Being a DirecTV subscriber and loving my DirecTV I hate to say it but if they do not figure out the VS. Contract issue come play off time I am going to switch networks.
I need to hear from the folks who have ComCast or Dish Network. AT&T U-Verse is not available in my area so that is out of hte question.
Don't know about Dish, but my Comcast HD picture is great. I get Versus, NHL Network and both CSNs, all in HD. One of the Center Ice channels is HD too. Add in VOD in HD, PPV in HD and a soon to be improved EPG (with remote DVR setting) to the mix.
I'm not a huge fan of Dish network, but I don't need to pay for internet or phone, so it's the cheapest option right now. What bugs me the most is that the Sac Kings get preference to the Sharks on CSNCA and when the Sharks are relegated to the alternate channel I rarely get an HD broadcast.
I'm not a huge fan of Dish network, but I don't need to pay for internet or phone, so it's the cheapest option right now. What bugs me the most is that the Sac Kings get preference to the Sharks on CSNCA and when the Sharks are relegated to the alternate channel I rarely get an HD broadcast.
I have dishnetwork too, and although the sac kings get priority, the games are allways availiable on the alternate chanel for me. Last nights game was on the alternate HD chanel, so that was cool.
The one thing I like more about Dish is that all of the HD chanels are right next to the non HD chancel, so if you are watching in HD and press chanel 2, it goes to the HD version of chanel 2 rather than having to go to chanel 992 or whatever it is on comcast. Also it is much cheaper than comcast.
The cons are that although the picture is really good, every once in a while there will be a microsecond of interference that can interupt a line in a show, never bad enogh to interupt hockey action though, just people speaking, and it is rare. The other con of Dishnetwork is lack of on demand. On demand feature of comcast is awesome. I don't know if it's necesarily worth the extra $50 or so a month that comcast charges, but it is a great feature.
The service for comcast is also not as good, but not such a huge difference that I would pick dish because of the better service.
I had ATT Uverse before I moved back to San Jose from Pleasanton. I loved U-Verse and would probably still have it, so it's unfortunate that it is not avaliable where you are, because that would be my first choice.
I have fairly recent experience with all three providers, so I can consider myself somewhat more knowledgable than most.
Heres the breakdown, if the extra $50 - $75 a month is no big deal to you, I'd probably go with comcast, but too me, the difference isn't enough to justify the extra money, so I go with Dish Network. Hope this helps.
Up north we had Comcast for cable and internet and it was okay ... hated Comcast for tv though.
When we moved down south we have Charter for internet and Dish Network for tv - w/ CI. I prefer DN's setup quite a bit more - better customer service - have yet to have an issue after a year and a half. You will, however, need to get the 250 gold (or some crap) package to get Versus, but at least they offer it. I just can't justify paying the extra 10 bucks a month for a channel I only watch a couple months out of the year ... up to you though. When we move from this cesspool we'll be taking Dish with us for sure ...
EDIT: Oh! Not enough games in HD in my opinion ... hopefully that will change. There's your con.
Dish - crappy HD coverage, good quality picture, good equipment
DirectTV - Great HD covereage, excellent picture, crap equipment (atleast what I have). Also the VS issue.
Charter - Worse equipment I have ever seen. I literally canceled the service within a week. Horrible.
Comcast - Good picture, Good equipment, decent HD coverage (this was awhile ago). Expensive
U-verse - Cheap, great picture, great covereage, record 4 shows at a time. Whole home DVR. Just no CI.
Best of the bunch? U-verse no doubt. Loved that service.
As far as I can tell with Comcast all Sharks games have been in HD on the primary CSNCA channel, so that has been really nice. On Demand is kind of nice too. My only problem with Comcast is I think the customer service is mediocre, and I hate sending them as big a check as I do (although I have Comcast internet too).
If I wasn't too lazy I would probably switch to U-Verse, maybe next time I move...
Dish - crappy HD coverage, good quality picture, good equipment
DirectTV - Great HD covereage, excellent picture, crap equipment (atleast what I have). Also the VS issue.
Charter - Worse equipment I have ever seen. I literally canceled the service within a week. Horrible.
Comcast - Good picture, Good equipment, decent HD coverage (this was awhile ago). Expensive
U-verse - Cheap, great picture, great covereage, record 4 shows at a time. Whole home DVR. Just no CI.
Best of the bunch? U-verse no doubt. Loved that service.
How long has it been since youve had Dishn. There isn't a single chanel that I watch that doens't have HD service. Everything from Food Netowrk, to Discovery, to HBO, to local network, to everything inbetween. I don't think there is a single chanel that is broadcast in HD that is not avaliable on Dish.
How long has it been since youve had Dishn. There isn't a single chanel that I watch that doens't have HD service. Everything from Food Netowrk, to Discovery, to HBO, to local network, to everything inbetween. I don't think there is a single chanel that is broadcast in HD that is not avaliable on Dish.
As far as I can tell with Comcast all Sharks games have been in HD on the primary CSNCA channel, so that has been really nice. On Demand is kind of nice too. My only problem with Comcast is I think the customer service is mediocre, and I hate sending them as big a check as I do (although I have Comcast internet too).
If I wasn't too lazy I would probably switch to U-Verse, maybe next time I move...
I like the ONDemand feature as well. I typically miss the Thursday night shows (office, burn notice, parks and rec, 30 rock) and it has all of those the day after (in HD) for free. I like that a lot.
Comcast is pricey though. I haven't had U-verse though, so I know nothing of that service.
I'll probably add Dish, and then cancel before the first month is up, and then I won't be stuck in a long contract. If timed correctly, that should get me through the first two rounds.
