devilpants

My cable TV provider has decided to drop Turner Classic Movies and Fox Movie Channel, so I'm considering getting a direcTV satellitle dish system. Does anyone have it, and how's the quality of the transmission? How's the service from the company itself?

DaveRules

Direct TV is great, couldn't live with out it - not sure what's going to happen with the Dish Network merger but I suspect that'll only improve the over all service which is already very good - much better than cable! Rain and snow can mess up the transmission for a short period of time.

Brian Shannon

I gave up on bad cable nearly 5 years ago to go with Direct TV and have never regretted it.

I get more channels, better picture, better sound in two rooms for less money than I did with cable in one room.

With all of the deals on installation and hardware I think it is a great time to switch.

devilpants

Thanks for the feedback. These cable companies put out so much propaganda making you feel like anything other than their service is inferior. They keep raising their rates and then they drop the stations that made you subscribe in the first place!
Rememeber those anti-pay TV trailers they showed in the theatres in the 1970's?

Jocko6577

DirecTV is GREAT!! Also, on 12/27 DirecTV will be adding additional local channels such as WB and UPN in most markets. Also, if you are thinking about it, I would highly recommend getting a DirecTIVO. The unit from Phillips is only $99 and you can record 2 shows at the same time or watch one show and record another. It is definitely the way to go. It also seems that a new software upgrade will be adding PIP functionality. I just got it a couple months ago and I don't know how I survived this long without it .

matchpenalty

The ads are trying to compare digital cable to satellite.

I have found satellite to be better quality picture, more channels, better sound (I got a 5.1 directv receiver for my main unit), better reliability at a similar price. ****It does depend on your home's exposure and ability to point the dish *** I have a clear unobstructed view.

If you live in a cold climate and need to mount the dish in a difficult to reach place, you can even get a heater to deal with the snow.

You also can get a dish to handle more than 2 tvs, but you pay about 5 bucks a month per extra RECEIVER.

I also get my local channels...

I love directv!

digitalboy

DirecTV in my humble opinion, beats the pants offa cable, digital or otherwise. More channels, better looking, better sounding, cheaper montyly rates, more reliable, integration with Tivo(if you want), the list goes on and on.

A few cons:
More of a capital investment if you want it on more than two tv's.

The need for a phone line hooked up to each if you have it on more than two tv's.

The need to have a box on every tv you want to be able to watch different channels at different times.

If you can deal with those (for me) minor issues, cut the cable and go DBS!!

Best Buy has a dual LNB dish, 1 receiver and remote for free (after $50 mail in rebate) and free installation.

ngp

DirecTV, or Satellite in general, is far superior to Cable.....
Digital cable is not better picture quality than Satellite...its simply a higher bandwidth, resulting in a better picture quality in comparison to standard cable broadcast. You still don't get many of the standard advantages that Satellite offers such as:

1. built in menu systems
2. features such as channel lists customization, interlink with your VCR, and preseletion of programming
3. True dolby digital sound (as long as you get a DD capable sat receiver)
4. the amount of channels that can be ordered

Only two things are better in Cable but I can live w/o them:

1. multi channel reception.....you can watch different channels on different TVs in the house....with Sat, you need at least a dual LNB dish to veiw two different channels, along with two receivers.

2. Once in a blue moon, we get very heavy rains or stormy weather and we lose the Sat reception. This is less likley in a cable setup.

Hope this all helps...

apeoples

I'm going to get this deal:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/jaserp/index.html
Use code FREEDTV

Basically, free DirecTV/TiVo reciever, or get an additional DirectTV reciever for $70 more. Free installation, etc.

Seems to be the best deal around right now. I emailed them, they said the deal will be running through the end of January, so I'll be ordering it when I get back from vacation!!!

Can't wait to be rid of cable and to join the TiVolution!

devilpants

Thanks for the feedback. I'm sold! I can't live without Turner Classic Movies.

skar

Great choice. I also highly recommend going the DirecTiVo route. Two incredible upgrades at once.

Mammal

Definitely go with DirecTivo. The picture quality is good now, and should be better after 12-27 when the new satellite comes on line.

MrVette99

My neighbor has Direct TV. It's got a lot of reliability problems.

