I just switched to DirectTV from Dish Network...

...and I'm already regretting this decision.

Programming-wise, the 2 services aren't all that different. DirectTV has way more sports options, which I don't really give a shit about, but it's lacking G4TV now... so I am missing out on all those Ninja Warrior and Cops reruns...

The biggest issue I have with DirectTV is that after all these years their receivers are still way behind what everyone else is doing.

The program guide browsing ins sluggish as hell and the dvr doesn't have a one-click auto-tune option, which SHOULD be present on ANY modern receiver.

Dish Network's DVR used a single receiver with RF remotes to connect 2 tvs. When you did this with your DVR receiver that meant your second tv had full dvr functionality. You could pause/rewind live tv on both the tvs that used it etc...

Direct TV's pitch to counter what Dish does is that they give you your HD DVR for your main TV and a second HD receiver that can connect to your DVR from any room. What they don't tell you is this second receiver does not have any basic dvr funtionality built in at all. The only options you have are to tell the DVR to record a single show or to play back something you have already recorded.

And the playback is like using windows media center. It streams the video, has to buffer, and the skip features for skipping commercials and such are slower than shit.

At least I get that low "new customer" rate and all the equipment was free, but after my 2 year contract is up, I'm pretty sure I'll be going back to Dish Network.

</rant>

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EyeLovePoozy 2011-04-07 10:20:10

I gave up satellite after getting sick and tired of cloudy skies making me lose signal. Doesn't that piss you off?

PsychoGoldfish 2011-04-07 10:20:10

actually it's never been a big deal here, my signals have worked fine in cloudiness, snowfall, etc... maybe it's just because I'm ober 5k feet closer to the satellites than you are haha

Sterance 2011-04-07 10:31:41

my parents have used dish since they had a massive rotating receiver in the 90's. pretty good company, and they will almost always give you free shit if you complain.

Jolly 2011-04-07 17:16:19

The new DirecTv box (Which I believe is made by DirecTv themself) sucks. I have the TiVo brand box in my room. It's amazing.

Too bad DirecTv hasn't supported TiVo for several years.

FourSwordsKing 2011-04-07 17:48:11

We used Dish for years, then switched over because, believe it or not, we were getting worse signal connection with Dish then then what we do with sprinkling rain with DirectTV now.

Boss 2011-04-07 18:15:54

i have a google tv HEEHEE!!!A

Ronald-McDonald-LoL 2011-04-07 19:50:33

Sounds like you got screwed. I only had one problem with Dish, and thats when they blocked the Fox Sports networks during their dispute. No one interrupts my hockey games.

They restored it after maybe a month. In ten years, that was our only problem.

ilovevideogames 2011-04-07 21:32:41

yeah its bad i had i once but now i have cable

SteelChair 2011-04-08 00:24:39

TimeWarner cable took out fucking TruTV, how the fuck am I gonna watch Cops and Operation Repo? Well, I still have pawnstars :3

Malachy 2011-04-08 11:24:33

I had DirecTV a few years ago and it was the first DVR I ever had. I actually liked it but it was before the days of duo DVRs and I didn't have HD or anything. I actually really liked them but when I moved to another state I had to switch to dish because I wasn't allowed to install a new dish on the building because they already had a Dish Network dish on the building. We got a duo DVR and it was great - the RF remote worked pretty well and you had full DVR functionality in a separate room on TV2.

When I moved again, I kept my Dish Network setup and this winter we upgraded to HD. They sent us an HD DVR but the only qualm is that with Dish you can only hook up one HD tv to receive HD signal - which is fine since our TV2 doesn't really handle HD anyway.

About a month ago I bought the $99 sling adapter for the DVR and holy crap what an awesome thing! All I had to do was hook my DVR via ethernet to my modem and plug the sling adapter into the USB plug in the back of the DVR and I can watch programming on anything. iOS and Android tablets and phones, macs, PCs, ect. And although it won't send HD through the cable to the other TV in the bedroom, it still records things in HD. I even hooked up my over the air antenna and now I can record 3 HD shows at the same time - comes in handy when the wife is recording 2 lifetime shows at a time and I want to record something else.

I haven't really had any problems with either company though - except when I left DirecTV they owed me a refund and didn't cut me a check for something like 6 months after I canceled my service.

Loki 2011-04-08 23:02:50

Optic fiber > Sat, you silly

EyeLovePoozy 2011-04-09 15:27:28

Oh yeah. I forgot you guys are so damn high up. lol

Someone mentioned crying at the provider. That has worked for us in the past. We cry and stomp our feet saying we're gonna quit 'em and they lower prices, credit balances, give free channels etc. That wont fix shitty interfaces and shit though.

nutboxz 2011-04-09 20:34:18

i`ve switched from comcast to directv

GoldenPickaxe 2011-04-18 03:09:06

Does anyone remember Charter in 2004? :P

StalkerGuy 2011-04-18 12:13:35

idk I have somekind of an ADSL internet tv

yesysh 2011-04-19 15:54:28

I have SatelliteTV and here works fine in cloudy days and stormy nights i think it depends on the company idk.

FG39 2011-04-23 04:15:52

O.o Direct TV is evil? ...

FrozenFire 2011-04-24 00:57:30

My home had the same transfer and I also miss Dish Network.

G4tv was a main reason but you pretty much nailed it.

Boomstick 2011-04-26 21:19:26

I got Google Tv for free! ha top that...but of course you have to connect to your TV provider for live tv of course.

xellon 2011-04-27 07:44:26

NO G4TV?
MY GOD

IS1508 2011-04-28 17:08:11

Yeah you should have stayed with Dish Network.

You can upgrade to an HD reciever with Dishnetwork for FRee.

It's "faster" than directv in so many ways. (The Guide menu is speedy)

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