DISH versus Direct TV

[SouthPlatteDemon]

We currently have Direct TV but they want to charge us $100 to upgrade to HD.

Dish is offering new customers a package that basically makes the upgrade free for all the equipment.

It's hard to tell if there are any real difference in the channels or the quality from what I can tell, but I've never had DISH.

What do you guys have and why did you pick it over the other?

[Spivonious]

I've got cable because Comcast holds exclusive rights to Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia It's not that bad though, since everytime I price out Dish or DirecTV it always comes out within $5 of Comcast anyway, just with more channels that I'd never watch.

My sister and brother-in-law have Dish and they like it. They get something like 50 HD channels, including one that just shows Kung fu movies all day long.

[VinceV]

I've never dealt with Dish. I have had DTV for 10 years now and have been happy with them. Are they charging for a new 5lnb dish? How long have you been with them? Call back and let them know that you really want to upgrade to HD, but if they are going to charge you for the new equipment then you may have to switch.

Just last week DTV called me and told me they are were sending 2 new HDDVR's because my market is almost all mpeg4 HD now. Tuesday a guy showed up and gave me 2 new boxes for the bedrooms(I already had a new one in the living room), he even set them up and ran another line into one of the bedrooms for the dual tuner box. All for free.

In the last few months DTV has added alot of new HD channels and there seem to be alot more coming soon.

[Bengal]

50 channels in HD for Dish. 70 now and over 100 by the first of the year for DirectTV. You decide...

Vince,
You live in a big market then. Little guys like us have to pay for the upgrade. $100 for a regular HD reciever. $300 for a HD-DVR. The dish is free. The only problem with demanding it for free is if they say no, you better be prepaired to walk to Dish. If not, it's a moot point...

NFL Network and NFL Sunday Ticket. The main reason I stay with DirectTV. The HD channels too, as soon as I get a HD-DVR. Once you go DVR, you can't go back...

[Thrust]

Call them and threaten with switching (call at night). Many people have successfully received free equipment, upgraded programing, and/or a period w/o a subscription fee. See slickdeals forum for info

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthr...hlight=directv

[anuske9]

NFL Network and NFL Sunday Ticket. The main reason I stay with DirectTV.

Dish offers those as well, of course there's no reason to switch now.

[VinceV]

50 channels in HD for Dish. 70 now and over 100 by the first of the year for DirectTV. You decide...

Vince,
You live in a big market then. Little guys like us have to pay for the upgrade. $100 for a regular HD reciever. $300 for a HD-DVR. The dish is free. The only problem with demanding it for free is if they say no, you better be prepaired to walk to Dish. If not, it's a moot point...

NFL Network and NFL Sunday Ticket. The main reason I stay with DirectTV. The HD channels too, as soon as I get a HD-DVR. Once you go DVR, you can't go back...

If you read the DTV forums, alot of people get free equipment/upgrade. Just be nice about maybe having to "switch", bring up how long you've been a good customer etc.. Remember they really don't make money off the equipment. It's the subscription they want. Plus now you never own the equipment they lease it to you, for a buck or 2 a month I believe.

[Firebird V]

my brother cancelled his DTV and put it in his wifes name and got everything for free.... might wanna try that.

[fett]

Does HD stand for "Huge Difference"? Not to this Viking god-like one eyed person.

[Bengal]

Dish offers those as well, of course there's no reason to switch now.

You might want to check that. Sunday Ticket is a DirectTV exclusive. I believe NFL Netork comes with the agreement...

Vince,
I just got off the phone with a person. Was on for about 30 minutes. I tried all the tactics but could not get the DVR for free. She knocked down my bill by 10 bucks a month for a year. Gave me the HD service free for a year, normally 9.99 a month. The installer is going to rewire my house so I can use the SD DVR upstairs, run another line for free. And they are going to bill me the cost of the DVR, $299.99 instead of making me pay now. I set it up but now have some second thoughts. I can always cancell as it has not been installed yet. Seems like a decent deal. I'm basically getting $240 worth of credit. So I'm out about a hundred bucks but I get the DVR, not just the standard reciever. I don't know, what do you think?

The lady said DirectTV has 85 channels in HD right now. Over 100 by the first of the year. I don't think Dish has even 50 HD channels now...

But one question. Why do you pay for the DVR if you're just leasing it? There will be a $4.99 lease charge for the box. Why is that? I should have asked her...

[thetroy]

HD is not just a thing to make more money it makes a HUGE difference in the picture quality. There's no comparison

[SouthPlatteDemon]

I went round and round with the DirectTV lady. They said for current customers the deal is $100 to get the HD receiver and an extra $9.99 a month for HD. I read to her the Dish TV offer we recieved in the mail and she said that they have similar offers for new customers. I asked her why DirectTV is basically forcing me to go to DISH and there was nothing but silence.

Looks like I need to start the cancellation process to get the good deals based on information from the forums link above. I'll give that a shot. Thanks Thrust!

[fett]

I just had a brain fart. This HD shit is not about all you pups with 20-20 vision. It's about us. The Baby Boomers:ROTF: . 1948-1963, give or take.:ROTF: That's me. 1950. But, I half blind anyhow.

[thetroy]

I went round and round with the DirectTV lady. They said for current customers the deal is $100 to get the HD receiver and an extra $9.99 a month for HD. I read to her the Dish TV offer we recieved in the mail and she said that they have similar offers for new customers. I asked her why DirectTV is basically forcing me to go to DISH and there was nothing but silence.

Looks like I need to start the cancellation process to get the good deals based on information from the forums link above. I'll give that a shot. Thanks Thrust!

It's the same thing as cell phone services. New customers get $300 phones for free but existing customers have to pay. You actually end up paying more for being a loyal customer these days.

[VinceV]

So you are getting a HD DVR. I guess that since your in a smaller market, they aren't inclined to give you the DVR. I would be happy with it. Is that $100 out of pocket worth it to you. For me it would be. No disconnecting your current setup pulling a dish, then waiting for someone to install another. If you don't own your equipment, then having to send it back. To me for $100 bucks out of pocket it would be fine.

Remember that the HD DVR will be a dual tuner so you can record 2 shows and watch a 3rd(that was recored) or record 1 watch another channel. Once you go dual you never go back.

Also if you switch to DISH it will pay off right now, but what happens in a few years when the new stuff comes out? You will be in the same position with them as you are with DTV now. While in a few years you will have been with DTV that much longer and maybe next time it will be free.

Tell me what receiver you get. I have a HR20-700 in the living room and they gave me the new HR21-1000(or maybe 700 not sure) for my bedroom. Since I live in a large market I don't need an OTA antennae hookup since DTV carries almost all my local stations from 2-58 on the satellite.

If your market isn't already carried in HD by Direct TV you may want to make sure you get the HR20 box as it has the OTA receiver built in, where as the HR21 does not.