Directv or Dish ?

[KingOfBling]

Hello,im in the process of purchasing my first satellite system and i really cant decide which one i should go with,i didnt find any sort of reviews on the net.

Could anyone tell me what are the Pro/Cons of the two.I did price comparisons and the prices are almost about the same.


Also im probably looking at getting the dish system online though vmcsat,and i was wondering meaning you dont own the equiptment when new equiptment comes out (recivers) does dish upgrade it for you for free or are you stuck with the reciver you are renting.

[TNGTony]

Look at the specific programming you want. If one has programming you want and the other one doesn't, buy the one with the programming you want. That simple.

AFTER you made you programming choice, look at the hardware (receivers). I cannot overstate just how much you want to have a PVR receiver. There is NOTHING that will change the way you look at TV more than PVR receivers.

See ya
Tony

[platinum]

Make sure you compare the PVR's from D* and E* The Tivo's are much more user friendly.

[boba]

As you questioned DISH does not currently upgrade their Digital Home Plan customers equipment, what you start with may be all you will ever have. DISH PVRs leave a little to be desired when compared to Directivo but the PVR-508 has developed into an adequate replacement for a VCR with a single tuner satellite receiver built in. The Digital Home PLan does offer a service contract built into the plan which is a nice no extra cost factor. Directv has some nice basic receivers (non PVR) RCA DRD435 offers 3 day programming guide, PIG(picture in guide), caller ID, Dolby Digital optical output & 2 A/V outputs with 1yr. parts & labor warranty. As TNGtony posted choose the service that has your programming.

[KingOfBling]

I guess ill go with dish since they offer a few spanish programming channels directv doesnt (im half spanish and watch some shows in spanish) i got one last question,i dont have the extra cash to upgrade now to the pvr,so does dish allow you to upgrade at anytime to a pvr by just paying the one time fee ?

Could someone post a picture of the dish pvr ? Possibly a screen cap of what the menu looks like.

[Steve Mehs]

Welcome to DBSTalk KingOfBling, :welcome_s you really can't go wrong with either DBS provider, both offer a wide variety, but in terms of Spanish and English/Spanish bilingual programming, IMO DirecTV has the edge. Yes, with AT100 and above you get Univision, Univision West, Galavision and Telefutura, where as with comparable packages with DirecTV you only get Univision and Galavision. But if your looking for more channels, DirecTVs Para Todos packages offer an overall better value and a cheaper price.

Dish Latino Max is $41.99/month (locals are an additional $5.99)
-6 Spanish music audio only channels, 4 of which are mono
-22 Spanish video channels (including Playboy en Espanol, which is optional but free)
-0 English audio only music channels
-about 47 English video channels (not including public interest channels)

DirecTV's Opcion Ultra Especial is $37.99/month (locals are an additional $2)
-7 Spanish music audio only channels, all of which are stereo
-21 Spanish video channels
-36 English audio only music channels
-about 80 English video channels (not including public interest channels)

If you want primarly English channels, then dont' pay any attention to what I just posted :D, but if you might like a few more Spanish channels I'd look into DirecTV's Para Todos. With Dish Network you can Dish Latino for $21.99 to any package, or with DirecTV you can add Seleccion Espanol for $14.99/month. Both are Spanish language only packages. Dish Latino Max is the same thing as a Dish Latino/America's Top 50 combo but with a $5 discount.

A few English channels have a Spanish SAP.

Good luck with DBS :righton:

[KingOfBling]

Thanks for the welcome,



"If you want primarly English channels, then dont' pay any attention to what I just posted , but if you might like a few more Spanish channels I'd look into DirecTV's Para Todos. With Dish Network you can Dish Latino for $21.99 to any package, or with DirecTV you can add Seleccion Espanol for $14.99/month. Both are Spanish language only packages. Dish Latino Max is the same thing as a Dish Latino/America's Top 50 combo but with a $5 discount."

Im mostly intrested in english channels but sometimes perfer to watch spanish stuff.I did not know about that $21.99 add-on to any package.So im wanting the 150 Plan with the Dish Latino Max,is that possible ? Would i get all of the spanish channels for $21.99 ?

