You raise good points all around, and it's a matter of what's important to you. Speaking for myself, getting Al Jazeera, Montana
PBS, PBS, Create Channel, Research Channel, and UWTV was enough justification for me. The system paid for itself fast, I don't waste time surfing channels, and I get quality broadcasting.
I have a Ku band setup and am hoping to upgrade to C/Ku in the summer. If you already have the dish, you can get way more than I do.
So, what's it worth to you? Pay someone else too much for a lot, or pay a little for a little (that you want to see).
If you already have the dish, you already have the bulk of the investment. You'll have to change your dish controller to work with an FTA DBS receiver, but it's not a lot.
Well, surf Lyngsat, compare a year of DN to running your own solution, and then do what you want. Isn't it nice to live in a country where you have a choice and don't have to license your dish? Had to put that in.
Al