ylomnstr

Hey guys, DirecTv pissed me off last week. I called them because one of my HD channels was not coming in at all. It kept saying searching for signal. All other channels were fine. So I called and they did some tests. They came to the conclusion that I wasn't getting a feed from one of the satelites, so they told me they would send someone out. A week later, a tech guy shows up, knocks on my door and tells me sorry, there's a tree in the way. There's nothing we can do. I told him fine, I understand. Next thing you know, I get a $70 charge on my next bill for the "service call". I just called them up and she transfered me, but the message said due to emergency conditions, my call can't be answered at this time. She told me that I don't have the service plan which would wave any service call fees. I told her I wasn't aware of that and nobody ever told me that I would have to pay for the service call and I wouldn't have told them to come out if that was the case. So now my question is, should I go to digital cable? I'm getting sick of rain and trees blocking my signal. It's very annoying. I know I wouldn't have that problem with digital cable. What do you think?

Chew

The question has been debated back and forth endlessly in the TV Forum if you want to check it out there.

warcp

I have Charter Digital with HD and their cable internet and I'm more than satisfied. It's nice to have one line to each room that I can select to be either a TV output or a computer line. The HD lineup is pretty slim, but I'm not sure if it'd be much better with satellite.

TANK

How long ago was the directv dish installed?
If just installed call back and ask for a supervisor,the dish shouldn't have been installed if you can't get all 3 sats.
If you have had the dish for awhile maybe a tree's branch is in the way and not the whole tree?
Maybe trimming the tree?

Amel

I'd say to pick the best, for you, of the lesser of two evils. The same kind of crap happens with the cable companies. I keep Directv because it offers options that I can't get with cable. Figure out which one has the better set up for your tastes/needs. No matter which one you pick there's gonna be BS like the situation you're going through now.

ylomnstr

Thanks guys. They credited me the $70. As for the tree, it's not on my property or trust me, it would be cut

nightmaster

Some of us just don't have the option and possibly never will. Cable doesn't run where I live, out in the middle of nowhere. I had an old 8 foot dish in the yard 20 years ago and 9 years ago bought my DirecTV dish for a whopping $1000. Since then the only thing I've had to do is replace the LNB so it gives me excellent service. I've had alot of friends switch to Dish Network of late because they're working hard at enticing people their way, and I possibly will do so in the future should the right deal come along. The good news for alot of us is there IS competition rather than a monopoly which is what the cable companies WISH they still had!

emoxley

Just move the dish to another spot, so the tree isn't in the way. If it was professionally installed in the wrong place, they should move it for you, at no extra charge.