DirecTV looking inviting to comcast guy...

[Charge!]

(I think this belongs here in B&M, but if not, mod, feel free to move it to the appropos place...)

I am thinking about ditching comcast for DirecTV. The extended basic bill for this month's comcast came out to a shade under $55. The DirecTV Total Choice (with the local channels), a second receiver and the insurance plan would come out to a few dollars above what I'm paying now. And it's $30 for the first 6 months, $40 afterward. But I wanted to hear from those, pro and con, if this would be a good move. Places can entice you with lower rates, but the service needs to be good or else you're SOL. Would you recommend DirecTV to a fellow BigSoccer mod - or not?

Thanks.

Paul

[da_cfo]

You will NEVER get Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia and CN8 via DirecTV as long as the law does not change.

If you need Philadelphia local sports, you have no choice but to stay with cable.

[norfcath]

You will NEVER get Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia and CN8 via DirecTV as long as the law does not change.

If you need Philadelphia local sports, you have no choice but to stay with cable.

Not exactly correct. I have Dish and get one or two Phillies games a week on 57, local channel. Ditto with Flyers and Sixers. No, you won't get every local game during the week. However, the Flyers' playoff games were on local broadcast channels anyway. For a soccer fan, who also enjoys one or two Phillies, etc., games a week, satellite is a godsend. FSW has moreover just signed an agreement with the EPL to show even more games next season, at around noon our time.

[dcajedi]

You will NEVER get Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia and CN8 via DirecTV as long as the law does not change.

If you need Philadelphia local sports, you have no choice but to stay with cable.

What law?

[da_cfo]

What law?

The Satellite Home Viewers Improvement Act (SHVIA), which has a loophole allowing owners of pay TV networks that are distributed to cable systems via land-based microwave or fiber-optic transmission lines to make those networks "cable exclusive".

Comcast is using SHVIA to keep Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and CN8 cable exclusive.

COX, Time Warner, and Cablevision have similar cable exclusive regional networks around the US, such as Channel 4 San Diego, COX 9 Phoenix, New York 1, Metro TV (New York), Kansas City Metro Sports, News 14 Carolina, News 12 Long Island, etc.

[Charge!]

If I can, I wanted this to be a place where folks could let me know the pros and cons of the service itself, not so much as the *programming*. How's their customer service if something goes awry, the comcast ads that claim that satellite TV is worthless; if you can still use your VCR with it, stuff like that.

This shows my newbieness on satellite TV systems, but discussing that will help me make a more informed decision. Thanks.

Paul

[SoFla Metro]

If I can, I wanted this to be a place where folks could let me know the pros and cons of the service itself, not so much as the *programming*. How's their customer service if something goes awry, the comcast ads that claim that satellite TV is worthless; if you can still use your VCR with it, stuff like that.

This shows my newbieness on satellite TV systems, but discussing that will help me make a more informed decision. Thanks.

Paul
I've had DirecTV for about 3 years now and I love it. Every once in a while customer service reps can be a little clueless but it's still no contest to me.

Regarding your specific questions.

- See above re: customer service. Overall I give them a B for service, whereas I gave my local cable company a D-

- Those comcast ads are complete crap

- You can still use your VCR, or even better get an integrated TiVo unit with your DirecTV service. I can't emphasize enough how awesome this is.

[AndyMead]

I recently changed from Total Choice to Para Todos.

Adds
Telemundo, FSE, TyC, and will have Telefutura or ESPN Desportes if they're ever added
Loses
ESPN Classic Sports, BBCAmerica

Also, I upgraded to the HD receiver for no additional cost.

Adds
HDNet (with tons of MLS games plus some US friendlies), ESPN-HD
Minuses
HD/Tivo receiver is extra

===
I have the HD receiver in the family room, and I run a set of the outputs to my computer! You DON'T need an HD TV, the down-sampled letterboxed programs look awesome on my 32" inch NTSC TV. I can upgrade the TV later.

I have a second non-HD receiver on my second TV.

Pretty much the only thing of any soccer note that I really seem to be missing are Telefutura, which is broadcasting most of Copa America, and GolTV. I'm not including ESPN Desportes because it's not really disributed much of anywhere, and if it does grow, I'm pretty sure DirecTV will add it.

Oliver, what's the latest on DirecTV picking up Telefutura and GolTV - and is TyC going to show any Copa America games?

[billf]

Ollie is right about the law that keeps CSN off of dish systems, but no one cares about CN8. I think there's a chance that this law changes at some point, but that is a digression.

As for the benefits of DirecTV, the service has far out performed Comcast's. The picture is better. The channel selection is better than even the digital package on Comcast and it is cheaper by a long shot. I never had a problem with PPV packages with DirecTV. Comcast was a mess all the time. Don't let the crazy ads Comcast puts out there regarding outtages either. It has to rain buckets for you to temporarily loose the signal. I had more total outtages with Comcast.

