Recent moves by both providers seem to indicate Directv will be the system of choice should the merger go through.
1) Echostar hires RCA to make receivers which work with either system.
2) Directv's announcement of an even closer partnership with TiVo and upcoming release of Series II DirecTiVos.
3) Charlie Ergan's own positive comments on the future of Tivo and UltimateTV service.
Add to this the bottom-line economic reality of receiver swaps (upgrading as many current E* receivers by download as possible then handing out a few new Directv receivers VS. manufacturing and shipping enough Dish Network receivers to replace 15,000,000 Directv receivers

) makes me feel fairly confident in the future of my DirecTiVos
