Two main DIRECTV satellite TV plans are commonly offered and these are Choice and Xtra. All two offer a vast number of frequently watched TV channels at a rather affordable price, Yet, there are certain peculiarities which you ought to know before making the choice. In this article, we will compare DIRECTV CHOICE vs XTRA and make it easy for you to determine the best package to go for.
DIRECTV Choice Overview
DIRECTV Choice is a mid-level group of channels that contains approximately 150+ channels per month. These include local television stations, and widely watched cable stations such as ESPN, CNN, TNT, Nickelodeon, and others. Pre-emption is generally offered together with Choice and regional sports networks are also usually included with Choice.
Some of the key highlights of DIRECTV Choice include:
- There are more than 150 entertainment channels delivering entertainment programs, news, sports, kids programs, and so on.
- HD programming option with the availability of an HDTV tune and dish hardware.
- DVR service is provided to tape your best programs on the air
- The digital on-screen guide to quickly access favorite channels and programs.
- With the DIRECTV on-demand service, customers can watch a variety of titles anytime they want.
- Live streaming and viewing are also possible at home and out of the home via the DIRECTV app.
The Choice package satisfies a large audience of TV viewers who are interested in a stable package of channels without reaching paid top packages. It is ideal for sports lovers, families who like watching television, and people who enjoy watching shows from popular cable networks.
DIRECTV Xtra Overview
The Xtra package is just next in rank to the Premier package, which makes it number 2 out of the 5 packages offered by the company. It has over 235+ channels containing movies, sports, news, family, lifestyle, and other related content. It is offering all the channels in Choice plus many more for a higher monthly subscription.
Some of the key highlights of DIRECTV Xtra include:
- Then, it allows for 235+ channels so that the service provides nearly every major cable channel.
- Other regional sports networks that were part of this acquisition included FOX Sports and NBC Sports among others.
- HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz are some of the many popular movie channels.
- Additional sports packages include NFL Sunday Ticket which requires a subscription sign-up, and MLB Extra Innings which also requires a subscription sign-up.
- Other entertainment options like FX, BBC America, GSN and many others
- Large on-demand library with 20,000+ titles for on-demand.
To be more specific, this is what DIRECTV Xtra targets; Movie buffs, sports enthusiasts, and heavy users who crave a wide selection of channels. The broad variety of movies, TV shows, and others that are in demand is also a plus, of course. In fact, with the DIRECTV DVR service, you can even record so many shows as well.
Conclusively comparing DIRECTV Choice and Xtra, Channel, and Price.
Now that you understand the basics of each package, let’s compare DIRECTV Choice vs Xtra across some key factors:
Channels
Choice: 150+ channels
Xtra: 235+ channels
Choice has the basic entertainment and sports channel package that many customers look for. But Xtra has all those and a whole lot more when it comes to the number of channels, especially for movies and TV show lovers. It is recommended that you visit the channel lineup PDFs of DirecTV to compare the actual number of channels.
Price
Choice: Starts at $69. 99/month
Xtra: Starts at $84. 99/month
Moreso, Xtra is $15 more expensive per month due to the 85+ extra channels that you are offered. That may cost some customers, which is fine, or other customers might be content with getting a discount with Choice.
Sports & Movie Channels
To sports enthusiasts, the move to Xtra could be justified by the fact that the higher package will provide such features as NFL Sunday Ticket, MLB Extra Innings, Fox College Sports, ESPN U, and others. Included are 8 Starz/Encore channels, EPIX, and other movies for the fans. The basic package by Choice does offer some sports and movie channels, however, Xtra goes a notch higher.
Number of TVs Supported
Both packages come with the option to watch on up to four TVs in the home, providing an additional $7 per month for each additional TV. No difference between Choice and Xtra here hence they can be used interchangeably.
Genres Covered
The choice is common dignifying the main genres – entertainment, news, comedy, kids, and sports channels mainly. Xtra goes further into movies, lifestyle channels, documentaries, art, and various gaming channels. It goes in the direction of targeting almost every significant channel group area.
Contract Commitment
DIRECTV does not allow customers to choose individual equipment packages as they heavily discount equipment, and all their packages require a 24-month subscription. So, you cannot cancel the service for 2 years without facing an early cancellation fee.
Bundling Options
DIRECTV Choice or Xtra is cheaper when bundled with AT&T internet; although, the availability of these offers depends on the region. You don’t have to use AT&T internet, and sometimes the rates of the television-internet packages can cost $10-30 less per month.
So, as the above discussion of the DIRECTV choice and Xtra packages finally comes to an end, I hope this full breakdown will help clarify the most apparent similarities and differences. Choice has the best pricing plan with 150+ assortments of desired channels, Xtra is more suitable for channel surfers with a vast offer of programming, sports channels, and on-demand movies/TV shows. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of each to determine which choice offers the best DIRECTV satellite TV services for your house.
Transform your viewing experience with DirecTV! Call us today at +1 855-213-2250 to explore our plans and find the perfect package for you. Our experts are ready to assist you and get you set up with top-notch entertainment. Don’t wait—contact us now!