What happened to being the HD leader?

[riffjim4069]

There was a time where DirecTV was clearly the "Undisputed Leader" in HD. Those days are gone. Many companies (Dish, FIOS, some cable, etc.) are catching up.

Yep, and the same used to be said about Dish Network for more than 18-months. Regarding FiOS...they are currently the undisputed HD Leader in both quality and quantity. I just looked in my FiOS Guide and I am receiving 95 HD national HD channels, 8 HD locals, and 2 new HD nationals (EncoreHD and QVC HD) that show in the guide as "Coming Soon", with contracts for another 15 HD channels in place. Also, this number does not include PPV channels nor the countless hours of free and subscription HD VOD.

 

[Zellio2008]

DIsh Network has been skidding since early 2008. The funny part is that Directv is doing the same crap Dish did before it skidded, and the fanboys refuse to believe anything will happen....

 

[riffjim4069]

In your area only perhaps.

Let's see around here:
FIOS will never be here, I don't even think there is FIOS for 200 miles in any direction.

Uverse isn't bad but nowhere near what Dish and DirecTV carry in terms of HD. Heck, they *just now* added the RSN in HD. Talk about being behind.

Time Warner? Did you say Time Warner? I have to laugh. There isn't a TWC system around here that is even half what Dish and DirecTV have. Heck, 2 of the TWC systems around here *just* went digital in the past 2 years, one of them has 10 HD channels and the other doesn't have any (with no plans to add any either). Charter and Comcast are no better. Half the HD channels at double the price. Typical of cable.

I don't know why people are so concerned about who is the "HD leader". Does the provider you have carry the HD channels you watch? If so then rock on. If not then switch. Or just wait a few months as they all leapfrog each other back and forth. It's the same old argument that's been going on for over a decade with SD channels. All that matters is *what you watch* and someone is always going to have channels that others don't have. So switch to the service that gives you the channels you want at the price you feel is fair, whomever that may be. It's really that simple.

I won't disagree, but I just wanted to mentioned that I jumped from Dish Network to FiOS TV primarily because of the HD quality...the big HD numbers are a bonus. I would have gladly stayed with Dish Network if only they would have improved the HD quality after putting up the new birds. Additionally, I think it is fair to compare all DBS, Cable and Telco providers since we have such as diverse group of members. To be honest, D* and E* are the only national HD providers, but most members have 1 or 2 choices of cable provider in their area as well. Moreover, Verizon operates in 28 states and they have deployed FiOS TV in 14 states so far. Although Verizon is building out many populated areas in Virginia, it was 3-miles away where we lived...and it probably will still be another 3-5 years before most people can get it in the areas Verizon is building. When we moved to Texas, finding a home with FiOS was a requirement. Although the economy is horrible, selecting an apartment or purchasing a home with FiOS is also an option.

 

[shibby191]

DIsh Network has been skidding since early 2008. The funny part is that Directv is doing the same crap Dish did before it skidded, and the fanboys refuse to believe anything will happen....

Skidding where. Both Dish and DirecTV are basically equal with each other along with FIOS (in some markets). They will all keep slowing adding more HD and "leapfrog" each other from time to time. I laugh at people that get all upset and want to keep switching every 6 months when someone else is "in the lead". I don't have time to bother with doing that.

Believe me, if FIOS was an option I'd be giving them a test drive for sure. I'm not married to any provider. Whomever gives me the channels I want at the right price gets my business.

 

[riffjim4069]

DIsh Network has been skidding since early 2008....

If you ask my opinion, their skid started in October 2005 when they borrowed a page from D* and implemented DishHD-Lite. Yep, it all started with that mysterious fiber optic problem involving VOOM.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/54242-hd-lite-due-fiber-problems-pssh.html

 

[Tyralak]

same here. my local cable provider is comcrap.

Now, now. The proper name is "CrapCast".

 

[grydlok]

Yeah I don't think Im keeping this.

 

[gadgtfreek]

not keeping what?

 

[grydlok]

not keeping what?

FIOS. These reciever suck azz.

 

[Tyralak]

FIOS. These reciever suck azz.

