Help & Advice - Thinking Of Leaving DISH for Direct...

[debor]

Hello Everyone,

I have not posted in a while, but actively monitor the board and was hoping for some advice. I have been a DISH customer for about 5 years and have been pleased for the most part. Now that I am ready to go HDTV, I am thinking of all my options and considering leaving DISH. It has just gotten to me...the lack of any organization, the delays in products, etc. Even with the 6000 promotion, I as many of you had, called today three times and received three different answers/offers. It just seems so unprofessional. Then I look over at DirecTV, which I swore I would never have and that DISH was always superior. PVR is a must for me, and even though I have a 508 & 501 now, I know that someday, when they fail, they will be replaced with something that has a monthly cost. If I am paying a cost, it might as well be something built with the TIVO technology, which is much more stable than anything DISH has offered. Then I see the multiple suppliers that DirecTV hardware can be purchased from, and even though I can't believe I am saying this, it looks to be a much better system and service.

I trust the opinions and facts of the members of this board more than anything else out there, so I will ask you to offer your advice and/or suggestions if you don't mind. What are your thoughts, and along those lines, is DISH far more advanced/ready to bring HDTV at the best quality than DirecTV is? I don't know if I will purchase a HDTV receiver at first, but I want the technology to be there. Lastly, with DirecTV for sale, is Hughes the parent company that is trying to sell it, and once it does, there will no longer be Hughes branded equipment, or is Hughes another manufacture such as RCA, etc.

Thanks in advance,

Jonathan

[debor]

Hello Again,

Since I posted this message late last night, I just wanted to give it a one time bump for anyone that might be able to offer some advice.

Thanks in advance,

Jonathan

[RAD]

As a former D* customer I can say, in my opinion, that the selection of STB's and the quality of this is MUCH better thet what E* has currently available. That may change with some of the new boxes coming out (211/811/921) but based on their past rollouts it might be 6 to 12 months before the product becomes stable.

As for what HDTV they can deliver, I think that E* has the edge, especially once 106 and SuperDish gets fired up. But even then that might be short lived if D* adds FSS slots to provide more transponders/bandwidth.

I think that the answer that your looking for will be a moving target, for X number of months D* is the leader, the E* rolls something out that their they leader until D* trumpts them. It's a crap shoot.

One thing that might push me over the edge is the 'bait and switch' stuff that Dish has been pulling over the past couple of weeks. The Charlie Chat said you could get a 6000 for $199 and Charlie himself implied that the 8VSB (OTA) module would be included. But then when you order it you find it isn't. E* has also decided to put the screws to their Digital Home Plan customers. Nowhere in the Chat did Charlie say, or the graphics show, that DHP customers couldn't get the 6000/$199 special, but when you call to order you're told you're not eligble. I'm surprised that someone hasn't yet mentioned taking Charlie to court over it (if people sue for too hot coffee or McDonald burgers making them fat, why not this?).

[tds4182]

I was a Dish customer for app. 6 years and enjoyed their service. At one time I owned 4 receivers including a 6000 with both 8VSB and 8PSK. I gradually got unhappy with the way Dish treats its existing customers compared to the promotions and gimmicks that they offered their new or potential customers and the fact that they offered almost no HD programming and kept promising new equipment/programming that they never seemed to deliver on or, if they did, it had "buggy" software. When I buy something to have fun with, I want it to work right the first time and from then on.

In August of this year I switched to DirecTv and now have a Sony SAT 200 HD receiver and two Hughes SD receivers. I am happy with the picture quality (especially the HD picture) and their customer service has been excellent (much better than Dish's).

I suspect that, over time, one product will be superior to the other at different points in time, then the other product will advance and they will be superior. Either way, both are better than the cable company that we have in our area.

Just the thoughts of one person!

Good Luck in your choice.

Hello Everyone,

I have not posted in a while, but actively monitor the board and was hoping for some advice. I have been a DISH customer for about 5 years and have been pleased for the most part. Now that I am ready to go HDTV, I am thinking of all my options and considering leaving DISH. It has just gotten to me...the lack of any organization, the delays in products, etc. Even with the 6000 promotion, I as many of you had, called today three times and received three different answers/offers. It just seems so unprofessional. Then I look over at DirecTV, which I swore I would never have and that DISH was always superior. PVR is a must for me, and even though I have a 508 & 501 now, I know that someday, when they fail, they will be replaced with something that has a monthly cost. If I am paying a cost, it might as well be something built with the TIVO technology, which is much more stable than anything DISH has offered. Then I see the multiple suppliers that DirecTV hardware can be purchased from, and even though I can't believe I am saying this, it looks to be a much better system and service.

I trust the opinions and facts of the members of this board more than anything else out there, so I will ask you to offer your advice and/or suggestions if you don't mind. What are your thoughts, and along those lines, is DISH far more advanced/ready to bring HDTV at the best quality than DirecTV is? I don't know if I will purchase a HDTV receiver at first, but I want the technology to be there. Lastly, with DirecTV for sale, is Hughes the parent company that is trying to sell it, and once it does, there will no longer be Hughes branded equipment, or is Hughes another manufacture such as RCA, etc.

Thanks in advance,

Jonathan

[GreyGhost00]

I, too, just left E* after 6 years and switched to D*. I've had the service for two weeks and can say I'm completely satisfied with the switch to this point. The PQ is the same and I've had no complaints with the HD offerings/package. For me, the plusses were as follows:

* HD package now with proven HD receivers and proven multi-dish solution.
* Multiple consumer electronics vendors making HD and SD receivers allowed me a choice of equipment. That equipment is also supported by CE vendors and not the satellite company itself. To me, this was a HUGE point.
* Vastly superior PVR technolgy. After using Dish's PVRs for years, there's no comparison with the TIVO boxes. If PVR is a priority, don't even think twice - D* has the best IMO, hands down. I'm excited about the HD DirecTIVO.
* Got tired of the same things - apparent lack of direction, disorganization, missed and false promises, and poor CS. Before the merger debacle it was different, but since then it's been all downhill with no end in sight. The 6000 upgrade fiasco is another perfect example of more of the same.
* Sports - D* is the winner here. Period.


Just my opinion, but I think the issue of future expandability/capacity is WAY overblown. Both Dish and DirecTV have more than enough potential capacity to do whatever they want. What most folks never bring up is that almost all technological shortcomings can be mitigated with money. I expect D* will silence some folks once NewsCorp takes control. They've already said PVRs and HD will be two big pushes for the service.

Only you can decide what's best for you, but as someone who was in a similar situation recently I can say I'm happy and would do the same thing all over again today.