Direct TV versus Dish Network

[HBarlow]

I recently subscribed to Dish Network at my farmhouse and will also use it in my trailer when wandering.

I have a very strong dislike and resentment for the satellite television and radio providers due to their telemarketers and attitudes. I particularly despise the power it gives them when a subscriber has to begin by providing a credit card number. I refused to do that.

I got lucky recently when I called around to find an installer that would drive 50 miles out from Lubbock to my farmhouse and install it on a post, not on my new metal roof.

I called a Mexican installer who I knew. He's a good guy who provides good service. I guess he specializes in low rent subscribers who don't have and can't get credit cards. When I told him of my extreme dislike for the providers and that I was unwilling to provide a credit card to start the subscription he told me, "no problem. " "I'll go to Wal-Mart and buy you a $25 pre-paid card to use for the start up. " He did and he called Dish and initiated the subscription. Now I have the service and they have to bill me monthly.

They can harass me for the rest of my life if I get mad and cancel but they can't bill my credit card. I feel more comfortable that they don't have their hand in my bank account.

 

[KKaminski]

The local signals are spot beamed to the appropriate area only per FCC regulations. They cannot be received outside that area. And DirecTV IS knocked out when a storm gets heavy.



I had DTV since about 1996 until about a month ago. It was knocked out by storms many times during those years.



I changed to Dish because I wanted to go to HD and DirecTV wanted me to buy them a DVR for them to lease back to me.



Dish drops out after a short time when it is not hooked to a phone line. I guess they just cannot believe a customer could watch TV without watching PPV items.

Exactly what we experienced.



Directv didn't want to upgrade us after 11 years of taking our money, dish network handed us the world on a silver platter.



The weather problem is there- no matter what service you go with.

 

[JMetzger]

Like I said before the only time we loose our Dish Satellite is when it snows heavy, rain does not bother it at all & we haven't had a phone line on our satellite in the RV since I have had Dish for about 15 years. If we want a PPV movie I either order it via internet or on the cell phone.









Jack

 

[PGAdams]

Direct TV



I've taken the reciever 450mi. and 500+mi on a different trips several times to Sebring 12hr and Daytona 24hr.

Took a working recv'r from the house out to the camp-site, entered the zip code, pointed the dish, up and operational without complications.

Did not recv. the local stations of my home area but, got Speed TV and all other subscribed channels.

 

[PGAdams]

This is directly from a person at Direct TV. .



They want the boxes hooked to a phone line so that they can pull the history of what that box was tuned to. They use this data to decide programming, ect. ...



Also,



The local Installer said that if an installer does not hook up the phone line when one is available, that Direct TV is "firing" that installer.



But, yes it works fine without Phone lines. ( "there is nothing wrong with unplugging the phone lines after the installer leaves" (his words) )

My phone line has not been connected to any of my recievers for years.

I'm ready to start jumping around for the 1 year deals that Direct TV doesn't offer to

" their valued customers ".

Offers to new customers only. Replacement parts are refurb'd.

Comcast deal, with internet, is half the cost for a year.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I'm ready to start jumping around for the 1 year deals that Direct TV doesn't offer to their valued customers ".

Offers to new customers only. Replacement parts are refurb'd.

Comcast deal, with internet, is half the cost for a year.

I was ready to dump DISH a year ago for that very reason - my older original DISH stuff was old and failing - and they wanted $250 from us, longtime reliable customers - that they were giving away FREE to new customers with NO history of reliable payment, etc.



We called DISH to cancel (after being advised what they wanted to charge us to upgrade), and their tune INSTANTLY changed, we were assured that as long-time valued customers, we would be given a new dish, HDTV, and a new DVR satellite receiver FREE, or at least only for signing a new 2-year contract, which was no problem. By the time we added up all the "extra" features, freebees and benefits that came with the new setup, we're paying LESS for month now for the improved stuff, than before with to worn out stuff...



OH, and MAN, do we LOVE that DVR!