To correct my post from February 12th, Dish Network SUCKS (at least in Chicago). I had them for about a month and have DirecTV coming tomorrow to reinstall my service with them.

We have had nothing but trouble with Dish Network since we have had them (5 tehnicican visits already) with pixelization (not bad weather related either), our DVRs (as we have 2 of them) freezing/skipping, etc.

I had DirecTV for over 4 years before we made the switch to Dish Network because I thought it would be cheaper and we never had any issues with pixelization (minus the really, really, really bad weather at times), DVR problems, etc. At first I thought it was our DVR’s themselves (although it was hard to believe that 2 of them were “defective” in exactly the same way) but then I talked to my Dad (who lives in another State even and has Dish) and a few of our neighbors/other friends and they have the same issues with their DVR’s. Basically the Dish claims it has the “best” DVR, but that is crap. The technology (especially if you pause/rewind) is terrible as it always freezes/skips when you play it back after the pause/rewind.

Good riddns Dish Network….Welcome back DirecTV. Oh yeah – and DTV also got Versus back, and they have the MLB Network (which Dish does not have) so that is another reason why I switched to Dish in the first place (I love hockey and couldn’t live without Versus).

Directv only wants to play nice with new customers. Once you’ve been with them for a while, they will charge you extra for EVERYTHING!

for those who think DirTV is the best, here’s one thing DirTV has to ship your reciver and dish to you. If you go with Dishnetwork you get everything brought to you when installed. DirTV will charge you 20 dollars for shipping and handling, meanwhile DishNetwork they bring it to your home for free. If you don’t have very good credit DishNetwork will allow you to still get their service, unlike DirTV won’t. I am getting everything that dishNetwork has 80.94 plus tx. DirTV can’t match this package or price. Dishnetwork after my year is over all I will pay at the moat 120 that inclides all movie chanels and sports for fox cost 6.00 more. Just an FYI.

I live in Oregon and have DishNetwork and yesterday we got a rain storm with hail, and during that time I NEVER lost single with Dish Network. I have had DirTV and any rain or clouds you lose single. Dirtv recivers that are single HD can’t buy a simple hard drive for and have an HDDVR like with Dishnetwork. With DishNetowrk you can get a Duo recvicer or solo and buy a 50gb to 500 gb hard drive pay 40 dollars and you have a DVR without all the fees and costs. Dish Netowork is still owned by the same company, while DirTv is now owned by the fifth company that has bought them. According to BBB Dirt TV is an F company as far as people who have the service. Sorry, guys Dish Network is number one. FYI just have Dish Network come out to your house, they install the dish lower than DirTV and that in turns gives the best single.

I’m about to get satellite service so I’ve been trying to thoroughly compare Dish and DirecTV. I’m looking to get a middle of the road package so I’m comparing America’s Top 200 from Dish with Choice Xtra from DirecTV. I want 2 HD receivers, one of those being a DVR. I also need standalone internet, meaning that I want service that does not require a separate phone line. Here’s what I found.

For America’s Top 200, Dish is $52.99/month, plus $10 for the HD channels. The current promotion offers a $15/month discount for the first year, equipment is included, and the installation fee is waived. They charge $6/month for DVR service and $7/month for HD service. So the total for the first year would be $60.99/month ($731.88) and the second year would be $75.99/month ($911.88) for a 2 year total of $1643.76.

DirecTV is $63.99/month but HD channels are included (and they have a few more than Dish.) The current promotion offers a $29/month discount for the first year. I was also offered an additional $5/month discount that salespeople are allowed to give away at their discretion (so ask about it.) The equipment was included except that they charge a $5/month rental fee for the second receiver. Installation is free. They charge $7/month for DVR service and $10/month for HD service. So the total for the first year would be $51.99/month ($623.88) and the second year would be $85.99/month ($1031.88) for a 2 year total of $1655.76.

As you can see, the two prices are only $12 apart over 2 years. However, there are a few other things to consider. DirecTV has more HD channels right now with more to come by the end of 2010. Dish supposedly has a better user interface and faster menus, which I can’t say for sure having never used either service. Dish also comes with almost all the Fox Sports Channels and DirecTV does not. I just moved from LA to the East Coast so if I want to watch Dodger games on FSN West I have to pay $10/month extra to have the sports package with DirecTV (it says $12.99 but they’ll give it to you for $10.)

DirecTV did offer the first 3 months of the sports package for free but over the other 21 months of my contract that’s an additional $210, bringing the DirecTV total to $1865.76. However, I also need internet service. I was able to get a $10 discount for signing up with Windstream through DirecTV’s bundle department, which basically nullifies the $10 for the sports package. Dish also bundles with internet providers, including Windstream, but as far as I can tell they only offer discounts on the basic packages. Since I would want America’s Top 200 from Dish and 12mb service from Windstream, it doesn’t look like I would get a bundle discount.

