Anybody else having DirecTV problems?

You can't get Versus in my world without a dish. Just saying.

 

Walking outside to take a shit never killed me; but when we got indoor plumbing I didn't complain.

 

anyone have their HD package? What;s a realistic price for their package with all the HD channels (not counting the HBO/Skin/Starz...)

 

sunday night, my plasma HD went out when the Angels had the bases loaded and Beckett was pitching to Juan Rivera. I'm told he walked to force in a run. The little TV in my office still worked. The plasma had to reset itself, took 5-6 minutes. A times during the games, commercials would flash on for just a second or two, then the game would come back.
This afternoon when I flipped on the Tampa-Chisox game, the plasma had to reset itself again..
And it seemed like the sound and picture weren't in sync, a fraction of a second apart. It wasn't too distracting during the game action, but the interviews were terrible when their lips were moving before the words came. Noticed it only on TBS. Not on any other channels.

 

The HD channels that have a standard-definition equivalent are included in any package. There are a few that don't have equivalents. It's $5 a month to get those (HD Net, Universal HD, Smithsonian, MGM HD, etc.)

Here's my bill:

Current Charges for Service Period 09/10/08 - 10/09/08
09/10 10/09 PLUS HD DVR Monthly 72.99
09/10 10/09 SPORTS Monthly 12.00
09/10 10/09 DIRECTV HD EXTRA PACK Monthly 4.99
09/10 10/09 Setanta Sports Monthly 14.99
09/10 10/09 DIRECTV DVR Service $5.99/mo Included in Base Pkg 0.00
09/10 10/09 DIRECTV on DEMAND -Complimentary 0.00

Fees
09/11 Leased Receiver 4.99
09/11 Primary Leased Receiver 4.99

Adjustments & Credits
09/11 Primary Leased Receiver -4.99 Credit

Taxes
Sales Tax 0.43

AMOUNT DUE $110.39

 

By the way here's the explanation from DirecTV Web site:

 

Not that I'd encourage dishonesty, but the ease of which the CS rep handed me the freebie makes me think anybody could call and get something as well.

 

Sometimes the problem lies in the dish itself. A year ago my parents had major issues with their DirecTV service. They weren't receiving many channels and the ones they did receive were prone to excessive picture freeze and pixelation. Turns out the dish was the culprit and not the receiver. There was a hairline crack in the dish [probably from one of those Texas hail storms] and water had gotten into the dish and caused things to go screwy. The dish was replaced [at no charge] and everything has worked fine since.

 

I've had DTV for 10 years, and yes, the customer service is great. I have had a problem with blanking out the last few days. Each time it's happened (twice), it came when I was done watching a recorded show on the DVR and tried to get back to live TV. I had to unplug the box and go from there.
The one thing I don't like about DTV is when you change a channel it takes like 4 seconds for it to change. I want instant channel changing, damnit!