Direct tv or dish network??

[mrsdash]

Thinking of getting one. Which do you like best?

 

[ICF]

That's kinda like asking Coke or Pepsi....

This comes up about every 2 weeks. If you search older threads you'll find lots of coversation about this.

 

[bicker]

I don't have either, but have researched them several times, when deciding which service provider to go with, and there is really only one generalization that we can reliably make, between the two: DirecTV is the more "upscale" (read: more expensive, better quality) of the two; Dish Network is the more "budget-conscious" (read: less expensive, lower quality). Practically everything else depends on specific factors of your service, either your own personal preferences, or the specific people who you end up working with (typically with regard to installation issues - both companies often use contractors, who could vary in quality from town to town).

Do keep in mind that there isn't a really huge difference. It's not like one is Pop Century and the other the Grand Floridian (more like Polynesian and Grand Floridian). So there will be a lot of people who will like one or the other more, and will see things colored by their own preference. If you looking for a non-debatable clear-cut difference, you are not going to find one.

 

[MomRN]

We recently went from Dish (7 year customers) to Direct TV because it was cheaper in a bundle package.

Direct TV has a much better picture IMO.

Dish, I tried to work with them to get a lower bill ($90, no premiums, one DVR, 4 TV's), and the best they would offer me was $5 off a month for a year. I called twice before I decided to cancel to see if there was something to work out to get a better price and keep the services I had. They could not be worked with... and I also thought it was poor customer service that they charge for the shipping to return their equipment.

I won't go back to Dish. The last and final phone call I had with them left me very unhappy... if I get rid of DirectTV I'll see about cable.

 

[bicker]

Practically all service providers offer new customers (including customers in the first few years after upgrading service) better rates than they offer existing customers. They know that while they'll lose a few customers, like you, as a result, they'll keep far more, at the higher rate, and therefore overall they make a lot more profit, and prevent a price-war that would decimate profits industry-wide.

 

[tvguy]

That's kinda like asking Coke or Pepsi....

This comes up about every 2 weeks. If you search older threads you'll find lots of coversation about this.

Well put.
I've got Dish, my FIL had Direct. I haven't had any issues, he did, but in all honesty, all of his issues were connected to the fact that he was a Primestar customer (if you remember THAT satellite provider) that was bought up by Direct. He was grandfathered in with a lot of included services that Direct didn't offer, and a lot of the Direct customer service reps weren't familiar with all those grandfathered services. Primestar even would send you a new battery for your remote for free twice a year. Try explaining THAT to a Direct TV rep!

 

[mum4jenn]

We have had both but we prefer Dish. We live in an area where we do not receive ABC with either of them. With Direct we had to pay for "local" stations and their idea of Local was NBC,FOX from New York and Los Angeles. We did not get CBS either.

With Dish we get the real LOCAL stations with our local anchors and we get CBS and they do ot charge extra for those.

 

[DenMig]

I don't have either, but have researched them several times, when deciding which service provider to go with, and there is really only one generalization that we can reliably make, between the two: DirecTV is the more "upscale" (read: more expensive, better quality) of the two; Dish Network is the more "budget-conscious" (read: less expensive, lower quality). Practically everything else depends on specific factors of your service, either your own personal preferences, or the specific people who you end up working with (typically with regard to installation issues - both companies often use contractors, who could vary in quality from town to town).

Do keep in mind that there isn't a really huge difference. It's not like one is Pop Century and the other the Grand Floridian (more like Polynesian and Grand Floridian). So there will be a lot of people who will like one or the other more, and will see things colored by their own preference. If you looking for a non-debatable clear-cut difference, you are not going to find one.

I"ve had both and I don't agree with better quality and lower quality at all. I"m not sure where you are getting that from. DirectTV offers more sports options, Dish has a better DVR (in my opinion ).

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

DirecTV for 12 years. Love it.

 

[jedijohn]

I love my Dish. You can get a 2 room DVR (one box = 2 rooms; 2nd room is not HD though). They have great channel selection. Currently they have free Starz & Encore for 1 year for all their customers (not just new). Don't have any outage issues except during tornadic weather, which I am sure effects any satellite service. When I priced the two services several years ago, Dish won out for what we wanted.

You might compare channel line-ups to see which channels you want vs don't need; that may be the deciding factor.

