A Question about Dish Network

[Underdunk]

Hi! I'm new to this forum.....I just discovered it and I am quite impressed by it! I have a question about Dish Network and I was hoping that I could receive some guidance.


Can I get the NHL Center Ice package with Dish Network? I know that their website says you can, but things are always subject to change. One of the main reasons my girlfriend and I are getting satellite is to get the hockey package-we're both hockey nuts. I know that some of the sports subscriptions (NFL and MLB) are exclusive to DirecTV.


Thanks for any help-if anyone has any advice for a satellite newbie, it'll be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Jacob S]

Dish Network did get the rights to NHL Center Ice not long ago. Call Dish Network at 1-800-333-3474 and they will be able to help you or go to dishnetwork.com

[Steve Mehs]

Hi Underdunk and welcome to DBSTalk :hi:

Yes NHL Center Ice in available on Dish Network, last season was the first season for both it and NBA League Pass on E*. The NHL CI channels are 540-549 currently only 540 is up with the NHL CI slate but when the season starts they rest will appear back in the guide. Typically there is a week long free preview of the sports packages for the first week of the season and a mid season preview. The current contract between Dish and the NHL is three years I believe, so it's a pretty safe bet CI will be there for this season and next and hopefully many more. Enjoy! :)

[mjschuyler]

I had Center Ice last year it was great. The only problem is they show many games at the same time. I used two PVR's to record the games, a 508 and a 721. They also don't replay games so you must record or watch them live.

They show most games from the home rink so you see a lot of Canadian telecasts and the Canadian commercials. Sometimes when they show back to back games you can see the network news it gives a different perspective of the world events.

"Hockey Night in Canada" often has Don Cherry between periods. He is kind like watching a crotchety relative explain what is wrong with the hockey world. He can be extremely funny.

[John Corn]

I sure enjoyed the NHL Center Ice last year on Dish Network, although I don't believe it's available to purchase just yet. I suspect it will be soon. :)

[Darkman]

NHL Center ICE is available at Dishnetwork :)

[Underdunk]

That's really good news. Like I said, my girlfriend and I are massive junkies. She's originally from Buffalo, so she's a big Hockey Night in Canada fan. I happen to love the insight of Don Cherry so it's a win-win situation.

Being really big hockey fans, watching multiple games is pretty much par for the course for us-we'll be in heaven for sure :D

[Steve Mehs]

She's originally from Buffalo

Small world ain't it. :D I live in a rural suburb of Buffalo, three towns east of the city

[Underdunk]

Which town? I've been there quite a few times, and have become quite familiar with the suburbs surrounding the area http://www.dbstalk.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Steve Mehs]

Marilla, a small little hick town :) Surrounding towns include Elma, Lancaster and West Seneca.

[saturk]

Hey Steve since you are from around buffalo and so am I- just wondering what u think the better service is and who locally to get it from?

Thanks for any info.

sam

[Steve Mehs]

Hey Sam always great to see fellow and former Buffalonians on the board  What town are you in?

I have Dish, and only used DirecTV at friend’s houses and on store demo receivers. If your looking at a PVR DirecTV is the way to go with the Hughes and Philips DirecTiVo series 2 PVRs. They have features Dish doesn’t on their PVRs including name based recording, wish lists and Season Passes. I really can't recommend a DirecTV retailer since I never dealt with them.

With Dish I'd defiantly say go with Intertech! My original Dish came from some independent dealer from a small town just outside of Rochester who was a friend of my mom's coworker. He was in Buffalo for a business trip and gave us a good deal if we would get it that week so he wouldn't have to spend they money we paid him on gas going from wherever to here and back. When I got my first 508 last year under the $199 deal Intertech delivered it and installed it. The guy was really friendly and knowledgeable. In November, when we called up Dish Net to get the second dish for 61.5 for ch 17 and 23 the same guy came from Intertech to install it, he did a decent job. But two weeks later the SW64 died and again Intertech was here but it was a different guy. The guy spent 10 minutes repeaking our Dish500 for max signal, he replaced all the old rusted f connectors on the cables and replaced our 2 dual LNBs and dead SW64 with a twin and 2 SW21s. What I thought was funny is on the work order invoice it said 'Intertech Preferred Customer - Fix and replace anything free of change' and we never bought anything from them :) But considering the switch was only weeks old it was under warranty anyhow. We had very good luck with Intertech with the free stuff and I know a lot of people who have had them originally install their system and they are happy with them

One thing though I don't care about this but some do, Dish has an agreement with PAX not to carry Pax local affiliates, since our local Pax simulcasts Yankees games from WCBS, but if your into the Yankees at all DirecTV has YES and they carry Pax51 so you'll be all set. Dish Network does not carry YES and if you’ll be switching from cable Dish doesn’t give Buffalo subs MSG in AT100 or above, only Empire.

