Direct TV & Dish Network

[Catrin]

Does anyone have experience with either Direct TV or the Dish Network? I am considering switching from AT&T Uverse to satellite tv for the price difference but have read very mixed customer service reports on both of them.

[OakLeaf]

I've had DirecTV almost since they first started, in '94 or '95.

No real problems. Customer service hasn't always been 100% perfect, but there's never been anything that hasn't ultimately worked out.

You do need a fairly clear view of the sky though, so your first question should be whether you can get both of them equally well or at all.

[Eden]

We've had DirectTV with Tivo since around 97 or 98 I guess. We've never had any problems - and our customer service has been excellent (especially with Tivo). We don't have a lot of heavy weather here though - It can cut out momentarily if a big strong rain or snow storm rolls through (this has only happened once the whole time we've had ours - but we *rarely* get thunderstorms). We did have to brush our dish off a couple of times the one year it snowed a whole lot.

[colby]

We've had DirectTV with Tivo since around 97 or 98 I guess. We've never had any problems - and our customer service has been excellent (especially with Tivo). We don't have a lot of heavy weather here though - It can cut out momentarily if a big strong rain or snow storm rolls through (this has only happened once the whole time we've had ours - but we *rarely* get thunderstorms). We did have to brush our dish off a couple of times the one year it snowed a whole lot.

This is basically my experience, though we've only been with DirecTV since 2005. Thunderstorms or serious heavy rain/snow can interrupt the signal and you do have to remove snow from the dish after it piles up; regular overcast/cloudy days aren't an issue. Unobstructed view of the southern sky is the only real requirement.

We haven't really had to deal with DirecTV customer service much, but I haven't really considered it any different than any other phone/cable company (grin and bear it ;)). We went with DirecTV because of the quantity of total channels and the quantity of HD channels for the price. We also originally went DirecTV because they had a TiVo HD dual-tuner receiver, but right now that's not the case - it's a DirecTV HD DVR or TiVo non-HD. Come January they'll have another DirecTV HD TiVo out. :)

Probably a wash between Dish and DirecTV. Most of our neighbors with satellite have DirecTV, but I have one co-worker on Dish that seems to have the same experiences we do.

[Roadtrip]

+1 on Direct TV comments.

I've had pretty good experiences with them. I have had a few bad experiences with technicians that showed up to install a service or new hardware and they seemed pretty clueless, but I could have gotten a bad tech, but in the end I got what I wanted installed and was offered a credit for the troubles.

I do wish DTV didn't contract out service to local satellite companies-- who at times don't always invest in training and the like.

Anytime I had to call DTV for any issues it's been rock solid and issues resolved immediately.

We do have pretty solid signal strengths with no trees in the near vicinity that might interfere. Only the strongest of storms take down the sat and only for a few minutes. Ice does seem to cause issues more then snow-- wind tends to only allow a small amount of snow to actually stick to the dish were sleet and ice build up and cause issues. Luckily, my dish is mounted where I can open a window and use a broom to brush the dish off.

In-Laws in Tennessee got DTV installed and the house is tucked back in a pocket of trees and you can't really even see the house from the road and didn't have a problem with signal or install.

It's all about the RIGHT line of sight.. Since we're in October and the sun is at the right angle in relation to the satellites, between 2:30-3:00PM and the house (where the dish would likely be installed) is not in shadow, your good... from my DH and his DirectTV geeks. LOL

Happy DirectTV customer for six years,
Shannon

[Trek420]

Never had D'TV, can't get u'verse :(, happy Dish customer. I have their minimum bare bones package and then DSL for internet.

I could probably get as many channels with the set top box but I <3 the DVR and preview channels.

Picture quality is clear, reliable in all kinds of weather, instal and repair has been good, on time and competent .... I've had exceptional customer service over the phone and I'm extremely hard to impress on that score because I work for ATT but they do it.

[tulip]

I'll be the lone voice in the wilderness--I have not had a TV in years, and it's been really wonderful. So if you are thinking of ways to reduce spending and increase time for things you like to do (in my case, yoga, Pilates, reading, gardening, and cooking), you might want to try being TV-free for a while.

I do occasionally (about once a month) watch a show here and there on my computer when I need to veg out. But that's pretty rare, and I really cannot imagine having the time to watch TV every night. As it is, I don't have enough time to fit in drawing and getting back to playing my instruments. I hope to fit those in this winter, after the gardening settles down.

Just a thought to consider.

[tongue_tied]

I have DirecTV in Chicago... lots of tall buildings around... I'd say about 91% of the time, I don't have a problem. If a storm rolls through, and the satellite goes out, it's never for very long. I've never needed to use their customer service (knock wood).

