CABLEGUYIZZY

DISH and DIRECTV Equipment - It's a Tech Battle

Without reliable and responsive receivers, it's nearly impossible to enjoy even the best programming (ever had your receiver freeze or flicker out of control? Not fun). Satellite TV boasts the most technologically-advanced HDTV and DVRs around. Here's a quick overview of their key features:

High-Definition (HDTV) Quality
Hands down, HDTV is the best way of watching television. With an advanced resolution profile, it broadcasts MUCH more detail/quality than regular digital or analog television (of course, an HDTV-capable receiver and TV is required). The total number of HD channels you can watch is always evolving - currently, DISH carries a total of 200 HD channels while DIRECTV also offers 200 (all full-time HD).

Whole-Home Digital Video Recorders (DVRs)
There's nothing better than watching TV on your time, and high-tech DVRs let you do just that. From commercial-skipping to intelligent syncing throughout your entire home, it doesn't get much better than the new Genie and Hopper whole-home DVR systems. Read on for more details...

Hopper's main advantage over Genie and other DVRs is its ability to easily skip commercials and superior storage capacity. It can save up to 500 hours of HD and 2,000 hours of SD recordings (vs 200 and 800 hrs, respectively, for the Genie). It's also the only DVR system that lets you stream live TV while on the road (Hopper with Sling required).

DIRECTV's Genie leads the way in overall ease-of-use and wireless connectivity. It may not have Hopper's hard drive but with the Genie Minis, it's incredibly easy to turn any room into a standalone DVR hub (where you can independently playback, record and manage your DVR). If you have a large household, this system also lets you connect an industry-leading 8 TVs to your main Genie box.
[ more on Hopper vs Genie ]

DISH vs DIRECTV: Side-by-side Comparison
Over the past three decades, I've tried every TV provider out there -- from local cable to 30-foot dishes. I stick with technology that's both cost-effective and consistently reliable, even years after sign-up. For my money, you just can't beat satellite TV. It's incredibly feature-rich and, value-wise, priced at least 30% less than cable (across all comparable plans).
For the most part, DISH and DIRECTV offer similar plans, so it really boils down to your specific needs. If it's price, go with DISH. If you're more concerned about sports (especially the NFL), side with DIRECTV. Either way, check out the table below where we compare each of the key features. At the end, we review the current specials and bonuses, which could wind up being your ultimate tie-breaker.

Note: items in the table in bold red or blue indicate an advantage for that provider or a valuable, limited-time offer.

FEATURE	DISH NETWORK	DIRECTV
PROGRAMMING
Max # Channels	320+ (America's Everything™ plan)	315+ (Premier plan)
Premium Movie Offer	Free for 3 months: HBO® Showtime® Cinemax® STARZ®	Free for 3 months: HBO® Showtime® Cinemax® STARZ®
Local Channels	99% coverage in the U.S.	99% coverage in the U.S.
Sports Plans (all available in HD)	(no NFL Sunday Ticket) • MLB Extra Innings • NBA League Pass • NHL Center Ice • ESPN College Football • ESPN Full Court (college basketball) • MLS Direct Kick	• NFL Sunday Ticket • MLB Extra Innings • NBA League Pass • NHL Center Ice • ESPN College Football • ESPN Full Court • MLS Direct Kick
HDTV	Total of 200 HD channels (120+ are split HD/SD) Monthly HD fee: FREE for life	Total of 200 HD channels (all are full-time HD) Monthly HD fee: $15/mo (includes DVR service)
Music	SiriusXM: over 70 commercial-free music channels The most popular include: '70s on 7, Viva, Jam On, Symphony Hall, etc. • Hopper also has a Pandora-integrated app which lets you easily stream from your Pandora account	SonicTap Music: over 84 commercial-free music channels The most popular include: 70's Hits, Classic R&B, Bluegrass, etc.
International Programming	29 languages: (Spanish, Italian, Chinese, African, Arabic, Armenian, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Greek, Korean, South Asian, Polish, Urdu, Farsi, Israeli, Portuguese, Tagalog, etc.)	8 languages: (Spanish, Brazilian, Korean, Chinese, Russian, Filipino, Vietnamese and South Asian)
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Whole-home DVR	Hopper: 500 hours of HD recordings 2,000 hours of SD (standard definition) $12/month for DVR service	Genie: 200 hours of HD recordings 800 hours of SD $15/month for DVR service (includes HD)
Extra TVs	$5.00/month 2nd & each additional TV	$6.50/month for each TV
PRICING & DEALS
Popular Packages & Pricing	• Smart Pack - $19.99/mo* (55+ channels) • America's Top 120™ - $29.99/mo* (190+ channels) • America's Top 200™ - $39.99/mo* (235+ channels) • America's Everything™ - $89.99/mo* (320+ channels)	• SELECT - $19.99/mo - reduced from $24.99 (145+ channels) • Entertainment - $24.99/mo (150+ channels) • CHOICE™ - $29.99/mo (175+ channels) • Premier - $89.99/mo (315+ channels)
Current Specials (as of 8/8/15)	• FREE Hopper Upgrade^ • FREE HD for Life • FREE HBO, Showtime, Cinemax & Starz for 3 mths • Blockbuster @Home service FREE for 3 months • FREE professional installation (up to 6 rooms) • Plans starting at $19.99/month • Sign-up bonus: $50 gift card (limited time only) Learn more »	• FREE Genie Upgrade2 • FREE NFL Sunday Ticket • FREE HBO, Showtime, Cinemax & Starz for 3 mths3 • DIRECTV On Demand (hundreds of FREE movies) • FREE professional installation (up to 4 rooms) • Offers starting at $19.99/month • August bundle specials Learn more »