Dumping cable for dish

I hate my cable company more than words can say, and I keep getting these mailers from DirecTV and Dish Network.

Anybody have any experience, good or bad, with them?

I don't care much about movie channels, so having a better deal on all seven HBOs wouldn't matter much to me. But I would like to get something one or two tiers above basic level service with lots of HD.

Your recommendations, warnings, etc. are appreciated.

 

Ditched cable for DirecTV a couple of years ago.

Wouldn't even dream of going back. Better selection, better price, better service.

 

I love DirecTV. i watch a lot of soccer and rugby in my off hours, and DirecTV is the only satellite company with Fox Soccer Plus in HD (at least live matches). The problem I ever have is when there are severe thunderstorms and it only goes out for a few minutes, or heavy snowfall. My dish is on a pole just outside my back door, so snow won't be a problem.

DirecTV doesn't have AMC, BBC America or E! in HD, but you get your local sports in HD, unless you live near Philadelphia where you can't get any Philly team on the local regional sports channel.

Just be aware that the customer service people at the satellite companies aren't the smartest people in the world and make sure you get any credits you are promised.

 

I hooked up with DirecTV in March of 1998. Will never go back to cable. Great selection, great customer service. And it has the NFL Network, MLB, NBA, Tennis, Hockey and Golf Networks.

 

Had to get rid of DirecTV because the tree in our yard got too big and blocked the signal and have hated not having it ever since.

We went on vacation for three weeks in our last year of having DTV and the DVR took a dump and lost everything when they had a system upgrade a few days after we got back. They credited us for a month and threw in three months of Showtime. Try getting that out of a cable company.

 

No complaints with DirecTV. Their customer service is overly anal, but they stick with you for as long as necessary to get it solved. It's kinda frustrating as they walk you through all the steps toward resolution:
Is it plugged in?
Is the socket live?
Is it plugged into a power strip?
Are you sure that works?
Is the plug connected to a GFI?
Check to see if that is functioning right?
Even if you tell them you already checked all of those things, they won't depart from their checklist.
But they do get the problem solved.

 

DirecTV > any cable company

 

DirecTV sub since 1999, great picture, rarely does it go out because of rain or snow. Prices decent, even though they've gone up, I pay $85 monthly for a DVR package (with a 2nd HD .receiver)
And yesterday, I scored free NFL Red Zone cause I've been a loyal customer.

 

When I contacted Comcast recently after checking out pricing and plans online, the guy on the phone told me that there were different prices -- some higher, some lower -- if you signed up via phone vs. Internet. And those initial discounts on high-speed Internet, cable TV and phone? You can only get one if you order a la carte (as opposed to their package deals). And to get access to your DVR recordings on more than one TV in the house, you physically need to have -- and pay full monthly fee -- for extra DVRs. And record the shows on the one you want to watch them on.

All sorts of bad-equipment, bad-policy twists and turns with Comcast bastards compared to what I know about DirecTV and AT&T Uverse. Never considered Dish Network because it doesn't have the sports packages I want.

 

Your main consideration should be Internet. If you use cable for your broadband you may as well stay with cable.

If you use a telco for DSL Internet and you don't live in a valley - then I'd suggest first getting an antenna and seeing what local channels you can pick up. With the conversion to digital signals - you'd be surprised how many local channels you can pick up (many of them in HD). Augment that with Netflix and Hulu and you have a very robust selection of video to chose from.

If you can't get any local channels via antenna - then DirecTV should be fine.

 

Until a month ago, we went with cable for the past four years. Comcast then Cox. Honestly, never had an issue with either one, but we didn't have the option of DirecTV. Now that we do, it's a no-brainer. Cheaper, more channels, more sports. Sunday Ticket. Just a no brainer.

After our five-month special is over ($60 a month for the top tier package including all the movie channels and Sunday Ticket), we're gonna pay around $80 or so a month for the next tier down, HBO and three receivers, including 2 HD DVR receivers. And with the next tier down, we're gonna miss out on like four channels, none of which I give a shit about. So it's a win.

And no money up front. Free installation.