Dish vs Direct TV...Best for home & RV????

[boweavel]

i have had both and prefer direct the satelite is at a higher elevation which makes for reception over low trees and more hd channels very satisfied as for sat internet i also have that by nessecity it is much better than dial up but still fairly slow and costly

[RovinOn]

Have Direct at home and in the RV. Just grab the box and go and have never had a problem. I also have a Kingdome on my roof and have no problems with that as well.

[MONGO MAN]

Dish has a new set top box (available in March) with 2 TB hard drive that will download a library of over 500 HBO-Blockbuster streaming movies & shows to the hard drive via DISH Satellites-NO INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED.
see Hopper - DISH Network

[MONGO MAN]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Since I do not like sports, or high bills, I prefer DISHnetwork. HOWEVER as n RVer, DirecTV has advantages as well, I will list

Antenna options:
DirecTV (NOT DirecHDTV) is 100% compatable with a dual output DOME type antenna (Dual LNB means two outputs, NOT two satellites or Two lNB's. Two of those is called a TWIN) and thus you get all your programming when using a DOME and either 2 receivers (or more) or a dual input DvR (or more) no fighting over which satellite to watch.

Of course with a ground mounted tripod antenna of the proper type, this is not an issue.

DirecHDTV is not compatable with domes.

DISHNETWORK: is compatable with domes however the dome can see only one satellite at a time and you need 2 for regular and 3 for HDTV, depending on the program you wish to watch (Some are on one bird, some on another)

With a single receiver, not a problem, but with multiple receivers or dual channel DVR's... Problem will arise.


Receivers.. i like the software in DISH network receivers way better, the antenna pointing tool in a dish receiver (MENU 6-1-1) is basically the same as a 1,000 plus digital meter used by profisessional installers. Every bit as good. DirecTV's though way better than the common in-line analog meters, is not nearly as good as DISH's.

(Also the user interface Dish uses is based on the DVR's I use. even if DirecTV now owns the rights to the dvr's. but that's a long story)

DVR's.. Dish DVR's are the best made, #1 user interface, and DUAL OUTPUT as well as dual input.. So you can watch one show on one set and another show on another set, No problem.

DirecTV DVR's .. Well the one I had had the #1 WORST user interface per those I hang with on the web (And I don't argue) and only let you watch one show at at time even if the DirecTV sales rep said I could do two.

Still, for an RV, if you plan on using an in-motion dome DirecTV is not the best option It is the ONLY option.

I think you are a bit confused. A in motion dome works equally well for both Direct & Dish Standard def.-----However NO DOME CAN WORK WITH Direct tv High def. programming (DIFFERENT FREQUENCY BAND)
The opposite is in fact true the only option for HD & SD on any type of DOME antenna is DISH NETWORK -Dual output or not any dome can see only one satellite at a time so your real time DVR & viewing options are limited to programs on the same satellite

[Triker56]

The dish itself is around 6 grand. and the service is about 100/mo.
and to top that off, they have bandwidth limits. the dish is made by Motosat, and the service is from HughesNet
And, because it's all tied into Directv. You can get a LNB to attatch to the feed arm to recieve SD DirecTv. I dreamed about it some years ago.
I mean, what fun, a WIFI hotspot, to share, wherever you go. Talk about friends. ...but then, isn't that what my signature says?

Now for the rest corrected story as of lately.
Moto Internet Dish is actually closer to 5K installed. And service from a VAR is $79.99 a month. No extra taxes or service fees like a air card. I have had the Datastorm Internet since Aug. 2003.

They are many used F1's coming on the market at aroun2K or much lower if you check around.
Bandwidth is 425MG a day download only, upload not counted. And all you can download between 2AM-7AM doesn't count in the 425MB. A lot more MB monthly, then any Data air card will give you. And works where they are NO cell towers for many miles.

Hughes.net is not tied into DirecTV any way.
You can put a B.O.W. on the Datastorm Internet dish to receive DirecTV HD but that will be a separate $$$ plan from DTV.

I have had DTV since 1995 and Full time in my MH since 1999. I have 3 Receivers in my MH one SD, one HD and one HD DVR all receiving both coast Networks of DNS in HD. Those 3 receivers feed 4 HD TV's and one CRT TV.
Plus have a off air HD tuner in my Desktop PC.

I can receive DTV through the Winegard Trv'ler or the BOW on the Datastorm dish.

[Triker56]

Originally Posted by MONGO MAN

Dish has a new set top box (available in March) with 2 TB hard drive that will download a library of over 500 HBO-Blockbuster streaming movies & shows to the hard drive via DISH Satellites-NO INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED.
see Hopper - DISH Network

You can add a bigger size Hard Drive to any DirecTV DVR yourself right now. No waiting for a new Receiver.

