DISH versus Direct TV

[rjohnstone]

I'm so disgusted with all of them and their BS pricing structures that when my contract with DTV is up, I'm ditching them.
If I can't get it over the air for free, I don't need it.

Don't get me wrong, the service is great, but I'm tired of seeing my bill go up every month. Once the "introductory deals" are done, it gets expensive.
My bill went from $55 per month to almost $80 once the promo deals expired. I even dropped some services and it's still cost me more.
The damn taxes and regulatory fees alone are just absurd.
They make up nearly 25% of my bill.

[Jason1212]

Service providers often do this. They will change a service package or offer it at a lower rate as an incentive to new customers. They accept that there will be some cancellation of current customers. I would call customer service and up front state that you want to cancel the service. If they ask why tell them you have found a better deal. Most reps get dinged if they dont try to retain a customer. They probably have a contention plan/option set up once you state you want to cancel service and why.

[krimson]

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!

I had the same issue with Dish Network. I wanted to upgrade and have more than one reciever and they told me to go buy the receiver and a switch. So went out and purchased the reciever at walmart and bought the switch on ebay. When I went up to the dish to connect it there were no extra outputs for the switch, I called them back and they told me that I also needed a dual LNB. By that point I was pissed. I had recieved an add for DirecTV giving receivers for up to 4 rooms. So just switched.

When I called to cancel the guy at Dish Network tried to convince me to stay and told me they could match the offer. I told him I had called the week before trying to add a reciever and told him my story and asked why the hell didn't somebody offer me this deal then. I told him it was too late to keep my business, as the Directv installer was already at my house.

To moral of the story is that you may want to call and tell them you wan't to cancel and they will do thier best to keep you. Just call and let them know you want to cancel and they transfer you to sombody who will ask you why and try and convince you to stay.

[Bengal]

Another interesting thing they told me about the DVR's from Dish Network. They said that only 1 imput is HD, the other one is SD. So if you're recording a HD show, you would have to watch that show because it only comes in on one line...

SPD,
Read what I posted. They are making me pay for the DVR but are giving me incentives to do it. Taking money off my bill and waiving the fee for the HD programming. If they would do that for me, I don't know why they wouldn't for you. I've been a customer for 6 years now. The only reason they might not is if you're not in "good standing" with them. Pay youir bill late every month and whatnot...

I remember asking a person from DTV a while ago how long I have to go without the service to be considered a new customer. He said that I'll never be looked at as a new customer. No matter how long I go wthout DTV...

[Bengal]

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.

Vince,
I think I should feel somewhat lucky. I'm still under contract with them and will be until 5/09. This year in May they sent me a SD DVR for free, just a 2 year commitment. So me threatening to leave is somewhat stupid since I'm still under contract with them. I think I got a good deal considering I didn't really have any ground to stand on...

When I was talking to the lady about the imputs and outputs of the HD-DVR she said HDMI output and I asked about opitical outputs and she said they had them. Then she said something about some coaxial imput that the tech-heads were geeked about. Something that the old ones didn't have. I wasn't up on that issue but I assume it's a coaxial imput for an OTA antenna hook up. You need that to record local channels if local channels are not carried yet, right? How does that work? The OTA antenna feeds into the hardd drive?

[VinceV]

Vince,
I think I should feel somewhat lucky. I'm still under contract with them and will be until 5/09. This year in May they sent me a SD DVR for free, just a 2 year commitment. So me threatening to leave is somewhat stupid since I'm still under contract with them. I think I got a good deal considering I didn't really have any ground to stand on...

When I was talking to the lady about the imputs and outputs of the HD-DVR she said HDMI output and I asked about opitical outputs and she said they had them. Then she said something about some coaxial imput that the tech-heads were geeked about. Something that the old ones didn't have. I wasn't up on that issue but I assume it's a coaxial imput for an OTA antenna hook up. You need that to record local channels if local channels are not carried yet, right? How does that work? The OTA antenna feeds into the hardd drive?

Yeah the boxes will have HDMI/Optical outputs as well as component outputs with left/right stereo. Use HDMI if you can, better picture quality and less cables to tv (1 HDMI carries video and audio).

Yeah the HR20-700/1000 has a OTA coax input( THE HR-21 which is a glossy black box DOES NOT, so make sure you are getting the HR20), which will allow you to receive you local channels in SD and HD if they are broadcasting, which they should be by now. It feeds straight to the HD allowing you to also record those channel, and they will also show up on your DTV guide as 2-1, 4-1(etc, with some even be -2,-3,-4) Depending on how many feeds your local stations on pumping through their HD feed. For example here in L.A. we have 5-1,5-2,5-3,5-4 with each channel being channel 5 but they re showing different things on each one. At one time 5-4 was actually a 24 hour all 80's video channel. It can get confusing reading it, but it will make sense when you see it set up.

[Bengal]

Vince,
I assume the HR20 is the sliver one?

I will need it, DTV doesn't carry my local channels in HD yet. The CS lady said sometime in April should be the time they start doing that. So until then, I'll just pull them OTA...

Won't this spell the end for regular cable like Mediacom? I don't see how they can continue to add channels to the system they have now. They are at copacity now and are overshadowed by DTV big time here in our area. Without a serious cable upgrade, I don't see how they can do it...

