Dish Network Vs Direct TV Vs Comcast (Help)

[mgadfly]

I did a search and read through some of the older threads but was wondering if anyone had any opinions about the television services that are currently available.

My current situation to take into consideration. We recently moved and transfered our Comcast Cable to our new home. We get the basic or limited service (channels 2 through 30, without ESPN, etc...). With college basketball season beginning and Gonzaga basketball games being televised on the ESPN channels I need to upgrade.

Dish Network sent an advertisement to our home saying they have a 180 channel deal that starts at $31.99 per month and includes free DVR upgrade and "Free Professional Installation."

I called them and there is a $4.98 per month service fee for the DVR.

I think an upgrade to Cable in our area for about the same price and I think HDTV content is only $5 more per month.

I know nothing about Direct TV.

I also get internet through the phone company (DSL).

Any suggestions on what one of these services is best would be appreciated.

[gstelmack]

I've been very happy with DirecTV. I've heard mixed reviews on Dish; many people complain about the quality of their receivers, but since DirecTV is taking over production of its own receivers, the jury is out as to whether or not they will begin to have the same problems. Dish is also lagging behind on bandwidth to provide HD programming, while DirecTV is really puhsing HD.

DirecTV is getting ready to roll out all new equipment over the next year or two that will end up with full HD locals over satellite + 150 other HD channels. Once that is done they will be THE HD provider. I'm looking forward to this.

My cable operator is Time Warner. I'm fed up with them lying in their ads (sure, my DirecTV goes out in a heavy rainstorm, but my cable used to go out once a week when it was SUNNY), they are more expensive than DirecTV thanks to charging more for each extra digital box and are simply more expensive for the programming (again, contrary to what their ads say), and I've talked to more people who have had billing problems with them, including my brother who got a collection call over a single penny that he actually did not owe (he had walked into the office to get the amount and pay off his bill when he moved). For TV they have a LONG way to go to get me back as a customer. I do use them for cable internet and IP phone, but RoadRunner has been great on these.

Biggest issue with DirecTV: money and hassle for equipment. Although there are plenty of free or cheap deals out there now, and they are moving to more of a cell-phone-like "equipment is free with a 2-year commitment" plan (not leasing like Dish does). But you do own the equipment, so you can actually sell it if needed after your commitment is up.

Also check your phone company. Many phone companies are repackaging Dish or DirecTV as a video service, with a discount to go with your phone and DSL package. So you may save money going that route.

[Turd Ferguson]

DTV charges 10.99 per month for their HD service. Plus the HD receiver is 200 and requires a 2 year commitment. Right now they have a deal where the service is 64.95 (before HD) and you receive the Sunday NFL ticket along with their entire premium package till the end of the NFL season.

[MizzouRah]

I've had all three at some point in time.

Digital Cable sucks/limited channels in my area and the picture was terrible.
Direct TV - was a customer for 5 years and then wanted a DVR, which they said would cost me $199 + $5 monthly charge, I told them to stick it.
Dish Network - installed in 4 rooms + DVR system. I don't pay anything extra per month for the DVR - I think that's for DTV with a Tivo system. All was done for $49 + all my receivers have caller ID, which is great for knowing who is calling before running to grab a phone. :)

I've been with dish now for 3+ years and I'm very happy. Receiver dies, they ship you out a replacement.

[Philliesfan980]

I wish I had the opportunity to go to Dish or DirecTV. However, Comcast cable has me due to the fact that Comcast SportsNet (Philly) is only on Comcast Cable, and not offered as part of any sports package. Since I'm a diehard Phillies fan, and a moderate Sixers/Flyers guy, it just wouldn't make sense for me to switch and miss all those games.

[Cringer]

I've been with dish now for 3+ years and I'm very happy. Receiver dies, they ship you out a replacement.

How often does the receiver die?

I didn't know DirecTV was going to start making their own, I hope they don't end up with bad equipment. I have had DirecTV for 8 years or so because when we got it, cable was not available in our area. And then Sunday Ticket got me hooked later on. We had the same receiver/dish for our first 7 years and never had a problem. Then they gave us a free upgrade (we could have had one long before and never knew) on our dish and receiver last year and even sent out a guy to install it for free. I had never had anyone install the stuff before, so that was nice.

I have no problems with DirecTV at all, I love it. I have not made a jump to get HD yet even though my TV can handle it, so I don't know much about that. I should also get the DVR unit but I haven't done that yet either.

[JonInMiddleGA]

How often does the receiver die?

I've had, IIRC, 2 bad receivers in 8 years -- one just wore out I guess, the other was a lemon straight from the factory & never worked. They shipped a replacement for the lemon in 48 hours, no problems otherwise.

[GrantDawg]

I have had all three, and I have had superior service from Comcast than I ever had from either sattelite companies. Your milage may vary because I think cable service reliabilty is very dependent upon region. I wouldn't give up Comcast at this point for anything.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Your milage may vary because I think cable service reliabilty is very dependent upon region. I wouldn't give up Comcast at this point for anything.

