I'm still on the fence regarding Comcast or Dish Network. I know that with Comcast, you do not need a converter box unless you want a DVR or digital channels. In VA, we had 2 boxes and 4 other TVx on regular coax.

If we go with Dish Network, does each receiver need a box? They advertise that you can watch whatever is recorded on your DVR on any set in the house. Does anyone know how this works? If you need a box for each set, does it cost extra for each box?

I know it's a lot of questions, but inquiring minds want to know. Actually, I may have Dish Network confused with DirectTV.

I have DISH TV, 2 tvs, only one box and one DVR. The second tv gets whatever the first one (with box) can get, including all programs saved in the DVR.

Greg - I can't speak to specifics about what Dish Network does or doesn't offer as we haven't had their service here at home for a couple of years. But as far as DirecTV goes: Each television will require a receiver ("box") - no additional converter boxes needed. If you want to be able to watch programs in HD on a specific television, then that receiver has to be an HD receiver. You can mix and match within the same house - some receivers can be HD and others don't need to be. But you'll be paying for the HD service so most people will opt for all their receivers to be HD. It's definitely better picture quality versus standard definition. You can also get any of those receivers with built-in DVRs. DirecTV does offer a service where, from a single DVR, you can watch a program on any of the televisions in the house. You'd have to speak with them about the specifics on how this works as it all has to do with how the coax cabling is set up in the house.

Hope that helps!!

Bill

Thanks Bill. Every little bit helps. Also, was there a particular reason you discontinued Dish Network?

I don't have any specific technical info to back it up, but I feel that a satellite signal vs. cable yields a better quality picture. But keep in mind - and Concast will market this strongly - weather can disrupt a satellite signal temporarily. Big storms will knock the signal off the air til the worst of the weather clears. You can check other threads on the board for people's perspectives on that.

We had Dish Network at our prior house here in OH for years, back before we had HD service. Had no real issues with them or their service. When we moved to the new place here, they didn't offer our local channels in HD and there were a couple of specific channels that they didn't carry in HD as well - - - so we switched to DirecTV. I feel DirecTV's technology today is ahead of where Dish is - kinda the same comparison people will make with Verizon vs. AT&T re: mobile phone networks/service. Now, though, I believe Dish DOES provide those channels that were missing when we first switched service a couple of years back. Always best to look online at each company's specific offerings/packages to see if they've got what you want.

Bill

Directv
 

I've had Directv for 10 years and I love it.
NFL package, MLB etc. So from 1000 miles from NY I can watch my JETS and METS.
I just bought a new Dell laptop that has HDMI.
I have two DVR boxes.
With free software from Directv, I can watch a prerecorded program on my PC.
I was able to watch a program I recorded on DRV 2 on DVR 1's TV. Pretty cool.
There was an inquiry concerning CinemaPlus. It provides on demand pay per view, on demand movies from premium channels (you have to subscrive to receive the movie) and some free movies that are usually very old. To use on demand you must connect your DR box to your internet connection. Not sure but Directv might charge $50 for a wireless bridge.
There is also some free programing. I have dwonloaded lot's of golf tips for example.
I bought my own wireless bridge and have my plasma TV and directv box hooked to the internet.

This was definitely not the case last summer. I subscribed to the regional sports package and was able to get the YES network for Yankee games. I was able to watch every Yankee game that was on the YES network, with the Yankee announcers. The only time I was not able to get the YES network was when the Yankees played the Rays in which case it was blacked out from the YES network but still available with the Sun Sports network - albeit with the Rays announcers who are very boring.

But, I am concerned that you may be right going forward. Over Thanksgiving my son-in-law was here and wanted to watch the Bruins over the New England sports network. He was disappointed that they were blacked out. I'm hoping that they do not black out the Yankees this coming season.

Should that be the case, another alternative is to subscribe to the Internet streaming games over mlb.com. You can watch them on a computer, which is not so great, or you can buy a Roku box for under $100 which allows you to play them on your TV (as well as Netflix movies).

I see that you have or will have Direct TV, so I thought I'd ask you where you have your dish installed? My issue with satellite is more about aesthetics. Perhaps I'm a bit anal, but I don't want a dish attached to my house. A short short pole behind my house would be OK. Although I would get my high speed internet through Comcast, I like the programming choices of Direct TV.

Your thoughts or, for that matter, any other opinions would be appreciated.

When I had my DirecTV installed this month, I didn't specify where the dish should go. They decided they wanted to mount it on a short pole behind my house. Then they said that would cost $75. I balked. They called someone and got the fee waived. I got my pole mount and free installation.

Someone else on this forum complained that DirecTV wanted to charge $75 for a pole mount and another $75 for a cable run from the pole to the house. Don't bite. Free installation means free installation (unless you live in a tree house or some other non-traditional housing unit outside The Villages).

So far, I'm very happy to be rid of Comcast and I really like DirecTV.

Thanks for the current scoop, logdog. DirecTV's coming out here in the a.m. to install our dish - hopefully, we'll get the same deal as what you got! We've been with them for a couple of years back home - having the antenna installed here as a secondary service address so we can switch back and forth between service here and in OH. One service at two different addresses (though they can't be served concurrently)......all for no additional charge from what our normal monthly bill is with them. Woo-hoo!

Bill

How to get DirecTV ??
 

Do you just signup online and they send a tech to install or do you have to call someone locally to get it installed???? I'm ready to pull the trigger on DirecTV, once I know the answer to this questions.

Thanks... Mike

I just got Comcast on 1 tv and internet. Comcast internet is about the same cost as Centurylink but is faster. I have Dish on the other 3tvs. I will dump the phone soon and go with Vontage. Embark phone with long distance & TAX was $62, Vontage is $25. I can keep the same #. ANY COMMENTS WELCOME:024:

Mike - For something like this, I called DirecTV to speak with a person....so I can ask all my questions, etc. Sometimes, the rep will clue you in to some special offers that might not show up online.

I did, however, find out after the fact (when I initially ordered the service a couple of years ago) that a.) AAA offered their members some good discount
of some sort, and b.) if you have a friend/neighbor/whomever who currently has DirecTV service and you give DirecTV their account number at the time of placing the order, you get $100 credited against your account as does your friend! I didn't find out about those two things til too late. Such is life!

Bill

I gave up trying to get Direct TV installed. The installer told me that a pole mount would cost me $75 plus another $75 to run the cable about 6 ft. I called and e-mailed Direct TV several times and was told that the charge for a pole mount would be $75 and that should include 20 ft of cable. The charge, however, would be something I had to negotiate with the installer. Didn't make sense to me.
I stopped by Century Link, knowing they sold a phone/internet/Direct TV package. The rep there agreed that it seemed too open ended. He said most often the installer gets the $75 fee waived and he'd never heard of the additional fee to bury a few feet of cable. He said he'd make some phone calls and get back to me. He didn't. I stopped back a Century Link a couple of days later and he apologized, saying he'd just been too busy to call me. He then verified that the final charge for installation was up to the installer. He said they had to inform you up front what the fee would be so you could refuse the installation. He again said the some installers charge for the pole mount, some get it waived.
I finally gave up. I still have Comcast but plan to give Dish a call. Arrrrrrrrgh!

Thanks Bill... I'll give them a call in the morning. ABout how long does it take to get installation after you order ??? We just arrived to TV from Germany a couple days ago, so we've got lots of stuff to do...

Thanks for the help...