irregularjoe Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 I've had DirecTV for about seven years now. I was wondering if anyone here has any insight into Dish Network. I've been reading that it is less costly and has similar coverage. What do you think? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Besttechie Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 I know Mandy has Dish, I think she likes it. I know her Dad loves it... so... I'll point her to this thread when I get a chance. B Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MrBill Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 I have had Dish since the first went into business. Have had no problems with them. Brother has has had both and prefers Dish over Direct. Direct does have the NFL package that Dish doesn't offer if that is a concern. Friend went from Cable to Dish, Had a problem. Took them a couple of days to get it fixed and they gave him a couple of FREE movies for his inconvenience. When his year was up, he went to Direct and had nothing but problems. He said that the only thing that they gave him for FREE was lip service. He was gone from them in less than a month. Went back to Dish and hasn't looked back. Probably good and bad about both. I just upgraded about last Christmas to HD. Haven't had any problems with it. I even take one of my receivers and have an extra old dish, camping with me. Works just great. Don't have to pay the extra 5 bucks a month for an extra receiver that only gets used 5 or 6 times a year. Dish is a lillt cheaper then Direct. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Thanks for the replies BT and Mr. Bill.I'm checking out the Dish plans now.DirecTV has been a p.i.t.a. for most of the time. They are constantly increasing their monthly rates. Customer service is non existant. When you finally DO get through after a one hour wait on the phone, they will try to appease your disatisfaction with something like a measly $15 refund. (this happened a few years ago after I could not get NY Yankee games for 5 days while paying an extra $180 for the MLB Network). And if that was not bad enough, they insisted that the refund come over a 3 month period. Apparently they could not afford more than $5 per month.The problems have just intensified since then. Things like blacking out shows that I pay extra for even though they are not subject to blackout rules.I'm also now wondering about a related problem. I have a DirecTV Tivo DVR with about 80 hours of video that I have recorded and saved over the years. It's not a true Tivo, it's the DTV version of it. Due to all the DRM crap it's almost impossible to pull the video off the hard drive. I can use the analog hole and record it all to my standalone DVD burner, but we're talking about 80 hours of realtime recording and 80 DVD's. I'm assuming that once I pull the plug on DirecTV the DVR will be non functional. This is an interesting dilemma. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Just one question... Can you not remove the HDD and transfer it? Or just install it in your PC? (some software out there should be able to convert it, I think) The real video geeks out there should guide you.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted August 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 (edited) Just one question... Can you not remove the HDD and transfer it? Or just install it in your PC? (some software out there should be able to convert it, I think) The real video geeks out there should guide you....Thanks for the reply b-dog.Yes the HD is easy to remove. It's just a 3.5" regular IDE HD. The software is LINUX, which I am familiar with. However they do have some proprietary code mixed in with it.I read about the ways you could extract the video from the experts over at Weakness. Actually THEY don't post it but there are links to the guys that do on the WK forums. The last time I read the details it reminded me of a Masters thesis that I had to do back in college. ......Not sure if I want to put myself in that much grief. We'll see. This is yet another example of why I hate DRM. Joe Edited August 21, 2009 by irregularjoe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Ha! I knew it was doable, and figured they sure wouldn't make it easy. Sorry man. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martymas Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 i started with dish from a company called skybut changed to cable from a package dealwhich included tv- cable- internet and- phone linedish was ok but sometimes the weather conditions distorted the picmarty Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted August 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 i started with dish from a company called skybut changed to cable from a package dealwhich included tv- cable- internet and- phone linedish was ok but sometimes the weather conditions distorted the picmarty(sometimes the weather conditions distorted the pic)That would not be an issue here. We don't have weather. It's just always hot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marsh_0x Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Just one question... Can you not remove the HDD and transfer it? Or just install it in your PC? (some software out there should be able to convert it, I think) The real video geeks out there should guide you....Speaking as a retired Dish Network dealer, my dealer hot line was as smooth as any business could possible be.Continues as a resident user, never on hold, English speaking reps that I have the highest respect for.Zero doubt.We converted many Direct Tv customers that never went back.My experience.The HD transfer is next to impossible as Dish planned, only makes sense to mass produce movies, industry wouldn't like that.Dish does offer for a one time charge of $39 ? to use the USB port for an an external HD for additional storage.BUT requires the receiver to play back the external HD.Btw only Dish has the download ability to change the receiver software for upgrades.Remember back when TVIO tried a copyright infringement, so Dish just changed the PVR functions to their advantage and blow TIVO off hahaMarsh Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MrBill Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Just one question... Can you not remove the HDD and transfer it? Or just install it in your PC? (some software out there should be able to convert it, I think) The real video geeks out there should guide you....Speaking as a retired Dish Network dealer, my dealer hot line was as smooth as any business could possible be.Continues as a resident user, never on hold, English speaking reps that I have the highest respect for.Zero doubt.We converted many Direct Tv customers that never went back.My experience.The HD transfer is next to impossible as Dish planned, only makes sense to mass produce movies, industry wouldn't like that.Dish does offer for a one time charge of $39 ? to use the USB port for an an external HD for additional storage.BUT requires the receiver to play back the external HD.Btw only Dish has the download ability to change the receiver software for upgrades.Remember back when TVIO tried a copyright infringement, so Dish just changed the PVR functions to their advantage and blow TIVO off hahaMarshI have had Dish since they first came out. I upgraded at Christmas to HD with 1 regular HD receiver and 1 DVR receiver. Every time that I try to do a PPV or DOD, I have to call them. They sent a new DVR and that didn't cure the problem. They ALL do not speak good ENGLISH. Only if you get pushed to somebody higher up do you get an AMERICAN the speaks good ENGLISH. I am speaking from experience and not hear say. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.