[arnolds]

Ok. I've had my Pioneer Elite 510 for three years now and it still has not seen a HDTV picture on it so I think I'm ready to upgrade.


The current state of affairs:


Current Dish 500 subscriber (3 yrs) with PVR 508


What I want..

Switch to Direct TV for the following reasons:

1. I don't have to install a second dish just to receive HDTV

2. Ability to get a third party HDTV receiver such as the samsung which can be had for less than 500 bucks.

3. Get a second Direct TV receiver with Tivo


Anybody know any deals out there for new Direct TV Subscribers? Para Los Todos deal?


Any reason why I should stay with Dish and go for the Dish 6000?


I am already thinking I will be spending close to 1k to take the plunge. It would be nice to cut it down some.


thanks

Arnold

 

[jeffmcclan]

I'm a current D* subscriber with D*Tivo and a SAT-HD200 arriving tomorrow. It's ironic that you're leaving Dish before they introduce their time shifting HD STB.


That said, if you switch to D* you might call them a few times about offers on 2nd Gen D*Tivos (speak to different CSRs). This might be your best deal initially but make sure you get a 3 LNB dish (3rd used for Showtime HD now + future HD programming). There may be good / better deals on the web as well. (1st Gen D*Tivo box was being offered to current D* customers for $199 in other threads.)


D* doesn't sell HD STBs directly yet, so I didn't see much difference in pricing for new or current subscribers. That said, some current D* subscribers have gotten credit applied to their accounts by calling customer retention and expressing how expensive HD STBs are compared to a $5/mo cable box rental (credits from $100-250 upon activation in other threads).


Hope this helps.

 

[sat_uplinker]

I really dont know much about what Dish offers on HD, but DirecTV only has 3 channels. HDNET and HBO-HD on 119W and SHO-HD on 110W. Their primary content is on 101W. You can get all 3 birds with a elipitical dish and 3 LNB's. Back in philly when I set up a system I allready had a Panasonic IRD with built in DirecTV tuner and card. I was using the Panny for OTA, and when I finally wanted satellite HD, I went and bought a standard Para Todos (or whatever that spanish thing is) package that included one NTSC reciever and a eliptical dish with 2 LNB's, and a RF switch/DA. (Or you could use seperate round antennas for each bird you want to recieve) Then I called DirecTV and activated the card that came with the Panny I bought months before. Activate the NTSC IRD for a second TV or sell it on ebay. You also could find a dish on ebay instead of buying the spanish package deal. Often when you buy a package deal you have xx number of days to activate your account, which is well and good if your dishes are peaked and cabled. Buying the dish from ebay lets you have as much time as you need to get your system setup before activating an account. you can pm me if you have any more questions.


Bob

 

[Matt_Stevens]

My man, wait and stick with DISH! Next year you will have two choices for a HD-PVR (with Firewire out for recording to DVHS) and DISH will have far more HD channels to choose from.


DurecTV has fallen way behind in regards to HD and the need for a 2nd dish should not discourage you from E*. They are better. They just are.

 

[Rick_R]

I agree. Stick with Dish. With DirecTV you will have to get and put up a 3 LNB elliptical dish plus the receiver. With Dish all you need is a 6000 and Dish 300 added. The 6000 is $499 and Dish 300 plus switch is $99.


If you subscribe to locals you can get the Dish 300 and switch free if you live in an area that has locals on 61.5 or 148... you just call Customer Service and tell they you want the extra locals.


Dish has more HD, a seeming commitment to more HD, and a HD PVR coming out next year.


Rick R

 

[magic123]

Matt Stevens..


When you say, Dish is better than Directv, I take it (only) as your personal opinion. I have had both and they both have pros and cons. they are competitive, let us say.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

This discussion is in regards to HDTV, not standard Def. SD is a toss-up. But with HD there's no doubt that E* is the champ. DirecTV has fallen behind and looks likethey will continue to do so.

 

[Matt L]

What makes E* a champ? They offer the same channels except for E* has Discovery HD(at a high cost), D has HDnet(free). Looks like a toss-up to me. With E* you are stuck with one receiver from one manufacturer and no deals. D has many providers of equipment often at great prices. I have both D and E*, cant' say which is better, both have good and bad points, but one thing I will never have again is an E* PVR!

 

[magic123]

Matt..I was talking about HD when discussing merits of Dish and Directv. Let us say, they are competitive. The future we shall take as it unfolds. It should be interesting. If cable does it right, they may be the big winner in the future in HD. Of course, OTA will always be the less expensive way to go if possible. And no signal will ever be cleaner than a OTA signal.