satellite TV

[SGTDad]

We're ditching cable and plan to go to satellite TV. The cabe company (time warner) has had issues with my neighborhood for 8 months and we are finally tired to dealing with the dropped internet connections, movies on demand that don't work, etc. So I already have the DSL setup and we are looking at satellite providers.

We've never had satellite before so I'd like some advice or recommendations. We plan on getting the DVR but no premium channels. Any recommendations?

[Steel]

We have Directv. Cable is not available for our area so we really did not have a choice. We have been happy with the service. The cost still gets up there because they charge for everything. Such as 5 for DVR, 5 per room(receiver), I think 5 for HDTV, 5 for local channels. We have 2 rooms with total choice plus and local channels for about 50 bucks, no HDTV or DVR so not sure how DVR works.

We would have liked the basic package but I watch the History type channels a lot which moved us up to the Plus package. I live around a lot of trees so signals can be an issue if you do as well. Regular satellite we never have issues with but local channels can be a problem with rain or tree growth. From what they told me, the signals come from different places. The local channels come from a lower elevation which makes the trees more of a factor. All in all, we are happy with it since our options are limited you can take it for what it is worth. The only other option I know is DISH which I have never had. Hope that helps a little.

[Cubfan]

we are about to drop Satellite and get cable back. We thought we'd try satellite for a year but it doesn't offer anything better than cable, plus we got internet service thru the cable company and cost will go down for packaging the two. Finally, satellite has gone out on us in a few heavy storms. It's not often but it's often enough to piss you off.

To compare, I've found that you can get the same channels for roughly the same price. We've had more lost service thru satellite than we did with cable (though there was defintely some with cable), and with the cost savings of having their internet too, we're going back to cable. But it's almost splitting hairs. I didn't find much difference between the two.

[Louis]

Funnily enough we had Direct TV for three years and have just switched back to Comcast. The prices seemed to creep upwards. initially 50.00 turned to 85.00 after all the taxes, surcharges, narrow margin late fees etc. But in general the service was excellent. Issues during rain storms but they're prompt with the changes, courteous over the phone and have Tanya Mamery... umm.... Mamay as their spokesperson.

[DarthDaddy]

We had cable for a while then about 8 years ago we switched to DirecTv. We have been EXTREMELY happy with it. Yes the occasional rain storm we would lose signel, but that is RARE. (For Us any way)

We had so many issues with our cable company which has since been bought out three times we said forget it. Our cable would go out for HOURS at least 1 time every week and calling in was the BLACK HOLE of phone calls.

As for cost we actually save having DirecTv over local cable by a considerable amount. Now the cable items and channels offered in areas are always different.

It is pretty much like splitting hairs... Six of One, Half Dozen of the Other...


CUSTOMER SERVICE at DirecTv has been amazing the few times in 8 years I have had to call....

[Will'sdad]

Yummy Tanya Memme
http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/2032/tanyaxmemmeoo4yq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[SGTDad]

The issue for us is we're now paying almost $130 a month for digital cable (no premium channels) with 1 DVR and cable internet access. When we started out, it was about $90 a month, but over the past couple of years, prices have really gone up.

I just got the DSL hooked up, and the throughput is about 25% slower, but the latency is MUCH better than cable. It's 1/2 the cost. I can also get one of the satellite systems for about 1/2 the cost of cable as well. So we'll end up paying around $70 for roughly the same setup we have now.

We'd probably stick with the cable, but like I said, despite 8 months of complaints, they still haven't fixed the line problems with the trunk outside our house. Plus it's really expensive.

[mnsahd]

We currently use DirecTv and have been happy with it. I have a dual reciever dish that brings two line into the house. I then split those two with a LNB splitter ($40) which gave me four lines. I run two into the bedroom to a dual tuner 30 gb Tivo box and two to the family room to another dual tuner Tivo box (got them both for free after rebate). Now I can record four shows at a time and watch two live ones. For all of this we (Momma) pays $59 a month. :wink: