Overall... who is better Dish or D*?

[jacag04]

Any criteria accepted.... customer service, #channels, quality or watchability of lesser known channels, customer service, prices, sports, anything to do with HD , product reliability, service tech service, any likes and dislikes, thanks

[Tom Robertson]

I can not say one is better than another. I know people at both companies, I have family and friends who have one or the other.

Both companies have their strengths. Dish seems to work very hard to keep costs down for themselves and the customer, DIRECTV has content that no one else has.

Dish has a DVR line that includes the ability to tune AND display two channels at one time either as Picture in Picture or to a second TV. Both tuners/displays can operate a separate DVR experience.

DIRECTV's DVR supports external disk storage out of the box, with nearly unlimited storage available if you want. The current HR20 supports two independent OTA tuners so you can record two local channels at one time. (Dish only has one tuner.)

To me, I chose DIRECTV for the NFL Sunday Ticket. I have been a customer for almost 10 years now and been very happy with their service, their support, their customer focus.

At CES this past year, I was very warmly greeted by key people from both companies. I enjoyed talking to them and in terms of disclosure they both took me to lunch one day. :)

My suggestion is to look at the channel line ups for both. You might find one or the other would be less costly for you just from that information. Or that one has your locals in HD. (I know DIRECTV has some of Indy's locals, I lose track if they both do.)

If all things end up being equal, go with DIRECTV. It was born in Indy. :)

Cheers,
Tom

[James Long]

Dish is better because their customers are friendlier.

Well, you did say ANY criteria! :D

Overall? They are roughly the same. The people who care about different channels and different offerings tend to balance each other out.

[Sirshagg]

Better? I don't really know. I went with D* many years ago because of the DirecTivo. Record two channels at once AND a Tivo interface :up: :up: :up:

I stuck with D* when the HDTivo was introduced for essentially the same reasons + HD and I was never dissatisfied with D*.

I've since moved to the HR20 for the new HD which at this moment I don't think anyone can compete with. There is only one channel I watch that is not in HD yet.

When I had the Dtivo's I would not have considered a move from D*. Today I'd probably consider it if someone else could compete with the HD content.

[Ira Lacher]

Any criteria accepted.... customer service, #channels, quality or watchability of lesser known channels, customer service, prices, sports, anything to do with HD , product reliability, service tech service, any likes and dislikes, thanks
Customer service: D* won the J.D. Power and Associates certification. Working with an organization that is awarded this certificate, I can tell you that there's a lot of work that goes into satisfying their criteria. The CSRs have generally been very courteous and helpful, and I seldom have bad experiences with them. When I was with E* I remember a number of occasions when I could have done violence. Winner: D*.

No. of channels: Quantity does not always equal quality; the question is whether each has the programming you're looking for and what they charge for it. When we went to satellite we went with E* because they carried WB and UPN stations that we didn't have in town; D* did not. Easy choice. E* also allowed us to add on Spanish-language programming (especially soccer) channels for a low price; D* does not. But D* has premium MLB and NFL packages; E* does not. But E* also charges less for its out-of-market sports package and includes several channels you can only get on D* with its sports pack. We are not an HD household, so that doesn't enter into the equation for us. Winner: Even.

Picture quality: D* is noticeably better on my local channels, roughly the same on others. Winner: D*.

Technology: For us the only thing that mattered was being able to record programs. D*'s DVR-Plus receiver has a higher learning curve than E*'s in my opinion and its nuances take a little longer to learn. But it seems to be able to do more. E*'s seems somewhat more responsive. But D*'s boots right up whereas E*'s takes a long time to reinitialize. Winner: D*.

Electronic Program Guide: D*'s seems far more interactive and better-designed that E*'s although the learning curve seems to be longer. Also D* integrates the search function into its EPG whereas it's a separate menu function on E*. I prefer D*'s. Winner: D*.

Price: This was a major factor in getting us to switch. After wringing concessions from E* for our 11 years as a subscriber, the basic pricing was roughly the same, but if we stayed with E* we could not get the MLB or NFL packages. We gave up the additional Spanish soccer channels to keep the same price; unfortunately you can't add them onto D*'s programming without sacrificing some English-language channels my family watches regularly. Winner: Even.