SPD,
I found a direct number for Customer Retention at Directv. Call them, they seem to know whats going on and you might have better luck with them. 866-568-8850...

[VinceV]

HR20-700



HR21-700




You want the HR20(Silver) since you cannot receive locals over DTV as the HR21 has no OTA coax input


Good forum for alot of information. The other day I had a small problem with some local channels, asked here and within 5 minutes had 10 responses. Good forum with guys who really know their stuff.
http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=112

[SouthPlatteDemon]

Vince,
I assume the HR20 is the sliver one?

I will need it, DTV doesn't carry my local channels in HD yet. The CS lady said sometime in April should be the time they start doing that. So until then, I'll just pull them OTA...

Won't this spell the end for regular cable like Mediacom? I don't see how they can continue to add channels to the system they have now. They are at copacity now and are overshadowed by DTV big time here in our area. Without a serious cable upgrade, I don't see how they can do it...

SPD,
I found a direct number for Customer Retention at Directv. Call them, they seem to know whats going on and you might have better luck with them. 866-568-8850...

Right on dude. Thanks for the number. I'll call them tonight.

I'm out of the contract period for Direct TV. I pointed that out to them when I called last night that I'm free to do what I want, but wanted to give them the opportunity to retain me. That didn't work.

[Bengal]

SPD,
From everything I've read, it can be a bit of a run around to get this done. But call that number, those guys are not outsourced employees so you'll be able to understand them. And they know what they are talking about and they have the authority to do stuff like this. I've also read it's better to call them at night. Don't know why that is...

Good luck! Let us know how it went...

Vince,
Is the black one rack mountable? That's sweet. But I'd rather have the connections...

[anuske9]

Another interesting thing they told me about the DVR's from Dish Network. They said that only 1 imput is HD, the other one is SD. So if you're recording a HD show, you would have to watch that show because it only comes in on one line...

I have the NFL Network on Dish, and Dish does offer a football season pass, but it's only college, which was my mistake. The HD DVR does have two HD inputs, but it only has one HD output. So you can record stuff in HD on the second tv, but because of the coax cables, your stuck with SD on the second tv.

[Bengal]

I have the NFL Network on Dish, and Dish does offer a football season pass, but it's only college, which was my mistake. The HD DVR does have two HD inputs, but it only has one HD output. So you can record stuff in HD on the second tv, but because of the coax cables, your stuck with SD on the second tv.

Ah. I checked the sports programming but didn't see Sunday Ticket. I didn't look to see if the NFL Network was part of that agreement with DTV and the NFL. DTV paid A LOT of money for Sunday Ticket. It's the main thing they can hold over Dish Network...

That's what she meant by the HD/SD thing about Dish's DVR. But to be quite honest, I don't like it when they start bagging on the other providers. Just tell me what you have to offer, don't try to slam the other ones...

But the 85 HD channels now is what sold me. I don't think Dish has that many...

[Jason1212]

I had the same issue with Dish Network. I wanted to upgrade and have more than one reciever and they told me to go buy the receiver and a switch. So went out and purchased the reciever at walmart and bought the switch on ebay. When I went up to the dish to connect it there were no extra outputs for the switch, I called them back and they told me that I also needed a dual LNB. By that point I was pissed. I had recieved an add for DirecTV giving receivers for up to 4 rooms. So just switched.

When I called to cancel the guy at Dish Network tried to convince me to stay and told me they could match the offer. I told him I had called the week before trying to add a reciever and told him my story and asked why the hell didn't somebody offer me this deal then. I told him it was too late to keep my business, as the Directv installer was already at my house.

To moral of the story is that you may want to call and tell them you wan't to cancel and they will do thier best to keep you. Just call and let them know you want to cancel and they transfer you to sombody who will ask you why and try and convince you to stay.

This is why I made my post. Call centers are odd in how they operate. Most reps have options available but are limited to when they can offer them. If they get caught offering them inapproriately they get in trouble. They may think "this customer is going to bolt" but if you dont say "I am taking my business elsewhere" they can not make offers available to keep you. Call and let them know you want to cancel service. If they dont attempt to save the account ask to speak to their supervisor.

[yard dawg]

I use Direct. I got a free upgrade recently. I have been with them for 7 years. I told them I would go to Dish if they didnt give it to me free. They said if I agreed to 2 more years I could get free upgrades . Just call customer service and tell them you'll dump them if you dont get it free.

[442w30]

I have DirecTV. I got the HD tuner, etc H10?.
Anyway, it was a 2yr contract, and the tuner broke @13 months. I wan't shelling out the $199 they wanted, so I just pulled out the SD receiver and cancelled the lame 9.99 HD package.

I really didn't like the fact that they charge you $5 each receiver/month and make you buy a receiver, when it breaks, they don't even have a warranty.

You get 300 channels, and 250 are pay per view or infomercials.

Basically all I watch are three music channels, NFL network, comedy central, spike, FX, Discovery, History and the kids channels - boomerang, Nickelodeon, Disney.

Not worth $80/month for standard def.

After football season, I'll either ditch cable/dish altogether and get a life or fold and buy a bunch of HD boxes in the next few weeks.

Tough choices ahead....

Oh, one more thing: DirecTV calls every other day from their 800 number and don't leave messages. I got so sick of it that I programmed my phone to forward calls from their 800 number back to their 800 number. I never hear it ring... If they need something, they can send a letter.