Direct TV or DISH?

[ohkanada]

I am moving into a house that can't get regular cable TV. So it seems like my choices are Direct TV or DISH? Anyone have any strong opinions on either? I know one advantage of Direct TV is the NFL package. I also understand that DISH has been attempting to purchase Direct TV.

Secondly has anyone tried internet via satelite?

Opinions please,

Ken Poklitar

[Ray Zee]

Ken,

up in the north country you need at least a 10 foot dish, for the good reception. the big advantage over the little dishes is that the programming on the little ones is garbage. you have to buy packages that you may not want and cant get all the channels you may want. with the big dishes you can buy whatever channels you like individually. at least in the u.s.a., which is the center of the universe of course. go look at an issue of ORBIT. the sat. guide and you can find some of what you can order.

[snakehead]

I used to sell big dishes, and now I have a small one. what ray says used to be true, but now everything that is available on big dishes is also available on the small ones. small dishes cost a lot less, (often free with free installation), and the programming is cheaper. they are also a lot easier to use as you don't have to move the dish from satellite to satellite, like the big ones. I don't know about the reception in your area (footprint), but if you can get dish network, it has the best selection of programming. it is buying direct, so they will be one and the same very soon. internet via satellite is not as fast as dsl, and will vary depending on the weather (clouds affect satellite signals).

[Ray Zee]

all very true. but with the small dish you cannot unless you know something i dont, subscribe to individual channels that you want. and with the big dish you can get any channel you wish and only pay for them. thats why c- band is still the best imo. but the small dishes work fine. and certainly less money to get started. also big dishes arent affected much by heavy rain or snow. but i must be outvoted as they are no longer as popular as the little suckers.

[snakehead]

there's no reason to pick and choose, because on a small dish you get over 500 channels for around $60 a month. you couldn't even get close to that for that price on c-band. I used to use your argument of picking and choosing in order to sell dishes, but the reality is that for the same money you get everything on a small dish for the price of picking and choosing on a big one.

also, small dishes aren't nearly as affected by weather as the c-band guys would have you believe, and if you do have to brush the snow off, it is a lot easier than shoveling it out of a 10' dish.

hey ray, have you heard about these new-fangled things called color tv?

[Ray Zee]

actually it looks like i may be having to make the choice myself as a new place i am looking at will need to make a decision what to pick.
i guess i have to do some reassearch, like does small dish have uhf remotes rather than vhf. and if i can get ifc, bravo, cnbc, starz, and all the networks. those are things that before werent available. plus i get all the channels i want that i use for about 25 bucks a month.

[snakehead]

you can't take it with you, ray. splurge. with the money you save from not having to move your old dish, you can afford lots more programming. you might even find some more channels you like.