Installers: Neither is first-rate. E* would lose my work orders, and I once had to have them re-do a wiring because it looked bloody awful on the outside of my house. When I ordered D* the local installer postponed it three times without having the courtesy to call me. When they did come out though, the install was very well done and the dish was placed in a far better location, both for sight line and out-of-sight from the street. But this is not a strong suit for either company. Winner: Even.

Miscellaneous: After a couple of months with D* it strikes me as a much more professional and first-class outfit than E*. Maybe that's the result of marketing, but they seem to have a more polished look to them. E* on the other hand strikes me as a volunteer fire department: they do the job but they're not pros. Also D* seems to be far more willing to spend money for programming than E*. Winner: D*.

All in all, I'm very happy I made the switch. Hope this helps!

[Jhon69]

Customer service: D* won the J.D. Power and Associates certification. Working with an organization that is awarded this certificate, I can tell you that there's a lot of work that goes into satisfying their criteria. The CSRs have generally been very courteous and helpful, and I seldom have bad experiences with them. When I was with E* I remember a number of occasions when I could have done violence. Winner: D*.

No. of channels: Quantity does not always equal quality; the question is whether each has the programming you're looking for and what they charge for it. When we went to satellite we went with E* because they carried WB and UPN stations that we didn't have in town; D* did not. Easy choice. E* also allowed us to add on Spanish-language programming (especially soccer) channels for a low price; D* does not. But D* has premium MLB and NFL packages; E* does not. But E* also charges less for its out-of-market sports package and includes several channels you can only get on D* with its sports pack. We are not an HD household, so that doesn't enter into the equation for us. Winner: Even.

Picture quality: D* is noticeably better on my local channels, roughly the same on others. Winner: D*.

Technology: For us the only thing that mattered was being able to record programs. D*'s DVR-Plus receiver has a higher learning curve than E*'s in my opinion and its nuances take a little longer to learn. But it seems to be able to do more. E*'s seems somewhat more responsive. But D*'s boots right up whereas E*'s takes a long time to reinitialize. Winner: D*.

Electronic Program Guide: D*'s seems far more interactive and better-designed that E*'s although the learning curve seems to be longer. Also D* integrates the search function into its EPG whereas it's a separate menu function on E*. I prefer D*'s. Winner: D*.

Price: This was a major factor in getting us to switch. After wringing concessions from E* for our 11 years as a subscriber, the basic pricing was roughly the same, but if we stayed with E* we could not get the MLB or NFL packages. We gave up the additional Spanish soccer channels to keep the same price; unfortunately you can't add them onto D*'s programming without sacrificing some English-language channels my family watches regularly. Winner: Even.

Installers: Neither is first-rate. E* would lose my work orders, and I once had to have them re-do a wiring because it looked bloody awful on the outside of my house. When I ordered D* the local installer postponed it three times without having the courtesy to call me. When they did come out though, the install was very well done and the dish was placed in a far better location, both for sight line and out-of-sight from the street. But this is not a strong suit for either company. Winner: Even.

Miscellaneous: After a couple of months with D* it strikes me as a much more professional and first-class outfit than E*. Maybe that's the result of marketing, but they seem to have a more polished look to them. E* on the other hand strikes me as a volunteer fire department: they do the job but they're not pros. Also D* seems to be far more willing to spend money for programming than E*. Winner: D*.

All in all, I'm very happy I made the switch. Hope this helps!



Excellent analysis Ira ! :)
+1

[Tom Robertson]

Ira, you done good. Very good! :)

Cheers,
Tom

[SDizzle]

Excellent analysis Ira ! :)
+1

Absolutely +1 here, well done. I have had 2 friends switch this year from E* to D*, the biggest reason was E*'s customer service, absolutely aweful in my friend's opinions.

[DBS Commando]

Customer service: D* won the J.D. Power and Associates certification. Working with an organization that is awarded this certificate, I can tell you that there's a lot of work that goes into satisfying their criteria. The CSRs have generally been very courteous and helpful, and I seldom have bad experiences with them. When I was with E* I remember a number of occasions when I could have done violence. Winner: D*.

Even though D* won the JD Certification, it still doesn't mean that the customer can easily find what he/she is looking for. I've heard horror stories from both sides. I would call this one a tie.

