Directv vs. Dishnetwork

[TerryinMD]

Mike,

We get a free PPP account. I don't use it unless I dial-in from home. Don't want to use it for personal use. Just doesn't feel right!! So, I use a commercial ISP for our business and personal use.

Terry

 

[DVerbarg]

After looking at all the responses my impression is:
- 2 way sat is faster then dial-up (speed will vary)
- of the two major companies (Dish and Direct) both seem comparable in problems
- DSL, cable modem, and T1 are faster and more dependable when available (DSL and cable are not physically available and T1 is not financially available /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)
- others on TBN would like to know how it goes for me once I signup for 2 way sat

My choice is now between Dish (Starband) or DirectTV (Direct-Way). Any thoughts on which company would be the best bet for northern Illinois (55 miles from Chicago)? The types of questions/issues I am considering are: equipment, mounting requirements, pricing (appears the same), connection to PC (ethernet, USB, PC card, ?), speed differences (size of installed base). Dish seems to advocate using it for streaming video, large file downloads, etc. Starband seems to warn against such use (what's the use of a fast connection if you aren't supposed to do high bandwith activities?)

DaveV

 

[Bird]

Dave, from what I've read I don't see much difference, but if you try one of them, I'll sure be watching to see what you have to say about the results.

 

[Timd]

Dave -

You might want to browse the alt.satellite newsgroups on
google and see what currect users are saying. I was looking
into DirectPC a few years ago but decided to stay with
dialup when I read the FAP horror stories. I have read that
the latest Dish satellite modems will not work with NAT
routers (earlier models did). This would be a dealbreaker
for me, since I have my home lan set up on a router and
can't see tying up a PC just to be a server.

Timd

 

[TonyC]

Amen to the comments about the baby-bells killing DSL. They also do everything they can to kill off any competition on local phone service. As an AT&T employee I can tell you we have an axe to grind with those folks...they want to be able to expand into other areas of telecomm but don't want to share they're precious "last mile". Don't get me started!!!

Off the soapbox I go too.

 

[EddieW]

If you have cable modem, you might want to invest in a security package. I was at a seminar on computer security a few months ago and the issue came up. The guy estimated several hundred hits per customer per week. I thought he was crazy so I tested it (on somebody else's computer) There was 353 hits in a week of hackers just snooping for information. Nobody passed a virus or did any damage but there are definitely people out there looking. At the least make sure to turn your machine off when it's not in use. I have Dishnetwork and have no complaints. I would go to cable if it were available just for the convenience of watching multiple channels. There are three people in my house and only two receivers.

 

[MossRoad]

You could watch the TV as a family /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. I like to watch with my kids, plus I can turn it off when it's my turn.

<font color=green> MossRoad </font color=green>

 

[TonyC]

No, Eddie, unfortunately I don't have a cable modem. Like Glue Guy, where I live I'm lucky to have a phone line. You are correct about security although it is an issue no matter how you are connected. True most folks on cable are connected full time which increases the risk but there is risk regardless. I have a firewall on my home system which offers me a great measure of protection but nothing is entirely hack proof. And yes, I get hits constantly. Security is an issue that's never done. It's a work in progress that must be dynamic. If you ever think you have the perfect setup and no one can intrude, you're in real trouble!

 

[Bird]

Sometimes I wish I understood more about these computers. I have a firewall and periodically it'll flash something in the lower right corner of the screen saying something about a certain set of numbers locked out for 30 minutes, I think. It goes away too quickly for me to really know for sure what it said, so I'm not even sure what it did. It never seems to have any effect on what I'm doing at the time.

 

[RAllen]

I have used cable, sat and now what is called ADSL, as I understand, most of what is offered is actually ADSL (download and upload speeds differ).

Cable was slick when it was first offered. Very, very fast. But, as already mentioned it slowed way down over the years as more and more people were hooked up. I invested in a software firewall program called "BlackIce" when somebody was able to print out on my network printer from the internet leaving a juvenile message. BlackIce also logged what are called probes. I would get an average of 20 to 30 an hour. Most were trying to find if you were using a particular type of system or software so they could hack you or use your system for spam forwarding. Seems unix systems are vunerable to this sort of thing.

I got my ADSL system from Centurytel, my local phone company. They specialize in rural areas and are based somewhere in Louisanna.

The great thing is they promised to try to get ADSL to me 2 years ago. I live 6 miles from pavement and am bordered on two sides by forest service. There are only 6 houses past me that are on the grid. 1/2 mile up the road the snow plow stops. In other words I live in the back of beyond and I have ADSL. I know folks who live in Orange County Ca and they don't have any form of cable or DSL!

Feel very lucky.

BTW. I have used both DirecTV and Dish Network. Currently using Dish and like it better. Bet prices will soon go up if the merger goes through.

Rick