Satellite TV - DISH or DIRECT TV

[Denise]

We are possibly in the market to change our satellite provider for home/travel. We have had Dish TV and loved it, but currently have Direct TV as part of a "Verizon bundle" (our contract has ended).

Questions (considering we haven't researched this yet ourselves)...
-has anyone done the comparison research lately? Which is better deal?
-which do you have and why?
-bundle or a-la-carte more feasable on pocket book?
-any other thoughts?

[clutch]

We have Dish at home so we got an extra receiver for the camper. I have been told that Direct is easier to get zero'ed in for easy set up.

[edatlanta]

I have Direct and have had it for 16 years. I have only been using it in an RV for the past 4-5 of those years and even have one dish set up on a houseboat. I have never had Dish, but did set up an antenna for a nephew once and watched it a little with he and his wife, but that is my total experience with Dish. I didn't like their menu structure however, but I'm sure that is just what you get used to.

[Seann45]

I had dish in the RV... after one year they changed the plans and dropped the one I had.. if I wanted to stay I would have had to buy a new box.. no way they are off my list forever.

[kcconawa]

I have dish HD @home and take a receivor out of house when I hit the road.

For standard TV - Direct is much easier to set up, you can get most everything by pointing to only one satellite. If you use the dish 300 you can point to satellite 119 but get fewer channel choices. To get the channels on directs one satellite w/dish means dish 500 system and you have to point to two satellites. Maybe it is me, but takes me twice as long as my direct friends.

For HD TV - Dish is better. More HD channels than direct. However, w/dish you have to hit 3 satellites simultaneously. But .... w/direct you have to hit 5! None of my freinds go this route w/direct.

Of course, if you have the cash to buy the auto aim deals like most motorhomes have, then who cares about set-up. You just push a button, sit back and smile as the computer does the work.

I have a dish 300 system on the roof of my 5th wheel which I use for over night camping. Have to be careful and park where have clear view (no trees) of SW sky. When going to be parked several days, I have a dish 500 system that I carry in the back of truck. I carry 100 feet of cable so can move to treeless area to get good signal. Takes me about 30 minutes to obtain the coordinates, level, aim and set up the 500 system. With the 300 roof system, I am normally have a signal in under 15 minutes.

When checking price between the two, it is hard to filter out the shopping channels and other useless channels to get to a true channel/price comparison. Make sure read the wikipedia articles on both.

[Denise]

We have the stand alone sattelite dish for the tt. I'm guessing we won't have the hd ability. Lots of great info. Thanks for the input