Dish Network or Direct TV?

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Dish has dual tuners~~ Compare your prices...with dish the first tuner is included in the package price. ie : 1 receiver 2 remote controlls and can watch seperate programming at the same time. (you are only charged for additional receivers *not per set* for the receivers.. ) So if you have 2 dual tuners you will have 4 remotes for 4 tv sets. You can also get the dual with dvr service on all sets or just one set. ....you need to compare the programming packages and what they (dish or direct) actually charge you when you price compare... they are similar (but not the same) ..but if it were me..I'd go dish. .. with .direct, you have to have a receiver on each tv set and you are charged for each one of them....well at least you used to, as of 3 months ago.

Ps: I don't get points to push Dish or Direct. :)
 
Thanks JDBoxes.....



How is the internet with AT&T compared to TWC? I can live with a few "bugs" just to save the difference in cost as with TWC.



I'm currently paying TWC about 135 per mo for their cable and internet service.
 
I had TWC and AT&Tphone and Walmart internet. I got tired of losing the internet, so I got cable, internet(road-runner), and phone service from TWC for $104/mo. (inclusive)TWC's service here has been great and free.
 
Just send me an email w/name, address, phone, number, alt phone number (cell), and what products you want. I send it in through work then a rep contacts within 24hrs you at the ph# and time of day you specify.
 
I have Direct TV. A bit of lag time but it's not bad. Beat the hell out of Adelphia Cable that I had before though. Comcast just recently bought Adelphia. I also like that I can get some XM channels on Direct TV and pipe it through the surround sound. I pay about $60 a month but I don't have any premium channels.
 
Dumped Charter for Direct TV in the hopes that they would follow through on the number of HD channels it was claiming to carry "by the end of the year". The gamble paid off as they just put in a bunch more, and should be more on the way. No problems with Direct TV at all.
 
I used to have DirecTV, had too many outage times, so I dumped it for cable (Time-Warner). Was satisfied with them, but then Comcast bought out the area, and service went south. So now I've found what I consider the best option I've had in a long time--an antenna in the attic. Great, consistent analog signal and digital HD, and more than enough programming for our needs. And the money I save more than pays for the occasional night at the bar to catch the game I'm missing because of the lack of cable service. :)
 
I have Dish Network, and have been very happy with them over the years.

There is a site www satelliteguys us that I believe has some comparasons of both providers. Each has their goods and bad, so it all depends on what your looking for.



 
DesertFox:



Internet has been fine, it has a higher upstream than TWC which was important to me, since I have to update websites, and send large amounts of data offsite.



Downstream is slightly slower, but I haven't really noticed that at all.
 
SST,



Blame Motorola and their settop boxes on the 3 digit channel change. Rather than hit SELECT after a channel entry, you can also enter three digit channels, e.g: 009, 010, 055, instead of hiting 9 select, 10 select, 55 select.



The other thing I did was get a Logitech Harmonic remote and program about 10 of my favorite channels in it, and I get quicker channel flipping.



As for which sat provider to go with, I can't help you there. I haven't switched because Comcast has me locked in as I needed them at one point for broadband (now I have options), but as I said, they have me locked in to their triple play.



TJR
 
TJR...why did they go to that? They must of updated their software as I've had the same Setup Box for about a year now. Good tip on the 3-digits when changing channels. I have the "Fav" setup as well but sometimes I just get board and start flipping channels to see what is on.
 
SST,



I'm not sure when they did that...probably a firmware upgrade. I have two dig settop boxes, and ever since I had the first one (4 or 5 years ago or so) it has always required the 3 digit, or enter+select to change channels.



My wife does enter+select, I do three digits always. She says her way is better because she watches mostly channels 1-9, thus less buttons to press. ;)



TJR
 
>>>They do not allow customers to upgrade,<<< , With DISH you can upgrade



>>>use third party companies for install<<<, The guys that installed mine worked for DISH



>>>frequently do not work during bad weather<<< This has a lot to do with how strong your signal is to begin with, I rarely lose mine even in major storms (only 2 x)



>>>require you to sign a contract<<<, I did not sign a contract, instead I payed the $49 install fee.



>>>they DO have a long pause between channels<<<, there's a pause but it's not bad.



>>>and you have to have a receiver for every TV<<<, NOT TRUE, I have 2 dual tuners and 4 TVs.



>>>Also, if you have a cable modem, you have to switch back to DSL which also means getting a phone line if you don't have one.<<<< This is true but my DSL service is better and cheaper than my Cable internet (Comcast)

 
JDBoxes........



Thanks,



I've decided to try AT&T and have ordered their U300 package with the "elite" internet service....I've had it with TWC:angry:
 
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>>>They do not allow customers to upgrade,<<< , With DISH you can upgrade



Maybe services, but not hardware without paying full price.



>>>use third party companies for install<<<, The guys that installed mine worked for DISH



Maybe DISH has installers but I'm pretty confident that depends on the area.



>>>frequently do not work during bad weather<<< This has a lot to do with how strong your signal is to begin with, I rarely lose mine even in major storms (only 2 x)



Actually, it has to do with objects blocking the signal. i.e. swaying trees, heavy clouds and the position of the satellite. Mine went off 20-30 times (DISH) in two years I had a clear view to the sky and my signal was always 98-97-99.



>>>require you to sign a contract<<<, I did not sign a contract, instead I payed the $49 install fee.



Possible, but I have never see this option.



>>>they DO have a long pause between channels<<<, there's a pause but it's not bad.



All digital boxes have a pause. Seems that satellite is longer then cable.



>>>and you have to have a receiver for every TV<<<, NOT TRUE, I have 2 dual tuners and 4 TVs.



TRUE. Dual means 2. 2 x 2 = 4. 4 TVs, 4 Tuners. You can not plug a TV directly into the satellite without a receiver of some-sort.



>>>Also, if you have a cable modem, you have to switch back to DSL which also means getting a phone line if you don't have one.<<<< This is true but my DSL service is better and cheaper than my Cable internet (Comcast)



But is the cost of the DSL + telephone line cheaper then the cost of cable internet?

 
The cost of my DISH (with a DVR), DSL + Phone line is $30 cheaper a month than my previous setup of Comcast Cable TV, Cable Internet + phone line.



I like the DISH service better, the DSL is consistently running at 6mbs download speed with no slow down (or getting bumped off) at peak times and I always had a phone line either way.



Don't get me wrong, I had cable for years and was pretty pleased. I left because of poor customer service, not the quality of signal or speed of internet. However, I am very happy with my current setup and don't plan on going back anytime soon.



And the OP did ask to compare DISH vs DirecTV



 
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