Direct TV - pros/cons

[1992casey]

Now I'm intrigued. You're saying that if I get a modulator, I'll be able to watch separate DirecTV channels out of the same receiver on two TVs? And I can do that with a digital cable box, too?

[BraunsBoyfriend]

I don't know about Direct TV. The box is the descrambler for the signal.

 

As for regular old cable though, as long as you have cable ready TV's and you modulate the cable, you can send the signal to multiple TV's in the house.

[dadofandrew]

Casey, we just have our cable coming into one place in our utility room, and it's split to 5 TV's. We can only get 101+ on the one with the box, but on the other 4, we can watch whatever we want. We just have regular cheap black plastic that the cable guy left us as a kind hearted gesture, same thing you can buy at Best Buy.

[aracko]

Time warner - 119.00 for unlimited phone, Roadrunner, and HDTV. Unlimited TVs.

 

Direct TV - 5.00 extra per TV. Better picture on HDTV. 80.00+ per month for High speed internet. CAN GET NFL PACKAGE AND NFL NETWORK.

 

Its a dang shame that these cant all be on the same packaeg

[endaround]

I had DirecTV and had to get rid of it to get Adelphia internet a while back. (Adelphia had a charge of an extra $20 a month if you only got cable internet and no digital cable. Had to keep the governing family in corporate provided luxury!)

 

It does go out with the weather. Meaning no tornado warnings lots of times.

 

The big con is the provided service. Now this isn't as important in an apartment, but Time Warner has rewired whole sections of my parent's house for free when they were having problems. With DirecTV you are on your own. (Now this is from those who actually work in Time Warner service. The guys that come to install stuff tend to be contractors and in general get paid piecemeal and so do a fairly crappy job in order to install as many as possible in a given day).

 

Price isn't that different if you want HD. Its nearly free from Time Warner for most decent HD stations but it will cost an extra $10 or so a month from DirecTV.

[fielder28]

I've had DirecTV for over 5 years now. My biggest complaints with them are 1) Customer Service; 2) FSN-HD...... the latter of which is my biggest complaint.

 

I've posted on a number of boards about my disappointment in DTV with regards to FSN-HD. If you look at the Brewer's schedule, it shows that we have 17 HD games this year on FSN-HD. Well, up-to-date, there have been 5 broadcast in HD, and Time Warner has shown them all, but DTV... 0.. a big FAT ZERO. In years past, they used to broadcast the FSN-HD games on Channels 94 or 95, and this year, NOTHING.

 

So, needless to say, I've spent over 4 hours on the phones with those yahoo's over there... and the best explanation I've received is "they've changed the contract and we don't get those games anymore". I have no idea if I can believe them, because it's just a customer service rep probably feeding whatever they can to get me off the phone... but it really sucks. I mean, the Brewers only get 17 games this year.. It would be nice to get those 17 in HD. Seriously. IF Time Warner gets it, why the h3ll can't we?!? Esp. since I pay extra to get FSN-North and for HD... that should be part of the deal, like it used to be...

 

Done with my rant... So, if you're a fan of HD, and want to see your local teams (Bucks/Brewers).. that'd be enough to turn me away.

[sgtcluels]

Fry I love my DirecTiVo, it's the best thing ever. I have 2 of them, and never regretted the purchase. The day that DTV decided to terminate it's contract with TiVo and go with their self built ones.. I died a little bit.

 

When I go HD, I don't know what I'm going to do about a DVR. TiVo HD is pretty expensive and is only for Cable, and the DTV DVR is pretty junky. Ropert Merdoch I hate you for going with your own DVR.

[jwill535]

I have Charter right now(which is nice, but the company it self can go to hell.), i have been debating getting DTV for awhile now. The reason i havent is the ease of just havign cable. The one thing that will sway me is if Charter will pick up the Big Ten Network. If Charter doesnt pick it up i am getting DTV. The more HD channels would be a plus too, Charter finally got Fox HD and has yet to get ESPN2 but did add PBS HD which is on air two hours a day.

 

As for FSN HD, i wish they showed it here in Madison, unless someone knows if they do?

[burniebrewer]

It does go out with the weather. Meaning no tornado warnings lots of times.

 

If the satellite feed goes out, you can simply turn off the receiver and watch your local channels during nasty weather.

[endaround]

Assuming you live in an area that can pick up over the air channels easily.

