With Dish the box is free. Depending on the contract you pay nothing upfront and no monthly charge. Dish has a box that lets you watch one channel while recording another. With Dish you get Dish boxes, not TIVO. Dish boxes have Microsoft software.
With the newer boxes, there is no lag time. Dish also has a lot more international channels, by this summer they will have over 100 international channels. Direct has more sports, BUT...blackout rules still apply. Both of them have locals for $5 more a month.
Direct is being bought by good old Rupert Murdoch (of Fox) so look for some interesting changes coming down the pike, some good, some not so good. Dish is owned by Charlie Ergen and I love the "Charlie Chats" where monthly he comes on the air and takes questions. Direct is bigger, but more impersonal, they are currently owned by Hughes/GM.
With Dish I pay $75 a month for 3 TVs, 150 channels, locals, Starz/Encore plus New York and LA locals.