Question Shopping for Satellite HDTV service

[CHPMustang]

I know some of ya'll have HDTV service thru the two satellite services Dish Network and DirecTV.

I'm looking for feedback from HDTV satellite subscribers on what they like and don't like about their service and
subscriber equipment for only HDTV satellite service.

What's most important to me like anyone else service uptime/dependability and not necessarily lowest price.

Bill

 

[DaveBen]

I can't speak for Direct TV, but Dish has a nice package. They offer all of the currently available channels on HD and they say they will be adding new ones as soon as they are available. That is my speech.

Dave

 

[CHPMustang]

Which HDTV receiver you have Dave?

 

[BigRedXLT]

Had Dish installed on 11/21, very quick install, ordered on Sat, install on Tue (I'm in LA).... left DirecTV because Dish can run two TV's from one box and wanted a change. Box must be at HDTV, if running two HDTV's, two boxes required. I got the newest DVR box, w/ over 300 hrs of DVR time for SD, about 50 hrs for HD, only complaint so far w/ DISH is that it seems to take alot longer to switch from one station to another compared to DirecTV.... HD seems very good

 

[DaveBen]

Which HDTV receiver you have Dave?

I have their top of the line VIP 722 DVR. I also have a seperate hard drive to store my recordings. I have 500 Megs of USB storage.

Dave

 

[big_rooster]

I know that when i got my service 3 years ago dish network was the only one with TNT in HD which is important for us nascar guys.

 

[CHPMustang]

How long you been running with the VIP722 there Dave? Any blips/blurps/problems with that receiver since you got it? The 722 is the type we're looking at but wanna see what others is saying about it.

We currently have the SD model 522 which does two sets and records up to 100 hours,been in use for almost 4 years but showing it's age with playback/rewind artifacts.

 

[DaveBen]

I got my 722 only six or seven months ago. I bought it new and have not had a single problem. It works very much like the other receivers (SD) that I had; 502 and 301. If there is a problem, it is usually the hard disc that goes. I sent in one of my other receivers and Dish traded it for a working one, with a service extension. No $$$ out of pocket.

Dave

 

[CStone]

I just got DirecTV HD with an HR21-700 HD DVR. Love it. Only downside with DirecTV is that local affiliates are not HD. But, got an OTA antenna for that.

Chose DTV over DNW b/c the HD package was cheaper and had more channels.

 

[bushpilot]

man we have comcast...im sick of these rip off artists...had
direct tv years ago (in virginia) i had a couple of boxes fail (non-dvr)
and i was not happy about having to shell out 250+ per box.

when we moved to houston direct tv didnt wanna provide us any
incentive to keep us (we'd been a customer for over 10yrs)...so
i thought what the hay...give the biz to time-warner and if we
dont like it we can go back to direct tv (as a NEW customer & recv'
lots of incentives).

my only issue w/ the digital sat providers is the cost of the boxes
and the fact that even for an ocassional use box (kids room or
my room...aka the gararge) they want the full tilt.

at least w/ the cable companies i dont have to pay for any "xtra"
rooms...they might not get the full gamut of stations but they do
get more than i would w/ dtv or dish.

ive had a couple of the cable company dvr boxes fail <for one reason
or another> and ive upgraded from the old boxes to dvr...i just take the
old or failed box down the street to the cable company store (in the
local strip mall) and they swap 'em out...at no OUT of POCKET <to me> expense.

weve recently compared the pricing between direct tv & cable...including
hdtv and dvr and its pretty much a wash.