I have been reading lot of posts by frustrated DTH subscribers of various services.
I would share some knowledge and experience of mine with DTH.
1. DTH is a Hi-End technology appliance and in general the AV quality must be above average irrespective of the brand and service providers.
2. Price band entirely depends upon what set of channels (bouquets) you opt for.
3. Most important is, the technical service(if you fell into problems) may not be up to the expectation as the service technicians are generally not qualified(10th/12th pass outs). They learn from their seniors and replicate what they learnt & nothing in depth.
4. We as consumers must take adequate care of STBs, Dishes and LNB, Proper mount.
5. Keep the STB in a well ventilated place. Keep it clean and do not keep any thing above it it may affect ventilation.
6. Mounting of dish must clearly see the Satellite and not obstruct by anything between.
7. Mount Philips(OE) LNB and seal it properly and avoid loose contact and water entry.
8. Do not allow the signal cable more than 50 to 60 feet.
9. Do not frequently remove the VC. Once in 3 month take, wipe & insert back.
I am using Dish since introduced in TN and so far I am happy. Service is of course a problem but I find good dealer to replace my box instead of fiddling inside.
So follow the above rules and watch happily.
Last but not the least Please take care of all out going connections also. Loose connections may end up in clarity loss.
Good Luck!