DIRECTV via Satellite or Internet
As you may know, you can get DIRECTV via Satellite or via Internet. The satellite route is the traditional way with a technician installing a dish at your residence. No high-speed internet required. Getting it via internet lets you stream all your DIRECTV programming and combine it with other streaming apps (Netflix, etc). You'll need an internet plan of at least 8 Mbps to avoid buffering or lag. There are a few other key differences as well, including 4K options, Genie vs Gemini equipment and quite a few more channels only available to satellite customers. Read on for the best features of satellite vs internet and check out their exclusive channels further below.
Select an install date, installer sets everything up
No internet required
No dish involved, only takes a few minutes
High-speed internet required
for all plans
for all plans
Gemini can be added separately (often free)
200 hours HD DVR storage
Watch DIRECTV plan and streaming apps in one place
Unlimited Cloud storage
Some of the more popular channels ONLY available via satellite: NFL RedZone, MLB Strike Zone, Outdoor Channel, MSNBC, NASA, Cowboy Channel, Victory and about 70 Music Choice channels (full list below)
Even though you're missing those 55, internet does exclusively get you FOX Weather, Fox Soul, Fuel TV, Heroes & Icons, SportsGrid, Tastemade Home and Tastemade Travel (not available on satellite)
You get the full set of local channels including regional sports networks. You also have the option of removing them entirely, saving you $12/mo.
Same.
Exclusive channels via satellite vs internet
Below are the channels only found via the satellite or internet option. As you can see, there are quite a few more channels just on the satellite side (with a longer track record, DIRECTV satellite has many more licensing deals in place). Each channel is tagged with the plan it's found in first. For example, the Cowboy Channel ("Ultimate & up") is only found via Satellite in the Ultimate plan and higher. Sort by the plan you're most interested in to filter the list.
| Satellite only | Internet only |
|---|---|
Arirang TV | Fox Weather |
BYU TV | Heroes & Icons |
CBO | Fox Soul |
Cinemax West | Fuel TV |
Cowboy Channel | SportsGrid |
Christian Television (CTN) | Tastemade Home |
DIRECTV SportsMix | Tastemade Travel |
ESNE | |
EWTN | |
Family Entertainment TV | |
FLiX | |
Free Speech TV | |
GEB Network | |
GOD TV | |
HBO Family West | |
HBO West | |
HBO2 West | |
HITN | |
Hope Channel | |
HSN2 | |
i24 News | |
IMPACT | |
JBS | |
Jewish Life TV | |
Living Faith Network | |
Longhorn Network | |
MAVTV | |
MLB Strike Zone | |
MSNBC | |
Music Choice (84 chnls) | |
NASA | |
Next Level Sports | |
NFL Redzone | |
NHK | |
NRB | |
ONCE Mexico | |
Outdoor Channel | |
Pursuit Channel | |
ShopHQ | |
Showtime West | |
So Yummy | |
SonLife Broadcasting | |
STARZ West | |
TBN | |
TBN Inspire | |
TCT Network | |
The Movie Channel (East) | |
The Movie Channel (Xtra) | |
Victory | |
Willow | |
Word Network | |
World Harvest TV |
Ordering options
If you've chosen a side, below we've compiled DIRECTV's best deal available right now. Our visitors tend to save the most by calling, so we typically recommend that first...
- Plans starting as low as $69.99/mo
- Over 165 live TV channels
- Bonus: Get up to a 100 Visa Gift Card! (new)
- FREE Genie DVR or Gemini Air device
- FREE Max™, SHOWTIME®, STARZ® & Cinemax® for 3 Mths
- Note: DIRECTV's best offer since June 2021
Wait, what about sports?
DIRECTV is still the best TV provider out there for sports fans, even after losing the NFL Sunday Ticket. They offer the most regional sports networks of any provider, streaming, cable or satellite. And, of course, you'll also get all the college sports networks (Big Ten, ACC, etc), MLB Network, NFL Network, and much much more. The good news is both DIRECTV satellite and internet subscribers qualify for all those channels...except for a few: Cowboy Channel, DIRECTV SportsMix, MLB Strike Zone, Next Level Sports, NFL Redzone, Outdoor Channel and Pursuit Channel.
NFL Redzone not available via internet
As of this writing, the NFL Redzone is only available to satellite subscribers. That may change in the future but keep that in mind if it's a must have. The situation is not that big of a surprise as DIRECTV Stream subscribers (which is different than DIRECTV via internet) have never had the NFL Redzone in a core plan.
Is DIRECTV via internet the same as DIRECTV Stream?
Good question. It is a bit confusing. DIRECTV Stream is also only available through your internet connection but it is a different service. The biggest difference is you don't use ANY of DIRECTV's equipment. So, while DIRECTV via internet requires you get the DIRECTV Gemini device, DIRECTV Stream requires NO DIRECTV equipment at all. You pick a DIRECTV plan and stream it on your own device (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Samsung, etc). As a result, DIRECTV Stream is even easier to setup.
While it costs the same as DIRECTV via satellite and internet, it often has more aggressive sign-up bonuses. The big downside with DIRECTV Stream is it has a LOT less channels than satellite and even via internet. That's the general trade-off with pure streaming TV -- you'll find the same situation with other providers as well.
