Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

DirectTV vs. DishNetwork redux

I asked for people's opinions on DTV vs. DN awhile ago and got some good feedback. Well, I'm FINALLY getting around to getting a system and had a few specific questions for those that have opinions on it (BTW, both the DTV and DN sites have GOT to be two of the poorest corporate web sites I have ever seen.)

1) I'd like to get Tivo. Does anyone have the DN Tivo system? If I get that, does Tivo ONLY work with the sattellite receiver? If I got a stand-alone Tivo, would that work with the sattelite system?

2) If I go with either system, what is the best dish to get that would limit the need for future upgrades?

3) Has anyone that owns either system gotten any info on the merger of the two companies? Anyone have any idea as to what the merger will do to subscribers, if anything?

4) Anyone using the interent connection for either of the systems? Anyone like it? Can you do two-way traffic (ie, host a server) via it?

5) Anyone know if any deals at the moment (free equipment, installation, etc...)

Any other comments certainly welcome...

__________________
We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: DirectTV vs. DishNetwork redux

quote:

---

Originally posted by homer
[...] 2) If I go with either system, what is the best dish to get that would limit the need for future upgrades?

---

Registered: May 2000
Location:
Posts: 209

Re: DirectTV vs. DishNetwork redux

I think I know some of the answers...

re: #1 - I believe the only integrated satellite Tivo system is with DirectTV -- the DirecTivo. Tivo doesn't have a specific integrated unit for Dish-- for DN, you have two options: Dish's own PVR integrated unit (DishPlayer, I believe), or use a standalone Tivo.

Remember, Dish's own DishPlayer is not Tivo.

A standalone Tivo does work either a standalone DirecTV box or a Dish Network box (as well as a OTA), although the DirecTivo owner will tell you your recording quality will degrade slightly with the SA Tivo unit.

re: #2 - If someone gives you a definite answer to this one, I'd like to hear it, too. Any recommendation would be a speculation. For the "IMHO" category, pick the system that fits your viewing needs and costs. Don't worry about upgrading. Things can and do change over time. Any promises made will be broken :-)

re: #3 - See #2. And don't worry about it until everything is final. Although the following ancedote isn't quite analogous as the DTV/DN merger, just look at the Microsoft anti-trust trial over the last couple of years and the different twists and turns it's taken. And what has that netted non or anti-MS interests?

re: #4 - You can, but note the uplink speed is pretty "slow" compared to traditional hosting services (someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think the uplink is a tad LESS than 1 MB/sec, and not much above above 144K/sec). And both services have small print that says they have the right to terminate your service for such "abuse" :-)

re: $5 - Walk into any Circuit City for deals on DirecTivo (less than $100 for unit and dual LNB dish in some cases). DirecTivo deals are often mentioned at www.tivocommunity.com

Now for the other comments :-) I've never been a DN customer; been a DTV customer since early 1997. DTV's programming suits my needs and I've never had to look elsewhere. I added a SA Tivo unit last year and that suited my needs at the time as 1) I couldn't get my locals on DTV and 2) I can get my locals with my OTA. Hence the SA unit. Worked well.

Over Christmas, I "upgraded" myself to a DirecTivo unit for the main viewing room and moved both the SA DTV unit and SA Tivo unit to the master bedroom. Since DTV added locals to the spot beam in my viewing area, I opted to go with the DirecTivo route.

But I happen to live in an area served by two DMAs-- I'm only getting one of the DMA via DirecTv. For the other DMA, I point my outdoor antenna to that city and if there's anything I want to record from that area, the standalone Tivo handles it.

In both the DirecTV and Tivo cases, after I installed the units, I berated myself for not installing/joining in sooner. That's my only regret... not having them earlier!

Hope that helps.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

Hey guys...thanks for the comments! They help.

__________________
We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne

Registered: May 2001
Location:
Posts: 70

You may want to wait !

Check out the following:

http://www.techtv.com/products/cons...3366931,00.html

If the Moxi Media Player lives up to the hype it will be both change the price of the TIVO and make the way the way we watch and enjoy TV a lot differnt.

Registered: Apr 2002
Location:
Posts: 1

dishnetwork

dishnetworks 501 pvr vs. direct tivo, tivo.

dishnetworks 501pvr is pretty much just like tivo. pause live tv, record on 30gb hard drive. best of all, no monthly, or upfront cost other than the system.

direct tivo, and tive both require 9.99 or so a month for srvc, or 200 some od dollars annually. plus cost of system usually.

info about merger can be found by dish at www.echostarmerger.com

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

Just as a little advice to you, I have been a DirectTV customer for only about 4 months now, but I must say that they have been great. The install was quick and VERY well done (they actually had to rewire alot of our house cause of the quality of the wire, but they did it for free), and the service after that is exceptional. I have a generic Hughes box in my room which works fine, but the good part is the RePlay TV box that I have ontop of it. I use the RePlay for browsing and changing channels, so I barley ever use the DirectTV box. RePlay is MUCH better than Tivo, and if your lucky like me you can find one cheap, ( I got the 800dollar model for 200) on clearance at Tweeter. This type of setup is much better than a combo unit and works beautifully, only downside is that both boxes need to be plugged into a telco line to get thier info, but no biggie. I would reccomend going with this system.

BEN

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: New York City
Posts: 20

tivo vs. replaytv

ok.. let's not start a war.

for the tivo side.. www.tivocommunity.com. many tivo zealots. il love my tivo. it rocks.


lou

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

For the record, we ended up goin with DirecTV. The channel line-up and prices were about the same between the two companies. DishNetwork, though, seemed a lot less organized. Their plans were all over the place and the reviews of their Tivo-like devices were less than stellar. Plus, we got a year's worth of rentals from BlockBuster when we signed up.

The installation, in the end, was fairly easy. The first crew that came out insisted that it be installed on the roof (which I didn't want) and that they couldn't do it due to the ice.

A week later, another guy came out and just attached it to the conduit pipe on the side of our house...a much better location, IMHO for me.

As for Tivo, I dunno...I don't need to be watching more TV than I am, so I'll probably put that purchase on hold...

__________________
We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne