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Thinking of ditching DirecTV

6K views 99 replies 23 participants last post by  sregener 
#1 ·
I've been with DirecTV since 1996, but I'm thinking it's time for a change. I'm under contract until December, 2013 but I'll pay the ETF if it's worth it. I had been playing the game of calling in to get credits in order to lower my bill, but DirecTV is now cracking down on that, and as a result my monthly bill has increased considerably over the past 12 months as various credits have expired and prices have increased. I want to see if taking advantage of new customer pricing will have a significant advantage if I drop DirecTV and move to Dish. I realize that each service has its pluses and minuses, but at this point cost is becoming more of a concern than anything else.

Here's what I have now, and I would like to retain the equivalent capability if moving to Dish:

-4 HD DVRs (1 x HR20, 2 x HR22, 1 x HR24), including one (HR22) being used with a SD TV

-HD programming

-DVR service

-Whole Home service

-TOTAL CHOICE programming package

My current monthly bill is $110.87 before the credits that I have still remaining are applied. As credits have expired and prices have increased over the last 12 months, my bill has increased by more than 38% for the exact same service. Obviously, I'm hoping to take advantage of "new customer" pricing to save some money. I realize that most (if not all) of the new customer pricing is only good for the first 12 months of a 24 month contract.

I've looked at the Dish website to get some idea of what's available to new customers, but much of the available technology is different than what I have now, and it's not clear what the charges are for extra stuff.

-Is there a monthly charge for DVRs? HD DVRs? If so, how much?
-Is there a monthly charge for the Dish Whole Home service? If so, how much?
-The Dish website says that new customers "may" be eligible for free HD for life. How does a new customer qualify for this?
-Will I pay upfront equipment costs as a new Dish customer? If so, how much?

Thanks to anyone who can provide information, even if it's just directing me to an existing thread.
 
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#77 ·
damondlt said:
Also Keep in mind you MAY have to pay $99 for the 2nd Hopper.

When I checked they wanted me to pay the $99 for it.

Sorry if you're demanding anything with sports, I wouldn't even look at Dish. Directv has the Dual live feeds in HD dish not even close, And when Boston plays the Yankees at Yankees, you will be twiddling your thumbs since Dish gave up totally on the NY market.

Directv as Many Alternate NESN channels , Dish not squat!
If you are going to try and help at least give somewhat correct information.

EVERY Red Sox game not carried nationally is carried on NESN on Dish. Where did you get that games played at Yankee Stadium are not televised on NESN? Ditto if they are at the METS. Or Phillies.

Second, Dish DOES HAVE ALTERNATE NESN - and in HD normally. If there is a conflict where NESN puts the Red Sox on their alternate channel, Dish has it as rare as that is.
 
#78 ·
lparsons21 said:
Here's a link to the programming guides for Dish :
http://www.mydish.com/programmingguides/

Get them and see if the channels you want in HD are all there and at what programming level.
Hmmm... when I use that website and select AT200 as the programming package and my zip code for the location, I get concerned. It appears that every HD channel has an SD twin. I assume that channels that don't have a twin are available in SD only. Comedy Central (channel 107) and HGTV (channel 112), among others, appear to be available in SD only at the AT200 level. It appears that I would have to subscribe to the America's "Everything" Pak to get these channel in HD.

Is that right? It doesn't jibe with the PDF comparison that was linked in a previous post in this thread; that comparison showed that Comedy Central and HGTV are both available in HD at the AT120 level and up.
 
#80 ·
Ray C@DISH Network said:
That charge is waived with AT 120 and above programming package for new customers. Thanks.
Ray, if I signed up as a new customer at the AT 120 level or above, could I get two Hoppers and two Joeys installed at no charge with a 24 month contract?

With a system made up of two Hoppers and two Joeys, do all four TVs have access to all the content on both Hoppers? Can a program be set up to record on either of the Hoppers from any of the four TVs?

