DirectTV

[Firstime Caller]

I just got DirectTV again after living in places for a few years where I had to go with cable (hi-rise apmts.) I'd always been really happy with DirectTV. When I'd see cable ads talking about "cable, we don't go out during thunderstorms/windy weather," I'd always wonder what they were talking about because my DirectTV would make it though Midwest blizzards without the picture dropping out whereas cable would just fail left and right during perfect weather. Now I'm living on the West Coast where it's somewhat windy today. I don't think we're talking 50 mph windstorm here, more like 20 to maybe 35 mph gusts. And the DirectTV - no hi-def dish - is dropping out left and right during nearly every wind gust for a few seconds.

Is this what DirectTV has become in the last few years when we didn't have it? I know they've been putting up all kinds of different satellites in the sky for the hi-def stuff the past few years. Like I said, the spouse and I had been huge DirectTV fans so I'm not coming on here looking to rip DirectTV, but I'm just shocked at the reception problems we've been having today considering the kind of weather we've lived through before and the DirectTV seemed to have less problems then. Could it be that we just got some idiot installers who didn't properly aim the dish?

 

[westcoastvol]

They farm out the installations to whomever.

I live between Hollywood and Chavez Ravine and it's been quite gusty all day. No problems with my DirecTV whatsoever. Call them. Their customer service is great.

 

[Gutter]

I've had it since January and have survived through a few major blizzards with no problems whatsoever.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

We get "rain fade" during heavy thunderstorms. Somehow t-storms cause more problems than heavy snow.

 

[BTExpress]

I never lost reception during Hurricane Wilma . . . until the backside of the eyewall ripped the dish off the house.

 

[Buck]

Got it in January. Just one or two very minor glitches so far.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

I never lost reception during Hurricane Wilma . . . until the backside of the eyewall ripped the dish off the house.

A piddly hurricane trashed your dish?

 

[Lester Bangs]

Have had it nearly two years through nasty Idaho weather and have never had an issue.

 

[BTExpress]

My two biggest DirecTV gripes:

1. Still no Tennis Channel (DISH has had it since it acquired Zoom).

2. For some reason the receiver periodically goes out while watching one of three HD channels: ESPN, ESPN2 or TNT. And you have to reset the thing to get the picture back (takes the press of a button and about two minutes of waiting).

This is my second HD receiver, and both have had this problem (though it was so bad with the first one that I demanded a replacement).

 

[WazzuGrad00]

I haven't had any problem with my HD box, is yours a DVR? I've found that DirecTV is much better if you're into soccer (Setanta, Gol and FSC), maybe that's in exchange for no Tennis Channel.

 

[sportschick]

My two biggest DirecTV gripes:

1. Still no Tennis Channel (DISH has had it since it acquired Zoom).

2. For some reason the receiver periodically goes out while watching one of three HD channels: ESPN, ESPN2 or TNT. And you have to reset the thing to get the picture back (takes the press of a button and about two minutes of waiting).

This is my second HD receiver, and both have had this problem (though it was so bad with the first one that I demanded a replacement).

This just sealed my decision about which one to get. Yep, I need the tennis channel.

 

[Firstime Caller]

Ok, glad to see from the responses here that DirectTV apparently hasn't gone to crap since the last time we had them. Based on the responses here, it seems like something went wrong with our installation. I sort of suspected that based on seeing the installers at "work." Like I said initially on here, it was somewhat windy yesterday, but, in the past, my DirectTV had weathered far worse. We have someone coming out to look at it and hopefully fix it on Saturday. (They could have come sooner, but we couldn't find a time that worked before then.) I'll update after they come on Saturday.

 

[Lester Bangs]

OK, to threadjack, I just purchased the MLB Extra Innings package, which has long been an unfulfilled fantasy the wife simply would not tolerate. Now for my question, is it all home broadcasts (like XM) or all available broadcasts? In other words, if it's Yankees at Boston, do I get YES or only NESN?

 

[da el g]

dumped Time Warner and the annual 10% rate increases for DirectTV 3 months ago, should have done it 3 years ago

 

[MileHigh]

Have had DirecTV for nearly seven years. Had it go out twice, both during massive rainstorms in Florida. I woke up today to six inches of snow on the ground and on the dish. Turned on the TV before going outside and the reception was clear and no problems.

 

[beefncheddar]

OK, to threadjack, I just purchased the MLB Extra Innings package, which has long been an unfulfilled fantasy the wife simply would not tolerate. Now for my question, is it all home broadcasts (like XM) or all available broadcasts? In other words, if it's Yankees at Boston, do I get YES or only NESN?

You'll only get one feed of the game, and it's never always home or away.

 

[Firstime Caller]

Just wanted to update. Guy came out (late) to fix things on Saturday. Apparently this guy was on retainer to fix installations that other people messed up in the first place. This guy quickly agreed that the wind we experienced a few days ago should not have been messing up the reception. Apparently, when the a$$clowns initially installed our dish, they failed to account for the fact that wind would sometimes blow and shift some trees into the path of the dish. This sort of aggrevated me because I had warned the initial installers about some trees that appeared to be in the way. Ironically though, the fixer guy said it was some other trees that were in the way.

So he moved the dish to a slightly different location on the same side of the house. Of course, he aggrevated me a little because I told him before he moved the dish that he could install it on the other side of the house where there would be no trees at all blocking the dish. So only after he finishes moving the dish does he go to the other side house and then he agrees with me that the view there is clear. So he tells us that when we upgrade to hi-def that's where the different dish should go. So if this dish proves to have any more problems I guess I know where I'll be telling the next people to move the dish to. But at least for now it appears to be working.

 

[Birdscribe]

Just got DirecTV two months ago when we moved into the new digs, which is smack dab in the middle of a desert wind tunnel. Not a peep, burp or blurb... so far.

Like Da el G, should've done this years ago. I was in a minor quandry when we moved: whether to upgrade to Time Warner digital or go the dish route. After paying my last bill at the old house and getting a pamphlet that was slightly easier than ancient Sanskrit to decipher (is it light pink or dark pink for the total sports package?), went the DirecTV route and haven't stopped patting myself on the back.

 

[Rich Griffis]

I'm closing on a new house later this month and have been considering the switch to DirectTV, but I can't give up my high-speed internet. From looking at their web site, it appears that the only internet option in this area is DSL service through a company I have never heard of. What do you DirectTV lovers do for high-speed internet service?

 

[TigerVols]

I never lost reception during Hurricane Wilma . . . until the backside of the eyewall ripped the dish off the house.

Hey! Don't go dissing my DirecTV! I think the hurricane ripped the house from the dish, not the other way around!