Region? Must be more like "zip code" ... because I'm 20 minutes from you & wouldn't let them Comcrap back in my house if they paid me.

[GrantDawg]

Region? Must be more like "zip code" ... because I'm 20 minutes from you & wouldn't let them Comcrap back in my house if they paid me.
I would say it is infrastructure. I'm on all recently installed lines, and have no cable outages and maybe one internet outage in the last year. Last week I had a problem with my dvr box, and they came out the next day with a new one. I have never had a rude service person, or customer support person. There have been a couple of times when I noticed the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing" dealing with them (their intra-agency communication is horrible, but so is just about every other major corporations, and yet they call this the age of information:)). Other than that, I get a vastly better product for roughly the same money (or even cheaper compared to DirectTV).

[ISiddiqui]

I have Comcast and I like 'em, but unlike Grantdawg, I can't say I've never had customer service problems (especially the interagency crap). Usually everything gets fixed, but I usually have to work at it. Though I do love my service, which is the shame. Great service, piss poor customer service.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I have had DirecTV for the last nine months and have loved it. No issues at all. *knock soundly on wood*. I get the NFL channel, Sunday Ticket, and NHL Center Ice Package (these channels account for around 80%) of my viewing time. I am a fan.

[MizzouRah]

I've had, IIRC, 2 bad receivers in 8 years -- one just wore out I guess, the other was a lemon straight from the factory & never worked. They shipped a replacement for the lemon in 48 hours, no problems otherwise.
I've had two in 3+ years as well. Very fast shipping and technical help.

..and you're right, Crapcast will never be allowed in my house again. I can't believe that assmunch left my house (I was at work) with that shitty picture on the TV.

[ISiddiqui]

I can't believe that assmunch left my house (I was at work) with that shitty picture on the TV.Who was at home?

[MizzouRah]

Who was at home?
Nobody..........bastard even made himself a sandwich and watched one of my pornos.


just kidding, my wife and kids were there.. all I remember was her calling me crying that the picture was terrible and they didn't have Lifetime movie network. :D

[ISiddiqui]

Man, she should have kicked him in the balls as he tried to leave with a crappy picture on the tube. :D

As for the Lifetime Movie Network, you blamed it on Comcast instead of saying you ordered it that way, right? ;)

[Craptacular]

This is good info for me. I have Charter for cable and internet, but am considering a switch to satellite. I also have a good antenna waiting to go up in my garage, and I should have a great sightline to the tower that broadcasts the local HD channels. The main problem is my internet service. I'm not happy with Charter, but I'm also not in the SBC service area, so I can't get the SBC / Yahoo / DISH package. However, my phone company offers a DSL package, so I think I could get satellite (either DISH or Direct TV), phone, and internet for a total price similar to what I'm paying now for cable, phone, and internet.

Here's my current breakdown:
Cable and internet - $98 for expanded basic, digital receiver (for the guide), and Showtime / TMC, no HDTV; internet 384K down / 128K up service (includes $5 for modem rental)
Phone - $30 for basic local service with caller ID, etc (we use cell phones for long distance, but our signal at home is pretty crappy)

Looks like I could get the following:

Phone and internet: $83 for local and unlimited long distance, caller ID, etc; internet 1.5M down / 512K up

Satellite: $53(+ taxes, fees) for DISH Top 120 + HDTV, 1 room

Plus, with the satellite service, I could hook up my antenna to the receiver and get the local HD channels for free. Right now, I don't have an OTA receiver.

So, it looks like for somewhere around $10 more, I'd lose Showtime (who cares), but gain HDTV (plus my local channels with my antenna) and some extra channels, unlimited long distance (which might be nice since our cell signal sucks here), and go from 384K to 1.5M internet service. I haven't looked at DirecTV yet, but most of my neighbors with satellite seem to have DISH, and I don't care about NFL Sunday Ticket, etc.

[Raiders Army]

DirecTV has the NFL Sunday Ticket. The others don't. That's enough for me.

[digamma]

DirecTV has the NFL Sunday Ticket. The others don't. That's enough for me.
GamePlan package is what does it for me.

[MizzouRah]

Man, she should have kicked him in the balls as he tried to leave with a crappy picture on the tube. :D

As for the Lifetime Movie Network, you blamed it on Comcast instead of saying you ordered it that way, right? ;)
Shhhh.... ;)

[Samdari]

I didn't know DirecTV was going to start making their own

They are not really. They used to make their own, and allow a few third parties to also produce recievers that could be used with their system. But, they actually closed the part of the business that makes electronics. They are not allowing and third parties to sell recievers with their own brand name anymore, but they are not making any either, rather they are having a contractor make them, and they are selling them under the DirecTV brand.

[FBPro]

I've had Dish and Directv and there is really no comparison in my book. Directv has Sunday Ticket.......I'm sold.