[MrWaggles]

I'm so confused.


Last night I ordered my first HD TV (Sony 60a2000), and it is supposed to arrive next week. I've been a Dish Network customer for 9 years, and I had planned to add Dish HD programming to my account and to get a 622 receiver so that I can enjoy my new TV in HD.


But now I'm rethinking that plan because of seemingly perpetual problems regarding Dish and various content providers (I'm beginning to wonder about Charlie's sanity). I'm also concerned about Dish's long-term economic viability.


OTA and cable are not options for me, which leaves Dish and DirecTV. As a new subscriber, I could get a good deal from DirecTV, but I've been reading about problems at DirecTV: HD-Lite, overly-compressed MPEG4, blah, blah, blah. I don't know anything about DirecTV's receivers, PQ, etc., so I'm reluctant to make the switch to DirecTV. Sometimes the Devil you know is better than the Devil you don't know.


So, back to my opening sentence: I'm so confused.


With my new TV arriving next week, I need to make a quick decision.


Please offer constructive comments and suggestions.


Thanks,

Richard

 

[mjones73]

Directv currently offers a small number of national HD channels broadcast via MPEG2, all of the 1080i stations being a reduced resolution (which is where the HDLite term comes in), they also offer local digital/HD channels in a number of DMA's using MPEG4 (as for it being overcompressed that might be confused with the fact MPEG4 compresses the data smaller then MPEG2 requiring less bandwidth for the same data vs MPEG2), they also currently offer HD regional sports networks in select DMA's also.


With the two new sats planned to launch this year, Directv is now stating they should have 100 national HD channels coming on line later this year using MPEG4. The assumption is the current bandwidth starved HD channels they offer will also be moved to the new sats and MPEG4, we are hoping this will resolve the HDLite issue for now.


The current HD receivers available that work with the MPEG4 channels are the H20 HD non DVR receiver and the HR20 HD DVR receiver. You can find plenty about those units searching here.


This question is common on the forum also, some searching would turn up more info on current and planned offerings between the two companies.

 

[etk29321]

Dish also offers an expanding number of local HD channels, but unless the transmitters in Tucson are below your horizon, you should really consider OTA further. I thought OTA reception was impossible for me for a long time b/c I live rather close to a radio station, but by finding the right combination of antenna and amps, I now have solid reception of all my local stations OTA. The local HD's provided by Dish/DirectTV/Cable really do tend to have noticably lower picture quality than the OTA feed. Almost all my locals are available in HD via Dish, and an A/B with the OTA feed really shows how much is lost. Same was true when I was with TimeWarner Cable.

Other than the locals, I find Dish's HD picture quality to be above what I got from Time Warner.


Also, if you absolutely cannot receive any OTA locals (and the FCC agrees you cant), you can get the national network feeds off the Echostar sats via one of their partners. No clue if those are HD though.

 

[MrWaggles]

Thanks for your response, but unfortunately I can't receive OTA signals due to mountains, and Tucson locals (SD) are available via E*, so distants are not an option. Even though our address is Tucson, we are across the county line, so we are actually in the Phoenix DMA, whose stations E* does transmit in HD.


Anyway, I've decided to stay with E*, but I'm going to wait until February 1 before I upgrade to HD because E* is supposed to announce new offers, even for current customers. I was hoping to see the Super Bowl in HD, but that's not going to happen.


Richard

 

[OrleansDawg]

I am a sports fan. If you are as well, choose D*


If not, maybe Dish is best for you.


I personally think that D*'s future additions should be considered when deciding as well....in less than 10-12 months, D* will be winning the HD war

 

[Rick_R]

I have had Dish HD for 6 1/2 years and I have never regretted it. I got Dish in July of 2000 because they had more HD than DirecTV - Dish then had 2 HD channels to DirecTV's one. They have consistently had more HD channels. The Dish 622 HD DVR is also one of the best. They currently have more HD channels than anyone else. When DirecTV goes to 100 HD channels you can be assured that Dish will not be far behind and may be out ahead.


Rick R

 

[AntennaMan1]

Starting Feb 1 the Dish "existing customer" 622 upgrade will change from the current $199 across the board + rebates, to a tiered upgrade pricing. Class A is $149, B is $179, C is $199. You will then be able to get $10/mo credit off your bill for 10 months, via rebate. In addition to the monthly credits, you will also be able to get an additional $50 rebate with an addition mail in rebate.