Is there internet connectivity with a Hopper/Joey system? If so, does the hardware and installation cost anything as part of a new customer installation?

I assume that if I become a new Dish customer, any equipment provided at the initial installation will be leased and not owned. At the end of the contract period if I stop being a Dish customer, will Dish want to recover some or all of the equipment? Which pieces? Who is responsible for shipping charges back to Dish?
 
#83 ·
I have two 622 receivers . Al everything programming protection plan and electronic billing. No contract. Dish customer 12 plus years. I d like a hopper and two joeys. Can dish offer anything close to discounts offered by directv for comparable set up. Ie genie and two clients? I d like to hear from dirt team but I have not done five posts yet
 
#84 ·
I have heard horrible stories that when you update your credit card number or expiration date online, They will charge you immediately on the due date(if you still have a balance due date) from your bill prior to the next billing cycle, How true is it i'm not sure. To what will happen if you don't pay instantly someone else may answer, that's just what i heard.
 
#88 ·
acostapimps said:
I have heard horrible stories that when you update your credit card number or expiration date online, They will charge you immediately on the due date(if you still have a balance due date) from your bill prior to the next billing cycle, How true is it i'm not sure. To what will happen if you don't pay instantly someone else may answer, that's just what i heard.
I recently updated my credit card expiration date on-line. The current balance was charged to that card on the same date. Nothing horrible about it.
 
#89 ·
Ray_Schwarz;3195135 said:
I recently updated my credit card expiration date on-line. The current balance was charged to that card on the same date. Nothing horrible about it.
Why not update it and let it be instead of charging on the spot, I know it's going to be paid anyway by the due date, but some people would like the convenience of paying on the due date, I can understand updating by the due date and it won't process in time and getting the late fee, but everything before then should stay the way it suppose to be just like any other service.
 
#90 ·
Technology wise yes both Dish and Directv are different which Dish has an advantage on, everything else is a wash to me IMO, with the price increase both providers are expensive to that extent, with Directv a little more. Yes Directv has more full time HD on RSN, so does Dish on certain channels on certain times during pro games. But if you like to watch a lot of college football or basketball than Dish is better for PAC-12 network on games-only, unless all you need is ESPNU In HD or ESPN,FOX,FX,etc etc for college games.
 
#91 ·
dcandmc said:
Is one-touch recording of OTA channels (or something similar) integrated into the program guide?
LtMunst said:
Yes, though guide info for sub-channels is often non-existent.
dcandmc, you can see what OTA guide data is carried for your local market here: http://uplink.jameslong.name/locallist.html

OTA is listed below the satellite feeds denoted with -01, -02, -03 etc after the number. (Sat delivered always end in -00)
 
#93 ·
acostapimps said:
Why not update it and let it be instead of charging on the spot, I know it's going to be paid anyway by the due date, but some people would like the convenience of paying on the due date, I can understand updating by the due date and it won't process in time and getting the late fee, but everything before then should stay the way it suppose to be just like any other service.
What does Direct do when you update your credit card ?
 
#94 ·
lparsons21 said:
But also keep in mind that the SD from Dish with Hopper/Joey isn't anywhere near as horrible as D*'s best SD. Many SD channels look to be nearly DVD quality, though sports is not one of them. I don't watch much in SD, but I also don't avoid watching something in SD if that is the only way it is available with Dish. With Direct, I actively avoided SD since it was nearly unwatcheable imo.
How does dish's HD compare to D*'s? I've heard it's not as good. Some call it HD light. If that's the case, I would rather sacrifice SD quality than HD quality. However, I have an older CRT 1080I set that does pretty good with D*'s SD.

I've read that there is not much difference in the HD's and that most people can't tell. When I had TW, their HD was a little blurry and not very sharp. Then when I switched to D*, I noticed the difference. So my feeling is that I would notice it.
 