[Steve Mehs]

All of the English channels included in Dish Latino Max are included in AT150 and all of the Spanish channels in DL Max are included in the basic DL for $21.99. Only catch (for lack of better term) with subscribing to both AT150 and Dish Latino is you're paying for Univision, Univision W, Galavision, Telefutura and Toon Disney twice since they're included in both packages, but for $64.98 you'll get everything you want :)

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/packages/dish_latino/index.asp?viewby=1&packid=10092&sortby=1

One thing though, on Dish's website they make it look like you get both Telefutura east and west, but in reality you only get one feed. If you live in the eastern or central time zones you'll get the east cost feed and if you live in the mountain or pacific time zones you'll get the west cost feed.

[KingOfBling]

Oh ok i get you now.So i would just need to order the 150 plan and add on the Dish Latino (Not the max) and that would be it ? What is the total price per month.


I noticed that there DISH LATINO MAX doesnt include TECHTV as well as some other channels.

Thanks a ton for the info.

[Steve Mehs]

AT 150- $42.99
Dish Latino - $21.99
TOTAL- $64.98 +an additional $4.99/month for each receiver beyond the first

Nope, Dish Latino Max just has the channels in Top 50 (Dishs most basic package) plus those in Dish Latino.

[HTguy]

Also im probably looking at getting the dish system online though vmcsat,and i was wondering meaning you dont own the equiptment when new equiptment comes out (recivers) does dish upgrade it for you for free or are you stuck with the reciver you are renting.
Believe me, you don't want to deal with VMC. All you get from them is a "certificate" that entitles you to DISH's Digital Home Plan (the leasing agreement) w/o options for upgrade & an an installation by a mope from DNSC or a RSP sub-contractor.

Do yourself a big favor & contact a local full-service DISH Network retailer in your area. Get referrals from friends & neighbors if you can. Or go to www.dumpcable.com or the local retailer locator at www.dishnetwork.com.

[KingOfBling]

A certificate ? From there website you can schedule a installation and everything.The reason i was choosing them is because my brother is a affiliate there and we was going to split the $50 commission check he gets lol.


Oh well i just tried applying at DishNet's site and i was not approved for any of there offers,in order to get service i would have to purchase there system and get credits back each month on my bill.(That ruins my day,i dont have the cash to spend on purchasing two boxes).Could someone tell me why some of these retailers say no credit check when in fact there is one.

[boba]

King it's easy if you purchase thr system there is no credit check. That is called the FREE-For-All promotion you pay $199 up front and get a monthly credit back so at the end of 12 months there is no cost, "FREE". They also advertise it as no commitment ( no 1 yr. contract) but if you don't subscribe for 12 continous months no rebates either.

[JohnL]

I guess ill go with dish since they offer a few spanish programming channels directv doesnt (im half spanish and watch some shows in spanish) i got one last question,i dont have the extra cash to upgrade now to the pvr,so does dish allow you to upgrade at anytime to a pvr by just paying the one time fee ?

Could someone post a picture of the dish pvr ? Possibly a screen cap of what the menu looks like.

King,


Buy the best receiver you can when you first sign up. The reason is that you will never ever get the new subscriber discount as a current subscriber, once on Dish's subscriber roles. Dish does have a current PVR discount to current subscribers to get a PVR upgrade but you must have been a subscriber since November 2002.

This is likely to be the case into the future with Dish. Dish is not likely to offer a discounted upgrade receiver to a subscriber that is relatively new as Dish sold and installed the system for less than it cost to manufactor to entice you subscribe to Dish Network.

Last thought the EPG guide on Dish's Non PVR's is REALLY SLOW to the point of waiting for upto 2-3 minutes to get the EPG data to show on the screen. I really don't want to go into the details as to why, as well as only being 44 hours. All Dish PVR's have an instantly available EPG as well as it being 8 1/2 days and completely searchable at any time for a show description, actors, or Movie or Show Title, example type "John Wayne" then search and the screen will display every movie with John Wayne is in for the next 8 days or so it might even pickup a show or two he guest starred in like "I love Lucy". Add to this the Digital recording features and a Dish PVR is worth every penny, you will never look at or watch TV in the same way ever again.

A PVR is much more than a VCR replacement, a PVR can do things that VCR's never could, Like watching an Event that is recording even before it's finished recording, or watching a recording at the same time the PVR is recording something else, pulling up a list of all your recordings and starting them instantly you will never frantically search Video Tapes again or even FF and REW looking for that one show that is in the middle of a Tape.

John