Thinking of switching to Dish. What are your opinions? I'm not going to streaming services.

However, I am sick of DTV's buggy issues since the download. Recordings there one day and not the next etc.

Is it worth the change?

Yes. The Hopper 3 is the best DVR out there by far IMO. I loved my old circa 2003 TiVo with DTV and perhaps TiVo might still be awesome, but for a mainstream/common box the Hopper is awesome. Their app for mobile viewing (and scheduling remotely) works well too. I can also watch on my office computer so I don't need an office tv or dedicated box there.

Every now and then I look at other options to try to bundle (I have expensive cable internet by itself, cell phone by itself, etc) but the other boxes are just terrible, so I continue paying a bit of a premium with my choices, although Dish costs aren't bad. Cable internet is bad.

I forgot to mention one of my favorite differences with Dish that the others don't seem to do, or at least none of the sales weasels could confirm. Dish still carries a "swap" functionality so you can keep two live channels going on separate tuners, complete with the live DVR buffer. Watch two shows by pausing the hidden one, watch the other until commercials, then pause and swap. Works great for live sports, especially. It will also do PIP or split screen using those tuners.

If you switch I think I can give you a code that gets both of us $75 off or similar.

Switching back to Dish from Dtv soon. The family can't stand Dtv. Breaking my contract early.

Is there a good reason to use a dish based service these days, unless you're way out where there's no decent internet or cable? And if that's the case totally understandable, but feels like some just default to that without looking at other options.

For me it is all about the DVR interface, features and performance, and then price & channel package. My local cable outfit has a horrid DVR, as does DTV IMO.

I might cut the cord someday, but I like what I have now with traditional channels all in one place, great DVR, and a good mix of on demand content thru Dish supplemented with Netflix and Amazon.

Everyone is different, though, and competition is great. We're slowly getting to an a la carte model that would be great...hopefully with a unified box that can integrate different streams, OTA, satellite, etc. with a great interface.

Aero95 said:

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I forgot to mention one of my favorite differences with Dish that the others don't seem to do, or at least none of the sales weasels could confirm. Dish still carries a "swap" functionality so you can keep two live channels going on separate tuners, complete with the live DVR buffer. Watch two shows by pausing the hidden one, watch the other until commercials, then pause and swap. Works great for live sports, especially. It will also do PIP or split screen using those tuners.

If you switch I think I can give you a code that gets both of us $75 off or similar.

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What system doesn't offer that?

My local coop (GVTC) does that with Arris whole home DVR equipment. At least three live with buffers at once, in fact I think it's five.

Given the amount of commercial time now, I can easily watch two complete shows at once, just as you describe.

Don't even understand why these are options anymore with sling, hulu live, etc... Just use your internet. Your dish will go out in the rain more often than your internet will.

Not everyone has the internet to support streaming.

but if your internet speed is decent, should give it a try. Most streaming services have free trials.

As someone said before, you may lose the signal during bad weather which means your recording will also be lost.
Not so if you're streaming... if something does happen to your internet connection, your online DVR will still record.

Flashdiaz said:

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but if your internet speed is decent, should give it a try. Most streaming services have free trials.

As someone said before, you may lose the signal during bad weather which means your recording will also be lost.
Not so if you're streaming... if something does happen to your internet connection, your online DVR will still record.

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Losing signal during not especially bad weather has been annoying as hell. Combined with the slow interface (compared to u-verse) and I am counting the days till I can cancel DirecTV and move to internet tv.

I appreciate the responses. I am not going to any streaming service. It's either Dish or, Directv.

Was pretty happy with dish before I moved. The hopper is pretty awesome. Best interface and features I have had on a DVr. Aside from the traditional complaint of losing signal in rain, it was great.

Switched to uverse when I move to bundle and I hate it. Will probably switch back after a year or if u can find a buyout deal.

I've been testing Hulu this week and love it. I have DTV.

If I wasn't cutting the cord, I would most definitely switch to DISH though. DTV is absolute trash at this point. The Menu doesn't work, the Guide moves as if it's on dial up, and it's too expensive.

My parents have DISH and I really like their guide when I use it at their house. DISH seems to be a no brainer vs DTV at this point. The only downfall of DISH is their occasional spats with content providers that black out channels.

Nerds are streaming only. Take question to the zoo.

I've been with Dish for years now and overall happy with the service. The $40-50 I would save for cutting the cord is not significant to my yearly budget so I will continue to enjoy the extra services (multiple TV's, excellent mobile/desktop app) for the next several years. I do call just about yearly to bargain with them and claim I'm going to cancel which results in significant savings. I have very rarely had weather interruptions with Dish in College Station.

My biggest complaints is the dearth of 4k broadcasts. I have the 4k receiver and they broadcast almost nothing in 4k. In addition their Netflix app often locks up when I open it requiring a reboot of the system. Not huge issues but annoying.

If another company would start to broadcast football in 4k reliably I would switch. Right now Dish does maybe one college game a weekend and it is usually a PAC 12 snoozer. I think it is because there are not enough commercials in 4k to sell air time.

KidDoc said:

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I've been with Dish for years now and overall happy with the service. The $40-50 I would save for cutting the cord is not significant to my yearly budget so I will continue to enjoy the extra services (multiple TV's, excellent mobile/desktop app) for the next several years. I do call just about yearly to bargain with them and claim I'm going to cancel which results in significant savings. I have very rarely had weather interruptions with Dish in College Station.

My biggest complaints is the dearth of 4k broadcasts. I have the 4k receiver and they broadcast almost nothing in 4k. In addition their Netflix app often locks up when I open it requiring a reboot of the system. Not huge issues but annoying.

If another company would start to broadcast football in 4k reliably I would switch. Right now Dish does maybe one college game a weekend and it is usually a PAC 12 snoozer. I think it is because there are not enough commercials in 4k to sell air time.

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