Dish Network or DIRECTV?

[Car-Guy]

You guys are making me think about switching from DirecTV to Dish. I've been a DirecTV customer since the first year the service was available and have watched the prices skyrocket while their customer service crashed and burned. I was really hoping when AT&T bought them their customer services would change but so far there has been no noticeable effect, except for continued price increases.

Does anyone know if I can get DISH for a month or so without a contract (albeit at a higher price I'm sure) and then switch to a 24 month contract if I decide to keep it? I don't mind paying for both DirectTV and Dish if it's only for a few months. The DVR recording problem mention earlier does concern me though.

Also, does anyone know if you can subscribe to "out of market" local channels? I'd like to buy the local Houston and Dallas channels since the local market channels here are near worthless.

 

[REWahoo]

Does anyone know if I can get DISH for a month or so without a contract (albeit at a higher price I'm sure) and then switch to a 24 month contact if I decide to keep it?

I'm not aware of any short term option or trial.

I was a DirecTV customer for 15+ years before moving to Dish and I left for the same reasons you list - especially their ever increasing prices. I have the latest version of their DVR (Hopper 3) and have had no issues in the three months we've been recording programs on it.

 

[Car-Guy]

Good info. I may call them and see what (or if) any short term options are available and maybe give them a try before dumping DirecTV.

 

[pb4uski]

You guys are making me think about switching from DirecTV to Dish. I've been a DirecTV customer since the first year the service was available and have watched the prices skyrocket while their customer service crashed and burned. I was really hoping when AT&T bought them their customer services would change but so far there has been no noticeable effect, except for continued price increases.

Does anyone know if I can get DISH for a month or so without a contract (albeit at a higher price I'm sure) and then switch to a 24 month contract if I decide to keep it? I don't mind paying for both DirectTV and Dish if it's only for a few months. The DVR recording problem mention earlier does concern me though.

Also, does anyone know if you can subscribe to "out of market" local channels? I'd like to buy the local Houston and Dallas channels since the local market channels here are near worthless.

My guess would be no and maybe but you need to ask Dish.

 

[euro]

I'm late to the discussion here, but I have had both services in the past - first DirecTV (1991- ca 2003) and then Dish (2003- ca 2012). I found them to be very comparable, both, the good and the bad. Same rate games, similar customer service, comparable rates. Very little difference unless you are a Sports fanatic and need NFL or MBA season passes, etc
I ditched them both and went with ATT U-verse for a few years, but they started playing the same games. That left TW cable (now called Spectrum). I don't expect them to be any different once renewal rolls around again (already had to negotiate down the first renewal last December). Seems like the negotiations get harder as time goes by as they assume I might be less likely to switch if I have gotten used to their service? Well, I hope we get Google Fiber soon so that I have another option. If not, maybe I'll have to circle back through the dish companies..... or cut the cord (I'm following the cord cutting threads carefully, but it's tough because OTA is not viable where I live - an OTA "dead zone" for some reason).

 

[euro]

Oh, as far as dish removal, in our area, neither of them wants their dishes back, so you have to take them down yourself if you don't like to look at them.

BTW,
Be careful when taking down a dish that is mounted on the roof through the shingles- chances are you'll create a leak if you just remove the bolts. So, I left the brackets on the roof and just pulled off the dish and the pole.

 

[wrigley]

I'm late to the discussion here, but I have had both services in the past - first DirecTV (1991- ca 2003) and then Dish (2003- ca 2012). I found them to be very comparable, both, the good and the bad. Same rate games, similar customer service, comparable rates. Very little difference unless you are a Sports fanatic and need NFL or MBA season passes, etc
I ditched them both and went with ATT U-verse for a few years, but they started playing the same games. That left TW cable (now called Spectrum). I don't expect them to be any different once renewal rolls around again (already had to negotiate down the first renewal last December). Seems like the negotiations get harder as time goes by as they assume I might be less likely to switch if I have gotten used to their service? Well, I hope we get Google Fiber soon so that I have another option. If not, maybe I'll have to circle back through the dish companies..... or cut the cord (I'm following the cord cutting threads carefully, but it's tough because OTA is not viable where I live - an OTA "dead zone" for some reason).

We've had both as well. First Dish for about 8 years, now DirecTV for about the past 7 years. My wife calls about every other year and threatens to cancel and go with the competitor if they don't lower the price. They have ALWAYS lowered the price.

I also like both of them as well. I left Dish because DirecTV exclusively had the rights to the MLB package. The guy on the phone at Dish when I called to cancel couldn't believe I would leave just because they no longer offered the MLB package.

I have never had the recording DVR's and really don't want them. Right now one of our cable boxes is bad and DirecTV is trying to get us to upgrade to the recording DVRs. The girl on the phone told us they don't have anymore of the older style cable boxes. I told her to find us one or send me the newer recording DVR but I wasn't going to pay the additional cost. To my surprise, they found an older cable box.

Mike

 

[pb4uski]

You're missing out.... IMO, the DVR is the best thing since sliced bread... in fact, arguably better than sliced bread.

 

[zinger1457]

Does anyone know if I can get DISH for a month or so without a contract (albeit at a higher price I'm sure) and then switch to a 24 month contract if I decide to keep it? I don't mind paying for both DirectTV and Dish if it's only for a few months. The DVR recording problem mention earlier does concern me though.

