Satellite Vs. Cable

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Satellite is ok if you are out in the country without cable access.

 

Cable is the best way to go, it has ondemand.

Directv will have a video on demand service this fall along with all the HD channels they're adding, the only hitch being it requires a broadband connection to actually download the program..which doesn't make sense since I doubt people who have satellite because they cant get cable (probably a good solid close to majority of subs) probably cant get broadband either.

 

 

 

from DBSTalk!

 

 

its really in beta now, but its coming..soon.

[Nate 0]

I know I'm bumping a 2-3 month old topic, but the more I think about it I may consider getting a Satellite dish, cable prices keep goin up and I read somewhere the basic package for my cable is goin up to 15 or 16 bucks a month, and between my cable and my mom's cable we pay 89 bucks a month, I'm curious if Dish or DirectTV charges per room

[Youth N Asia 0]

Comcast is pricing hiking something like 10% in the next month

[2GOLD 0]

I know I'm bumping a 2-3 month old topic, but the more I think about it I may consider getting a Satellite dish, cable prices keep goin up and I read somewhere the basic package for my cable is goin up to 15 or 16 bucks a month, and between my cable and my mom's cable we pay 89 bucks a month, I'm curious if Dish or DirectTV charges per room

 

Dish will charge for the receivers if you don't get enough and they are about 100 bucks each one time price. The package you get will be on all three of them though and one price. No clue about DirectTV.

 

 

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

If you want two separate directv receivers, you'll pay $5 mirror fee for the 2nd one on top of the regular package price.

 

regular DVR or HD receivers can be had for free with a 2 year commitment, HD-DVR is $99 for new customers. HD Service runs $15 a month, DVR Service is $6. Directv On Demand is free for now with compatible receivers and a broadband internet connection.

 

I pay $75 (80 starting in March) for 2 HD-DVRs with the middle of the road package with no premiums. Subtract 15/6 as appropriate to figure out what you would pay if you dont get DVR or HD service.

[Nate 0]

Comcast is pricing hiking something like 10% in the next month

 

well shit, might have to talk with my mom about switching then, although since we live in an apartment we'd have to ask our landlords and see if thats cool to do, now when it comes to signing up for it, do you have to have a credit card to get approved for the Dish or will a debit card work, if I do this I'll probably wait till after the tax return is recieved, its 44 bucks alone for one setup with our cable

 

not sure if it matters but my mom's TV is really old would they be able to hook the Dish up

 

I wasnt planning on HBO or those channels all I wanted was the America's 250 if I do this and a DVR for me at least

[Craig Th 0]

I pay $45 for cable. $30 for the actually cable, $10 for the box and $5 for DVR. And unlike DirecTV, I don't have to pay a dime for the 45 HD channels I get.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I pay $45 for cable. $30 for the actually cable, $10 for the box and $5 for DVR. And unlike DirecTV, I don't have to pay a dime for the 45 HD channels I get.

 

$15 for 100 (soon to be 150 this year) channels is a good deal. Cable won't even be near that for quite some time.

 

I had to pay $200 upfront or my boxes and its only a lease, so you have me beat there.

 

 

 

 

[Dandy 0]

I got DirecTV HD installed in October. I was very happy with it until last Tuesday. There was a huge windstorm, and I ended up with 0 signal on all of my boxes. I called and scheduled a service call, and the earliest they could come was Sunday 8-12. Sunday rolls around and they guy calls and stops buy around 8:30. He goes outside and climbs up to the dish. I live in an apartment over a business, the only apartment in the building. The building is square, and the dish was installed on the side, through the vinyl siding, right near the top of the building. He says that the dish was not installed correctly, because the bigger dishes weigh more and should never be installed on the side of a building, much less through vinyl siding. The reason I am getting no signal is the wind helped the weight of the dish pull the vinyl siding away from the building, and now the dish won't be level. Keep in mind this is a local subcontractor for DirecTV.

