Dish Network vs. DirectTV

[ericamcl]

We got DirectTV a couple of months ago and it seems to be fine so far. We got the baseball package b/c DH loves his St. Louis Cardinals and we're in Baltimore so that enables him to watch his games on the "local" St. Louis channels. We have experienced outages only 2 times since having it installed, and they were a result of a terrible thunderstorm that was going on. It came back on very quickly though.

 

[c88fly]

We've had DirecTV and Dish Network both. We've had Dish now for about 2 years and LOVE it. We have the full package, every channel available, and we pay around $110.00 a month. I don't really care for the movie packages but dh watches them. I will tell you this, when we got Dish, we received a flyer in the mail and used that and it was SO much cheaper! We also got a DVR for every room (5) instead of just the dual one. We paid $49 for the installation fee and they even rewired our whole house becasue we had the old wires, but we received that $49 back on our first bill. So, if you ever get a flyer in the mail, call them. Don't do thru Dish directly. I get a flyer every week in the mail with the grocery ads, etc.

 

[pjlla]

Just a few facts here....

we have had DISH Network since December 1996 and we have never, not even once, had trouble with billing, programming, etc. We have had a few minor equipment problems, but the one that comes to mind was due to age and weather on some wiring and was fixed easily. We currently have two DVRs (one purchased new through Dish and one purchased used on Ebay) and have one really old receiver ready for the yardsale box.

Is it the cheapest television option out there? No. But we live in the boondox and the cable companies refused to run cable to our house (and the others in the neighborhood) for the first 3 to 5 years we lived here. So after 2 1/2 years of two grainy channels (PBS and ABC) with rabbit ears and an attic antenna, we bit the bullet and went to satellite and haven't looked back. Even when the STUPID cable company practically begged us (although we did have to give in to them to get our internet service ).

To conclude, we have been happy, loyal, fully satisfied DISH Network customers for over 10 years now and look forward to many more. (And no, this is not a paid endorsement and no one we know works for DISH! ).........................P

ETA: After reading the other comments, I will say that it is VERY infrequent that we have service interruption due to the weather. Sometimes during a big T.storm we will lose signal for a few minutes, but that would be it. Can't comment on the customer service complaints others have mentioned, because I have never experienced any problems myself.........P

 

[daughtersrus]

Called Dish, we can get a bundle of DSL, phone and Dish 200 for $95 the first 12 months and $130 after if we sign a 2 year contract. Certainly much less than the $175 we pay Comcast, though the internet speed is less and we lose a couple of channels.

Looked at DirectTV, they don't look like they can offer us a bundle because of where we live (no internet)..

Is this through AT&T? We've had DSL and Dish for over 2 years now and I can honestly say that I don't see a difference in speed from Comcast. Even my neighbor (a computer programmer) doesn't complain. It sure is nice paying $19.99/month instead of close to $50.00 that we were paying with Comcast for internet service.

 

[dkostel]

I've had Dish for 4 or so years and I LOVE it. Tech support has always been excellent (the few times I've called). I misdialed their # once substituting 1-888 for 1-800 and the guy who answered listened to my tech issue & then tried to sell me direct TV. They had purchased this # for just such wrong # calls. What sleaze bags. Wouldn't expect anything else from a Murdoch Company.

 

[dreams91]

I have DISH too. I've not had any problems...other than a couple issues that you would have anywhere, but they resolved the problems just fine. Don't let them tell you that there aren't referal codes though. I'm looking at one right now and it has a code if you go through a retailer and a code if you go through them directly. Honestly though, I've heard that you should always go through a retailer. Even DISH told me that.

 

[shelemm]

I must be lucky because my DirecTV hardly ever goes out, even during thunderstorms. I'd say it happens fairly briefly about once a year.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I hate my satellite, we have dish network. The only reason I keep it is my husband watches the cubs on a certain network we can't get with cable. If it was up to me we would get cable back.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

We have Directv and I love it. I just wish the dvr receiver had all the features of a real tivo. DH loves his NFL Sunday Ticket package and I must say I don't mind it too much either. Every once in a blue moon it goes out in the rain, but it has to be raining alot. Directv gave us $15.00 off our satellite bill because we use hughesnet for our internet provider (We live in the boondocks and unfortunately can't get dsl, I'd much rather have dsl).

 

[mzspaz]

Wanted to bump this back up as I have a question about the cost of these packages from DirectTV and Dish Network. We currently have comcast cable and Internet and phone and I am just not happy with them. Called last week to cancel the HBO and STARZ and they told me if I did that my bill would go up 30 bucks! I raised all heck, but it got me no where. And since then we have been having problems with our signal.

So I've been looking into DirectTV and Dish and will go with whatever one has the best deal as well as which ever one is recommended by my neighbor that has a dish on his house.

