Which is best-Dish Network or Direct TV?

[Boots]

I live in the country and cable does not come by my house. We have had one of the huge satellite dishes forever, but we have decided to switch to a small dish. DD and my cousin both claim that Direct TV is the best, but I have received a better deal on Dish Network. We want the middle sized package and will probably either get the HBO shows or Starz. Someone give their opinion PLEASE. I just don't know, and DH is leaving it all up to me!!!

 

[Aurora63]

I used to work at Radio Shack (about a year ago) and we sold both. I think service wise, they are very similar. If you got a better deal with Dish Network, I'd stick with them. Also, it can be easier to get additional recceivers with a Dish Network system...meaning, they set up the stuff, so ifyou aren't technically inclined, you won't have to worry about diplexers and stuff like that, they will worry about it for you.

Also, if it matters, Dish offers more international stuff than DTV.

 

[Dax]

I have been a Dish Network subscriber for over 5 years. I have never had any problems with them and the package prices are very good. I also never lose my signal with them.

At work, we have Direct, and when a small storm comes in, boom, no service

 

[Carl]

I actually think that they are both about the same. I did have a couple of bad experiences with Dish Network. The representative who originally installed the Dish was supposed to install a Dish 500 but didn't. He said nothing was on the other satellite. Later, when locals were added to that satellite, I complained to Dish and they said that, since I had not bought the Dish directly from them (I had called them and they had given me the installer's name as their representative,) they would not do anything about it. So, we had to pay another $100 to get the upgrade.

Then, we bought a new receiver from them with a built in recorder. After one year, we bought another year's service contract. Soon after that, we purchased an HD TV. We called Dish to find out how to upgrade to a receiver which would supply HD. No one that they could connect me with could tell us how to do that. Also, no one locally could provide the HD receiver at that time. So, we changed to Direct TV, because there was a receiver available from most local dealers which would pick up HD TV. Then, we called Dish Network and canceled our service and asked to also cancel the one year service contract. Instead of canceling it and issuing a credit, they charged an additional $64 for a service contract. We kept calling them and all they ever did was issue a credit for the second $64, but never issued a credit for the original $64. We finally tired of calling and just lost that money.

So, you see, we had some bad experiences. But, I believe they give about the same programming at about the same price as Direct TV. And now, they do know how to send you an HD receiver, but my experience shows that they had poor customer service at that time, and may still have.

 

[Beauty]

Even though my DH is a manager at our cable company we still had a Dish Network for a while because we didn't get UPN (How on earth could anyone expect me to miss Kurt on Smackdown??) Anyway I loved my Dish Network, never had any problems with it. John-Cole also loved it because there were more children's programs like Nick G.A.S. that he could watch.

I also loved watching the news from New York.

 

[ScarletIndigo]

Dish Network gets my vote. We had cable for about 2.5 seconds before we realized how badly it paled in comparison to satelite. We DO tend to lose the signal during bad storms, and thankfully DF knows how to realign the dishes if need be, but those occasions are rare. And here's a BIG plus -- if you buy your receivers, you get a super reduced rate. Can't beat that!

 

[Blondie]

We've been with Dish Network since around 1999 (maybe 1998--it's been a long time now!)

Never had a problem.

Every now and then, during a really heavy downpour, we'll lose the signal, but only for a few seconds-maybe 2 minutes--never for hours like our old cable company!

It's weird, because we'd lose the signal, before the heavy downpour. We always know we're in for a gully washer if the signal goes out!

 

[4greatboys]

LOL Blondie--thats how I know we are going to be getting some bad weather shortly--we lose our signal (who needs a weatherman?). We do like Dish Network. We currently have HBO but Im dropping it after the last season of Sex in the City--for me its just to much $$.
I dont know this for a fact since we only have Dish network but our installer said if you have direct tv you must be hooked up to a phone line and for Dish network you only need to have the phone line ot order pay per view.

 

[pumba]

we are on our fourth year.....we had four receivers and each one is as clear as the others......we love it....

 

[browneyes]

I have DirectV and it's ok. My brother has Dish and he loves it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

DirecTV for quite a few years, no problems.

 

[apagano]

DirecTV and DISH are pretty much the same with a few exceptions.

• DirecTV has all the sports packages including the NFL Sunday Ticket. If you have a sports nut in the house, DirecTV is the way to go.
• Since DirecTV has so many channels dedicated to sports subscriptions, they skimp on the premium movie channels just a bit. DISH offers more of those.
• If you're interested in getting a Digital Video Recorder, the DirecTivo has a better track record than the DISH PVR.
• I believe that DirecTV has been more proactive in adding High Definition channels if you're a techie.

So basically if you're into sports or high-tech gadgets, get DirecTV. Otherwise go for the best deal.

 

[Mskanga]

I had Dish Network for years , we also switched from the big C-Band satelite system , and I hated not being able to get the local channels ( it's needed here specially in the winter ) and I hated the fact that we could only have one TV hooked up, unless we paid more money for a second receiver, at that point, satelite was costing us more money than cable. We got cable for the last 2 years and just 8 months ago they brought cable internet to the area, before I used to pay $119 a month for one TV on satelite and one computer on satelite internet also. Now I pay $70 for 4 TV's and 3 computers hooked up , and we have not lost cable TV once.