Thinking of switching to DISH after many years with DirecTV. Anyone have any experience with it? Biggest question I have is how the VOD works. With DirecTV, I have to connect my receiver via Ethernet cable to the receiver, and it downloads programs that way, which typically means that a movie will have to buffer for a few minutes before we can begin watching it. Does DISH do it the same way, or does the programming come over the satellite along with other programming? Does programming need to buffer before it becomes watchable?

Might have some other questions as well...

TIA

Re: DISH Network v DirecTV

this doesnt answer your questions but ............... I know two people with DISH and they both complain massively about the times it goes down/out/very poor signal, due to weather conditions. subsequently I personally wouldnt consider it - unless i had no alternatives. they both are in NW Indiana (if it makes a difference).

just 2 cents.

Re: DISH Network v DirecTV

Thanks for the response, although I already have DirecTV and haven't had serious issues with weather interference. It will go out occasionally, but it has to be really, really coming down...

Re: DISH Network v DirecTV

I have Dish right now and moved from DirecTV. I don't have any issues with Dish but I do not use VOD. My only gripe is I don't have the MLB channel (but there are plenty of other channels that I can watch games on). Other than that I do lose a signal but only if it is really coming down. We moved from DirecTV because they wanted to charge us $299 per box. [URL="http://www.mercuryserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54803&highlight=DirecTV"]I made a thread about this when I was thinking of moving.[/URL]

I will say that after being with Dish for over a year now I have no complaints.

Re: DISH Network v DirecTV

[QUOTE=Funky Dredd;786924]I have Dish right now and moved from DirecTV. I don't have any issues with Dish but I do not use VOD. My only gripe is I don't have the MLB channel (but there are plenty of other channels that I can watch games on). Other than that I do lose a signal but only if it is really coming down. We moved from DirecTV because they wanted to charge us $299 per box. [URL="http://www.mercuryserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54803&highlight=DirecTV"]I made a thread about this when I was thinking of moving.[/URL]

I will say that after being with Dish for over a year now I have no complaints.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, and thanks for the reminder on that earlier thread, which I see I actually chimed in on, lol.

My main incentive for switching is this: I've had DirecTV for eons -- I like the service, but the main reason I've never even considered changing is that they are the only place to get the NFL Sunday Ticket thing. Unfortunately, they seem to ramp the cost of the service up every friggin' year, and a couple of years ago, they added this Superfan thing for another $100 which gives you access to games in HD (which you used to get for free). Speaking of which, who has the money to blow $300 on this service but doesn't mind watching the games in Standard Def? It effectively increases the price to $400 for the service.

Anyhoo, a year or so back they introduced the RedZone channel, which is a truly revolutionary thing. Every time a team is close to scoring, it flips over to that game. Two games with teams threatening? They split the screen. I've seen as many as 3 games at once on there, and it's great because you never miss a significant play. Even in the event someone breaks off a long play, they flip right over to that game or show you a replay. It's like watching a live highlight reel. It's all I watch anymore.

It's actually [I]literally [/I]all I watch anymore -- the rest of it is just surplusage. Unfortunately, to get the RedZone channel on DirecTV, you have to get the NFL Sunday Ticket and the Superfan thing.

DISH, however, has just started offering it as part of their sports package, which is like $5.99/month. Hmmmmm, $400 or $5.99 a month for a package I'd probably want to get anyway? Pretty tempting to switch -- just want to make sure I'm not jumping to a really inferior product.

Re: DISH Network v DirecTV

I was going to say...I just saw a commercial for that just the other day. When I switched I was going through the same decisions, but after getting pissed off with DirecTV we just moved and took the bumps as they came along. There weren't that many for me, my only problem really was trying to figure out what channels were on what number. I had DirecTV for about 10 years but after a few weeks I actually started to like it more (Dish) than DirecTV. Oh and customer service was for me ten times better than DirecTV.

Re: DISH Network v DirecTV

As it turns out, if you call to cancel DirecTV on this basis, they are prepared to cut some pretty generous deals. :p8)

Re: DISH Network v DirecTV

I like getting the NFL package and that's not available on Dish. Also, DirecTV just came out with an iPhone App for programming and browsing shows on your phone as well as an NFL app for the NFL packaged games to the phone. I tried it out last Sunday and it worked like a charm.

Re: DISH Network v DirecTV

[QUOTE=janky;789023]I like getting the NFL package and that's not available on Dish. Also, DirecTV just came out with an iPhone App for programming and browsing shows on your phone as well as an NFL app for the NFL packaged games to the phone. I tried it out last Sunday and it worked like a charm.[/QUOTE]

True, but the RedZone channel is available on Dish now for $6/month, and that's all I watch anymore. The rest of its just surplusage...