My question is this, do these satellite TV packages tack on all the ridiculous charges and taxes. Or if we get the 49.99 a month package from Direct TV, will we be paying 49.99? Our package with Comcast is 129.99, but we pay about 150 a month even when we don't order pay per view movies

 

[mum4jenn]

THey ALL will have taxes and other stupid charges

 

[ericamcl]

we have directTV and i dont think we've ever had a bunch of taxes and fees on our bill.....our package price is $99. a month and we pay something like $40 a month for DH's baseball package and the bill is always right around $150.00

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

We have Direct TV (DH had to have NFL Sunday ticket). I just called them the other day and they knocked $10 off my bill for a year, I have HBO for $3 a month (I was paying $13) for 6 months, and all movies channels free for 3 months. They did this just by me asking what discounts they offer. A few months ago they gave me a free 100 hour DVR.

I despised our cable company (was Adelphia) and couldn't wait to switch.

 

[ericamcl]

We have Direct TV (DH had to have NFL Sunday ticket). I just called them the other day and they knocked $10 off my bill for a year, I have HBO for $3 a month (I was paying $13) for 6 months, and all movies channels free for 3 months. They did this just by me asking what discounts they offer. A few months ago they gave me a free 100 hour DVR.

I despised our cable company (was Adelphia) and couldn't wait to switch.

do you know if you have to be a long time customer before directTV will give you any discounts if you ask for them?

by the way, what part of WV do you live in?

 

[jeankeri]

I have had both. I prefer dish because they include local channels, where directtv nickle and dimed for each one. Also, directtv will have deals where you get the equiptment with a rebate, but not always. Somethine you are buying everything up frome. With dish you are renting everything.

 

[mickeysaver]

We love Directv! Great picture, clear sound, they offer HD, the price is as reasonable as the price for this stuff gets. We have had no problems with them at all. We have found that the service works much better in our area than Dish. Dish was such a letdown after Directv. I was so glad when we finally made the switch back.

We hate Comcast....long drama, but let's just say that I don't like wasting my time, being lied to, being charged for service I never received and then having my credit messed with over the charges that again were for service that we never received.

Get Directv....you won't regret it. Maggie

 

[left210]

We have Directv and we love it. My dilema is this - I can do a bundle with AT&T for cell, home and Dish with a savings of about $50 per month vs. the billing we receive for each indivdual bill. But I love Directv and their DVR is awesome. My Mom has a DVR with her local cable company and it is horrible and too hard to figure out. Directv is so easy and simple. Anyone who has DISH DVR can you tell me if it is very straight forward or those of you who have had both can you compare? Like on Directv DVR you just go under Pick programs to record and select, or the Season Pass Manager, or just select record while program is playing? It is so simple without going through a bunch of menus like my Insight that my Mom has. Any input on DISH? This is the only thing holding me back from switching to the bundle. I just love Direct and hate to switch but would love saving $50 per month.

 

[kfeuer]

We have Directv and we love it. My dilema is this - I can do a bundle with AT&T for cell, home and Dish with a savings of about $50 per month vs. the billing we receive for each indivdual bill. But I love Directv and their DVR is awesome. My Mom has a DVR with her local cable company and it is horrible and too hard to figure out. Directv is so easy and simple. Anyone who has DISH DVR can you tell me if it is very straight forward or those of you who have had both can you compare? Like on Directv DVR you just go under Pick programs to record and select, or the Season Pass Manager, or just select record while program is playing? It is so simple without going through a bunch of menus like my Insight that my Mom has. Any input on DISH? This is the only thing holding me back from switching to the bundle. I just love Direct and hate to switch but would love saving $50 per month.

It sounds like you still have one of the Tivo units from Directv (which they don't offer anymore, by the way). We briefly tried Dish earlier this year and their DVR isn't as easy as Tivo (neither is Directv's version, for that matter). Tivo just rocks! We really didn't care for Dish...while we got a dual-tuner receiver, it was shared between our family room TV and master bedroom TV, a setup which pleased no one! Personally, I'd call Directv and tell them your situation and see what they can do for you. Their retention specialists have authority to offer better deals to keep you as a customer.

 

[ICF]

My 7 year old can use our Dish DVR w/out any problems.....

 

[left210]

Thanks for the info. Well as many have said about DISH their customer service is lacking and was very misleading to me. The service reps were nice but all about selling services which I know they are supposed to do. I called back to ask a few more questions and of course got another person. He was trying to sell me on some more things and his pricing was different than the first person and in the end they would not be saving me any money by adding DISH to my bill. Actually I would have been paying the same or slightly more when you added on all of the taxes and fees. I am not complaining about the taxes and fees because I pay them with Direct but what DISH does is ask you how much you pay with Direct which I told him approx $60 per month which includes taxes & fees so DISH goes on to tell me their cost would be $48 per month. Of course that doesnt include taxes & fees, is only 100 channels and only two DVRs when our Direct is for lots more channels, 3 DVRs, etc. Also, the only reason we were considering switching was for a discount.