Dumping cable for dish

[Smasher_Sloan]

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.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

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.

 

[Stitch]

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.

 

[MileHigh]

I've had DirecTV for 10 years and will not go back to cable. It's fantastic.

 

[old_tony]

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.

 

[Cape_Fear]

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.

 

[SoCalDude]

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.

 

[JackReacher]

DirecTV > any cable company

 

[patchs]

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.

 

[Joe Williams]

DirecTV > any cable company

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.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

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.

 

[JackReacher]

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 **** about. So it's a win.

And no money up front. Free installation.

 

[proudpittsburgher]

I had DTV and sunday ticket for about 7 years before I ditched it and went to Fios. Honestly, I loved, loved, loved it, although I am sure there are going to be more than a few who tell you their service went out when the wind blew more than 5 MPH. Personally, I only lost service during thunderstorms, and it was only out when the bad part of the cell was right over top of you. Never went out when windy (and I live in a tree-heavy area) and never went out when it rained or snowed. Only during storms.

Back to my point about the internet, i know in many areas they are offering a bundle with Verizon for their internet and phone . . . direcTV supplies the TV service. It is worth checking out, because it is my understanding they are doing ST for abotu 10 bucks a month and they have rolled superfan into the ST package for free. That used to be 100 bucks extra, so its a good deal.

Now, for the bad. I went to Verizon for the price and actually really liked it. One thing I noticed right away was Verizon's on demand service was fantastic. Pretty much everything was on demand. When I left DTV a couple of years ago, they pretty much didn't offer anything in the way of free on demand. Someone please correct me if it has changed. Either way, comcast and Verizon on demand were fantastic, DTV and dish, not much.

I always foung DTV a bit pricy . . . I saved a bunch of money going to Verizon (99 bundle for fios internet, great TV and phone), and am swithcing to Comcast this week (89 bucks a month for everything in HD, showtime, HBO and starz free for a year, red zone channel for free along with phoen and hi speed internet) I seem to recvall my direcTV bill for TV only was about 130 a month, and I really wasn't getting any premium channels. That obviously changes when you sign up for anew deal.

Anyway, that's my experience with DTV. I loved it and the customer service was great. I just got more from the other placxes, but until I got my slingbox set up, really hated not being able to see the Steelers on Sunday Ticket. ST is far and away the best package on TV.

 

[Colton]

Love DirecTV, have been with them since 1997... would never, ever go back to cable.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I'm sure it has changed in 10 years, but I had Dish Network at one point. Hated it. We lived out in the country in an apartment, and literally, we'd lose reception every month. We'd call up the Dish Network people to fix it, and it would always be 10 days to two weeks before they would come out. Meanwhile, we would have to go without TV for two weeks, and Dish Network never would give us any refunds. Terrible.

We switched back to cable when we bought our house, and we've always had it. The price was about the same per month, either way. We ended up giving the dish to some friends of ours who lived out in the country and didn't have cable or a dish.

 

[imjustagirl]

I love my UVerse. I get to record four things at once. Life saver.

 

[patchs]

PPB, DirecTV does have on demand.

 

[farmerjerome]

DirectTV can eat **** and die.

Before we moved, we had it on the farm (I know, I know). After about a month, the system would go out at 11 and 3 like clockwork. They could never figure it out. The system would stay up in a downpour or a snowstorm, but during a drizzle forget it.

We moved in December and a guy came out to take everything apart and away. We moved into the local town where we could get cable, got it and lived happily ever after until June.

DirectTV started calling and wanted to know why we weren't paying our bill. My dad politely told them that we didn't live there anymore and we disconnected the service. They told us that we never did, we owed them nearly two hundred bucks and the were coming for their equipment.

After a while, dad said sure but didn't pay it. I'm sure they got a nice surprise when they went out to the old house -- only to find a nice Mennonite family living there.

According to Dr. J they sent him bills up until the time of his death. This thread has me all pissed off again. I think I'll call my mom tomorrow to see if they're still sending anything. If they are, I'll send them a copy of his obit.

 

[TwoGloves]

Have had Dish Network for about four years. Love it. Wouldn't go back to the cable company. They're evil. I lose my signal when a big storm moves in but the DVR still works and signal returns as soon as the storm clears. And I've gotten additional channels without a price increase since I got the thing.

 

[Stitch]

DirectTV can eat **** and die.

Before we moved, we had it on the farm (I know, I know). After about a month, the system would go out at 11 and 3 like clockwork. They could never figure it out. The system would stay up in a downpour or a snowstorm, but during a drizzle forget it.

We moved in December and a guy came out to take everything apart and away. We moved into the local town where we could get cable, got it and lived happily ever after until June.

DirectTV started calling and wanted to know why we weren't paying our bill. My dad politely told them that we didn't live there anymore and we disconnected the service. They told us that we never did, we owed them nearly two hundred bucks and the were coming for their equipment.

After a while, dad said sure but didn't pay it. I'm sure they got a nice surprise when they went out to the old house -- only to find a nice Mennonite family living there.

According to Dr. J they sent him bills up until the time of his death. This thread has me all pissed off again. I think I'll call my mom tomorrow to see if they're still sending anything. If they are, I'll send them a copy of his obit.

Why would DirecTV come disconnect your stuff? They send boxes for the receivers and that's it. As for the people who look for a deal, you can always switch every year or two, but I like what DirecTV has to offer.