# May be time to switch to Direct



## tecman (Dec 18, 2004)

Well I've had my VIP722 for a couple months now (which means 16 months left on contract) and no HD locals in sight. I don't get any OTA stations due to mountains and found out Direct now has all 4 locals in HD. Bad timing I guess. So... bite the bullet and switch or hold out for Dish to get local HD in my area. Hmmm...

Dish has treated me well over the last 15 years and I do like the 722 DVR better than Direct's current models, but not knowing when we will get local HD programming is disappointing.


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## jal (Mar 3, 2005)

You will love the switch to Directv. The new HD channels have a fantastic picture--no hd-lite. Also, the equipment is relatively bug free now, almost of the kinks having been worked out. There isn't much difference between OTA and HD locals, as far as picture quality is concerned. It's very hard to tell the difference.


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## Dood (Mar 16, 2006)

tecman said:


> Well I've had my VIP722 for a couple months now (which means 16 months left on contract) and no HD locals in sight. I don't get any OTA stations due to mountains and found out Direct now has all 4 locals in HD. Bad timing I guess. So... bite the bullet and switch or hold out for Dish to get local HD in my area. Hmmm...
> 
> Dish has treated me well over the last 15 years and I do like the 722 DVR better than Direct's current models, but not knowing when we will get local HD programming is disappointing.


I just switched FROM DirecTv - One of the main reasons is the DVR's are total junk. I went through 3 R15's and just gave up.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

The R15 and HR20/HR21 are two complety different boxes so you really can't compare the two. I have a R15, which until some recent sofware updates was a POS, and two HR20's and very happy with then.


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

Just curious How many threads are there going to be started on the same subject. Can a moderator merge this with one of the "hundreds" of others on this subject.


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## texaswolf (Oct 18, 2007)

whatchel1 said:


> Just curious How many threads are there going to be started on the same subject. Can a moderator merge this with one of the "hundreds" of others on this subject.


On people switching from E* to D*?

Or people like the OP, who can't get locals by E*?

I have heard they fixed the problems with HR20/21...sucks that you have to make a switch because they can't get locals...have they said why?


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

The 1st choice.


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

They probably can't get locals because of a spot beam situation (not enough room on the beam covering his area). I believe this is also the reason I can't get my locals in HD from West Palm Beach.  Although a couple weeks ago I noticed that one channel was sending the HD feed down res'd to SD. This only lasted one night though.


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

jal said:


> You will love the switch to Directv. There isn't much difference between OTA and HD locals, as far as picture quality is concerned. It's very hard to tell the difference.


The exact opposite is true in my market (Cincinnati). DirecTV's HD locals are so overcompressed it is very hard to watch some sporting events. Two of my neighbors complained so much that I helped them put up outside antennas so that they could get the HD locals with the OTA tuner in their DirecTV receiver. The difference is night and day and both of them tell me that they never watch the DirecTV satellite provided HD locals any longer.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

If you are north of San Luis Obispo County, you are in the San Francisco spot beam and should be able to 'move' to the SF DMA and get both SD and HD locals from SF.


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## Deke Rivers (Jan 8, 2007)

whatchel1 said:


> Just curious How many threads are there going to be started on the same subject. Can a moderator merge this with one of the "hundreds" of others on this subject.


exactly..i learn jack squat from all these "im leaving posts"..if you are impatient leave ..but leave quietly


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## msmith198025 (Jun 28, 2007)

tecman said:


> Well I've had my VIP722 for a couple months now (which means 16 months left on contract) and no HD locals in sight. I don't get any OTA stations due to mountains and found out Direct now has all 4 locals in HD. Bad timing I guess. So... bite the bullet and switch or hold out for Dish to get local HD in my area. Hmmm...
> 
> Dish has treated me well over the last 15 years and I do like the 722 DVR better than Direct's current models, but not knowing when we will get local HD programming is disappointing.


Depends on how important locals are to you. Personally paying for TV id have to have the networks, but thats just me. 
Ive heard the ViP 722 is an excellent box, but given time, i think you would be pleased with the HR-20.
Dont listen to everyone complaining about the thread, you needed help deciding and its really really easy to skip over the threads that people dont want to read, especially when its titled like you titled this one


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## johnboy27 (May 28, 2007)

Hi Tecman, I live up in the "North County". I "moved" to L.A. to get HD. I maybe switching to D* to get the locals in HD in 2008. Hopefully E* will get it going or it's bye bye!


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## T.A.C (Apr 29, 2007)

> So... bite the bullet and switch or hold out for Dish to get local HD in my area. Hmmm...
> 
> Dish has treated me well over the last 15 years and I do like the 722 DVR better than Direct's current models, but not knowing when we will get local HD programming is disappointing.


Sounds like you already have it figured out. Here's one quick tip! If D* has it (HD locals) then E* is shortly to follow behind them, if not having those locals in HD first.

The scoop that some folks seem to overlook is that the providers care less if D* has them and E* doesn't. Actually, they would love it if ALL providers could pony up the cash tp carry their signal, which is simply not the case most of the time. Other then money, their are laborious contracts that have to be signed and those do take some time.

Hang in there! If youre happy with E* then just hang tight and your locals will come. Remember, if Direct TV has the locals, EchoStar will be following closely behind, give or take a few months...


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

T.A.C said:


> Sounds like you already have it figured out. Here's one quick tip! If D* has it (HD locals) then E* is shortly to follow behind them, if not having those locals in HD first.
> 
> The scoop that some folks seem to overlook is that the providers care less if D* has them and E* doesn't. Actually, they would love it if ALL providers could pony up the cash tp carry their signal, which is simply not the case most of the time. Other then money, their are laborious contracts that have to be signed and those do take some time.
> 
> Hang in there! If youre happy with E* then just hang tight and your locals will come. Remember, if Direct TV has the locals, EchoStar will be following closely behind, give or take a few months...


If this is true do you have Info. on when locals will be available in HD for the Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo, Mich. market? D* has had them for 1 year now and E* still cannot predict an approximate date yet. As an installer of E* it would be nice to have an idea so I can answer people when they ask.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you might provide.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

T.A.C said:


> Sounds like you already have it figured out. Here's one quick tip! If D* has it (HD locals) then E* is shortly to follow behind them, if not having those locals in HD first.


Facts to back that up? I live in Austin TX. D* fired up HD locals here fall last year. At CES in 2006 E* listed a bunch of markets to get HD locals ( http://ekb.dbstalk.com/hdlocal.htm ) with Austin being one of those, Austin still does not have HD locals from E*. And if you check that link you'll see that there's a number of other cities where E* was supposed to get HD locals in 2006 that are still waiting.

Just for comparison, here's a link http://hr20.dbstalk.com/html/DIRECTV_lil_list.html that lists the D* HD LIL cities currently up and running.


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

> If youre happy with E* then just hang tight and your locals will come. Remember, if Direct TV has the locals, EchoStar will be following closely behind, give or take a few months...


Actually, this is very debatable. It takes alot more than just saying that Dish will get locals than it actually happening. West Palm Beach was switched on on Directv AGES ago.  Dish hasn't made a move on providing them because they don't have the room on the spot beam that covers West Palm Beach. I would love to have my HD locals, that doesn't mean that it will happen anytime soon. West Palm Beach never even made the list that RAD refers to.


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