Myself, I went with Digital Cable, andn what a rip off it is I learned. It ain't digital. When the box crapped out one Saturday, I just plugged the cable directly into the set. I couldn't believe it, it worked fine. There is perhaps some digital content, but the picture source is analog. I'm now signed up for basic cable for $12.16 a month, and I can't tell the difference. And best of all, I'm saving a ton of dough each year!

My advice, beware or the marketing pitches, and the outright lies!

digitalfreaknyc

Oh I'll give you MY opinion.

I signed up two months ago and I have never seen such a horrible display of CSR work in my life. These people have ZERO tact or knowledge about their system.

I'm cutting and pasting part of a letter that I wrote to the President of Customer Relations. I never received a response from him but from someone else.
What you see below are all the problems that I've had with this system.

------------------------------------------------------------
--Installation lasted almost 3 hours when it should have taken 1.

--The serviceman never informed me that I would have to use RCA cables to receive a "stereo" sound signal, even though he was hooking up the DTV system to my SVHS VCR and Dolby Digital receiver.

--After viewing my signal, I realized that many of the channels were pixilated and not up to the quality that I would expect from digital cable.

--The color on the local channels were quite washed out.

--I called the telephone numbers that I received and was met with people who A) did not know what pixelization was and B) did not know how to help me out. They would lead me through the same processes each time I was transferred to a different person.

--I was told I would receive a phone call back and never did.

--I tried calling back only to be put on hold for 30 minutes at a time and it took several phone calls across several days to get in touch with ANYONE.

--Once I did, I informed them that they MUST call my cellular phone as I am rarely home during the day. They proceeded to call my house line and left a contact number that was the same as the others; thus starting my problems all over again.

--After finally getting through again, I received a service call from the exact same person who installed my system. Upon reaching my home, he came through the door without so much as a "hello" and said "what did you do? When I left, everything was perfect." He repeatedly told me that I was crazy and that I didn't know what I was talking about. He said that my reception is fine and that he doesn't know what I am expecting. He told me that he has installed this service for the last four years and knows what he is talking about. He also did not know what pixelization was and said that he has installed this service for people with better systems that cost more than mine and they were all happy. He said that if I am unhappy, I should just cancel. He then told me (not asked me) to hand him the phone and he called and told the operator that I was "fighting" with him. He then left, after less than 5 minutes in my house.

--I then got in contact with someone named "******" in your corporate office who was extremely nice and said that she would be the person to help me out. She was sympathetic to my problems and assured me that she would be the person to get me through this entire dilemma. As a result, I received phone calls back from the same service people to my home line (not my cell line) and also from another representative. I did not receive one from Nicole and did not know what exactly was going on. Only after calling Nicole again did I receive a call back from her.

--I also received a bill for over $100 for the first 2 months of my service for DirecTV. When I signed up, the woman on the phone asked if I would like every channel for $45 for 4 months. I specifically asked if this was for all 4 months included and she responded with a "yes." This was clearly not the case.

I have since received a phone call from them stating that they will give me the 4 months for $45 but nothing extra for my time or patience. They said they would be getting someone else out to my house to fix it...but as of today, still have not called back.

I've gone to Circuit City's near me to check it out and it's the same thing. It's pixilated. Some TV's show it more than others.

Everyone seems to have a different opinion about it. A lot of people have told me that if i want quality, go with Digital Cable. I dunno. I'd REALLY check this out before leaping. Do as many comparisons as you can. But go with what you think looks and sounds best. Do not rush into it like i did. I'm stuck with a year long contract with these people.

MrVette99

And you get to have a cool dish bolted on to the side or your house.

Another thing I disliked about my Digital cable (applicable with the Sat. Service too) is the box. The box is a single tuner/decoder that prevents the use of the PIP capability of the high end TV's that most of us have, and that means no taping a conflicting program with the VHS player either.

Jabx

i had directv for about a year, and absolutely loved it!

the audio is vastly superior to cable (at least where I am) and the picture quality is nice as well

dvdanon

I have had DirecTV for over 4 years and I would never go back to cable. I highly recommend you get a DirecTV TiVo.

Ian

Sockmonkey

It's like one of those frosted flakes commercials, where the person moves their head out of the shadows...