 

[bicker]

I"ve had both and I don't agree with better quality and lower quality at all. I"m not sure where you are getting that from.

Years and years and years of following the industry, and reading literally thousands of appraisals from customers just like you. For every one person who feels like you do, I can find about one-point-something people who feel exactly opposite from you. Despite your implication, it is absolutely not true that everyone feels Dish Network is both better quality and lower prices. That's simply false - everyone does not feel exactly the way you feel. Indeed, as I said, DirecTV has the edge in qualitative considerations, though small, just like Dish Network's pricing is extolled by slight more people than DirecTV's.

There will be a number of people who's personal appraisal will not perfectly match the average - when things are as close as they are, there will always be some people who see things differently from the average. The message for the OP, and anyone else who is facing the decision, is that the two are so close together, so that there really is no clear "better" choice for them, personally.

 

[linda0706]

FYI - DirectTV reps were in our local Sam's Club a couple weeks ago with a killer 1-year pricing deal.

We signed up w/ them, switching from Dish, and will save around $480 the first year. After the year pricing goes back to within about $3 of what we were paying with Dish.

So you may check your Sam's if you're looking for a good deal.

 

[bicker]

And truly the best approach for getting the best deal is to plan, from the start, on jumping from supplier to supplier every two years, cable to DirecTV to Dish Network and back again.

 

[Cherinva]

I've had Direct TV for almost 9 years and I love it. I've only had 1 issue (a receiver went bad...and it was replaced at no cost to me within a few days)...my friend has Dish and she is completely happy.

I would check out the TV listings that each has. One may appeal to you more than the other...that's the reason my friend went with Dish, because it had some programming that Direct TV did not.

I will not ever have Cable again....Direct TV has a great picture and it rarely goes out....once it did, I called and got a credit on my bill....the other times it's gone out was because a storm was blocking the satelite..when it passed the signal came back in.

Good Luck with your choice, which ever you go with, I'm sure you will be happy.

 

[IdesOmarch]

I have had Dish for years now and have been generally very happy. It goes out less than my cable did before. Usually only for about 5-10 minutes when a very harsh thunderstorm is basically over head. Isn't effected by clouds and regular rain, just thunderstorms over head. Programming has been very good too IMO. I like it and will keep it.

 

[Planogirl]

I have Dish and I like it too. I've never had Direct Tv though so I can't compare.

I suspect that the higher quality will only be noticeable if you have high end equipment. We certainly don't so they would likely look exactly the same to us.

 

[DenMig]

Like I said I've had both. I was happy with Direct back in the day, but I switched because Dish had my local channels and Direct didn't. (Direct got them about a year later). I originally missed the sports pack options that Direct has exclusive rights to, but over time I got over that. I like that I only have 2 boxes, but separate control of TV in 4 rooms. My kids 2 rooms don't need HD, though that may be a problem for others. What I especially like now from Dish is the Sling Adapter. Dish bought sling. For $99 one time fee, I plug it into my box (box has to be connected to the internet) I can watch my tv on any computer or even on my ipod touch when utilizing wifi. Again, may not be for everyone, but I personally love this feature.

As for the quality I haven't done the research so I"m in no position to argue. All I know is I've watched both and to me I don't notice a difference in quality between Dish and Direct. I wasn't even saying Dish is better in that regard. I do notice a difference between Dish or Direct vs cable. I think the cable around my area must really compress the signal. Anyways, I am very happy with Dish, but I have no complaints with Direct. In fact if they would have gotten my local channels at the same time I probably never would have switched in the first place.

 

[browneyes106]

I've had DirecTV for years and I like it. My sister recenty switched to it from Dish and enjoys it more because of the sports and more channel options.

 

[jedijohn]

I've had DirecTV...more channel options.

This isn't true...they actually have about the same number of channels. DirecTV might off different channels options, but that shouldn't be confused with having more options. As I said in an earlier post, the OP needs to evaulate their channels needs to decide who has the channel line-up that contains the channels they most are likely to watch.

 

[DenMig]

I've had DirecTV for years and I like it. My sister recenty switched to it from Dish and enjoys it more because of the sports and more channel options.

Well DirectTV does have more sports packages ( that you pay a few hundred per season for), but they don't have more channel options. Dish has some channels DirectTV doesn't and DirectTV has some Dish doesn't.