[Iron Man]

Originally Posted by Triker56

You can add a bigger size Hard Drive to any DirecTV DVR yourself right now. No waiting for a new Receiver.

He is talking about a built in drive for receiver. I have a 2 TB drive connected by USB to my DISH receiver now.

[kjburns]

Originally Posted by tipaulfla

I like sports(especially the NFL) so I am leaning towards direct tv for the NFL Package.

It sounds like DirecTV is your only choice. They have an exclusive contract for the NFL Sunday Ticket. Cable and Dish can't compete for NFL coverage. Other than that, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other. The services aren't that different. We've had both at times and have Dish currently. Dish can use an external hard drive to expand DVR storage, but that may not be a concern for you.

[marvel]

Originally Posted by boweavel

i have had both and prefer direct the satelite is at a higher elevation which makes for reception over low trees and more hd channels very satisfied as for sat internet i also have that by nessecity it is much better than dial up but still fairly slow and costly

I believe you are incorrect about the elevation. Where I am now, the Dish elevation is listed as 37.7 degrees and the Direct TV elevation is (only) 33.4 degrees. Not much difference, but Dish is actually higher on the horizon.

As opposed to 10 years ago virtually all programming is available in HD on both, but fewer MH dishes work with Direct TV HD.

[sdill2236]

Originally Posted by tipaulfla

I am looking into getting direct tv or dish tv. I have checked on reviews for both and of course all you see are the nightmare stories on most reviews.

I like sports(especially the NFL) so I am leaning towards direct tv for the NFL Package.

Has anyone had both services and preferred one over the other?

I want it mainly for home then just grab the receiver for the rv when we are on the road.

Also, is your high speed internet gotten thru the satelite?

Any help would be appreciated, since I value the opinions on this forum more than any other forum.

Thanks in advance,
Tipaulfla
2008 Itasca Sunova 34ft.
2008 Jeep Liberty Toad

I have directv. Love it. Just don't care for talking with them. I had DTV installed 3 years ago. You can have it turned off for 6 months at a time. That didn't work for me. I had it installed at home. This year, I brought 2 receivers to Fl with me. You get a different answer from everyone you talk to. You have to call DTV moving from one place to another, which I didn't do. I stay at the same campground in Fl for 2 or more months. This year I got HD service. In moving, you are suppose to bring ALL your receivers and remotes. You make an appointment. That is what i didn't do. Then they come and get you hooked up. If I had known all their rules, there would not have all the problems. They brought a HD dish. I already have HD service at home. That made things a little more simple. Then I had another question, called them, and that person said she would just turn off service at home and turn it on here on Motor home. No problem! They have a take along plan if you travel around from spot to spot. But that is having separate service for RV. I brought 2 receives so I would have one for both sets, otherwise, you have to watch the same thing on both. Dish doesn't have good HD service. Very poor. Friends use to have it and they switched because they didn't get many HD channels. I have new flat screen tvs. Makes it easier to get channels while on antenna. No convertor need.

Internet is expensive. I have a verizon gizmo. That is my only Internet service. I can just put it in my pocket or purse, and use it where ever. I can use it for IPad, smart phone, and laptop. It is a se ured survice, and, if you want to give the password to someone else they can use it. They have one that is a 3 gig plan and a 5 gig plan. I Take iPad with me while shopping. I can check out where something is cheapest, or where closest store is to me, where to find a restaurant is closest to me. It's great.

Sorry for the long story. I like to put out as much info as possible

[AFChap]

We've used Dish in the motor home since 2005 ...with a MotoSAT twin lnb open face roof top dish since 2006. It has worked great all over the country. One receiver drives two TV's, watch what you want when you want ...third TV outside runs off bedroom feed and with RF remote you can change channels from next door. (and if neighbor has same setup, that can be fun for awhile, then you can change the freq if you don't want more fun). We got dish for the programming, which of course has changed. We don't watch sports, so normally block all those channels so they don't clutter up the menu. :-)

We recently bought a house and added a dual HD receiver for use in the house ...Dish HD works great for us!

Dish does offer a bundled internet service, but the upload link requires a wired connection last I knew ...won't work for mobile setup. We've used Verizon tethered cell phone for internet for several years. It works well except for a few rare locations. We use cable internet in the house ...only real option in that location.

[Eagle123]

Does anyone know if Direct TV's standard receiver with work with an old KVH trac vision LM dish? They will not activate my old sony receiver without an receiver number. Thanks.