Dish Network was the worst customer experience I've ever had in my entire life. The equipment stinks, their DVR stinks, their signal quality on local channels is awful, and their customer service is the absolute worst ever.
Directv and dish both use percentage signals. Different gear can take a 'lock' at different minimum levels...generally 40-50 is the minimum. Either you have a lock or you dont. The higher signal level lets you take more 'rain/snow fade' or other inclement weather/bird/zeppelin type situations. You dont want a tree anywhere between you and the southern sky about texas vicinity. There are two and sometimes three satellites involved, and the dish is pointed to take them all in to varying degrees, hence the differences in transponders. Check your levels on several. Adjusting the dish is not rocket science, there are two lock screws that let you tilt the dish and turn it. I usually drag a 13" tv and a receiver outside on an extension cord so I can see the signal strength while I tweak. Despite the pathetic comcast commercials, you do not need to adjust your dish ever again for any reason other than it not being tightened down properly.
The telephone connection is just to send up any PPV information for what you've bought and to check in and make sure all of your receivers are still in one place. Frankly they're a little lax in the latter area, but that can change, and quickly. I think all it does is a little 2-3 minute call once or twice a month. The DVR's may call more often.
You should NOT use the existing house wiring unless its qualified to carry a satellite signal, and most existing cable tv wire is not. It might work, but you'll lose 5-10% of your signal. If you live in an area with little or no severe rain/snow, that may not be a problem.
This is standard Dish Network install...use a gable mount, run some 2" screws up through the bottom of your roof and puncture your tar paper, hook it up with 10' runs to existing cable tv wire, get the dish to 70-75 signal and run. Ideally after charging you extra for the gable mount.
Directv isnt as good customer service wise as they used to be, its often sent to Bob in India now, but their equipment is far better, their dvr is far better, their customer service actually does try to help, not taunt you, and they actually give some bandwidth to the local channels through their spot beam satellite so your local channels dont look like washed out crud. Even comcast and my tv antenna gave me better local channel picture quality than Dish did.
Dish does have a slightly cheaper basic package than Directv, but IIRC its missing 2-3 really good channels, like sci-fi or comedy central or one of those. Scrutinize the basic 'top 40' vs the top 100 package to see what they've carved out.
Do note also that Dish has been sued (successfuly) in several states for how they treat customers, specifically overcharging them or trying to extort money from them when they decide to cancel the service. I'm pretty sure even crappy comcast hasnt been sued to that extent.
![:-\](https://www.early-retirement.org/sk/forums/images/smilies/undecided.gif "Undecided :-\")
the 'boxes' have ongoing problems. I have exchanged 5 sets of 'boxes' in the last 2 years. That is bad enough but factor in the ongoing signal problems - Everytime it rains - no signal. High winds - no signal. too hot - no signal. I am going back to cable....
