Direct TV changed their dishes a few years back, and the new dish they tried to install was unable to get a clear signal, so I had to switch to cable.
Direct TV attempted to charge all sorts of cancellation fees and it took a series of calls and letters to get them to comprehend that I cancelled because they could not provide service.
As pointed out, they have been sued by the government for shady practices.

I'm rural.
I've had Dish TV. I've had Direct TV. I've had Hughesnet.
They are only interested in locking people in contracts and fining $$$$ if you attempt to leave.

I ditched them all for a wireless internet with NO contract.
I use netflix/ etc over internet for TV.

About 10mb/s down/5mb/s up 1 ms ping, which is better than the broadband we have at work. Fast enough for my wife to watch her british murder mysteries on one roku, my daughter to watch barney on another roku, and for me to lurk on pelican site and watch youtube videos. The lag is so small she also uses it for video/tele conferences for work with no need for a landline voip thingee.

I'm rural. That's smokin'

Cheaper. Better. In every measurable way. The grass really is greener on the other side.

I was using Dish for TV ($180)and Comcast for Internet ($80)

I looked at the packages and reduced our channel count to what we watch, and went totally Comcast. Total is now under $145/mth.

I am starting to rethink the whole dish thing after checking more prices locally. Two dsl providers in my area are providing triple-play (phone/internet/tv) packages for a little over $100 mo. Even the cable company has a bundling package (for a short time period) that is in that range. Dish providers seem like they want to lock you in long term for one service only.

I have to think that pay per channel is right around the corner or at least I hope so ! I have at&t u-verse for cable and internet. I have 8 TV's hooked up........no we don't watch them all but every bedroom, family room, kitchen, basement and man cave have a TV. I like everything about AT&T except the price. Picture quality is great and it rarely ever has a problem. Internet speed is fine for what we do. Google and others are supposedly rolling out pay per channel and I can't wait. If I only watch 10 - 20 channels that's what I want to pay for. I plan on retiring in the next 2-3 years and I will have to cut back on the current cable bill. It will have to be pay per channel or over the air antenna for me.

Been with Dish for about ten years... best I can tell it is same as Direct but cost less.

What to go to internet streaming but every time I look into it seems like many of the networks are blocking the internet to get their slice of the pie.

Than I want HD and surround for my home theater and not sure all that will work with internet streamed video.

Is this a DISH or Direct TV antenna?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1432838055.jpg

.......unfortunately hands down DirecTV. I say that as the price has spiraled upward every year. They have at least re-added the El-Ray channel recently to the 2nd tier programming which I have. Really no comparison to Dish. It's now about time to cancel it (again) and have the wife order it to get all the new customer discounts............

Satellite TV
 

We have used Directv for years and are happy with the product. Every couple of years I can get a hardware upgrade at no additional cost. We just had the new "Genie" system put in consisting of a master box and 3 HD satellite boxes. Everything works great, can record up to 5 shows at once, can get the Picture in Picture and other tricks. Don't know about Dish Network, never used them or really considered using them since the Directv system works so well.

Dish or Directv
 

That looks like the current "Genie" style dish from Directv.

Interesting timing. Our Direct TV signal went out yesterday during heavy rain. It came back after about 30 minutes.

This morning we seem to have a couple of new channels, ELREY and CHILL. Caught a Miami Vice episode this morning.

We didn't ask for them so it' cool.