# Feature/Gadget differences between Dish and Direct



## xcr440sp (Apr 7, 2008)

Ok I'm looking at switching from Directv to Dish Network. I'm wondering about the differences. I can compare channels and for me it makes no difference. Now what about features. I'm assuming dish has no equivalent to "whole home DVR" which I'll miss What other differences (I like gadgets) are there. Slingbox looks cool for Dish. What about recording times on HDDVRs? In the past I know Dish had better guides and quicker recievers, is this still true?


Anything else I should consider (besides chanels and price, already got that covered)?


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

The main things that Dish's HD-DVR (722/722k) have the DirecTV doesn't:

- Dual outputs - can run a second room in Dual Mode (SD outputs only, though).
- PiP capability when running in Single Mode
- Speed (unless you have the HR24, which is about the same)
- The ability to record 3 (722) or even 4 (722k) shows simultaneously, IF you have an OTA antenna connected, and in the case of the 722k, if you purchase the *optional* tuner module, which contains 2 OTA tuners. The 722 comes with one built-in OTA tuner.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

xcr440sp said:


> Slingbox looks cool for Dish.


You know you could always get a Slingbox Solo and connect it to a DirecTV receiver? Right now, except for the Dish 922 HD DVR you'd need to do that for any other Dish receiver to get Slingbox access.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

RAD said:


> You know you could always get a Slingbox Solo and connect it to a DirecTV receiver? Right now, except for the Dish 922 HD DVR you'd need to do that for any other Dish receiver to get Slingbox access.


DISHOnline.com integrated with a Solo works pretty good. Full access to what you have on the DVR with the ability to set and manage timers via the web interface. And if you want to play something off of the DVR you press play and it plays via the slingbox in a window just like the streamed content available online.

One can also use the Slingbox software to control the receiver via it's own menus (like one would control a non-DISH receiver) but having the web interface makes it easier to work without the delay of sending remote IR commands and stepping through the menus, pausing for latency.


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## mountaintop (Oct 2, 2010)

They have a eastern arc sat which is around 62 & 72 all MPEG4. If you have a tree issue this helps.


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## xcr440sp (Apr 7, 2008)

Ok, some of those have me interested. Can you get a 722K from Dish by request or do they send you what they want? I'll be replacing 3 HD DVRs so I was thinking 1 922, but they show the 612 for the other 2. Is there a way to get the 722k to get the 4 recording at a time and the larger hard drive for my other 2 TV's?


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## mountaintop (Oct 2, 2010)

I switched about a week ago and I suggest you go on their web site and add the TV's needed to get the 722 or 922. I have one vip722 and two vip622. I used four tv's to make it work. I really only have three but want to add one one day. I looked at getting the 922 and it required five tv's but I decided on the 722.
I also added($30) external hard drives to all three units and can use sneaker net to move recordings around. Not the best but it works


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

xcr440sp said:


> Ok, some of those have me interested. Can you get a 722K from Dish by request or do they send you what they want? I'll be replacing 3 HD DVRs so I was thinking 1 922, but they show the 612 for the other 2. Is there a way to get the 722k to get the 4 recording at a time and the larger hard drive for my other 2 TV's?


Sure. You just have to tell Dish that you need service for more TVs. Dish assumes that a Duo receiver is ALWAYS going to be connected to 2 TVs, and if you *don't* tell them you have 2 TVs, they'll try to give you a Solo receiver (ViP612) instead.

You might want to note the monthly cost of additional receivers. After your first receiver, which is included in your package price, this is what you pay monthly for each additional receiver, by type:

- Solo receiver - $7
- Solo DVR - $10
- Duo receiver - $14
- Duo DVR - $17

The 922 is also a special case, increasing the monthly DVR fee to $10/month. And you can only have one leased 922 per account.

The monthly receiver charges add up fast, so go in knowing what it's gonna cost you.


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## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

BattleZone said:


> The main things that Dish's HD-DVR (722/722k) have the DirecTV doesn't:
> 
> *- Dual outputs - can run a second room in Dual Mode (SD outputs only, though).*
> - PiP capability when running in Single Mode
> ...


The problem with the "dual mode" is that each set gets one of the two tuners. So, the end result, is that you can only record one show at a time. That was something I couldn't live with personally.

That said, I'm a single guy with two sets (one HD and one SD) its pretty close to ideal. I ran it in "single mode" but had a coax line going to the SD set downstairs. Dish gives you two remotes, on RF. So, it worked out great for me.


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