[TsPoet]

I have Dish (so thought I'd weigh in). My brother has Direct. He's constantly trying to get me to change and I would, except Direct doesn't have my locals in HD. As soon as they do, I'll be Switching to Direct.
As far as the DVRs go, the 2 companies are similar. I prefer Dish's menu system, it's more intuitive to me. But, I don't think I'll have too much trouble updated to Direct.
I've hated Dish's customer service, I laugh every time that commercial comes on that claims they have the best customer satisfaction of any satellite/cable company. I've been with them for years, and my DVR died, I lost a lot of shows and time. They finally sent me a replacement refurbished unit, but refused to upgrade me - something I'd expect for a loyal customer. Their phone help system is full of "push 2 to be disconnected, 5 to talk to someone that doesn't know anything, 7 to shoot yourself in the head, or 9 to get to yet another menu like this one".
Despite living in a little hole, I have had very little trouble with reception. Wind, rain, clouds... all fine.
I'd check the lineup in your area for what each has or doesn't have in HD. In the East, I think it's less than a problem, but out in the boonies, the line ups are different between the two providers.

[bmccasland]

I was a Dish customer for years, and when my receiver box died, and I couldn't get any help from them, I switched to Direct. With "new introductory" prices it was cheaper than me buying the new receiver box - only THEN did the fine people at Dish beg me to come back by offering to send me a new receiver box - this was after I drove around town at their direction looking for places to get my box fixed or even looked at. So now my Direct subscription is on hold as I'm in housing limbo land. I have to decide what I'm going to do - continue Direct or go with the local cable.

I would say that it might be a wash over which company has better customer service. At one time, I got great customer service from Dish when I needed it. Another time, I didn't. I'm not a high maintenance person. Just want the system to work when I turn my TV on - I don't order extra programs.

One other thought.... some foreign language (and there are lots of them, well beyond Spanish) programming is only available on Dish, should that be important to you.

[Bike Chick]

I'll be the lone voice in the wilderness--I have not had a TV in years, and it's been really wonderful. So if you are thinking of ways to reduce spending and increase time for things you like to do (in my case, yoga, Pilates, reading, gardening, and cooking), you might want to try being TV-free for a while.

I could soooooo do this. DH is the TV watcher. I rarely turn it on when I'm home alone. We have had DISH for 10 years and have been very satisfied. We switched to HD a year ago and I really do enjoy that. It makes watching sporting events that much better.

[OakLeaf]

For local HD programming, just attach a broadcast antenna. Seriously, before HD we could barely get a signal with a 20 foot antenna tower, from our "local" channels 45 hilly miles away. Now, we get unbelievable picture quality with a coat hanger. :p

[kermit]

We had directv since it first started with Tivo, the greatest invention ever if you work at night. For no reason the prices increased and after a few months we went to Dish. Completely different system, took some getting used to but like it. We also switched because our South Georgia house only has Dish in its area. Both are great, see what kind of deal you can get and what works in your area. Some are limited.

[Steph_in_TX]

We've always had good luck and service with DISH. It does go out when a large storm rolls through, but very reliable otherwise. However, they've raised prices three times over the last year and a half or so and we are ditching them. We can get the same service cheaper with either UVerse or FIOS in our area.

[Catrin]

Thanks to all for their experiences, I appreciate it. I have spent most of my adult life without cable of any kind - AT&T UVerse is the only service of that nature that I have kept more than 4 months before returning to no television. Currently I just have the local channels through them but may upgrade for the winter. I like having something to watch when I am doing needlework :) If I don't have cable, then I wind up spending money on DVDs - in the long run the cable is less expensive :rolleyes:

I am still considering my options, and it may be time to return to no cable...but we will see. I tend to buy far more DVDs when I don't have television and that gets expensive over time.

[withm]

In my area there is essentialy no television reception with out cable or other services. The nearest "local" stations are 50 miles or more to the north or the south. My HOA does not permit antennas or satellite dishes but the problem with satellite providers is that none of them carry the "local stations" opting instead for network affiliates over 100 miles away.

This is a problem because there is no real local content - no local news, and no local weather. When a hurricane, snowstorm, or other severe weather is coming our way, it is far more useful to have weather warnings based on actual local conditions, not those expected 100 miles away. If I lived in an urban area with normal local stations this would not be a problem.

So I continue to pay a small fortune for BASIC service that I never watch except for the news.

Like the song says - 57 channels and nothing on.... :(

[Catrin]

....
So I continue to pay a small fortune for BASIC service that I never watch except for the news.

Like the song says - 57 channels and nothing on.... :(

This is why I enjoy Uverse. They have a different channel lineup and I actually found things that I enjoyed watching! That has never been the case for more traditional cable.

Pity you don't have even one true local station...

[Koronin]

I've had Dish Network for well over 10 years. Had them in Ohio, moved to Charlotte, NC in 2000 and kept them, and just moved to Jacksonville, NC and used the Dish mover program. Only ever called customer service twice (if you don't include the moving aspect) and never had an issue. Plus the two times with moving and once to upgrade to a DVR. Dish Network has a sports package that I have yet to see with other companies (although at the moment FOX is apparently wanting too much money for it's local sports networks, so they've added a couple other sports networks to make up for that). I've had more issues with the HOA where I used to live having a dish than I've ever had with having my dish. The only time it's gone out is really bad weather. A light rain storm has not made this dish go out. Actually right now I'm having more issues with our local phone company than I've had with my dish or my old phone company in the past 10 years.