thinking of switching from direcTV to dish

1405 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by bderouen, Dec 15, 2006

bdee1

Discussion Starter · Dec 12, 2006

I currently have the basic direcTV package with HD and showtime. I have one standard receiver. one standard direcTivo and one HD DirecTivo.

with the hd package i get around 10 hd channels, and my HD locals come OTA.

looking at dish i LOVE the fact that they have so many HD channels. but one major change for me would be going from the tivos to the dish DVR. I have heard that the dish PVR 622 is supposed to be pretty nice. I know it supports 2 tvs (one HD and one standard). so it must have dual tuners, but can I watch one HD show and record another HD show (dual HD tuners).

also how would i get the signal out to 2 tvs? it looks like it just has RCA jacks for the second tv. if thats the case then what if my 2nd tv is down the hall?

is there anywhere where i can see screenshots of what the 622 interface looks like?

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nmoulton

· #2 · Dec 12, 2006

The 622 has three HD tuners, 2 HD tuners for satellite plus 1 HD tuner for OTA, all usable at the same time. TV1 output is HD, TV2 output is SD. From that, you can figure out the possibilities.

TV2 output has a coax output on a UHF channel in addition to the RCA output.

Use this link to see what the back panel looks like for yourself.
Also click on the link "interactive menus" to see what the user interface looks like.

http://tech.dishnetwork.com/departmental_content/TechPortal/content/tech/receiver/622.shtml#

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bdee1

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 12, 2006

than k you that was exactly what i was looking for.

one other question though - what does it use the phone line for?

I think i have pretty much decided to make the switch but now i just have to fight with direcTV. i know that i will have to pay them an early termination fee, but now they are telling me that the HD Tivo that i paid then like $600 for is leased and i have to return it. that is some serious BS!

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bdee1

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 12, 2006

one other question:

it appears as though i cannot get HD locals via the dish (12302 zip code), am i correct?

and if i am pulling the HD locals from OTA, then will i be able to record 2 local HD shows at the same time?
i am able to do this with my HR10-250 from DirecTV, and we do this all the time because the majority of the HD content that we currently watch is prime time Network sitcoms. many times there is an overlap and it would be annoying to have to record one show in HD ant the other in SD.

any way around this?

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okypinoky

· #5 · Dec 13, 2006

bdee1:

I too recently switched from DirecTV to Dish after being a customer for nearly 10 years.

Like you, I grew accustomed to the TiVo way do viewing TV. However, I realized during my initial research that I would have to change my way of "thinikng" when it came to deciding what and where I wanted my new Dish HD DVR.

Originally, with DirecTV, I had two TiVos - one DirecTV HDTiVo, and one DirecTV Tivo, each setup in different rooms. The kids had one for themselves, whie I had the other (I will let you guess which TiVo I had!!)

When moving to Dish - please remember this; Dish has a different way of thinking when it comes to multi-room setups. Whereas each DVR and/or HD DVR has dual tuners (really three since a DISH DVR can record two DISH channels while also recording an antenna channel), DISH will approach your setup situation based on a SHARING basis, unless you direct them otherwise.

Since I was used to my two TVs having seperate TiVos, DISH's setup would not have been good for me. Since the DISH DVR (HD or otherwise) has dual tuners, DISH will approach your setup as allowing more than one TV to share the tuners.

As such, One HD DVR will technically run two TVs independently, however they are both sharing each of the two tuners. As I mentioned before, this would not have been good for me. If the children were watching one stations (usually Boomerang) and the wife was watching the other tv (usually Food Network), I would be stuck either watching one of those two stations, of forcing a channel change (you ever seen a child mad after you turned of their Boomerang cartoon - or worse, a wife who you turned off her Food Network channel - - not pretty!!).

So, I DIRECTED DISH to install TWO DVRs, one each in the two rooms. Yes, they wanted to explain to me how I would only need one unit, and yes they charge me for the leaseof the other DVR, but it is owrth the extra money in the long run. Now, each tv can record two programs, plus one antenna, if necessary. Everyone is happy.

As far as programming goes, I would choose the HD Gold if you are used to having the DirecTV Total Choice (Plus). The HD Gold is the only package (outside of Platinum) hat carries the same channels as Total Choice Plus. Do a side to side comparison to ensure that your channels are covered in any DISH package you choose. As an example, the lower priced DirecTV package I had carried Boomerang (notice how I always come back to this channel), whereas DISH's lower or comperably priced package did not carry this channel. So, I had to "upgrade" to the HD Gold. Halmark was also an issue (for what it is worth).

I have notice a slight degredation in the picture quality with DISH. It seems that I have far more pixilation issues than I have every had with DirecTV. I used to never loose a picture except in a large thunderstorm.

I can not advise you about the locals - the DISH represenative can assist you there.

Finally, you may want to ask the forum members for a customer referal code. This will save you money in the install/activation. Do a research here - you will understand what I mean.

Hope this two cents worth helps.

