# help making switch from twc



## lobstercraven (Oct 13, 2011)

Hi
Im in the process of switching to satelite tv. I need help choosing between the two, dish/ direct. 

my only concerns are the performance of the receivers & dvr's. we have 6 tv's. Im only interested in tv and using one or two dvr's. any thoughts or links comparing the dish two room receivers with the direct whole home dvr.

my only problem with twc was constant freezing & skipping with the dvr. after numerous switch outs Ive had enough.
just looking for the best choice in receiver/ dvr performance. thanks chris

marantz sr 8002/ via hdmi sony kdl 46 xbr4


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

Six TVs but how many HD and how many SD?


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## lobstercraven (Oct 13, 2011)

RasputinAXP said:


> Six TVs but how many HD and how many SD?


 3 & 3


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

With Dish - That would normally get you with 3 Dual tuner VIP receivers (one for each pair of HD/SD), With the TV2 output going to the SD TV.


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## lobstercraven (Oct 13, 2011)

scooper said:


> With Dish - That would normally get you with 3 Dual tuner VIP receivers (one for each pair of HD/SD), With the TV2 output going to the SD TV.


Im more interested in which way to go . dish or direct. Im leaning towards direct but are their dvr's and receivers as good as the dish?


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

DIRECTV's receivers got a bad rap for reliability in 07 and 08 but they're really solid now. They do allow for as many DVRs as you want, as well as a fairly decent whole-home (multi-room viewing) setup.


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

I'd generally say that in my experience I've preferred Dish's receivers to Direct. Overall, though, I'd be really wary pricingwise of doing 6 TV's on Dish.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

The ratio of TVs to pairs of eyes is a critical element of the question. If you have fewer viewers, the DIRECTV system can be a be a better fit. If you have a number of independent viewers that you don't want/need sharing content with others, DISH is probably a better solution.

With the current DIRECTV solution, you want to have at least half as many HD DVRs as you have independent viewers and the balance of the TVs would need an HD receiver (regardless of whether the TV is SD or HD).

DISH's setup requires three HD DVRs and everyone enjoys full DVR service with a reduced level of sharing.

You didn't say whether over-the-air TV programming is an issue but DISH probably has the advantage there.


We can hatch and destroy theories all day long but in the end, it comes down to which seems more comfortable for you and the rest of your housemates to use. You can get an idea of how DIRECTV equipment works at most Best Buy stores and DISH equipment is featured at most Radio Shack and Sears stores.

If you can find local satellite storefronts, you will probably get much more comprehensive insight on how things really work.


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## lobstercraven (Oct 13, 2011)

harsh said:


> The ratio of TVs to pairs of eyes is a critical element of the question. If you have fewer viewers, the DIRECTV system can be a be a better fit. If you have a number of independent viewers that you don't want/need sharing content with others, DISH is probably a better solution.
> 
> With the current DIRECTV solution, you want to have at least half as many HD DVRs as you have independent viewers and the balance of the TVs would need an HD receiver (regardless of whether the TV is SD or HD).
> 
> ...


not sure what you mean by " over the air " . pricing was about the same with both companies. direct had the whole home dvr with 5 other receivers. dish had one 722 dvr and two double output receivers to cover the six tv's. there is very seldom more then two tv's in use at once.

I not hearing alot about that " whole home dvr!! trying to compare it to the dish 722. thanks


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

lobstercraven said:


> not sure what you mean by " over the air " .


Oof! What planet are you from?


> pricing was about the same with both companies.


The pricing isn't what you asked about. You asked for a hardware comparison.


> direct had the whole home dvr with 5 other receivers.


If you have only two viewers, you'll probably need at least two HD DVRs. Each HD DVR can serve the TV that it is connected to plus one of the other five boxes. If two people want to watch recordings on TVs that aren't directly connected to the HD DVR, one will be out of luck.


> dish had one 722 dvr and two double output receivers to cover the six tv's. there is very seldom more then two tv's in use at once.


An HD Duo DVR and two HD Duo receivers will only offer DVR functionality on one HDTV and one SDTV. The other four will be limited to live TV or sharing the SD output of the HD DVR. Not a favorable situation.


> I not hearing alot about that " whole home dvr!! trying to compare it to the dish 722. thanks


They aren't much the same. It is easier to think of the ViP722 as an HD DVR and an SD DVR.

What you might want to do is wait for the upcoming whole home solutions from DIRECTV (HR34) and DISH Network (XiP813). They are true whole home solutions that can serve the connected TV and three other TVs with DVR functionality simultaneously.


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## lobstercraven (Oct 13, 2011)

harsh said:


> Oof! What planet are you from?The pricing isn't what you asked about. You asked for a hardware comparison.If you have only two viewers, you'll probably need at least two HD DVRs. Each HD DVR can serve the TV that it is connected to plus one of the other five boxes. If two people want to watch recordings on TVs that aren't directly connected to the HD DVR, one will be out of luck.An HD Duo DVR and two HD Duo receivers will only offer DVR functionality on one HDTV and one SDTV. The other four will be limited to live TV or sharing the SD output of the HD DVR. Not a favorable situation.They aren't much the same. It is easier to think of the ViP722 as an HD DVR and an SD DVR.
> 
> What you might want to do is wait for the upcoming whole home solutions from DIRECTV (HR34) and DISH Network (XiP813). They are true whole home solutions that can serve the connected TV and three other TVs with DVR functionality simultaneously.


ha ha. no Im from the same planet , probably just a little older then you. I assume (since you didnt answer ) that ota is with a router. but I never like to assume this day and age with electronics.

the only reason I mentioned pricing was that another poster asked me if it mattered.

thanks for all the other info..it helped.


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

Over the air meaning with an antenna, over the air.


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## lobstercraven (Oct 13, 2011)

got it. thanks


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## gsocal2011 (Oct 23, 2011)

So what is the consensus here? DirectTV or Dish? So many mixed responses, obviously the grass is always greener on the other side. Would love to hear from someone that's had both.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

I've recently had both, but there is no single answer. Each has advantages the other lacks. Neither is superior in every way. Best thing to do it list your priorities and pick the provider that matches them the best. In general here are some things to consider:

Dish advantages:
- More basic HD content
- Lower monthly cost for small systems
- More low cost programming options
- Integrated Sling
- Slightly better SD picture quality on the eastern arc
- Better online DVR management and streaming

DirecTV advantages:
- More sports content (regionals, Sunday Ticket, etc.)
- More on-demand and pay-per-view titles
- Multi-room viewing
- Lower monthly cost for large systems
- Slightly better HD picture quality
- More energy efficient receivers
- DVRs have more features like limited media share, quick tune, one-touch recording, boolean search, more metadata, tv apps, youtube, etc.

HD content is my top priority by far, so I personally prefer Dish.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

But it depends on what HD content is important to you. For me, I only watch one show on one channel that DirecTV doesn't have in HD, so it's not a major point for me.

If one has a lot of HD channels that are important for you (or spouse etc), then it's a very valid point to consider but you don't want to get into the this carrier has 50 more HD channels that I don't watch. For me, the DirecTV advantages you list on #3 and #7 trump no BBC America.

What it comes down to is a very individual decision. There are pros and cons for every provider in an area.


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## kristen5412 (Oct 31, 2011)

Thanks for sharing the information..its very informative.


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