Dish Network - Pros/Cons

[harski]

Considering jumping over to Dish Network to save a few bucks without sacraficing to much service/picture quality and sports. The one specific question I have is how many NFL games does the Sports Alternative pick up? We order the Sunday Ticket from Direct right now and the cost is getting out of hand none the less adding HD to it. The wife is a 49er fan and I am a Bears fan so it would be great if we could get these games on the Foxnet offered in the regions that Dish Network offers. Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!

Harski

 

[yamahauler]

I have been thinking of doing the same.

I was trying to look for a comparison chart as far as what channels does the one provide that the other doesn't.

 

[xcr440]

They are pretty similar in channel choices. You will ONLY get the games that are broadcast Nationally, you can't pick and choose the games you want.

Being a Viking fan in the middle of cheese land, I struggled with the NFL Sunday Ticket as well, and decided that enough of the games would be on here because of Favre, that I wouldn't miss many, and those that I would, a local place has the ticket, I can go there.

Really, they are a 6 of one, half dozen of the other. Take your pick if you don't have to get those "premium" packages.

 

[slimcake]

If you go through the services with Dish network they are not any cheaper than Direct TV. I hate both companies but if you don't want to give up programming you will pay the same!!

 

[dab102999]

Call direct, tell them you are switching and why (this is only if you are really going to switch) and see what they offer ya. I don't pay or have never paid for the nfl ticket or anything like that but did consider dropping them and going back to regular cable about two years after my contract was up. They knocked my bill down $25 a month for 4 more years and give me "free" movie coupons all the time. (this 4 years is not another contract either)

 

[whitedust]

Direct works better for me Dish cut out every rain storm. Bear fan & Vikes fan so pay for NFL ticket & Dish does not have NFL ticket. Both suck you in with low price then eventually about the same for standard packages. Overall I like Direct better.

 

[jhg]

I just put in DISH at the end of November at our house in Hurley. I went with DISH since I can take the box and use it at our hunting camp near Mercer (I installed a satellite dish at the camp). I understand that DIRECT does not allow you move the box from one location to another.

DISH works very well for my purposes. I wanted to be able to get football games, especially the Packers. However, I found that I only get the games that the Duluth stations carry since Hurley is considered to be in the area for local channels out of Duluth which may or may not include the PACK. The local channel programing carries over to the hunting camp. Usually it's the VIKES which I can live with. However, it would be nice if I could get local programing out of the Wisconsin stations (Wausau, etc) when at the camp so I can be sure to get the Packers. Does anyone know if this can be done?

Thanks.

Jim

 

[whitedust]

Dish used give you choice of a couple network locations & worked well for football games if GB or Bear Fan. Then Feds said NO you HAVE to broadcast local networks. So no you can't do that anymore due to fed regs. Sorry but no can do.

 

[xcr440]

I understand that DIRECT does not allow you move the box from one location to another.

False. You can take the box with DirecTV anywhere as well, as long as you have the dish. I did this when I had a cabin. In fact, when the installer came to hook me up, he had pre-assembled a new dish, and since my house already had the dishes from the previous owner, I asked if I could have the new dish, and he gave it to me.

The only caveat is that you need two dishes for DirecTV, one national, and one local. I just pointed at the national satellite, good enough for me.

 

[jhg]

Thanks Whitedust...I thought that was the case, but wasn't sure.

 

[98panther]

I have dish also, I'd rather have the Eau claire stations or anything in Wi.
But I'm less than a mile to far north, very bottom edge of Sawyer county.
So they only let me have the Duluth Stations.

I'm thinking of calling and changing my zip code, they can't mail anything there anyway. It gets mailed to my house.

IMO, Dish or Direct cost is both ridiculous

 

[caged_beagle]

False. You can take the box with DirecTV anywhere as well, as long as you have the dish. I did this when I had a cabin. In fact, when the installer came to hook me up, he had pre-assembled a new dish, and since my house already had the dishes from the previous owner, I asked if I could have the new dish, and he gave it to me.

The only caveat is that you need two dishes for DirecTV, one national, and one local. I just pointed at the national satellite, good enough for me.

Is this really true? I could take my DirecTV DVR from Illinois and hook it up to my dish in Michigan and it will work? Please clarify this because it would save me $65.99 a month if I didnt have to pay for service in Mich. Thanks

 

[t_man]

My cousin takes his DirecTV box back and forth from home to the cabin with no problem. Just need the sat dish there.

I believe he could also change the location profile on the box and then get the local channels where he was located, but I'm not sure how he did it. I haven't tried it myself. (No TV at the cabin for me - part of the attraction of the cabin is to get away from it.)

 

[yamahauler]

my bro-in-law brings his dish and receiver with him camping everywhere he goes, works just fine.

 

[xcr440]

Is this really true? I could take my DirecTV DVR from Illinois and hook it up to my dish in Michigan and it will work? Please clarify this because it would save me $65.99 a month if I didnt have to pay for service in Mich. Thanks

100% True. Even with Dish Network, my parents took their Dish with them on Vacation to Arizona and California, by camper with 4-wheelers that is.

 

[formanek]

I understand that DIRECT does not allow you move the box from one location to another.

That is not accurate. I have Directv with 5 receivers. We have a lake home (park model) and I installed an older Directv dish I had laying around at the lake and took a receiver out there. When I called to have the receiver activated they asked me for a phone number. I told them we have no phone at the lake other than cellular. Not a problem they said. What they do is just add another receiver to the house bill for ONLY $4.95 per month. The nice thing is I get ALL of the same programming I do at home at the lake and it is just an additional receiver charge. They told me on the phone they don't care where it is located. The only thing it does is means you will get the local channels from where your home base is, not the lake or in your case cabin. When I am not using the receiver at the lake I have it installed in my shop at home. Don't even have to call Directv because the CARD is always active and doesn't care where you are.

 

[xcr440]

The only thing it does is means you will get the local channels from where your home base is, not the lake or in your case cabin.

But don't you need 2 dishes for DirecTV local channel pick up? Or did they change that now? I know I still have 2 dishes, 1 for national channels, 1 local channels.

 

[formanek]

But don't you need 2 dishes for DirecTV local channel pick up? Or did they change that now? I know I still have 2 dishes, 1 for national channels, 1 local channels.

Don't need two dishes. Directv will actually come and put up a new dish for free if you tell them what you are doing. It all depends at which satellite you aim at. The dish I have at the lake can handle HD as well, but I don't use it. Just aimed it at the main satellite. I am pretty sure that Directv now just pushes the locals through the signal that comes with the regular channels. It knows by how the technician that activates the system over the phone sets the locals to. That will always be your home address. Contract with local stations says it must be.

 

[harvest1121]

I have an extra direct tv dish if anyone would need it. Its hd but not for the locals. Its a 3 box dish. If anyone wants it let me know I am 40 miles south of Chicago.

 

[xcr440]

Don't need two dishes. Directv will actually come and put up a new dish for free if you tell them what you are doing. It all depends at which satellite you aim at.

Sweet, I'll have to do that when I move or get another cabin. For now, I only have one residence so it doesn't matter how many dishes I have to get my signals. I'm sure they'll do it if I step up to an HD setup.