 

He says the dish needs reinstalled with a flat mount kit on the roof, not on the side. I say whatever it takes. He informs he doesn't have the right kit with him, and he will have to get one and come back another time. He says that will be another service call. I tell him I am not paying him for another service call just because he didn't have the necessary equipment at the time. He calls his office and they tell him to drive back to the office (25 miles) pick up the kit, and then come back and install it. He tells me he has never done a flat mount install. He still says he will come back and do it. Ten minutes after he leaves, I get a call from their scheduling lady that the tech would like to reschedule, and what day would be good for me? I said the very next day. After two minutes, she says that day won't work, what other day would I like? I say the day after that. She says that won't work. I am getting mad at this point so I tell her to let me know what day will work, and it was today (Thursday) from 8-12. I agree.

 

I immediately called DirecTV to let them know what was going on, I was still without service, I was not going to be paying for another service call (they agreed with me), and informed them that the original installation was not done properly and the vinyl siding was pulled away from my building. They said they would have someone from dmage claims contact me this week before the guy came to reinstall the dish. They also say my account will be credited for each day I have no service. Today comes, and by 12:35, I have not heard from the tech or anyone from DirecTV. I call DirecTV and inform them of everything that has happened. I talk with three people before the girl I was talking with just stopped speaking when I would complain and ask what choice I had. I finally asked to speak with a supervisor. After literally 20 minutes, a supervisor came on. He said there was no damage claim filed, and he would call the local subcontractor. I was on hold a couple of times during the conversation while he tried to get them on the phone. He took my phone number down and called me back after 30 minutes and said he still could not reach anyone. He made a note on my account of everything that has happened.

 

Finally, around 4PM, I am able to get through to the local subcontractor. They were rude and abrupt when I said the tech never showed up or called. They simply gave me an 800 number to call, and when I asked them who I was calling with that number, they replied, "our scheduling service," and hung up. I dialed it and got an answering machine. I left a message, then dialed it right back. Someone picked up, and after about 10 minutes of letting them know the scenario, the lady informed me that there was a hold on my installation because someone went into the computer and stated "NO EQUIPMENT." She said she had never seen that before. She starts calling techs, and says she will call me back by 5. I have to call her back, and she finally got a tech and said he could be over in a matter of minutes. I reminded her that the last guy needed a flat mount kit, so she better ask the tech if he had one. He didn't. However, he thought he could grab one from a tech that was off that day and lived nearby. She would call me back if that was possible. Around 6, I got the call and he would be here around 8-8:30! So HOPEFULLY, I can get my satellite turned back on in the next hour.

 

What is the point of this long fucking story? The DirecTV programming is great! No complaints from me. However, you have to deal with local subcontractors, and I have read horror stories all day long while waiting for these return phone calls. Many of the posters on this one forum were techs, and they said that their bosses forced them to lie to customers about needing a phone line hooked up because every box not hooked up was a $5 chargeback to the subcontractor from DirecTV. Also, they were told to charge additional fees for wires, connectors, poles, mount kits, etc. and if the customer did not complain, take their money. If they did complain, just do the installation that was required without the extra charge. These local subcontractors are crooks in some areas, and any of you thinking about switching to DirecTV should check around with people in your area that have the service before making your decision. Dish Network supposedly stopped the subcontracting and set up installation sites. They also supposedly stopped paying the techs per installation and pay them by the hour, cutting out the fees, and the subcontractors forcing them to sell other stuff. I don't know any of that is true, just what some Dish techs were stating on the forum I was on.

 

Let's hope I walk away with satellite service tonight!

 

 

[NoCalMike 0]

I got Dish Network two years ago and still have it. There was no installation fee and I didn't have to pay for my equipment because it is all leased and will be returned to Dish Network if I ever cancel my service. I have never really had a problem. I just went through an episode of not getting a hot phone signal through my receiver, but Dish sent me a new receiver, and then the phone company replaced some sketchy wiring outside my house and the problem was fixed.....

[jimmy no nose 0]

I've always just gone with the regular cable that Comcast offers in town, but I'm moving in a few weeks and have gotten pretty tired of having to deal with them. I was thinking about possibly switching to satellite, but I recently got an advertisement for Verizon's fairly new FiOS TV service in town. Does anyone have experience with them? It's nice to see that there's some competition on the cable front, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to have had any impact on prices for either company. I'd end up paying just about the same as I would with Comcast if I made the switch, anyone know anything about their service?