So there you have it. Sorry for the lengthy review but this was meant to serve the dual purpose of helping others decide and helping me get it all straight in my head. I should also mention that I contacted each company and made a tentative agreement for future service so I could see (and lock in) the exact rates for the services I wanted and easily compare them. Both companies will let you do this and cancel without penalty as long as the service hasn’t started yet. At this point I’m leaning toward keeping the DirecTV appointment and canceling the one with Dish, although I can exactly say why I feel that way. Maybe because I’m a web designer and DirectTV’s website is better looking. Anyway, I’m sure either one will be better than cable. Go Dodgers!

I am currently with Directv and am thinking about switching to Dish, now that Dish has the Big-10 network. The only thing that is holding me back is the irritating $5 transaction fee that Dish charges every time you remove a movie channel or downgrade, even if you have had the programming more than 30 days. Directv will charge you if you have a movie channel less than 30 days, but there is no charge to remove it after 30 days. In effect, Dish is punishing you for ordering a movie channel since you have to pay both up front and again when you remove it.

To correct Jonathan, Dish Network’s DVR’s (even the “Solo DVR” that controls one TV do allow you to record two HD shows at once, and watch a pre-recorded show at the same time, or record one HD (or SD) show and watch another HD (or SD) show at the same time, on the same TV. We have 2 Solo HD DVR’s and we are able to record 2 shows on each (both in HD if we wanted the to be) at the same time. So, I don’t know what type of information you were given there. Secondly, Dish Network does have an iPhone App that allows you to control your DVR from your iPhone (or your PC for that matter, as there is one for the PC also) anywhere, at any time. So, they did at least match DirecTV there. And, actually they beat DirecTV as their app allows you to do more than the DirecTV one does, and even doubles as a remote control (not that I really care about that). Finally, when it comes to pricing, etc. I received 2 Solo (meaning it only controls one tv, but each is 2 tuners in that respect) HD DVR’s and one Duo HD Receiver (no DVR) which will control the 1st TV in Full HD and the 2nd TV in SD, all for free, with free installation, and HBO/Showtime free for 3 months. I am going to be saving about $35/month over DirecTV after the 1st year – almost $50/month for the 1st year, and we have the Top 250 package with Dish (which is pretty much every channel but the movie channels).

I had DirecTV for YEARS, but switched to Dish because they are siginificantly cheaper, better Customer Service, better Equipment and they carry Versus (and I am a huge hockey fan and DirecTV stopped carrying Versus) AND they have the NFL Network Red Zone Channel available for $5.99/month (to get DirecTV’s version of the Red Zone Channel you have to pay for their Sunday Ticket at about $400/year….I am a Bears fan, and I live in Chicago, so I get all the Bears games – why the hell do I need Sunday Ticket, but I want the Red Zone Channel). Dish gives those to me – DirecTV did not, and for more money.

To me, the choice is clear.

We were with Dish Network for YEARS, but switched to DitecTV when Dish refused to give us the equipment we wanted. We wanted an SD DVR in each of our 4 rooms, but Dish absolutely refused and said we had to have 2 SD DVRs and 1 Dual SD DVR, which meant 2 rooms sharing the same small hard drive. Also, Dish Network’s standard box has only 1 tuner while DirecTV’s standard box has 2 tuners. So, even if Dish Network had given us 4 SD DVRs, we could only record one show on each DVR while watching something off the DVR, while DirecTV lets you record 2 shows and watch off the DVR on ALL four boxes, so we could record 8 different shows at the same time in the house and still watch 4 separate shows off the DVRS. And DirecTV has just given us free upgrades to 2 HD DVRs, so now we have 2 SD Dual Tuner DVRs and 2 HD Dual Tuner HD DVRs. The day Dish Network can match that, maybe I’ll look at them again, but until then, DirecTV is the better deal, has more programming, more choices, more support, and I can even control it with my iPhone remotely… beat that Dish Network!

I’ve just switched rom cable to DISH and I really do like the additional programs that I happen to watch that are in HD. My daughter has DIRECTV, and she has one feature that DISH doesn’t have (which cable also had); which is a library of free movies that you can chose and watch whenever you want.

With DirecTv you sign up for a contract (2 yr) and there is no back out once they have installed it. The Early Termination Fee is $20.00 per month that you have left, which usually for lots of customers that is around month 13 -14 of their 24 mos contract because the price increased about $26. What about with Dish? Is there a 24 hr trial period or anything like that and what sort of contracts do they have and what is the ETF on theirs?