Making a DISH NETWORK vs DIRECTV comparison is not easy because of the similarities between the two. Both DISH NETWORK and DIRECTV are much lower priced and have better picture quality than cable. The chart below will give you a general idea of the basic features and pricing.
|
DIRECTV |
DISH NETWORK |
| DVR (Digital Video Recorder) |
Standard DVR Features:
Digital Recording
Dual Recording (Watch one program while recording another)
One-Touch Recording
Pause, Rewind and Fast Forward
Record up to 14 days in advance
Records Up to 100 hours
Search By title, actor, keyword, etc.
HD DVR Features:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Records 200 hours in non-HD
Records 50 hours in HD
DVR Subscription Fee $4.99 Mo. |
Standard DVR Features:
Dual Tuner Receiver (Watch one program while recording another)
Electronic Programming Guide
Name Based Recording
Pause, Rewind and Fast Forward
PIP (picture-in-picture)
Records up to 350 hours
Video on Demand
HD DVR Features:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Records 350 hours in non-HD
Records 55 hours in HD
DVR Subscription Fee $5.98 Mo. |
| HDTV Overview |
DIRECTV's HD packages are very simple and easy to understand. You can add HD for $9.99 to any package. Of course the bigger package you get the more HD channels you get.
Total number of HD channels is 96 including locals. This is excluding things like Video On Demand and Pay-Per-View. They claim to have 130 HD channels and I'm sure they do, but they are not channels that I can count.
DIRECTV seems to have quite a bit more channels, but are these the channels you want? Check out our HDTV comparison and find out.
Lowest priced HD package is $39.98 |
DISH NETWORK's HD packages can be very confusing to say the least. More info can be found at the compare HDTV page.
DISH NETWORK is the first to offer total HD programming packages where every channel is HD.
Offers 1080p resolution for Video On Demand. This is the same resolution as Blu-Ray.
Total number of HD channels is 55 including locals. This is excluding things like Video On Demand and Pay-Per-View. I think they claim 120 HD channels, but all I can seem to find is 55. Maybe I'm wrong. :)
Lowest priced HD package is $24.99 |
| HDTV Prices |
Add HD To FAMILY—$9.99
Add HD To CHOICE—$9.99
Add HD To CHOICE XTRA—$9.99
Add HD To PREMIER—$9.99
HD Local Chanels—Included |
TURBOHD BRONZE—$24.99
TURBOHD SILVER—$32.99
TURBOHD GOLDc$39.99
TURBOHD PLATINUM—$10
HD Local Channels—$5 |
| Installation |
Installation is free and it takes between 1 and 7 days. |
Comes with free installation and takes 1 to 7 days. |
| International Programming |
Arabic
Brazilian
Chinese
Filipino
Greek
Italian
Korean
Polish
Russian
South Asian
Spanish
Vietnamese |
African
Arabic
Armenian
Chinese
Filipino
French
German
Greek
Israeli
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Polish
Portuguese
Russian
South Asian
Spanish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Vietnamese |
| Monthly Pricing For Regular Programming |
DIRECTV FAMILY—$29.99
DIRECTV CHOICE—$52.99
DIRECTV CHOICE XTRA—$57.99
DIRECTV PREMIER—$104.99
Local Channels—Included |
DISH NETWORK Family—$19.99
America's Top 100—$32.99
America's Top 100—Plus $42.99
America's Top 200—$44.99
America's Top 250—$54.99
America's Everything—$94.98
Local Channels—$5 |
| Premium Channels |
BabyFirstTV™
Cinemax®
Game Lounge™
HBO®
HD Extra Pack
Playboy TV
SHOWTIME UNLIMITED®
Starz® Super Pack |
BabyFirstTV™
Bloomberg
Cinemax
HBO
Outdoor
Playboy TV
RFDTV
Showtime
Starz
Veria |
| Sports Packages & Channels (Some of these are available with regular packages and others are on Pay-Per-View) |
Altitude Sports
CBS College Sports
Comcast SportsNet
CricketTicket
ESPN
ESPN CLASSIC
ESPN FULL COURT
ESPN GamePlan™
ESPN2
ESPNews
Fox Soccer Channel
FOX Sports Network
GolTV
Interactive Horseracing (TVG)
Mid-Atlantic Sports
MLB EXTRA INNINGS®
MLS DirectKick™
MountainWest Sports
MSG
MSG PLUS
NASCAR®
NBA League Pass™
NBA TV
NCAA MEGA MARCH MADNESS®
New England Sports
NFL Network
NFL SUNDAY TICKET™
NHL Center Ice™
NHL Network
Outdoor Channel
Setanta Sports™
SPORTS PACK
SportsNET New York
SportSouth
SportTime Ohio
Sun Sports
YES Network |
Altitude Sports
CBS College Sports
Comcast SportsNet
Empire Sports
ESPN
ESPN CLASSIC
ESPN FULL COURT
ESPN GamePlan
ESPN2
ESPNews
ESPNU
Fox Soccer Channel
FOX Sports Network
Horseracing TV
Mid-Atlantic Sports
MLB EXTRA INNINGS
MLS DIRECT KICK
MSG
MSG PLUS
MULTI SPORTS PACK
NBA LEAGUE PASS
NBA TV
New England Sports
NFL Network
NHL Network
NHL® CENTER ICE®
Outdoor Channel
SETANTA SPORTS
SportsNET New York
SportSouth
SportTime Ohio
Sun Sports
ZEE SPORTS AMERICA |
| Standard Programming |
DIRECTV is usually around $10 per month more than DISH, but these prices are way better than cable.
There are 4 base programming packages to choose from with over 269 channels available. There are other channels, but these are channels you may actually watch.
DIRECTV's HD packages are so easy to understand. You can add HD to any regular package for $9.99. HD packages vary depending on the regular programming you choose.
Local channels are included in base price and local channels are available for just about everyone. |
DISH has the best price for any digital TV service available.
There are 6 base programming packages to choose from with more than 284 channels available. There are more channels, but I only counted normal channels.
Some HD is included in regular programming packages. This is especially true for sports and America's Everything even has many HD movie channels included.
DISH has 3 total HD packages with 1 add-on package called TURBOHD Platinum. DISH NETWORK HD can be added to regular packages for $10 per month. |
X-Rated
Programming |
Club EROTIX
fresh
Hustler TV
JUICY
REAL
SPICE:XCESS
ten |
ClubJenna
fresh!
Penthouse TV
Penthouse TV/XTSY
Playboy TV
REAL
shorteez.
SPICE:XCESS
SPICE:XCESS/shorteez
XTSY |
As you can see there's a lot of small differences in the two. Here is a list of the top 7 differences between DISH NETWORK and DIRECTV. Each item in the list will be linked to a page that will further break down the differences.
These 7 things are the main differences between DISH NETWORK and DIRECTV. You have to decide which of these are the most important to you. If you are a sports buff, you obviously won't care about the $10 per month price difference. On the other hand, if both services have the channels you want, you may opt to go with DISH NETWORK and save $120 per year.
Now the ball is in your court! Decide what it is you want out of satellite TV and use this DISH NETWORK vs DIRECTV site to find out which company fits your needs.