They're just regular digital cable boxes aren't they?

 

[grydlok]

They're just regular digital cable boxes aren't they?

Yup with different guide gui.
I left my D* still connected so I can still watch my HR20's.

 

[Tyralak]

Yup with different guide gui.
I left my D* still connected so I can still watch my HR20's.

Yeah. Those suck. My ex-wife has CrapCast. She got it because the introductory first year offer is a good price, but she hates the DVR.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yeah, I hate those damn scientific Atlanta and moto boxes. At the end of the day, regardless of my bitchin, I have yet to see anything that would make me drop directv.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yeah, I hate those damn scientific Atlanta and moto boxes. At the end of the day, regardless of my bitchin, I have yet to see anything that would make me drop directv.

You like the D* HR receivers better than the Dish 622/722?

I really miss my 622. Moving to the HR21 felt like I was downgrading to a lower model. The HR21 is okay & adequate.

Even if the DVRs are woeful, I'd switch to FIOS in a minute if I had the option. But I'll never have that option unless I move.

 

[gadgtfreek]

no way would I go to dish just to get a 722. My hrs have always served me well, and no way would I drop directv to get a dvr with 20 hours of recording space. I also like the guide length, I've seen cable dvrs only have 5 days, and the 722 ain't much better. People can yapp all they want about the 722s, but I think it's just become the status quo around here to inflate the alleged superiority.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

People can yapp all they want about the 722s, but I think it's just become the status quo around here to inflate the alleged superiority.

I had a 622 for almost 2 years before switching to D* and getting a HR21. I have to say that the HR21 was a big disappointment. I had expected it to be pretty much the same thing, but I find it much less intuitive and missing some features that I had liked on the 622. For example, with the guide showing, tapping my guide button to flip between different favorite channel lists. I used that all of the time. And the different stretch modes for dealing with 4:3 material. And I loved all of the easy to access forward and backward slo-motions, those were great when watching sports and movies.

 

[AntDogg65]

I switched from E* to D* two weeks ago, and I must say that the HR23 is not a bad box. I had the 722 with Dish for 14 months and recording space is good, but if you can't have remote recordings (w/o a Slingbox) then that is inadequate. Direct also has a good thing when you are recording a program, you can change the channel, come back to your live recording and not have to start it over to rewind anything like you have to do for the 722. You can talk all you want about being superior, but besides the hard drive space and the built in OTA tuner, the 722 is just an average DVR. Give me the 922 and you've got yourself an argument, but until then, I'm not impressed.

 

[grydlok]

You like the D* HR receivers better than the Dish 622/722?

I really miss my 622. Moving to the HR21 felt like I was downgrading to a lower model. The HR21 is okay & adequate.

Even if the DVRs are woeful, I'd switch to FIOS in a minute if I had the option. But I'll never have that option unless I move.

If you think the D* HD dvr's are adequate , these Moto Dvrs are azz. The picture quality is better yeah, but damn.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I had a 622 for almost 2 years before switching to D* and getting a HR21. I have to say that the HR21 was a big disappointment. I had expected it to be pretty much the same thing, but I find it much less intuitive and missing some features that I had liked on the 622. For example, with the guide showing, tapping my guide button to flip between different favorite channel lists. I used that all of the time. And the different stretch modes for dealing with 4:3 material. And I loved all of the easy to access forward and backward slo-motions, those were great when watching sports and movies.

I can see your point, and it's perfectly valid comparison, but those aren't things all users care about. My problem is the people that classify the hr as junk just because it doesn't do something that the 622 did, or they use inferior. Part of this is just this site, because guys at DBS feel the hr can do no wrong. I personally did not like the 722 menus, but that's prob because I've mostly had a directv box.

I use my box for watching live tv, recording shows, and playing back recordings. For these functions, it's no better or worse than the 722. I also like using media share to play mp3s.

 

[gadgtfreek]

If you think the D* HD dvr's are adequate , these Moto Dvrs are azz. The picture quality is better yeah, but damn.

I think the quality of the moto box would make everyone realize that we have it so much better with sat dvrs.