Local channels w/ DirecTV
 

I am considering purchasing DirecTV with TiVo, but I'm unsure about picking up my local network channels. Will I have to use an antenna? I called DirecTV and asked and they told me I was in an area governed by the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative. He then told me to contact my local dealer and gave me a number that was not local. He did not help me at all. I just want to know if I can get networks from a major city in my area or even NY or LA. Can anyone help?

FYI: Questions about the various satellite TV providers go in the TV Talk forum. Do a search there as well as I know this subject does come up sometimes.

Moving...

Thanks, Sorry

The way I understand it, you either get your regular local channels or qualify for the major market feeds (sometimes both). Either way you'll be paying $5.95 extra a month for this service, and you may not get WB and UPN until 2002.

For more detail on this or other questions, you may find better answers over at the AVS Forum, particularly their TiVo Community.

das

Go to the link below and type in your zip code to see if you can get local channels.

http://www.directv.com/howtoget/howt...76,224,00.html

When I entered my zip, here id the message I got:

"Our records show that you live in an area served by the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC), which provides DIRECTV® programming in certain parts of the country. Please contact your local DIRECTV service provider to find out if you're eligible for local channels"

What?

Try your zip code again in the link below...

http://www.directv.com/howtoget/howt...076,89,00.html

That's a new one...perhaps asking your local folks is the way to go. They might at least be able to get you the New York/LA feeds...

When Directv started, the NRTC signed up with them to act as a sort of middleman that re-sells Directv service to certain areas of the country, all of them rural areas within designated zip codes. If you live in one of these areas, you are SOL - Directv has no jurisdiction and must pass you over to NRTC.
Dish Network does not have any deal with the NRTC, so you deal with them the same as any other Dish Network customer; unfortunately, they also do not have a comparable Dish-TiVo, but rather a less sophisticated (but free - no monthly fee) digital video recorder, the PVR 501. I have one of these, and while it ain't TiVo, it aint bad :D

What exactly does that involve having to deal with them?
Can I not get local channels or networks from other markets?
Can anyone else in or close to Kentucky help with this specific question?

(1) Directv, by contract, cannot handle CS relations with customers in NRTC zones (NRTC is also known as Pegasus in many areas). If you live in an NRTC zip code, Directv CS reps will tell you to call your provider (probably Pegasus). Pegasus adds extra charges on top of Directv's prices - $3 extra for the TC package, even more for movie channel packages.
(2) Maybe. If you live in a "white area" (FCC-determined location that gets almost no TV reception with an antenna) you can, or if your local TV affiliates (local ABC,CBS,NBC & Fox channels) will grant you a waiver, you can get NY & LA affiliates. If you live within a DMA (Designated Market Area) whose channels are carried by Directv (mostly the top 40 DMA's) you can get your own local channels from the satellite. Ask Directv CS if either of these are available.
(3) Without your address, I can't answer this. Try http://www.dishnetwork.com/search/ad...oker/index.asp - it is for Dish customers but they carry most of the same cities as Directv. Just fill in the blanks and it will give you the same info Dish CS reps have concerning local channel availability.
Directv's closest DMA to Kentucky is Cincinnati - unless you live close to Cincy, good luck getting those waivers ;)