Dish vs Direct TV

If one were to start from scratch...installing a satellite dish and then choosing Dish or Direct TV as a service provider, which would be the most hassle free provider to get ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX while cruising? I don't much care about HD so that is not an issue with the sat dish or the provider.

I want to watch the major broadcast networks and the local news regardless of what might be considered local plus The History Channel, Food Network, FX, A&E, etc.

I have had both and will be sticking with Dish even though customer support is in Manila! Had it on the boat since December without any problems

On the East coast I have had great results with Direct TV using the smaller KVH M3 TracVision. I get all the local channels for my billing zip code. Using LED TFT 12VDC TV/ Monitors my eyes aren't good enough to be bothered with HDTV. My largest TV was is 26" the smallest 19".
Bill

BillyIII,

If you were cruising the East Coast would it be easier to pretend to be in the NYC service area or to change one's service area, say, once a week?

We have had Dish for 2 years and have been very pleased. We are snowbirds from CT to FL and we keep the New York location. We receive all the NY networks while in FL. To get the FL local stations we use an over the air antenna. Howard

A few years ago I was also choosing between Dish or Direct. We have a covered slip and have to use a fixed dish at the dock then change to track KVH vision when out of the slip on the water. The local tec that was to install my track vision recommended I go with Direct due to having to change from slip/ fixed sat dish then to open water/ KVH track vision. Just to verify I called KVH track vision for advice and they recommended that direct was easier to change between the dock dish and track vision on the water. I have had great reception with direct but have no experience with dish. I only know of one boat in my area that has dish and he is happy with dish, his solution for covered vs open water was two dish boxes one for under the slip and one hooked to track vision for the water.

seasalt007 said:

BillyIII,

If you were cruising the East Coast would it be easier to pretend to be in the NYC service area or to change one's service area, say, once a week?

Click to expand...

No, I have a good over the air TV antenna for the locals channels when I used to cruise in my Mainship. I intend to duplicate the setup if I ever get moving on the GulfStar.
Anyway my wife always liked following up on the local news the spot beam seemed to work since we were on market boarders for NYC or Phila by our billing zip code.
Bill

I use Direct TV because to add 2 TVs for the boat to my monthly statement was only $12.00. When on the boat, I can call to have the local areas switched to my location.

We have Dish at home. The service allows me to use the 'Dish anywhere' App. I just hook my phone up to my flat screen on the boat. I get access to my home DVR and television channels anywhere in the world.

I've had both and they're pretty close.

In the mid 90's I moved onto my boat for a year and installed Directv. I moved ashore 18 months later, the house already had Dish installed and they offered a two year discount service contract so I switched to Dish. At the end of the contract I switched back to Directv.

Directv offered channel packages that better suited my tastes and I have it at home and the boat.

I have had both. I find DISH's overall customer service to be far superior. I don't know about the Manila comment as all the people I have ever dealt with sounded like Americans. I found dealing with Direct on various issues for the boat system was frustrating and I ended up really regretting not spending a few extra bucks at the time and getting a DISH compatible system. Now that we are back on land the difference is even greater, as the DISH Sling / Hopper / DISH Anywhere system is really state of the art, IMO.

George, real simple....while waiting for the receiver to boot up I made small talk to 'Charles' who said he was in Manila. We chatted about the Hurricane they had just had, as he knew we where on a boat.

I've had DTV since 99. No problems. No experience with dish. Nice to see both outfits have more praise than horror stories.

Totally happy with Direct. The service tech I had when setting the boat up was very familiar with boats and told me what to ask when I talked to KVH to get the SW update I needed. I just think it all depends on the tech you get. Who knows the one I had, which I can't say enough about, may have worked for Dish several years ago. Luck of the draw.

I had Dish for a year and ended up getting it. Why:

They dropped channels thy only they carried, why I went to dish in the first place.

There customer service is guaranteed to not only NOT be able to help you, but to waste your time in the process.

Near the end, when I was having trouble acquiring one of thier sats, they finally confessed that dish had changed something to make it problematic for my antenna to acquire they satellite.

I have the M1 setup and direct tv. For me customer service had been very good

I've had both - started with DTV but now have Dish.
Customer service was one reason for getting rid of DTV.
Getting HDTV with my satellite dish was another.

If you don't care about HDTV and if you're going to be a full time customer, they're about the same.

When I had DTV, I owned my own receiver and could activate/deactivate service when I wanted.
I'd pay a daily rate, about $2/day. Great for weekend trips
The hassle was getting DTV customer service to understand this when I shut the service off.
They'd always charge me for a contract cancellation fee ($400) when no contract existed.

With Dish, they have a dishformyrv program which allows me to come and go (just like DTV) but on a monthly basis.
Sure I pay more now with Dish, but not having to spend 2-3 hrs on the phone with a DTV CSR is worth it.
Most of their CSRs are new, and don't understand all of the services DTV offers. (They're trained to zero in on the 2 year contract)
Plus, with Dish I can turn service on/off via web. DTV you cannot - you have to talk to someone.

Make sure you really don't want HDTV, because if you do that could make your DTV vs Dish decision for you.
DTV has HD channels on KU and KA band, which means you'll need a bigger, heavier, more expensive satellite.
Dish has HD channels on KU band, so a smaller, lighter, cheaper satellite.

Sat dish

I bought a Wineguard in-motion dish for $1000 new. It does track underway and at the dock you can turn off the power and its stays locked on. This was with DirectTV as we already had it at home. Good reception but not at anchor. It's set to go off tracking under 4 mph for a couple of minutes. Then you have to change the DIP switch for the dish to stay in the tracking mode when the boats swings. There is a little current draw and a bit of whirring as a result but mostly not noticeable.