Was about to leave DISH for Direct. I'm not sure after doing more research.

[Ozma]

I've had DISH for two years. Installation is 4 VIP722's with OTA.

I'm seriously considering a switch because it looks like DISH runs about $25 a month higher than Direct and I'm tired of the 722's (which always suck power) being 24 x 7 hot plates.

I've put more time into this that I planned. Since there is a 2 year contract with non-trivial cancellation penalties and no obvious way to test drive the Direct end user experience I find myself feeling some pressure to not screw the pooch on this decision.

Here's what I've found so far....

Direct...

• + HR24 actually powers off and isn't an ongoing heat generator/ power draw.
• + Multi room DVR is pretty nifty. I'd get 4 HR24's and have a little peer-to-peer DVR network.
• + Cost (theoretically) should be lower.
• - AM21 requires channel to be in guide to get it, some channels missing (that we currently record).
• - Guide does not show three hours of programming on a screen.
• - Cannot record 3 streams at a time (722 does two Satellite streams plus OTA simultaneously).
• - New two year contract with cancellation penalties.
• - Have to let Direct "pull" from credit card to get cost savings.
• ? Not sure if I'll have any discount issues by buying from a local retailer/installer.
• - No BBC America HD (my wife loves this channel).
• - Many reports of HR24 being noticeably slower to tune channels that VIP722.
• - No grouping support for recorded shows.

DISH.....

• - More expensive per month.
• - VIP722's always on. Have had to install auxiliary cooling on each to keep them from frying (probably paying a higher power bill).
• - No multi room DVR.
• + OTA support brings in every channel for which there is a signal (no guide tie-in).
• + Guide shows a three hour window on a channel.
• + More than acceptable tuning speed.
• + Supports 2 satellite streams + OTA stream simultaneously.
• + Can "group" recorded shows (folders).
• + The current installation works fine.
• + They're not touching my credit card.

From what I've encountered so far it's a toss up on 1-800-BADEXPERIENCE for both DISH and Direct, the "phone company" experience.

Thoughts?

 

[Opusnbill7]

Having had both, I have to say that the MRV is amazing. That's the main reason I switched. I had "pseudo" MRV on Dish by backfeeding the RF outputs into my OTA system, but there is no comparison with DirecTV's system. I've found DirecTV to be a little cheaper also, even with two DVR's instead of one (which is what I did to overcome the loss of the "third" 722 tuner). Do miss BBCA, E!, and TruTV in HD, but supposedly they should be coming "soon". Overall you gotta go with whichever you think will make you happier, but I don't regret switching myself.

 

[Jimbo]

Sounds like your wanting to stay where you are, from your post.

The HR24 doesn't shut off, nor does ANY DVR, D*, DISH or Cable provider, they all have a HD that has to function to allow you to rewind, it doesn't know when you may want to turn on a channel and back up to the beginning of a program.

Personally, I'm glad D* 's guide doesn't show 3 hours, I don't need a smaller font so they can cram another 1.5 hrs in it. I know how to use the right arrow button just fine.

I did not know that you could record 3 items at a time 2 Sat and 1 OTA on DISH.

You CAN record 2 feeds with D* as well as a VOD.

AM 21 doesn't Scan, unfortunately, the one drawback the AM21 has. D*'s HR20's were the last ones with OTA tuners built in.

 

[andrewj0781]

I just switched from Dish to Direct and I'm very impressed with the HR24. I think it compares to 722. (The nice thing is that when only one show is recording you and another room don't lose live tv watching like the Dish dual dvrs.) The new CE test makes it super fast. The only things I miss are TruTV HD and DIY HD. That's a good price to pay to get 24/7 HD RSN.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[dishrich]

I did not know that you could record 3 items at a time 2 Sat and 1 OTA on DISH.

You can actually record TWO OTA's (along w/the 2 Sat's) all at once on the 722k receivers; you have to add the OTA module to those receivers, though...

 

[Mr Tony]

couple corrections

The HR24 doesn't shut off, nor does ANY DVR, D*, DISH or Cable provider, they all have a HD that has to function to allow you to rewind, it doesn't know when you may want to turn on a channel and back up to the beginning of a program.

a Dish receiver the buffer doesnt start until the unit is powered "on" Having a 211k I know this to be true. My Directv R22 I can go back 90 minutues. The 211k you cannot and DIsh confirmed all their units do that.

Personally, I'm glad D* 's guide doesn't show 3 hours, I don't need a smaller font so they can cram another 1.5 hrs in it. I know how to use the right arrow button just fine.

agreed

I did not know that you could record 3 items at a time 2 Sat and 1 OTA on DISH.

The 722 has a OTA tuner built in and yeah that is a separate tuner. My 211k can record one sat and one OTA at the same time which is nice

 

[mdram]

actually all shows are put in folders, all of the same show that is

 

[JerseyMatt]

You CAN record 2 feeds with D* as well as a VOD.

Just want to expand on this a bit.. You say you currently have FOUR 722's and claim that "cannot record 3 streams simultaneously" is a negative. Do you really record that many shows (and then are that many of what you record actually on OTA) simultaneously that the 8 tuners that four HR24's would give you isn't enough? Honestly I think the $50 per month you'll be saving in extra receiver fees more than makes up for that.

