Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Dish vs Directv (Read 901 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Dish vs Directv

Yahoo Message Number: 66672
Is there anyone out there that is using Dish as your Sat provider? If so, do they allow you to call in, after changing your location, to have them switch you to the local HD stations? I was told that they will do this if you call in with the Zip code of your current location. They, evidently, do not offer Distant Network Service like our friends? (enemies) at Directv.
I am completely fed up with the treatment we have received from Direct the last 3 months. We recently put our coach in storage in SLC and drove home to WA in the tow car. After we arrived at home I called Direct to have them shut off the DNS and turn on the local SEA feeds. The fellow I talked with said, "If you turn off the DNS, you'll have to apply for a waiver again to get the DNS turned back on". So I left it alone, as we had just written twice to their address in CO to get the Distant Networks turned on after we left home in October in the coach. Then several days later we turned on the TV and the Distant networks had been turned off. So then, back to the phone to ask "why?". Then they say, "Oh, you have to have 2 separate accounts. One for the home, and a different one for the coach". When I asked why, they said it was a "government regulation". And, they said, we could no longer move the DVR receiver from the coach into the house. Again, they blamed it on the government. I have a hard time believing that the FCC is really into the minute details of how Direct does business.
I talked to MotoSat, as we have a open face MotoSat HD dish for Directv on the coach, the tech said I could convert the HD dish to DISH Network for $195. All it takes is a new arm & LNBs, no change to the controller inside (it needs the chip reprogrammed).
We are ready to switch to DISH, unless we hear a lot of bad things about them. We already know how bad Directv is.

Thanks for any and all inputs.

Brad Ward

2000 Magna 5916

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66673
We have had Dish for many years. We also got the two account thing some years ago from Dish. We dropped the second account they also said was government. I think the cable guys got this law passed. One has to watch what laws the cable guys can get passed. The cable guys are very scared of the satellite guys and try to hamper what they can offer in service.

We have a DVR in house and just a receiver in the coach. If the coach receiver has no satellite signal for a period of time it shuts down the HD stations and I have to call and have it reset. They are very, very good about doing so. Last time I asked if there was anyway to keep from having to call them and they said no, just call, they are glad to help. They have not asked the location of it. I was told last time I could call in and they would set the location for us as well.

Now Dish offers pay as you go as well, look on there website for details. I have no complaints with Dish. They have improved there customer service as of late and it is top notch. Some of the gals are fun to visit with while we both wait for the receiver to reset, they stay on the line until everything is working as it should.

Leonard Kerns
97' Magna

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66674

I would be willing to bet, if you indeed switch to Dish Network. You will wish you had not, but will be stuck with their contract for about 2 years.
Direct can be bad service, but most people find after a short while, Dish is worse.

Dale Morris 91 savanna #4702

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66675

I am afraid they are telling you the correct situation. You really need to blame our elected officials who let the pressure from local TV broadcasters limit our options. It's all about money, the local TV stations want the satellite providers to send them more of it and they hope your complaints will result in doing just that.
In order for us to receive DNS in our coach we need a separate duplicate account at full price from DirecTV. They did not make these rules but I won't pay it. I can crank up the OTA antenna and push a button or two on the hardware selector for the local stations. We have had very, very few locations where we could not receive those networks we were interested in.

Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66676
Have had Dish for many years (switched from Direct).
You can call to change location, but sometimes they will tell you they must charge a $5 change fee. I have always talked them out of it.
I accidentally discovered (when I visited my brother in Chicago) that Chicago's local channels are still working in San Diego, so I have not bothered to change location. I am full time and have two duel tuner HD DVRs, so I can record shows early and watch at my convenience with commercial skip as a bonus.
Their customer service, like most, is hit and miss. It depends on the individual rep.

Bob Wexler
SOB

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66677
Don't know how long you have been with DirecTV, but if you decide to switch to Dish make sure you will not be charged an early termination fee. We were never able to get decent service with our set-up from Direct, so, explained the situation and cancelled the contract. Direct went back 10 years to a card we had used when we had DirecTV at home and charged us an exorbitant fee for early termination. We were in Alaska at the time and did not realize what had happened until our daughter called that we kept getting correspondence from this old credit card that we hadn't used since 2002. Long story short , we had a mess, but with persistence and threats of filing suit on our part, we were able to get things straightened out. I have made up my mind I will use rv park cable, or the over the air antenna before I go back to DirecTV. We have had very good luck with Dish though.

Sharon Brandt, `06 Intrigue, #11964

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66678
It is strange the different ways Directv sets accounts differently for different folks. I've had directv for about 13 years and I have three receivers, two at home and one in the motorhome (my account shows that I have one in the motorhome). I've never had to apply for a 2nd account and I've never had to apply for an exemption from local networks, I've had east and west coast networks for years on all receivers. Nice thing about that is that I can watch an west coast network progam if I missed it on east coast or on my local channels and I can also watch some football games that I would otherwise not have gotten on my local network channel. When traveling in the motorhome I do lose the local home network channels when I get about 90 miles away from home but I continue to get the east and west coast networks no matter where I travel. I don't understand why they have so many different ways to screw this up for some folks.

Ray

2000 Intrigue 11040

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66683
It is strange. I had Directv years ago. Huge hassles over rv account. After they turned me off in the middle of the wilderness for the third time, I went to Dish about 8 years ago. No rv hassles whatsoever. I get distant network feeds via americas choice. I travel from the canadian border to the mexican border with no problems whatsoever. I think I have an rv waiver for my dns.

Rich 2002 magna

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66692
We have had DirecTV for 12 years, starting in our stick house, moving to fulltime in the coach, and now with coach and stick house. We have an HD DVR in the house and an old non-leased TIVO DVR in the coach. We get local channels and DNS West in the house and DNS in the coach. We don't pay extra for the coach receiver but do pay a lease fee for the HD DVR. I think in the current environment you can get DNS and locals on the same receiver and don't have to switch back and forth unless the extra $15.00 per month for DNS causes you great heartburn when you are not in the coach.

Bob

'05 Intrigue 11872

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66718
Rich, Ray, Bob, and Bob,

Thanks for your inputs. Seems like each of us has had a different experience with Directv, they just aren't consistent with their policies.
I found out that we still have until May 2011 for our two year commitment to be fulfilled, I think our decision is to switch to Dish.

Brad

2000 Magna 5916
 

Re: Dish vs Directv

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66725
I've found that if you tell them you are unhappy & are going to the other one they tend to give up somethings . have you tried this? I've had both, the only reason I have Direct now is box size, my '02magna won't accept a Dish box(too long) to fit. by the way I leave (1) box in the coach but when it comes out of the garage I have to call to get it turned on. when we move to our other house I just take the boxes out of one house & install them in the other house. last year was the first time they told me I had to call for a box mover who would come to our house & move the boxes 1500mi. to our other house,I already had them installed in our other house. HUH I just hung up called back got another tech .who said WT- he never heard of this , and went ahead & turned it on . this year no problem. good luck. '02 Magna 6028 Bob h.
--- On Wed, 12/22/10, sno4us2 wrote: