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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
I just renewed my C band analog programming subscription for the year and it looks like analog C band will be coming to an end in the near future. My system (General Intruments 450i) is about 10 years old now along with the decoder module which has a lithium battery that when it dies erases you decoder module ID. I have been looking around and reading up on 4D-TV/MPEG-2 and Dish TV. I am undecided as to which is the best system to go with. On the one hand Dish TV offers free equipment and installation but the programming is high. 4D-TV/MPEG-2 I have to pay for the equipment but get about 4500 channels of which many are free. I hate to trash my 10.5 ft. dish and the equipment if I can still use it but then again, I don't want to throw good money after bad. Any of you guys have any experiences with this stuff? Any comments and suggestions would be a great help. Thanks.
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
I have DirecTV and love it, I also have C-band for 'local' (read Canadian channels) since I only get two stations with an antennae.
Luckily though as a Canuck I get every channel they offer for free, pay-per-view included, ;-p, so I cant speak about value, but the channel line-up, etc., is great.
Best of luck.
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
Chief, I had Directv for years, and recently switched to DISH network. Works great, but I can't compare pricing with what you have had, and certainly not with what Murf pays! (How does that work? Socialized medicine and FREE TV?) I'm paying about $50/month for 3 receivers, 100 channels, including my local networks. If you go with either of the 2 small dish companies, spring extra for the "hard drive" receiver ("Tivo" , it is a great feature! No monthly cost with DISH network, that's why I changed! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
Plus by going with one of the newer systems, you get rid of the huge 10 foot dish!!! My brother has Direct TV but the only problem is when it storms very hard, it screws up the reception. The good part is that he left my parents use the other receiver and they use it at their place in the mountains. All they needed was another dish. It only costs him $5 extra a month. That works out pretty nice.
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
We've had C-Band, DirecTV, and DISH although I don't know anything about 4DTV.
I don't miss the C-Band BUD one bit.
We had DirecTV about four years ago, but when we moved into our current house we opted for DISH because they had more of the programming we were looking for. Don't know if DirecTV has caught up or not.
DISH Pros: The hard disk based receiver is great, no subscription fee. All local channels are available in our area and they are mapped to actual channel numbers.
DISH Cons: Crappy customer service, receivers tend to be unreliable (spend the extra $1.99/month for the free replacement warranty, we're on our fourth 501 receiver), don't let them put you on their auto-pay program because if there's a problem you will fight them for six months to fix it (lots of folks have had this problem).
I had no complaints at all about DirecTV, but in fairness their 4-year-old receivers are much simpler than current DISH receivers.
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
I had a Dish setup and switched to cable only because they upgraded with the high speed modems. When I moved out to where I live now, there was no cable, so I went back onto Dish.
I agree about the hard-drive TiVo-like boxes from Dish. They are great. I have not had any equipment failures with the Dish equipment. I set one system up myself and let the technician set another one up. It was not hard. As someone else said, I can move my second receiver around. I can take it to a cabin or other place with a dish installed.
Dish also had true HDTV channels if you get the right equipment. I spend about $50 per month with two recievers and 150 channels. I have found that PPV suits me better than a subscription to HBO or Showtime.
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
Chief I have had the DirecTV for a long time with no real complaints. I compared the line up at the start of the systems and they were similar then and have not really comparison shopped since.
We do not have access to a fast line so the web based system is out of the question. My brother in-law was trying out ordering movies on the web with his cable modem when I was in Vancouver last and it seem to work fine.
This part of the country it is a wonder we have dial up.
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
OH I forgot. You need to see the Red Green episode where he turns his C-band into a solar cooker for Christmas Turkey dinner. Maybe you can do the same.
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
My guess is that a lot of DISH receiver failures are due to incredibly poor packaging during shipment. They ship these things out in a relatively thing cardboard box with tiny styrofoam endcaps and less than 1/2" clearance on all sides. One receiver was DOA, another lasted a week. Their packaging offers almost no protection from getting banged around by shippers and with hard disk receivers that can't be good.
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4D-TV MPEG-2 or Dish TV Network
Hey Chief - ditto for me with Dish Network -- have had mine for over 4 years now with no major problems beyond the original remote dying this summer. Good timing on my neighbor's part though, as I saw the installation guy installing a new dish on their house not long after. I couldn't figure out why their dish was pointing SouthEast towards the Atlantic, when mine was pointing SouthWest towards the middle of the country (we are in NY State). Come to find out they had signed up for the "International Service" which now makes sense. While I was BS'ing with guy, I happened to mention my bum remote and ended up getting a free replacement from a unit he had in the back of his truck. No complaints from me!
The sports packages are weaker on Dish Network, but I have just seen them advertising for the equivalent of NFL Ticket for the NHL -- 5 dedicated channels with some ridiculous amount of games a year. I'm gonna call and see if I can join up mid-way thru this season. Go Bruins!
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