Dish does have a 'Pay As You Go' service but with all the fees and equipment cost it would probably be an expensive 1 month trial period.

https://www.dish.com/pay-as-you-go/

 

[Rustic23]

Some of Dish's 'On Demand' stuff is free. I have not tried it out that much. First episode of Game of Thrones - Free. I think they want you to pay for more. I saw some movies and other stuff, just have not tried any.

 

[euro]

You're missing out.... IMO, the DVR is the best thing since sliced bread... in fact, arguably better than sliced bread.

I will agree with that - I have changed my viewing habits to almost 100% DVR. Skipping all the ads is basically essential to a halfway decent TV experience

 

[Car-Guy]

+1 on the DVR's. It's rare that a day goes by when the DW isn't recording something.

 

[Texas Proud]

Been a Dish customer for about 15 years. Right now having huge problems with DVR recordings. The DVR isn't keeping recordings at all. I think we have a bad disk. DH has been calling and has been pretty stern, managed to get a refund but they say the recording problem is a "known" problem they're working on but we don't believe it. It'll be my turn to call next. Usually they've been very good so this has been a surprise. I like the app too, and the channel guide. I wish there weren't so many useless channels though.

Which DVR do you have? I have not had a problem lately... mostly my problem is that the DVR will die... have had it happen 3 times so far...


I agree about the useless channels... I created my favorite list and rarely go out of that... even this list has about half of them that I record either 1 or 0 shows.. just watch every once in awhile (like MSNBC, CNN, CNBC etc.)...

 

[Texas Proud]

You guys are making me think about switching from DirecTV to Dish. I've been a DirecTV customer since the first year the service was available and have watched the prices skyrocket while their customer service crashed and burned. I was really hoping when AT&T bought them their customer services would change but so far there has been no noticeable effect, except for continued price increases.

Does anyone know if I can get DISH for a month or so without a contract (albeit at a higher price I'm sure) and then switch to a 24 month contract if I decide to keep it? I don't mind paying for both DirectTV and Dish if it's only for a few months. The DVR recording problem mention earlier does concern me though.

Also, does anyone know if you can subscribe to "out of market" local channels? I'd like to buy the local Houston and Dallas channels since the local market channels here are near worthless.

I do not know how much you are paying, but I think DISH is the same... my price when I started was $30... now I think I pay $75 ish... they just went up due to starting to pay local channels... and I do not have a big package... one of the smaller ones in fact...

 

[Texas Proud]

+1 on the DVR's. It's rare that a day goes by when the DW isn't recording something.

I am also a +1 on DVR... heck, I now record live sports and do not start watching until the game is 1/4th through... I almost always catch up and watch the end live... sometimes if I do catch up quickly I will go watch something else and come back!!!

I hate commercials...

 

[SheitlQueen]

I've been with Direct tv for 15 years. Prices have gone up a lot, and I finally was going to make the move to Dish. Direct was $112 and heading to $125. Dish was $85 for two years on a special. I called Direct to cancel and they offered to match the Dish price since I was a "long term customer". I'm happy with their service, just not their prices. But since they discounted it, I'll stick with them until they try to jack up their prices again.

 

[Paracelsus]

I've been with DirecTV also for many years and downgraded the package I receive from them to be more in the $60/month charge rather than the $120/month. Frankly, I don't use many channels in their package and don't miss much with the downgrade - only thing missing for me is being able to watch the Tour de France in summer.

 

[Car-Guy]

Just curious, I'm paying 178.51 a month for just satellite TV. And there's more "stuff" I could buy from them.

Anyone paying more?

 

[REWahoo]

Yikes!

 

[hesperus]

I'm paying $35 a month with DirectV Now, the online platform. Started off with some problems, but is now working flawlessly and I'm grandfathered in at the initial rate. Over 100 channels, and they just threw in free HBO for a year. Only thing I'm waiting for is the recording function to come online.

 

[wrigley]

Just curious, I'm paying 178.51 a month for just satellite TV. And there's more "stuff" I could buy from them.

Anyone paying more?

I have the 250 channel package to include HBO on 4 different TV's and I'm paying $115.00 a month to DirecTV.

Mike

 

[Car-Guy]

I have DirecTV's Premier package with HD. I think that's 315 channels but there's still more to buy.

 

[wrigley]

I have DirecTV's Premier package with HD. I think that's 315 channels but there's still more to buy.

250 channels is WAY too much to have. No way I need more!

Mike

 

[Car-Guy]

250 channels is WAY too much to have. No way I need more!

I can't disagree. "We" probably only watch ~5% of the channels in any single month on a regular basis. But they have a few channels that I can only get with the bigger packages. Wouldn't it be great if you could only buy the channels you really wanted. Or better yet, "on demand". Of course I suspect those would be the really expensive ones.

 

[wrigley]

I can't disagree. "We" probably only watch ~5% on a regular basis but they have a few channels that I can only get with the bigger packages. Wouldn't it be great if you could only buy the channels you really wanted. Or better yet, "on demand". Of course I suspect those would be the really expensive ones.

That's coming I'm sure. You'll have a "basic package' and then pay as you go for any premium channel you watch.

Mike