R/
OKY

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bdee1

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 13, 2006

hey thanks for the feedback - i have come to realize that abotu the multi-room setup. at this point i don't have kids yet so i dont have that concern, but i would definitely need the dual tuners in the living room because thats where we watch 90% of the time.

the one in the bedroom we just flick on once in a while when we go to bed early.

and we have one other small tv in our basement in front of our treadmill.

so for me it would probably be best to have a 622 for our living room and then one split between our bedroom and our basement.

anyway - i don't think it will work out for us right now because as far as i can tell, they don't offer HD locals in my area, so if there were 2 shows on an HD local (OTA) we could only record one of them. this would be a problem for us the majority of the hd stuff we watch is prime time sitcoms on the major networks, so there are many times where we have to record 2 shows from our OTA antenna. with the 622 we could only do one.

so i think at this point, until they offer the HD locals on the dish or they offer a dvr with dual tuner for the antenna, we are kinda stuck with DirecTV.

also thats interesting that you say that your picture was slightly better with Directv than with DISH. i have been hearing the opposite.

and you are also saying that your DISH network signal goes out more often than your Directv signal did (in storms and what not)?

i was actually meaning to ask about that too because that is one good thing with my DirecTV setup is that it is VERY rare that we lose our signal due to weather.

anyway - thanks for the informative post!

okypinoky said:
bdee1:

I too recently switched from DirecTV to Dish after being a customer for nearly 10 years.

Like you, I grew accustomed to the TiVo way do viewing TV. However, I realized during my initial research that I would have to change my way of "thinikng" when it came to deciding what and where I wanted my new Dish HD DVR.

Originally, with DirecTV, I had two TiVos - one DirecTV HDTiVo, and one DirecTV Tivo, each setup in different rooms. The kids had one for themselves, whie I had the other (I will let you guess which TiVo I had!!)

When moving to Dish - please remember this; Dish has a different way of thinking when it comes to multi-room setups. Whereas each DVR and/or HD DVR has dual tuners (really three since a DISH DVR can record two DISH channels while also recording an antenna channel), DISH will approach your setup situation based on a SHARING basis, unless you direct them otherwise.

Since I was used to my two TVs having seperate TiVos, DISH's setup would not have been good for me. Since the DISH DVR (HD or otherwise) has dual tuners, DISH will approach your setup as allowing more than one TV to share the tuners.

As such, One HD DVR will technically run two TVs independently, however they are both sharing each of the two tuners. As I mentioned before, this would not have been good for me. If the children were watching one stations (usually Boomerang) and the wife was watching the other tv (usually Food Network), I would be stuck either watching one of those two stations, of forcing a channel change (you ever seen a child mad after you turned of their Boomerang cartoon - or worse, a wife who you turned off her Food Network channel - - not pretty!!).

So, I DIRECTED DISH to install TWO DVRs, one each in the two rooms. Yes, they wanted to explain to me how I would only need one unit, and yes they charge me for the leaseof the other DVR, but it is owrth the extra money in the long run. Now, each tv can record two programs, plus one antenna, if necessary. Everyone is happy.

As far as programming goes, I would choose the HD Gold if you are used to having the DirecTV Total Choice (Plus). The HD Gold is the only package (outside of Platinum) hat carries the same channels as Total Choice Plus. Do a side to side comparison to ensure that your channels are covered in any DISH package you choose. As an example, the lower priced DirecTV package I had carried Boomerang (notice how I always come back to this channel), whereas DISH's lower or comperably priced package did not carry this channel. So, I had to "upgrade" to the HD Gold. Halmark was also an issue (for what it is worth).

I have notice a slight degredation in the picture quality with DISH. It seems that I have far more pixilation issues than I have every had with DirecTV. I used to never loose a picture except in a large thunderstorm.

I can not advise you about the locals - the DISH represenative can assist you there.

Finally, you may want to ask the forum members for a customer referal code. This will save you money in the install/activation. Do a research here - you will understand what I mean.

Hope this two cents worth helps.

R/
OKY

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army1

· #7 · Dec 14, 2006

if someone has already responded to the 5.00 phone line charge then sorry forthis reply, this is a dish thing, if you don't keep a LANDLINE phone connection to your
dvr they charge you 5.00/mo per reciever, this {so dish says{ is to know what to charge you for ppv even if if you use ppv like they will still charge you is no phone line connection,also before switching to dish i talked to 4 sales people, they all
asured me the the dvr phone like would work with voip, be advised it DOES NOT
work with all voip, matter a fact a vary few.and sinse a land line would cost me more then the 5.00 dvr charge then i have to pay even though i was told voip will
work with any company,if you switch watch what you are told and what your bill really is,also if i had it to do all over again i would pay the install charge, and go month to month without a contract untill you see if you want to stay with them,
that's one of many mistakes i make.anything that dish tells you and you get a gut
feeling about have them put in writting and send it to you by email, if they don't
that should tell you something, if they do and don't follow though then you got
something to fallback on.and yes the picture quility is not as good as directv
more like basic cable.

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bdee1

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 14, 2006

good to know - i didn't realize that about the phone line charge. i have vonage for my phone service and i had to kind of massage it into working with direcTV tivos. so i was kind of wondering how that would work out.

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bderouen

· #9 · Dec 15, 2006

bdee1 said:
good to know - i didn't realize that about the phone line charge. i have vonage for my phone service and i had to kind of massage it into working with direcTV tivos. so i was kind of wondering how that would work out.

Hi!
I have vonage too, and I have it working out fine. What I did was buy off of Ebay one of the wireless phone jacks. (Ebay, cuz I got one for $33 as opposed to the $100 wanted in stores.)

As far as the comment of the signal goign out more with Dish (I'm a former Direct Customer too), I find just the opposite. I had a WONDERFUL line of site iwth Direct and I lost signal pretty regularly. My line of site here with Dish is kinda spotty. Nonetheless, my signal rarely, if ever goes out.

Bruce

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