I have had Dish since '98, but have recently been considering switching to Direct. Dish's service has gotten progressively worse, the remotes seem to quit working well after a relatively short time, the service is more easily lost in bad weather than when I first got it(sometimes it goes off even during the lightest shower, recently)-plus, I recently got a promo from Direct which spells out their packages-and for just a bit more monthly, I can get a package with several choices I'd like, such as the DIY network, that I can't get on Dish unless I opt for the biggest, most expensive 'basic' package. You need to get the latest, most up-to-date info on BOTH of the satellite networks' packages-before deciding. Do be aware that if you get the 'local' channels(out here, there is no question about what they are, as they are the only ones for MILES!)via the satellite, they will 'go out' anytime the satellite goes out, along with everything else! I can get the local channels-about 6-8 of them now, I think-with rabbit ears, because I live in an unrestricted transmission line below the mountain where the transmitters are; the PBS channel was the only one with a generally poor picture, so last year I tried adding the locals to my satellite pkg.(@ $5/mo.), but didn't like having NOTHING to watch when the satellite went down, so dropped that service and went back to my rabbit ears!
Anyone have the new "Horse TV" network? I have seen promos, on RFD-TV, about requesting that your cable/satellite network carry it-I will be asking Direct about it, before I would switch-now THAT is a channel I would definitely want! What really chaps me about ALL of them-cable, satellite-is that they will put ONE desirable channel in the midst of a BUNCH of crappy stuff, then want to charge you a big increase for the bigger 'package'! I WISH we could customize our own packages, but so far, that doesn't seem to be a possibility. It is true, though, that Dish(and, I am sure, Direct)now offer 'family' packages for around $20/mo.-don't think that price would include local channels, but for that, it was only @ $5 more per month.
Good luck!
Margo