No. of channels: Quantity does not always equal quality; the question is whether each has the programming you're looking for and what they charge for it. When we went to satellite we went with E* because they carried WB and UPN stations that we didn't have in town; D* did not. Easy choice. E* also allowed us to add on Spanish-language programming (especially soccer) channels for a low price; D* does not. But D* has premium MLB and NFL packages; E* does not. But E* also charges less for its out-of-market sports package and includes several channels you can only get on D* with its sports pack. We are not an HD household, so that doesn't enter into the equation for us. Winner: Even.

With prices on HDTV's way down, I don't see how you can not consider D*'s superior HD count. Although they have a lot of strech-o-vision, they still have a lot of quality channels that people actually watch. FX, SciFi, Speed, etc. Dish has none of these and 10 of Dish's HD channels are VOOM which to me, are just fillers. Also, when new channels roll out, it doesn't take E* weeks to get them to the consumer. Time after time, E* always delays and delays. They'll get channels like VERIA out very quickly (a health channel that many may not even know exists) but can't a channel like Fox Business out which has reasonably high demand. At least D* is a little faster.

D* is the clear winner here. (at least for now)

Picture quality: D* is noticeably better on my local channels, roughly the same on others. Winner: D*.

I've never seen D*'s PQ, so I couldn't say.

Technology: For us the only thing that mattered was being able to record programs. D*'s DVR-Plus receiver has a higher learning curve than E*'s in my opinion and its nuances take a little longer to learn. But it seems to be able to do more. E*'s seems somewhat more responsive. But D*'s boots right up whereas E*'s takes a long time to reinitialize. Winner: D*.

I disagree with you with the ability of D*'s DVR vs. E*s. Dish DVR's are dual tuners (722 or 625) which means you can get 2 TV's out of just 1 line from the satellite and 1 receiver. Dish also takes away an extra $5 lease fee if you hook up the phone line which is another plus. I can not speak on the learning curve since I usually pick things up very quickly. But my grandmother managed to learn how to use a 625 in about a day, which isn't bad at all. I think E* wins in the receiver department.

Electronic Program Guide: D*'s seems far more interactive and better-designed that E*'s although the learning curve seems to be longer. Also D* integrates the search function into its EPG whereas it's a separate menu function on E*. I prefer D*'s. Winner: D*.

Again, I've never played with D*'s equipment, so I can't give an accurate response. E* EPG on their standard receivers is simple and really requires no learning. You just press Guide, scroll through channels, and press select on the channel you want. Its not rocket science. If you want to search, all you have to do is hit pound on the remote and boom, keyboard comes up and asks what you want to search. Its all very, very easy to use.

Price: This was a major factor in getting us to switch. After wringing concessions from E* for our 11 years as a subscriber, the basic pricing was roughly the same, but if we stayed with E* we could not get the MLB or NFL packages. We gave up the additional Spanish soccer channels to keep the same price; unfortunately you can't add them onto D*'s programming without sacrificing some English-language channels my family watches regularly. Winner: Even.

It all depends on your "cup of tea." If you want your RSN's with D*, you have to pay an extra $12 a month which is absurd IMO. With Dish, I pay nothing - it comes with my base package. Of course, D* has Sunday Ticket, MLB EI, etc. My teams aren't out of market, so these are useless to me. As for base programming, the prices are pretty much the same. Winner is even, depending on what you like.

Installers: Neither is first-rate. E* would lose my work orders, and I once had to have them re-do a wiring because it looked bloody awful on the outside of my house. When I ordered D* the local installer postponed it three times without having the courtesy to call me. When they did come out though, the install was very well done and the dish was placed in a far better location, both for sight line and out-of-sight from the street. But this is not a strong suit for either company. Winner: Even.

I've had experience with both D* and E* installers. I was going to switch to D* a few months back but the installer didn't want to put a Slimline anywhere else but right into the roof which is unacceptable to me. So he left, didn't even try to give me an alternate suggestion. E* was a pain in the ass, took contractor and CSR 45 minutes to figure out who way paying for what. I got what I wanted but it was still a hassle nevertheless.