#95 ·
damondlt said:
Thats harsh, Stupid, Stupid are the ones that do it, and complain when their card is charged more then was supposed to be.
Okay, I've got auto-pay from Dish. A few days before they charge my card, I get an email that says, "Your bill is ready." That email shows exactly what they're going to charge me. I review it every month. Then, a few days later, I get another email saying, "You've made a payment" and again includes the exact same information about exactly how much Dish charged.

If you charge to a credit card, you can always dispute charges if Dish makes a mistake. I wouldn't give them my checking account, because you don't have the same kinds of protections built in.

I guess I've never had a problem with it. So I don't see the issue. Perhaps those who have could shed light on what went wrong with the above process.
 
#96 ·
n3vino said:
How does dish's HD compare to D*'s?
As a very sensitive viewer, I felt when I switched that Dish's HD was just slightly less "wow" than DirecTV's. There was a certain lack of sharpness on the best programming (things like BBC's Planet Earth/Frozen Planet) that I could detect. However, I thought it was "acceptable" and I'm a fussy viewer. I can't speak for any improvements, as I no longer have the A/B to compare. I am fine with the picture now.

That said, HD LiL for me is drastically poorer than OTA. I keep meaning to set up a video camera and try to capture the differences. It may be because I'm in a small market, but the color depth is poor and there are a ton of motion artifacts visible on the Dish signal. My wife notices none of this.

I believe Dish's SD programming is slightly better than DirecTV's. Others feel differently.
 
#97 ·
Ray_Schwarz said:
What does Direct do when you update your credit card ?
updates it with no charge even on the due date, as it gets processed immediately, but I update cc online, I'm probably sure it's the same on the phone.
 
#98 ·
n3vino said:
How does dish's HD compare to D*'s? I've heard it's not as good. Some call it HD light. If that's the case, I would rather sacrifice SD quality than HD quality. However, I have an older CRT 1080I set that does pretty good with D*'s SD.

I've read that there is not much difference in the HD's and that most people can't tell. When I had TW, their HD was a little blurry and not very sharp. Then when I switched to D*, I noticed the difference. So my feeling is that I would notice it.
Technically D*'s HD is better, but as has been said many times, including by me, the difference is slight to the viewers eye. I had my HR24-500 and new Hopper hooked to the same TV for a couple days when I switched and I literally could not see a difference between the two when I switched back and forth on the same channel. Couldn't do an actual side-by-side as my TV is 73" and there isn't room for two of those side by side.

With your CRT set, I suspect that most SD would look decent. But on these newer LCD/LED/Plasma sets it takes very good SD to look good. Dish's is better than Direct's, but neither are up to DVD quality. But it is very channel dependent too, with some channels being excellent and sliding all the way to horrible.
 
#99 ·
a couple of years ago (maybe 3) I had a chance to do a blind test of DirectTV, Dish, and OTA for a week. I was in a house with all 3 for that period of time, and I had my wife change the HDMI into the flat screen (high end Panny plasma, 54") from IRD to IRD and the OTA feed, same channels and shows. It was easy to pick out the OTA, it was pretty clearly a better picture and even my wife could see that. It was more challenging to differentiate Dish from DirectTV, but I picked the DirectTV picture as the better one about 70% of the guesses. That was over a week, several channels (networks, ESPN, HBO, and some of the major cable channels.)

I will say this, our Fox HD feed here in our area is pretty weak. My wife watches Glee, and you can really tell in close ups of faces, it's just kind of grainy. But that may well be just the HD feed from our local Fox affiliate.
 
#100 ·
I think the credit card charge instantly thing is a way to verify that the card is valid. In other words, so many people have tried to scam Dish by changing their credit card to an invalid number and then refuse to pay that Dish has had to implement a scheme to make sure this doesn't happen. Now, arguably, Dish could retain the information on the old card until the next billing cycle, but that would be more complicated to implement. Charging the next billing cycle immediately serves as an effective way to ensure that the customer isn't planning on cheating Dish out of payment. If the charge goes through, the database gets updated and all is well.

Nobody ever said theft didn't cost other people money.
 
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