Best Satellite TV to subscribe to?

[SOSTrooper]

My parents want to subscribe to a satellite thingie so they can watch Chinese and educational and movie channels. Now I'm totally illiterate when it comes to satellite TV. Which are the good ones? I only know Direct TV that they sell at Best Buy. Which offers the best service, best price and best channel selection? I trust AT users more rather than Jimbo Joe at Best Buy or Circuit City. BTW my area has Adelphia cable as the other alternative if that helps. TIA.

PS. My apology if I would really n00b, cuz I am when it comes to this.

 

[RossMAN]

You have two basic choices DirecTV or Dish, here are some reviews.

I would go with whichever offers a better package with emphasis on foreign language/international channels.

 

[RossMAN]

According to this thread the Dish network has a huge selection of foreign language programming.

 

[Insomnium]

Go Dish. My parents have Dish here on the East Coast and we're really satisfied. Two things to watch out for: 1.) only one channel can be viewed at a time, so if you want to watch different things in different rooms you'll have to get another box and pay the associated fees, and 2.) if you want regular programming and foreign language, you will need 2 dishes one for each respectively. Some towns don't allow two dishes (like mine and lots of others) so watch out.

 

[LH]

DirecTV and Dish are basically the same. Both are owned by EchoStar, or soon will be, that FCC and all the other gov agencies approved EchoStar's(Dish) purchase of DirecTV.

 

[Ameesh]

we just got dish and it works great!

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: LH
DirecTV and Dish are basically the same. Both are owned by EchoStar, or soon will be, that FCC and all the other gov agencies approved EchoStar's(Dish) purchase of DirecTV.

Thats not true at all.

Both are separate entities still. Echostar has NOT purchased DTV at all.

Also, if and when a merger goes through, it will be DTV who buys out DISH (much larger percentage of satellite owners have DTV over DISH)

It has already been said also in many online forums that DTV will be the standard that is used, not dish.

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: slag

Originally posted by: LH
DirecTV and Dish are basically the same. Both are owned by EchoStar, or soon will be, that FCC and all the other gov agencies approved EchoStar's(Dish) purchase of DirecTV.

Thats not true at all.

Both are separate entities still. Echostar has NOT purchased DTV at all.

Also, if and when a merger goes through, it will be DTV who buys out DISH (much larger percentage of satellite owners have DTV over DISH)

It has already been said also in many online forums that DTV will be the standard that is used, not dish.

Direct TV has better technology than Dish...Hughes let other manufacturers make their own receivers which is why their hardware is much better. As for the merger, I heard the FCC already denied it. Honestly I think thats a good thing...monoplies are bad.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Shiva112

Originally posted by: slag

Originally posted by: LH
DirecTV and Dish are basically the same. Both are owned by EchoStar, or soon will be, that FCC and all the other gov agencies approved EchoStar's(Dish) purchase of DirecTV.

Thats not true at all.

Both are separate entities still. Echostar has NOT purchased DTV at all.

Also, if and when a merger goes through, it will be DTV who buys out DISH (much larger percentage of satellite owners have DTV over DISH)

It has already been said also in many online forums that DTV will be the standard that is used, not dish.

Direct TV has better technology than Dish...Hughes let other manufacturers make their own receivers which is why their hardware is much better. As for the merger, I heard the FCC already denied it. Honestly I think thats a good thing...monoplies are bad.

Wow this is all news to me. I've been thinking all along that DISH was buying out DTV. We have DTV and I like it better than DISH from what I've seen of that.

Anyway, I know for a fact the DISH feed from Toronto had 3 chinese programming channels. Whether they're included in a basic package, you'll have to do some research.

 

[trikster2]

DISH is buying out DirecTV


Competitors protest Echostar Buyout of DirecTV


I don't believe that the issue is resolved, if it is post a link.

From what I read Dish will be the new standard but I may be wrong, perhaps dish will want to Upgrade the millions of recievers they are renting to JVC or something to DirecTV recievers?

A few months ago I researched my SAT choices and chose DISH

Facts that swayed me:

More channels (including local and WB/UPN) for my $$$$
Zero Cost Install (at the time I could find no 3 room DirecTV free installs)
Zero Up-Front Equipment Cost (but $5 more per room per month)
$50 PVR (w. no montly TIVO style fees) that I love even though most reviews say it is horrible.

I pay a little more a month but I don't worry about any of the equipment. If I have a problem with anything, I call them and they fix it for free. Have not had to use that service yet, and I'm sure they are just as swell as the cable company for support. JK. BUT I like not having to crawl on my roof to mess with a dish.

I'm getting more and paying less than the same service would cost with cable, plus the install was $150 less than my cable company wanted to install cable in 3 rooms.

So far I am VERY happy with DISH

 

[Kerouactivist]

I had dish network for a while and it was great, as a hot deal tip I suggest after your initial contract is up you call them and tell them that you want to cancel and they will offer you all kinds of free/reduced price stuff to stay (I would have taken it but, i was moving to a place where I couldn't have the dish.)

 

[DeadHead]

I would go with DirecTV, its also hackable if your into that Dish is also but I've heard it can be much more of a pain to do.

 

[bunker]

As was mentioned above, if you want foreign content, go with Dish.

 

[Shelly21]

Originally posted by: DeadHead
I would go with DirecTV, its also hackable if your into that Dish is also but I've heard it can be much more of a pain to do.

Not true...

With dish, all you need is an AVR card and that's it. It costs about $25.

But now they both have 'emulators'. Er, I have some Canadian friends who do this and it's legal there.....