Dish or DTV? - Rec for my boss

[oblio98]

My boss just bought a new plasma 16x9 large screen display, and I have been raving about my Dish Network HDTV picture and he is fired up to get one. Right now, he has no sat at all. He lives in NJ, and I was recommending that he sign with Dish to get CBS-HD along with the rest of the current Dish package.

Now, I read that DTV has their new package coming out, plus I would feel bad if he got a 6000, then found that it was obsolete in a few months.

I want to do what is best for him going forward. FYI-He does not care about the YES network, that's why I want to rec Dish.

He likes the idea of a single dish, amd I told him about the Dish SuperDish coming in the fall. Is that still on track. This seems like a pivital time for HDTV on Sat!

What do you guys think?

:-jon

[Jacob S]

Sometimes with Dish they just release something all of a sudden in surprise so while there may be an announcement with DirecTv, Dish may not be too far behind in brinking this about.

[DCSholtis]

Rumor has it the new HD DirecTivo will be out on the market at the end of the summer.....Rumored MSRP is $799.00. So if the boss likes the idea of time shifting....He might want to wait.

[Cyclone]

I think that you should be careful with giving your boss advice on the future of HD/DBS. Things are notoriously changing all the time and are alway unreliable. You don't want to be the guy who sent your boss down the wrong path. Better to let him find somethings out on his own.

[Mark Holtz]

Give him the straight facts, including both what is currently offerred in both programming and equipment. Then tell him the possibility of what may be released or offerred. Then, make sure he has his DVD player hooked up to the widescreen TV and set to 16:9. :)

Right now, the Dish 6000 is a obsolute but Dish continues to sell it until it's gone. The future products on Dish's side are the 811 (non-PVR) and the 921 (PVR). The 921 should PVR stuff both OTA and through Dish Network. Also, there is the DirecTV DVR with HDTV coming out in the near future. But emphasize that there are no fixed release dates for the programming or receivers.

[BobMurdoch]

If he wants sports than push DirectTV. If he is more into movies and/or superstations than push Dish. Also make sure that your local channels are available on both. If not, then choose the one that does offer your locals.

Unfortunately his timing is lousy, as Dish is about ready to go to the next generation of receivers and they got caught with their pants down by discontinuing the old receiver before the new one was ready. (Yeah, I know they are still available, but I don't like buying dead SKUs unless there is a fire sale on (ie. the Dishplayers when they dropped them).

[jm9]

Tell him the truth. That it is unwise to purchase a hd reciever right now because it will be obsolete in 3 - 6 months. Don't let him sign up for dish or direct until he understands what hardware and programming will be available. He will want a HD PVR. We all want the HD PVR.

[BobMurdoch]

I don't think it will be obsolete in 6 months, but I agree that "I" would wait until the HD PVRs come out.

[jm9]

Another point would be the super dish. If he waited three months and went with dish. Would he get a super dish? Would he only have to run one coax line to his tv. We were thinking of moving and I was wondering if I could suspend my service until the new hardware came out. I'm now not moving, but I did not want to invest $ into technology that will be upgraded in the near future. I have been waiting for a new receiver for 9 months now, I have had my HD capable tv for 1 1/2 years. I could not justify spending the $600 - $700 dollars on a 6000 that would only let me watch a FEW HD channels and not let me record them. At that time I would have needed to add a second dish, then upgrade the module in the 6000. I have been frustrated with dish and the timing of the 921, but if I did not know it was coming out, I would have a 6000 and a large $ investment. I hope dish will get there act together and release a stable 921 with the right programming this fall, if they don't I will look elsewhere. I don't watch that much TV in the summer, so I can wait.