Cable versus DirecTV/Dish

[BaldRob]

I'm considering getting rid of Comcast, primarily because the greedy bastards took the NFL Network off the normal tier and put it on the sports tier...  Other than that (and the cost) I'm pretty happy with them.

Who here has DirecTV or Dish network?  What are your thoughts about either?

I used to have DirecTV and liked it, but that was like 5 years ago...

[warhawk]

hey baldrob.... i have cox communications (cable) here in florida.  i am pretty much satisified with them since i have their fast internet as well.  i was about 2 go direct tv but i hear that the reception sucks (at times) when weather is rainy or cloudy from what people tell me.  with cable  u  don't have 2 worry 'bout the weather.  i'm kinda curious what the other sly brahs will say on this subject.

WARHAWK

[schro]

We had a one month trial run with Dish before I took it out (yeah, I said I took it out ..... they mail you the boxes and you have to do all the work...they don't even remove the dish off the roof). It was part of an attempted bundle package with AT&T to try and get dish, internet, and phone all on one bill. Needless to say, it was a fucking nightmare. It'll be a cold day in hell before I even consider dish again.

We're now back to digital cable and they've added many HD channels. Pretty sweet.

[BaldRob]

Cost-wise, DirecTV will run about $70/month, and that includes HBO and a HD and DVR receiver... Comcast is running me $85/month now for HD and DVR service with no HBO (or NFL Network....)

[Paul]

Strictly a cable guy here.  Was staying at my folks when the new house was built and everytime there was severe overcast or bad rains, no reception.  Have Charter now and with the newest HD tv's is something called a cable card.  They slide it in back of tv like an ATM card, no receiver/extra remote needed. I get all HD channels and they are adding more all the time plus TMC and several SHOWTIME channels On top of that where the HD box cost ten bucks extra a month, the cable card cost a buck.

[schro]

sounds like a pretty sweet deal there, Paul.

[Paul]

Only drawback is their customer service department in the business office.   

[SLYinKC]

We're with Time Warner cable.  I get digital cable, digital phone (long distance included), and high speed internet for $100/month.  I've had both dish network and direct TV before and got tired of having to have the digital box on every TV.  Of the 2 I'd say Dish Network worked better for us.  With cable, our main TV has the digital box and the rest just have the regular cable hookup.

We're kinda overboard on the TV's here.  Got 7 total in the house, all hooked up to cable.  The latest one is in the master bath.  Kinda overboard, I know.

[wpruitt]

I've got DirectTV and have had no problems.  I might lose service during a MAJOR thunderstorm but that is rare.  Grandma has Charter and their customer service SUCKS.  She was without for 7 days; It took a number of calls (2 - 3) a day to get them out.  Only when I started quoting rates from Direct TV and threatening to go to the PSC did they finally find the problem. 

[Razor X]

I used to have DirecTV and liked it.   It did cut out in the rain sometimes, but only when it was a really heavy rain.  At the time, they'd just started offering local channels as part of the package.  I kept Comcast's antenna service instead because I got more local channels than what DirecTV was offering at the time.  I had DirecTV on the TVs in my living room and bedroom, and the Comcast antenna service for the TV in my kitchen.

When I made the transition from dial-up to broadband internet service, Comcast offered to buy back the dish for twice what I'd paid for it, if I signed up for digital cable.  It was too good a deal to turn down.  The dish is still on the roof and I could have it reconnected at any time, but probably won't.  I can get more cable channels in my kitchen now -- which means I can watch Fox News when I'm eating my breakfast and dinner.

[Medic aka Rocko]

Dish Network for me.  47.99 for America's Top 200 + locals, no movie channels.  Weather problems are rare (at least for me), maybe 5-7 brief outages over the past 5 years.  Very heavy rain or snow.  Local cable sucks.

[JDog]

Rupert Murdochs News Ltd controls 85percent of all PAY Tv in Australia.

I have Foxtel Digital which is the equivelant of Cable TV.

I pay $110 per month, I get around 100 channels. Luckily they have ESPN so I can watch NFL and NCAA ball.

I have their service called IQ which is like TIVO and lets you pause live TV,set record programs and series link them so they record all their episodes(extra 10 bucks per month). With the wife being at home looking after the little one all day it is a good thing to have. Rarely are there outtages. Got Free Installation on a 12 month contract.

[PBurke]

i got the rabbit ears with the aluminum foil on them. i get three channels. lpb is one of them. maybe one day they will have other options here in the swamp. that is horse crap, i have direct tv and it is ok i guess.

[Tyler]

When you look at price, the satellite companies will always win.  It's much cheaper for them since they don't have to maintain the infrastructure that cable does.  Dish or DirecTV is going to be releasing a TON of HD channels here pretty soon.  Though, satellite doesn't have video on demand, which is pretty cool if they have it in your area.

[VFRWolf]

I have Direct TV, no issues at all in over 2 years.  Charter kept promising a DVR in my area, but it never came through, they're slow to upgrade and slow on customer service.