Help needed. Choosing between DirecTV and DISH.
#1
Help needed. Choosing between DirecTV and DISH.
Guys, I need your help. I'm about to move into my new home and I've decided to make the jump to satellite as my local company (COX) sucks. Not getting NBC for the past 10 months and COX not making any plans whatsoever to bring HD programming to our town has pushed me over the edge. Now I've got a decision to make. Both DISH and DirecTV are offering similar packages with extremely similar prices for my viewing dollars. Both packages include a HD-DVR and two standard receivers. Up front costs for DISH are signicicantly higher, about $200, with DirecTV costing me about $4 a month more.
I'm at a stand still as to which one I should get. Who do you guys recommend I use and why?
I'm at a stand still as to which one I should get. Who do you guys recommend I use and why?
#2
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If you care about possibly getting the NFL Sunday Ticket package, you have to go DirecTV.
Otherwise, it seems to me it is a matter of cost. It seems to me that DirecTV is the better deal there because your time to breakeven is over four years.
I have never had either service, btw.
Otherwise, it seems to me it is a matter of cost. It seems to me that DirecTV is the better deal there because your time to breakeven is over four years.
I have never had either service, btw.
#5
Originally Posted by Jadzia
I am super-happy with DirecTv with Tivo.
#6
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I had DirecTV from 98-00, and I liked it a great deal. After that, I moved to an apartment that didn't have the proper view, so getting rid of it wasn't based on the quality of the service.
When we moved into our house in July, we got DISH Network. I like it very much, as well. We went with DISH because it was a better deal at the time. We got the DISH PVR, and it works great.
Honestly, I'd probably go with DirecTV in your situation. There aren't a whole lot of differences between the two, in my opinion.
When we moved into our house in July, we got DISH Network. I like it very much, as well. We went with DISH because it was a better deal at the time. We got the DISH PVR, and it works great.
Honestly, I'd probably go with DirecTV in your situation. There aren't a whole lot of differences between the two, in my opinion.
#8
Originally Posted by Groucho
But they are still selling them NOW, which is the important thing.
Not to mention that there's plenty on the secondary market as well.
Not to mention that there's plenty on the secondary market as well.
#9
DVD Talk God
Originally Posted by aktick
Though as I'm sure you know they won't be selling DTivos anymore, they'll have their own branded units. No real word on how good they are yet.
#11
DVD Talk Legend
I feel your pain when it comes to Cox. If ever there was a company that was aptly named, they are it. I switched to Directv from them years ago and can't imagine using any other service. And like someone mentioned earlier, if your a football fan, then NFL Sunday Ticket is reason enough.
#12
DVD Talk Legend
A pretty major sticking point with me and Dish is that the HD-DVR only has a single OTA tuner (IIRC) with dual satellite tuners. The HD DirecTiVo has two of each and each of the OTA tuners get more of a workout than the satellite ones do.
#13
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A friend of mine just tried using a standalone TiVo with Dish Network, and it worked like complete shit. Dish's software makes it so that the standalone wouldn't change channels correctly, and TiVo pretty much admitted that they hadn't been keeping up with Dish's updates.
Needless to say, he dropped Dish after 1 week with their alternative DVR and went with DirecTV and a TiVo.
Needless to say, he dropped Dish after 1 week with their alternative DVR and went with DirecTV and a TiVo.
#14
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Originally Posted by Morf
A friend of mine just tried using a standalone TiVo with Dish Network, and it worked like complete shit. Dish's software makes it so that the standalone wouldn't change channels correctly, and TiVo pretty much admitted that they hadn't been keeping up with Dish's updates.
Needless to say, he dropped Dish after 1 week with their alternative DVR and went with DirecTV and a TiVo.
Needless to say, he dropped Dish after 1 week with their alternative DVR and went with DirecTV and a TiVo.
#16
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by BigDan
Honestly, I'd probably go with DirecTV in your situation. There aren't a whole lot of differences between the two, in my opinion.
#17
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
Or did DirecTV get off their $1000 high horse to be competitive?
*that was pretty much for existing customers and it's over now. $499 with $100 MIR is the new "deal".
#19
Originally Posted by Maxflier
I feel your pain when it comes to Cox. If ever there was a company that was aptly named, they are it. I switched to Directv from them years ago and can't imagine using any other service. And like someone mentioned earlier, if your a football fan, then NFL Sunday Ticket is reason enough.
Oh, and football is a RELIGION at my household now and will continue to be one in me and my spouse's house, much to her dismay. NFL Sunday Ticket here I come. No more Cowboys and Texans games for this Indy and Chicago fan.
#20
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Originally Posted by Jimmy James
So...your friend punished the company working to provide him better service and rewarded the one that had just given up?
As soon as Dish plays well with a TiVo brand DVR, I'll re-evaluate the situation. Until then, they can piss off.
#21
DVD Talk Legend
I had dishnetwork from '97 to about '02, then directv ever since (my dishnetwork remote was going bad, was cheaper to switch to directv than to buy a new remote).
Overall, I still like dish network better. Much more foreign language options and their packages are a little cheaper than on directv. Also, directv has the sports packages, which is why their other package prices are a little more expensive (it's not cheap to get exclusive rights to sports packages).
Personally, I have a mixed English / Spanish language package and I like directv's lineup better than that on dishnetwork (directv's package has more english channels), that's why I'm still with directv. The one thing I really liked on dish network was that it would give a ranking of movies (1 to 5 stars, if I remember right), and their ranking was usually dead on with how I would rank the movie, so it was a good way to screen movies before deciding whether to watch it or not.
Having said all that, either one will be much better than Cox.
Overall, I still like dish network better. Much more foreign language options and their packages are a little cheaper than on directv. Also, directv has the sports packages, which is why their other package prices are a little more expensive (it's not cheap to get exclusive rights to sports packages).
Personally, I have a mixed English / Spanish language package and I like directv's lineup better than that on dishnetwork (directv's package has more english channels), that's why I'm still with directv. The one thing I really liked on dish network was that it would give a ranking of movies (1 to 5 stars, if I remember right), and their ranking was usually dead on with how I would rank the movie, so it was a good way to screen movies before deciding whether to watch it or not.
Having said all that, either one will be much better than Cox.
#22
DVD Talk God
Had Dish for many years, and went to Directv out of boredom. I prefer Dish. Both are great, though, so you can't go wrong. Tivo is over-rated, imo. Any DVR is fine (and necessary). Unless you need the NFL package, go with the best deal. I think Dish was slightly better for HD, but neither (or any) is great.
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by RayChuang
...For this reason: they will be offering far more HDTV programming than Dish Network in the future.
#25
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by RayChuang
...For this reason: they will be offering far more HDTV programming than Dish Network in the future.
On the flip side Dish picked up all the original Voom HD channels and are available right now. 10 HD movie channels(including a Horror channel & a western channel), 1 HD Music channel, 1 HD Extreme sports channel, an HD animation channel and some others.
So unless you need the NFL ticket, I wouldn't put all your eggs in DirecTVs basket just yet if you are interested in HD programming.