Miscellaneous: After a couple of months with D* it strikes me as a much more professional and first-class outfit than E*. Maybe that's the result of marketing, but they seem to have a more polished look to them. E* on the other hand strikes me as a volunteer fire department: they do the job but they're not pros. Also D* seems to be far more willing to spend money for programming than E*. Winner: D*.

I agree with all of the above. D* seems to be better in marketing, unification, etc. Installers also seem to be more uniform.

All in all, I'm very happy I made the switch. Hope this helps!

^^^^^^^^^^^^

If you are currently on the fence on who you are going to subscribe to, I'd wait at least another week to see if E* has any response to D*'s new programming. If we don't hear a peep from them, then D* is the way to go as of now.

[mtnsackett]

Well I cant say anything about Dish, But Directv Sees themselves, and markets their product as a Preimum brand like Cadillac. so if you want the best you dont mind paying for the best. notice how D8 markets as having 185 channels and Dish has 250 but almost a third of those are Sirus music channels or programing no one watches

[Ira Lacher]

Thanks for all the kind words.

[msmith198025]

^^^^^^^^^^^^
Dish also takes away an extra $5 lease fee if you hook up the phone line which is another plus
.

Doesnt that really just mean that they charge you $5 if you dont have one plugged in?


To answer the question of the OP.
As has been mentioned many many times, they both have good and not so good things going. I have both currently. My work supplies me with free E*, and i have been nothing but pleased with them from day one. However I decided i wanted D* for various reasons, and can say the same about them.

That being said uf i had neither today and had to choose one to sign up with, id sign up with D*. Just my 2 cents.

[msmith198025]

^^^^^^^^^^^^
If you want your RSN's with D*, you have to pay an extra $12 a month which is absurd IMO.


Unless you get premier. then you get all of the RSN's included. A little different with Dish on that.
I was thinking LOCAL RSN's were included with D* at any package level. I have had premier since i signed up though, so havent been in a position to tell

[James Long]

D* does not offer a package without one's own RSNs (except the Family Package). For new subscribers their entry level "Choice" with 90 video and 49 audio channels is $49.99. The Sports Pack (all RSNs, subject to blackout, and 8 other channels) is $12.

E* offers a low end "AT100" package with 83 video and 32 audio channels for $34.99 w/locals. The top tier "AEP" for $94.99 w/locals does not include the $5.99 Sports Pack (RSNs only) but does include 189 video and 115 audio channels (compared to 189 video and 67 audio w/D*'s "Premier" for $99.99 ... a count that includes the RSNs). AEP w/sports pack is 218 video channels.

HD not included in counts above since it isn't included in the prices above. Plus, as mentioned in another thread, not all of those extra channels are shopping. :)

Perhaps D* should change their website to make it clear that one gets their own RSN in Choice and Choice Xtra?

[Richard King]

Customer service: D* won the J.D. Power and Associates certification. Working with an organization that is awarded this certificate, I can tell you that there's a lot of work that goes into satisfying their criteria. The CSRs have generally been very courteous and helpful, and I seldom have bad experiences with them. When I was with E* I remember a number of occasions when I could have done violence. Winner: D*.This year. That award bounces between D* & E* just about every other year. The important thing is that I can't recall a cable company ever winning it.

With prices on HDTV's way down, I don't see how you can not consider D*'s superior HD count. Channel count means nothing if they don't carry the channels that YOU (or I) want to watch. I don't care about ANY of the channels (well maybe I might watch FBN) that D* has added recently and I wouldn't consider leaving for a service that didn't carry Rave (an excellent channel that is much more than filler for me).

Time after time, E* always delays and delays....but can't a channel like Fox Business out .If this were the case they wouldn't have been the HD leader in channel count until recently. Ahhh, but, it should be pointed out that Fox Business Channel is owned by the same company that owns D*.

The best service for anyone is the service that carries the MOST channels that that particular person wants to watch. PERIOD.

[msmith198025]

D* does not offer a package without one's own RSNs (except the Family Package). For new subscribers their entry level "Choice" with 90 video and 49 audio channels is $49.99. The Sports Pack (all RSNs, subject to blackout, and 8 other channels) is $12.

Perhaps D* should change their website to make it clear that one gets their own RSN in Choice and Choice Xtra?

Thanks for clearing that up. Thought that was the case