 

[mdram]

Just want to expand on this a bit.. You say you currently have FOUR 722's and claim that "cannot record 3 streams simultaneously" is a negative. Do you really record that many shows (and then are that many of what you record actually on OTA) simultaneously that the 8 tuners that four HR24's would give you isn't enough? Honestly I think the $50 per month you'll be saving in extra receiver fees more than makes up for that.

for the cost of 4 722'a he can get 7 hr24's and have 14 streams

 

[Mr Tony]

for the cost of 4 722'a he can get 7 hr24's and have 14 streams

actually 8 with a couple bucks left over...but I'd hate to see that up front cost for the DVR's

 

[JerseyMatt]

If I were ordering 8 I'd ask for a volume discount.. They'd have to throw in the SWM16 free too..

 

[uhf]

[*]- AM21 requires channel to be in guide to get it, some channels missing (that we currently record).

True. In my opinion, this is in violation of the FCC All Channels Receiver Act. Manufacturers cannot pick and choose which TV channels can be tuned OTA. It's all, or none. Obviously, DirecTV disagrees, as they've flat out told me that NO new OTA channels will ever be added due to the program guide being full.

 

[bookwalk]

Ozma,

Can you add comparison of External HD's to the list of differences you posted?
Also, what about PQ of HD?

Also, I just had/am having a super bad experience with Direct TV Visa Rewards (see another posting on this forum) and so that levels the playing field--DISH has no such card--This Visa Rewards was keeping me with Direct TV as I could regularly redeem points for $50 off programming. Now, it is not a factor in whether I stay with Direct TV or leave for DISH--it is now mainly the number of HD channels (about 20+) that DISH has that DTV doesn't, but I realize you pay more for that, so I honestly don't know what I am going to do yet--will keep watching this post....Thanks!

 

[mdram]

Ozma,

Can you add comparison of External HD's to the list of differences you posted?
Also, what about PQ of HD?

Also, I just had/am having a super bad experience with Direct TV Visa Rewards (see another posting on this forum) and so that levels the playing field--DISH has no such card--This Visa Rewards was keeping me with Direct TV as I could regularly redeem points for $50 off programming. Now, it is not a factor in whether I stay with Direct TV or leave for DISH--it is now mainly the number of HD channels (about 20+) that DISH has that DTV doesn't, but I realize you pay more for that, so I honestly don't know what I am going to do yet--will keep watching this post....Thanks!

each service has hd that the other does not
you have to look at what you watch and see if its what you want
if you want hd rsn, then dont go to dish
if you have to have diyhd, then dont go direct
ect ect ect

honestly there are very few missing hd channels that i watch, with amchd now on direct, i cant think of any. but thats my viewing habits, everyones varies

and heres the broken record
does dish have your locals? does directv?
its a factor for some

 

[lparsons21]

Gotta agree with mdram here. There is no such thing as a perfect service, you have to decide what is important and what you can do without. When I made the switch, I lost AMC and BBCA in HD, both were channels I enjoy. Since then, AMC is now up in HD on D* so I just have one more channel to go. When I made the switch I picked up lots of boxing I hadn't expected (big plus with me), and my son gets to see his Chargers play every weekend. I also got more of the movie channels in HD even though I gave up a few lesser movie channels. All of it is a trade-off.

Basically it is pick your poison!!

 

[teachsac]

With Dish Four 722's cost an extra $51 per month in fees. That's a lot of money and one reason why I left after 12 years. Four HR24's cost $18 per month. I can't even imagine recording 8 things at the same time. If there's something you want that doesn't come in on the AM21, get a channel master OTA receiver or other box for one of your TV's.

S~

 

[thedamaja]

While neither the 722 or HR24 can be truly turned off. The HR24 only uses around a third of the electricity of a 722.

I've also noticed that both my HR24s are much quieter than any Dish DVRs I've had in the past.

 

[cave1376]

MRV is $3 a month. With 4 HR24's and mrv, any saved programs on any HR24 can be viewed on the other HR24's. None of E*'s current receivers can do that, you will have to wait for the xip series. And as we know, the xip series will be out "soon".

Also, if you were to use 4 solo dvr's from E*, you will pay $12 more per month.

D* has live 3d channels, E* doesn't.

D* has a larger vod selection.

 

[spaceghost]

Wait for the HR34 or whatever its called to come out. Its suppose to have 5 tuners built into it. It might be more like what youre looking for.

 

[Jimbo]

couple corrections

a Dish receiver the buffer doesnt start until the unit is powered "on" Having a 211k I know this to be true. My Directv R22 I can go back 90 minutues. The 211k you cannot and DIsh confirmed all their units do that.


agreed


The 722 has a OTA tuner built in and yeah that is a separate tuner. My 211k can record one sat and one OTA at the same time which is nice

So DISH's Buffer doesn't work the same way D*'s does, knowing that, I like D*'s much better.
I would have thought that the Buffer is a Buffer, buffering all the time, guess not.

Your 722 only records 2 items at a time ? 1 OTA and 1 Sat or a combination of them .... If thats so, it's no different than D*, which is NOT what was mentioned from someone above.