My second round of E* HD v. D* HD comparison

1380 Views 7 Replies 6 Participants Last post by mauijiminar, Aug 4, 2008

jacmyoung

Discussion Starter · Aug 3, 2008

I did my first MPEG4 HD comparison a few months back:

http://dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=118154

This time I used the same method, only this time I have both services so the comparison was live HD shows during prime time (did not touch SD ones at all), but the tested channels expanded to FOODHD, USAHD, UnivHD, NatGeoHD, TennisHD, MHD, SmithHD, HDNet, TNTHD, SciFiHD and ScienceHD. The test result is about the same as the first time, E* HDs showed more compression related artifacts but only in close inspection, at a normal viewing distance one should not see the differece in PQ.

I could not do A/B comparision for the premium channels since I now have HBO, Starz and Cinemax from E* and Showtime from D*. But both E* and D* premium HDs have been free of compression related issues and very comparable in PQ.

Starz HDs continue to have the best HD PQ, with HBO and Showtime next, and Cinemax sometimes a little lacking but they all are great in HD viewing experience. I actaully preferred HBO and Showtime's more film like products as to the more video like Starz look.

This time I got an E* 722 because "622s are discontinued" according to the installer. I also am grandfathered in with the HD Absolute which was why I decided to add E* along side of my full D* service. The 722 was installed yesterday.

The E* 722 runs much hotter than the D* HR21, the guide on E* is faster and easier to use, but D* guide has a much better HD channel grouping. D*'s VOD offering is also much more robust than the E* 722 "online" VOD.

See less See more

Save

1 - 8 of 8 Posts

raoul5788

· #2 · Aug 3, 2008

jacmyoung said:
I did my first MPEG4 HD comparison a few months back:

http://dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=118154

This time I used the same method, only this time I have both services so the comparison was live HD shows during prime time (did not touch SD ones at all), but the tested channels expanded to FOODHD, USAHD, UnivHD, NatGeoHD, TennisHD, MHD, SmithHD, HDNet, TNTHD, SciFiHD and ScienceHD. The test result is about the same as the first time, E* HDs showed more compression related artifacts but only in close inspection, at a normal viewing distance one should not see the differece in PQ.

I could not do A/B comparision for the premium channels since I now have HBO, Starz and Cinemax from E* and Showtime from D*. But both E* and D* premium HDs have been free of compression related issues and very comparable in PQ.

Starz HDs continue to have the best HD PQ, with HBO and Showtime next, and Cinemax sometimes a little lacking but they all are great in HD viewing experience. I actaully preferred HBO and Showtime's more film like products as to the more video like Starz look.

This time I got an E* 722 because "622s are discontinued" according to the installer. I also am grandfathered in with the HD Absolute which was why I decided to add E* along side of my full D* service. The 722 was installed yesterday.

The E* 722 runs much hotter than the D* HR21, the guide on E* is faster and easier to use, but D* guide has a much better HD channel grouping. D*'s VOD offering is also much more robust than the E* 722 "online" VOD.

It sounds like you are saying there isn't much difference between the two, and that choices should be made on content. Is that a fair analysis? I would consider going to Dish because of their hd only package, but they don't offer YES, so that keeps me with Directv for now.

Save

l8er

· #3 · Aug 3, 2008

I was a Dish Network customer for 7 years, including about 6 months last year with high definition. (VIP622, Sony 60" Bravia). But then last fall DIRECTV had their massive HD expansion and getting the season premiere of Stargate Atlantis in high def on the new SciFi HD was enough to make me switch to DIRECTV. (And I did a dish self install and got finished with the install and setup with about 30 minutes to spare before Stargate Atlantis in HD for the first time. It was amazing.)

High def from either provider is (and has been) excellent - so I'll echo what others have before me - it really comes down to content. Go with the provider that has the most content you desire and beyond that at the best price.

High definition from both if them is breathtaking.

Save

Jhon69

· #4 · Aug 3, 2008

I know when I was a Dish customer for 4 1/2 years there was no grandfathering of packages.When the price went up each Feb. 1st all the prices went up(Unless specified on the Dish website aka Price good until 2010?).So if a Dish CSR says your grandfathered?.Get it in writing.

Save

jacmyoung

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 4, 2008

Jhon69 said:
I know when I was a Dish customer for 4 1/2 years there was no grandfathering of packages.When the price went up each Feb. 1st all the prices went up(Unless specified on the Dish website aka Price good until 2010?).So if a Dish CSR says your grandfathered?.Get it in writing.

That I am not worried, if by 2/09 they tell me I can't have it anymore, I will just drop it. I don't have a contract.

In fact depending on what D* may do in the next few months, I could drop the E* HD Absolute sooner

Of course if D* blows it b

Save

jacmyoung

Discussion Starter · #6 · Aug 4, 2008

Jhon69 said:
I know when I was a Dish customer for 4 1/2 years there was no grandfathering of packages.When the price went up each Feb. 1st all the prices went up(Unless specified on the Dish website aka Price good until 2010?).So if a Dish CSR says your grandfathered?.Get it in writing.

That I am not worried, if by 2/09 they tell me I can't have it anymore, I will just drop it. I don't have a contract. If price goes up that of course happens every year.

In fact depending on what D* may do in the next few months, I could drop the E* HD Absolute sooner

Of course if D* blows it big time I will drop D*.

Save

crawdad62

· #7 · Aug 4, 2008

I was a Dish subscriber long ago. I switched to cable and was woefully disappointed. Back then there really wasn't anything for former subscriber. Nothing to get you to come back so I went with DirecTV. I really didn't have any problem with either however I always missed not having the Encore movies on D that E had. I never really liked the sports that D had either but again it wasn't really an issue. But alas I chose D because I was a new subscriber and could get a deal. Then my regional electric company offered fiber and I jumped at it. It's pretty much like FiOS and it was great (PQ speaking). But they didn't offer much in the way of HD so I went looking again.

This time both D & E offered quite a bit for previous customers. There was one big glaring hole in E's offering and that was local HD. They didn't offer any of my locals in HD. That's why I chose D. Price is fairly competitive between them all. So I guess for me it boils down to E not having my locals in HD and my electric company not having many HD channels. That's why I chose DirecTV.

See less See more

Save

mauijiminar

· #8 · Aug 4, 2008

I agree, it is content. I love sports and D is the way to go. E is was ok but lacked sports and I love Direct Ticket! I have been with D for a year.

Save

1 - 8 of 8 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month