[burniebrewer]

Assuming you live in an area that can pick up over the air channels easily.

 

Good point.

 

I am able to get them easily and hadn't considered otherwise.

[Point Beer Is Best]

Just read the whole thread, and was wondering if anyone has DishNetwork or has any opinions on them. I live in Green Bay, and we currently don't have any cable/satellite. My options appear to be DirectTV, DishNetwork, or Time Warner Cable. However, I would also like to get high speed internet, but DSL is not available in our area which limits my options to TWC. Right now we have a land line phone really for the sole purpose of having NetZero. So I'm basically paying $50 a month for dialup internet.

 

The reason I bring up DishNetwork is because the previous owner left their dish and all the wiring is set up so they'd basically just have to plug in the receiver and we'd be set.

 

But are there any other options for highspeed internet that I'm overlooking? Maybe I should just pay $50 for Road Runner and cut the TDS and NetZero since we don't really use the phone line for anything else.

[mothershipconnection]

I had Dish Network and it was great - zero complaints from me.

 

As for the "your dish goes out in storms" nonsense, it's just a bunch of fear mongering on the part of cable companies. I had Dish for about a year and a half and had a somewhat fuzzy signal maybe twice and only lost signal once during the most intense storms that should have knocked the power out anyway. Meanwhile, my Charter Cable would go out on sunny afternoons with much greater regularity.

[Fatter than Joey]

As for the "your dish goes out in storms" nonsense, it's just a bunch of fear mongering on the part of cable companies.

 

I agree with this 100%. We had our cable go out all the time, at what seemed to be random times.

 

I have had all 3.

 

Direct>Dish>Cable.

 

If you are a NFL freak Direct is your only choice.

[mikevan1818]

Thanks guys. This advice is all really great.

 

I have another question. I'm going start by saying I know nothing about internet and cable and all that junk - I am wondering this: My fiance and I are just going to use a cell phone as our phone because we have a sweet plan. If I want DirectTV and then some sort of internet can I do that? Or do I have to have a phone line or cable TV?

 

Also, if I CAN have internet with just DirectTV and no phone or cable - what is my best bet for a internet provider?

 

Thanks again.

[Roscoe Chill]

I have DirecTV, with AT&T (SBC) internet...but you do have to have a land line. When I add up all the costs it still comes out less than the Charter bundle....and I get more channels, including the NFL Network, and if I choose, I can get the NFL Ticket. And I'd be willing to bet the Big 10 Network is offered on DirecTV as well, I would also be willing to bet Charter won't have it.

[MJLiverock]

I have had DirecTV for about 6 years and love it over Charter. The rain fade has only been an issue a max of 1 time a year and then only for a few minutes. The key is to make sure you have a strong signal to begin with. My signal stength is in the 95 to 97 range but reception will work with anything above 70 and even down into the 60's. If you have a poorly pointed dish or a tree or building in the line of sight it can increase instances of rain fade.

 

The FSN North / WI problem is due to bandwith limitations which should be cleared up after the new satellite is launced in early July. I don't know of specific plans for a dedicated FSN WI feed but the company has said they plan on offering more regional sports feeds in HD once they get the bandwith. Right now they occasionally spot beam the HD feed of FSN North into the Twin Cities areas providing on channel 96 IIRC. Hopefully they will be able to cover southerwn WI with an HD FSN WI feed but I wouldn't expect anything until 2008 season at the earliest since the satellite won't be turned over to them until late summer and FSN WI doesn't do much in HD yet.

 

BTW the new HD signals will be in the MPEG4 format which will not work with the Tivo Branded DirecTV HR-10-250 DVR. I still have one those recievers but I have been running 2 of the new HD DVR's for about 6 months and haven't had any problems with missed recordings or reboots. The software relseases in the last 6 months have really improved a lot of the bugs you hear people complain about in the new DVRs. There are also a number of people who won't accept or try anything that doesn't say Tivo on the box and will bash any attempt to say another product works just as well if not better in some respects. So see what you like best for your DVR requirements.

 

Madison and Milwaukee locals and HD locals are both available on DTV as well. If you want over the air reception any old rabbit ears will work if you live close to the stations. My parents live 40 miles from Madison and get all the HD channels over the air thru their old school roof antenna they used to use to get the local channels before they got a dish.

 

There is a site called www.dbstalk.com that has a lot of info and discussion regarding the pros and cons as well anything else you can imagine regarding satellite service.