of HD content.

What hd content? Flipping through these new additions make me want to go back to ota only. Most of these channels suck as far as having any hd.

 

[airphotos]

What hd content? Flipping through these new additions make me want to go back to ota only. Most of these channels suck as far as having any hd.

The only full-time HD channels (that I've seen) added are MGM and Smithsonian. Other than that, it's sporadic at best. This rush to carry these HD channels prematurely is perplexing...If they aren't showing any HD content, why carry the channel and why launch it in the first place? Now, I realize a lot of these networks depend on contracts to assist in the launches in the first place, but this "race" is fruitless until the HD content is actually shown.

Dish is just playing a game of "keeping up with the Jones'."

 

[Apologist]

The only full-time HD channels (that I've seen) added are MGM and Smithsonian. Other than that, it's sporadic at best. This rush to carry these HD channels prematurely is perplexing...If they aren't showing any HD content, why carry the channel and why launch it in the first place? Now, I realize a lot of these networks depend on contracts to assist in the launches in the first place, but this "race" is fruitless until the HD content is actually shown.

Dish is just playing a game of "keeping up with the Jones'."

Channel surfing just doesn't feel the same. Paying $ for upconverted sd really is pathetic. Its not like most of these channels are good in the first place. Some of them contain so many commercials that even if in hd it wouldn't be worth the effort. I guess I'm just used to watching unedited/commercial free content.

 

[grb]

Channel surfing just doesn't feel the same. Paying $ for upconverted sd really is pathetic. Its not like most of these channels are good in the first place. Some of them contain so many commercials that even if in hd it wouldn't be worth the effort. I guess I'm just used to watching unedited/commercial free content.

like Voom...

 

[Yes616]

The only thing keeping me here now is my DIU contract. Without that, D* or TWC is looking better and better to me.

Without Voom, I don't know what to look at on TV anymore. Thats why I have been posting here so much lately.

I have Chiller on right now and they are playing "Tales From The Darkside: The Movie". They totally "butchered" it. (Pardon the pun). But this is horrible and no replacement for MonstersHD. Monsters did this movie right.

It's going to be a long time before I get over not having RaveHD and MonstersHD.

 

[NightRyder]

What's keep me? My 622 DVR and the fact that I have over 1TB of archived HD movies and events.

NightRyder

 

[Sammy033]

My contract holds me to Dish.

After it is up I will check out who the best provider is both for then and for the future. Since I have 8 months to go (I think) there is no way to make such a decision now. Many things can change in 8 months.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I like their dvrs much better than Directv's. Have both Directv and DISH and there is no comparison to me. DISH's dvrs are easier to use and accomplish much more than DIRECTV's. I can record 2 sat and one ota , while watching another program on my tuner 1 output in hd and watch something else on tuner 2 output in another room. THAT is 5 streams going at the same time without a hitch. DIRECTV 's dvrs are still very slow to respond to commands and still very clunky in comparison. It is like going back to a 921 dvr almost with the Hr 21 receiver. You can record two sat or two ota or one of each . I also perfer the DISH guides and channel layouts to Directv. There guides are laid out by a drunk with news and sports sprinkeled all through the guide . VEry hap hazard . OF Course DIRECTV still has superior internet video on demand features that DISH can't touch. I also like DISH's ability to use any external hard drive upto 750gb and I still get to use my internal as well. You can also switch any hard drive to any receiver and watch what you have recorded. DIRECTV has about 9 more national hd channels right now that DISH doesn't and once they add those they will be about equal in national programming -EXCEPT for Sports of course where DIRECTV will always have the lead. I will have both services till January of 2010 , unless DISH doesn something really stupid between now and then. I am under no contract with them and have been a customer for over 11 years with 3 accounts, but I could cut them off with no problem if I wanted to. But the DISH dvrs keep pulling me back everytime I think about leaving.

 

[Bradp56]

The only thing keeping me here now is my DIU contract. Without that, D* or TWC is looking better and better to me.

Without Voom, I don't know what to look at on TV anymore. Thats why I have been posting here so much lately.

I have Chiller on right now and they are playing "Tales From The Darkside: The Movie". They totally "butchered" it. (Pardon the pun). But this is horrible and no replacement for MonstersHD. Monsters did this movie right.

It's going to be a long time before I get over not having RaveHD and MonstersHD.

I am with you, I will be mad about not having Monstershd for a long time.

 

[M Sparks]

I took an even closer look at DirecTV today. Their pricing is intentionally confusing, but I think I managed to decypher it.

I'm not including their discounts because if I switch, it will be long term.

I have pretty much everything with DISH right now- $120 a month. Same thing on DirecTV- $126. However, I don't watch sports, except Hockey. If I drop the sports pack, it's DISH-$120, DirecTV- $121

If I drop Cinemax, it's DISH- $110, DirecTV- $113

If I drop The HD Extras/Ultimate, it's DISH $100, DirecTV $108.

The more I drop, the more expensive DirecTV gets! I guess DISH is cheaper at the bottom, and Direct has better pricing on premiums.

I would still consider switching...Direct has several more HD Premiums, and that's what's important to me. However DISH has MORE Cinemax HD channels now, and has always led DirecTV in the SD premiums. There are a few Showtime/TMC HD channels already uplinked, and 15 newly empty slots. DISH could catch up on HD premiums tomorrow if they really wanted to.

I guess I'll wait until September at least. If Direct jumps WAY ahead then, maybe I'll consider switching. DISH has the bandwidth to do a lot of catching up before then.

 

[statmanrich]

I'm pretty happy with Dish right now.

Paying $30 for HD only pack gives me all the channels that I really want right now given the recent additions of channels like Sci-Fi, CNN and CNBC. Plus, I'm getting Cinemax for a penny, which is hard to complain about or find elsewhere. And I have external hard drives getting filled up with all sorts of goodness, and should be able to hook them up to a hub later this year.

Just wish I could add RSNs to the HD only pack for football & basketball seasons. I'll probably switch to 100+ w/ HD essentials at that time to keep my bill half way reasonable with added sports, and then switch back to HD only next spring to get a better variety of HD at a lower price given that I'm not much of a baseball fan.

 

[kvnfl]

If E* was not offering the HD only pack, and at that great price, w/locals....I would switch to D* in a heartbeat. I mean, as of last count there are 30+ more channels offered by D*. Paying $75+ per month for TV is getting pretty ridiculous...(just TV)

Not sure how you folks feel....but "soon" is getting pretty old....

Verizon FIOS is $100 a month in my area. It includes unlimited phone, 20 gb DSL and HD. Currently I pay about $75 for phone and DSL plus $75 for Dish (who adds another $10 in taxes), bringing my monthly total to about $160. $60 savings X 12 months is a $720 a year. While not an earth shattering amount of money, it will get wifey and I to 4 or 5 sport/music events or a weekend out of town. You think I am staying a Dish customer with out VOOM?

 

[Roozilla]

Verizon FIOS is $100 a month in my area. It includes unlimited phone, 20 gb DSL and HD. Currently I pay about $75 for phone and DSL plus $75 for Dish (who adds another $10 in taxes), bringing my monthly total to about $160. $60 savings X 12 months is a $720 a year. While not an earth shattering amount of money, it will get wifey and I to 4 or 5 sport/music events or a weekend out of town. You think I am staying a Dish customer with out VOOM?

If I had a chance of getting FIOS, I'd switch in a heart beat. Just my luck I'm stuck with AT&T.