Good Luck with DBS! Both services offer much more then cable around here!

[saturk]

Thanks for replying. I live in West Seneca- right down the way from you.

I've been thinking about going to dbs for awhile. Just don't now which one to pick. It seem like Dish network offers more movie channels in there normal 150 package, like encore and stars. Direct Tv does not seem to offer these in there base package. On the other hand, I like the new NFL channel on Direct Tv and they seem to have better sport programming.

As far as the Dish go, the only company I was thinking of going with was intertech-mostly since I've only really heard of them alone.

It's still up in the air for me. Any other info to share?

Talk to ya,
Sam"

[Steve Mehs]

Cool! Yep two towns to the east of me :)

I have to go in a few minutes, but I'll be back on later, With Dish you'll get the Dish500 dish antenna to see the two core satellite locations at 110 and 119. Then if you subscribe to locals you can call up Dish and they come back and install a second dish that points to the side slot at 61.5, you need the second dish for WNED and UPN23. The dish, installation and any other equiptment needed are provided for free. With DirecTV you'll only need one Dish, that can see all three of DirecTV's orbatal locations at 101, 110 and 119.

For a programming you can check out this page I put up and keep updated on packages, prices and channels. For sports in most situations DirecTV is a better choice.

http://steve.dbstalk.com/dbs/packagecomparison.htm

[gary s]

Sam,

Dishnetwork does not include Starz in the 150 package. You have to pay extra for it. I'm not sure if Encore is included in the 150 or not.

[BarryW]

Encore west is included in the top 150. Also dish offers the superstations.

[Saturk]

Oh really, you need two dishes with the Dish Network for local channels?? That seems odd. Well primarily, I want good "free movie" channels-free meaning not stuff like HBO, Cinemax, local channels, good sound and quality.

So, I guess it's a toss up. Can you get Dolby 5.1 with either provider? Anybody now of a good Direct Tv installer to deal with in the Buffalo, NY area?

Thanks for your help Steve, and everyone.

Sam

[Jacob S]

You need only one dish for the local channels unless you want the less popular locals that are also in the locals package in some DMA's at the 61.5 orbital slot or want Philadelphia, PA locals in which are at the 129 orbital slot.

[scooper]

Dolby 5.1 only comes with the HD offerings, HBO/ w, SHO/W, STARZ/W, (maybe some more), and some PPV

[Steve Mehs]

Sam, as Jacob you only need one for most of the channels, but 17 and 23 are on 61.5 and most people I know (well except for me) have interest in at least one of those channels being 17 is now our only PBS and UPN is fairly new to the Buffalo area since not many had access to WNGS UPN 67 unless you lived in the Adelphia portion of the market. A standard Dish500 will give you 2,4,7,29, & 49. The second dish is no strings attached free since Dish is breaking FCCs rules by having a two dish solution for locals. I'm not really interested in PBS programming, and I get UPN from NYC and Boston with the superstations so channel 23 isn't a must, but it was free so what the hell :)

For Dolby Digital, DirecTV has all the channels in DD that Scopper mentioned above plus Showtime Too, Showtime Showcase and Showtime Extreme, but Dish has about 10 channels of PPV is DD where DirecTV has one or two. I've talked to a few people who have DirecTV, 2 installed it themselves, 3 went to RadioShack and 2 from Best Buy. No local retailers were mentioned. Where my uncle works almost everyone has DirecTV, but most got it from the Blockbuster offer from a year or two ago where the hardware was free or almost free and you got a years worth of free rentals.

[Saturk]

Thanks everyone-you guys really helped out!

"I'll be back"

Sam