If it is raining say good bye to your Dish programming...

The satellite signal drops dramatically if it is raining heavy.

... unless you get a real big dish. :)

I've been very satisfied with the selection of DirecTV and it looks like they're going to be the one to go with as we approach the new year. More channels, more diverse programming, and tie-ins with other technology really do tilt in their direction.

I DO want to warn you about "entry discounts" that give you X, - $Some Amount if you enroll in ___service___ free for 3 months. As with anything else, after 90 days, you'll forget about it and get "enrolled" in __service__ for a year, with no possible way to stop it or reclaim your money - unless you complain enough :)

The HD service is outstanding and it's hard going by an old set now knowing that the crisper picture awaits in our theater, "The Shire".

A great question in a blog I'm very happy I found.

Thanks, Dave!

With the new year, Dish Network added a lot of channels. They're now over 100 HD channels, and quite a few (30 I think) just come with the subscription. Dish Network is going to have a lot more, too, before February, 2009, which is the deadline for the HD delivery.

There are a LOT of companies delivering TV, but too few are using the mpeg4 compression (or h264) to deliver the signal. There seems to be a proliferation of old-timers in the industry who think that they have to use the outdated mpeg2, or that they have to have fiber to every home (FTTH - Fiber to the Home) before they can deliver HD, or even TV for that fact.

In my local area, Delhi, New York, for example, the Delhi Telephone Company "execs" (HA!) seem to think that they can't deliver TV to my house (I'm a country boy in the middle of nowhere) because I don't have fiber here. WELL, they're absolutely wrong because they're own equipment, with one stinking card added on my end (and one on theirs), could deliver TV to my house over the copper using the MPEG4 compression. It's a disgrace to whomever is making decisions (based on lies? Stupidity?), and it's even more disgraceful that they're apparently incapable of running any numbers to find out what makes any business sense. I just want locally provided TV and they have the charter in the area and aren't delivering. They FORCE me to use satellite TV because they're not current on the technology.

While they could use their current copper plant to generate income, they're actually choosing not to generate income with their existing infrastructure to generate the revenue to pay for the future upgrades. I can't say I understand that one tiny bit, but 'lo and behold, they're not the only company playing such pathetic games, and even more games...

Further, there are a lot of such companies who are trying to switch over to IPTV, which is NOT REGULATED to get around having to deliver the HD. So if your local company tries to hook up an ONT (optical network terminal) on your house, ask the installer if they're going to be delivering TV as IPTV rather than HD.

Even more, I saw in Walmart (of all the darn places!) that satellite signals are cleaner, faster, and better than cable because they're not being converted from one type of signal to another to another (and maybe even a few more "anothers"). The signal is coming directly from the satellite, being converted once in your box, then you see it.

So if folks like Time Warner want to compete against that kind of quality, they're going to have to reduce the numbers of conversions in their systems before the customers view the HD signal.

Anyway, when talking about which is better, DirecTV or DishNetwork, someone is liable to stick in here "Well, what about cable?" or "What about my local phone company?" If the rate of "local" telephone companies going out of business in the nation. I personally think it's because of whoever is in charge of the tech decisions not keeping current with the tech in their own industry. I know this from reading news, and I don't even work in the industry! What does that say about them?

DishNetwork has over 100 channels of HD for free, and something like 30 channels for free, and more are coming. I think it's a safe bet that DishNetwork is the better choice now.

I've had DISH for a number of years and recently switched to DIRECTV. In my opinion, DIRECTV has the "better selection" of HD Content. I am a quality over quantity guy but presently,DIRECTV satisfies both appetites.

Dish offers a number of HD Channels from the now defunct VOOM HD Satellite Service as part of their core HD channels. Though some of these channels are interesting to veiw periodically, I wanted access to many of the HD "normal" channels I actually watch regularly such as SciFi, USA, Tennis, Biography etc. I grew tired of the repetive content on the DISH HD VOOM channel lineup where they would play the same two movies over and over and over again on a daily basis. In my opinion, DIRECTV,has the best quality and quantity qty of HD content. Dish may catch up later in the year when they launch a new Satelites to increase their offerings, but DIRECTV certainly has the edge in regards to quality and quantity of content.

A plus on the DISH Network side is their DVR. I have TIVO DVRs, DIRECTV DVRs and I've had the DISH DVR. The DISH DVR is superior for two reasons. You can utilize the DISH DVR to provide Service to more than one room. This alone reduces the your monthly equipment lease costs when you want Satelite Service in more than one room. Secondly, I love the Picture-in-Picture function of the DISH DVR. Something lacking in both TIVO and DIRECTV DVRs. It's no wonder that CNET crowned DISH as having a DVR that's "better than TIVO"

Finally, there are additional costs at both DISH and DIRECTV to receive HD content. Each charges you about 10.00 a month to receive the expanded HD channel lineup. I believe the only HD Channels you get "free" from both services are local channels (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) that broadcast in HD. But anything beyond those channels you will need to pay the monthly HD charges.

My dream list is this: DIRECTV HD Content, with a DISH VIPD22 DVR running the TIVO Operating System. Ahhh to dream.......

I have Dish HD and wish I would have got Direct TV HD.

Why?

Because I don't get USA or SciFi in HD(I don't know if Direct TV has them tho). Not only that, they charge $20/month for HD as opposed to $10/month by Direct TV.

Just to let you know, on Dish I get about 30-35 HD channels.

Peace.

Is there a good program that tracks the history of software that has been installed on a pc? Maybe a registry file that holds all program history?

I just got DirectTV, but found out I can't get local programming for CBS and ABC...that's even in New York and I live in Alabama. We're not concerned with local viewing, we just want to view programming on the major networks.

Waivers have been submitted, but I'm not confident we'll get the viewing and that takes 45 days.

I heard if I give a different address to DirectTV, and address that allows local programming, then that might work.

An ideas? Thanks

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Good article but despite the obvious preference to DIrect TV the only info that was incorrect was the price. Direct TV (which I have without HD) costs me almost 80 a month! Yes and that is NOT with Hi Def. They offer better prices to new clients but people like us who have been customers for years they don't offer the goodies to..go figure

The Dish TV HD video quality of Discovery and National geography channels is absolutely amazing but ESPN Channel presently showing cricket match is not so good. ESPN appears unscaled without ant true HD Quality or color depth

My HD programming is amazing; I have never seen TV in quite a way that I felt like I’m there. I have had DISH for a long time and really been pleased with how up to date they are on innovative technology. I’m big on learning channels like Nat Geo, Science Channel, and Discovery which are unbelievable in HD quality. I happen to work for DISH network and so I was on top of getting my HD programming as soon as it was available. Any avid TV buff needs to check into getting some programming in HD to really experience entertainment!

Directv has an awesome services on sports packages while Dish Network is better on entertainment packages. On the other hand they are pretty similar, both are better than cable.

Directv has an awesome services on sports packages while Dish Network is better on entertainment packages. On the other hand they are pretty similar, both are better than cable.