Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - Direct TV Pro's & Con's

I'm interested in reading the pros/cons of Direct TV from people who don't have a financial interest in selling it! Your input WILL be appreciated! :)

I install DishNet satellite systems, but I can tell you some pros and cons of Direct or some comparisons of the two.

Not positive lately, but in the past, there was a customer service problem due to the fact that Direct had multiple mfg. of their receivers. Sometimes there was a run-around on problem systems. Direct would say go to the mfg. The mfg would sometimes say go to Direct to resolve the problem.
DishNet makes their own equipment so there is only one Customer Service phone number needed to be called.

They both have equal picture quality. I've had both!
Wind does not bother the little dishes, but they can experience rain fade. The pic can be lost for a few minutes during heavty rainstorms.

A Dishnet sub can be had more cheaply - they have three tiers of programing(29.95, 39.95, and 49.95).
Dish now has a twin tuner receiver, so no extra monthly charge for the second box. (a phone line must be connected though).

DirecTV has an exclusive agreement for the NFL Sunday Ticket (thru 2005).

Either one is cheaper than most cable sytems.

fred

I've had it since May and really like it. I have a good surround sound system in my family room and the digital sound is great!
We have lost the signal a couple times during heavy rains. But the outage only lasted a few seconds the second time and less than a minute the first time.
I have the DirecTV Tivo and have gotten spoiled with it. My only complaint is that the sound will drop once in while so that you lose a syllable of the dialog. That doesn't happen with the regular receivers.

Ahhhhh, Digital sound. Good point.
Then another thumbs up to Dishnet!!

In addition to the 32 CD (Dolby5.1) quality music channels available, earlier this year Echostar made an agreement with Sirius satellite radio.
If you have the middle programing package($39.95) you also get an additional 70+/- Sirius music channels.

fred
HDTV ROCKS!

Here's maybe a stupid question....
Say you get the "two room installation" of Direct TV. Can you actually watch a different channel on the 2nd TV, or can you only control the main unit from the 2nd TV (i.e., same channel is always on both TVs)?

If you get a two room system from DTV, you can watch two different channels. Each receiver will have it's own IR remote. There will be a $5.00 monthly charge added to your prgram package for the 2nd recvr.

If you get a Dishnet 322 twin receiver)DHA Plan) and can plug a phone line to it, there is no additional monthly charge over the standard programing.

fred

The two big ones that keep me with Directv are 2 tuner Tivo and NFL Sunday Ticket. Otherwise I'd go with Comcast cable for their easy and cheap HDTV.

That two tuner Tivo is great, isn't it? Last spring I couldn't understand why people were so enamored with Tivo. Now, 4 months later, I am hooked on Tivo.

Hi Stereoguy,

couple questions??
I suppose the twin tuner tivo allows 2 tvs with different channels, correct?
In addition to the monthly tivo charge, is there also a monthly program charge for the secoond tuner?
I can't imagine that any cable co has an HD package much cheaper??
I heard one cable outfit is initiating an HD Plus package(of course for more bucks).
just curious,
fred

2 tuner Tivo means that you can record 2 shows at once (on one Tivo box), while watching somehting recorded. A single Tivo has two satellite feeds from a single satellite. This allows you to catch 2 shows that have conflicting timeslots, or, say, record two football games that are happening simultaneously and flip back and forth between them. Currently you can only get this through Directv.

There is only the monthly Tivo charge, since there is only one Tivo. The Tivo charge is actually less through Directv than with standard Tivo.

Comcast in Washington has an HD package where you rent the tuner from them and get basic HD for some ridiculous price like $10/month. Don't quote me on that, but it is cheaper and easier to get going than Directv HD. I say easier becasue I need to install a triple LNB dish to get Directv HD.

stereoguy,
I'm still wondering if the two tuner tivo will allow viewing of two different programs at two different locations like the twin tuner from DishNet?

(I picked up an older Dish 501 receiver for $50 (only 30 hard drive) and it has no DVR-tivo charge at all)

Re Comcast HD:
I don't like the idea of renting an HD box AND paying a $10 HD package.
I pay $9.95 for the HD package from Dish and I really think it's worth it, I find myself watching a good percentage of HD cuz it's so great watching HD.

thx,
fred

You would need a second tivo for the second location. The 2 tuner setup is for one tv only. I use a wireless a/v transmitter to get the Tivo stuff to our bedroom tv. Not the best solution of the best quality, but it works, and all our recorded shows are in one place.

I just verified that the comcast package is $5/month for the hd receiver rental and the hd channels.

My problem with satellite TV (DirectTV and DISH) is that the installers refuse to use the preinstalled RG6 cable net my home is already equipped with, rather they insist on using their own cabling. Then they refuse to run the cabling out-of-sight thru the attic, they want to take the lazy/easy/ugly route along the baseboards of my walls and around a door frame to get to my equipment on an interior wall. Ridiculous.

So I called the cable co. and they hooked me up at my media center, and I can get my signal in any room of the house, no extra charge. Sat will not do this. A big con.

Satellite providers should know that their cable policies and subcontracted installers are costing them business.

Razz,
You are the customer and you can insist to have any installer use existing cable as long as it IS RG6.
You should have called another LOCAL retailer.
I install Dish systems and will use any existing RG6. On my own system I used 1986 RG6 from my old big dish. It works fine.
It it's cabled, I can get a sat picture there!

fred

Fred:

You are correct. I could have done the installation myself, using the existing RG6. The installers subbed out by the satellite company were instructed not to use existing cabling, nor were they willing to route the new cabling other than outside the walls. I chose not to do my own installation since the cable company was more accommodating.

That's part of the problem with dealing acroos the country.
A local retailer will use an employee or contractor like myself, and the parent company does NOT require us to use new cable. If it would fail, then we would run new cable.
Local retailers are usually better to deal with, and most will still be there tomorrow.

glad your happy,
fred

Fred:

I had called the satellite company and was told that new cabling policy is there to avoid potential conflicts with the cable company. This policy has a definite ring of lawyerly advice trumping technical expertise.

On a side note, I was charged a cancellation fee when I cancelled the installation. It took several phone calls and two months to get a refund.