You can also use your VCR without issue and if there is a problem or you need new equipment installed, they set up appointments very quickly. I haven't had a equipment problem though. The only annoying thing I guess would be waiting for a new smart card if that had to be replaced, but that could be resolved by a tech visit also.

[worldfootballgenius]

You upgraded to an HD reciever for free? What do you mean?

[dcajedi]

Ollie is right about the law that keeps CSN off of dish systems, but no one cares about CN8.

That's not as true as it used to be. CN8 televises a lot of college sports and minor league hockey, as well as the odd Phillies game that can't fit on CSN because of other committments. Their local news coverage is also pretty good.

[DAGSports]

That's not as true as it used to be. CN8 televises a lot of college sports and minor league hockey, as well as the odd Phillies game that can't fit on CSN because of other committments. Their local news coverage is also pretty good.
CN8 also used to have some Capitals and Wizards games on a regional basis, and should soon begin showing the Boston Bruins regionally, maybe even some NYC area teams should Comcast be willing to pay Cablevision to eliminate Metro TV (Cablevision and Time Warner exclusive).

[Bill Archer]

Unlike most of the yahoos who are busily posting in this thread, Charge, I will actually attempt to address your question.

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. You have to accept the fact that you yourself have to take charge of your own equipment, installation, etc. It's not a case of picking up the phone and getting the cable guy over.

Some people have very little trouble at all, aside from a little rain fade from time to time. Other people enter into a real nightmare, and the bottom line is that it's YOUR problem, not somebody else's.

Most of the problems stem from the fact that service is performed by "independent" sales, installation and service guys. You open the yellow pages and throw a dart, and be advised that most of them are compeltely unqualified. If something out of the ordinary happens, they're clueless.

My best story is from about 18 months ago when I got an HD receiver. I figured I'd play it safe and hire a rpo to do the install. The day ended up with the guy sitting on my Great Room floor shaking my new Hughes Platinum series $500 HD receiver like a can of paint and then sniffing it and announcing that it was a "bad" unit and would need to be replaced. I threw him out of the house and 20minutes later had it working.

Since then I've had all sorts of issues and problems. The DirecTV people are really nice and know what they're doing mostly, but the bottom line is that you're on the phone to lord knows where, the system isn't working right, they've made 50 suggestions and it still isn't working, they're out of ideas and it's YOUR problem.

I even had a Hughes HD tech manager tell me the problem was that the DirecTV satellite (you know, the thing in space) was probably broken.

I had a DirecTV guy decide that my access card was flawed, send me a new one, then had a suprvisor tell me that the first guy was wrong and deactivate the second one and then tell me that the old one could not be reactivated because of "policy" so I would have to go buy a new receiver.

My experience has been fairly untypical but it does happen. And like I said, the bottom line is that it's YOUR system and YOUR problem, not theirs.

[Charge!]

Thanks, Bill...

I was thinking about getting it through Best Buy, which also has a 4-year protection plan of its own for $50. I've not had any problem with the store when it came to getting a 30-inch TV or a DVD-R add-on for my computer. Caveat emptor if one decides to look in a phone book for installation of an important thing like that :)

Paul

[panicfc]

Charge,

Thanks for posting this. I had Directv for years before I moved to Connecticut. I moved into a condo unit and thought...never will I have Directv again.

Well I found a neighbor who has one, so I'm going to see about getting one now.

Well anyway..here's my question:

Directv or Dish? Which is the way to go?

[AndyMead]

Directv or Dish? Which is the way to go?

Short term? Get DISH at Radio Shack and you get the MLS Shootout free for the rest of the season.

Long term? It really depends on what your soccer needs are. Both have MLS Shootout, FSW, Univision, Galavision, Telemundo, various RSNs. DISH currently has GolTV, DirecTV supposedly has better PPV options.

I have DirecTV. To get Telemundo I switched from the Total Choice package to the Para Todos. The tradeoff is that I lost one station that I like: BBC America.

Take a look at the channel lineups on their websites.

[da_cfo]

I was thinking about getting it through Best Buy, which also has a 4-year protection plan of its own for $50. I've not had any problem with the store when it came to getting a 30-inch TV or a DVD-R add-on for my computer. Caveat emptor if one decides to look in a phone book for installation of an important thing like that


Avoid the so-called "protection" plans sold by the likes of Best Buy and Circuit City. They are designed solely to make a profit on those consumers who don't know better.

99+% of the satellite TV units sold usually don't have a problem.

I have installed both DISH Network and DirecTV (Para Todos) systems myself.

The installation isn't difficult if you know what you are doing.

If you want Serie A, La Liga, and Copa America, you will need to go with DISH Network because only DISH offers Gol TV and TeleFutura in the Philadelphia area (which does NOT have a full-power TeleFutura broadcast affiliate).

[Charge!]

Avoid the so-called "protection" plans sold by the likes of Best Buy and Circuit City. They are designed solely to make a profit on those consumers who don't know better.

So you would suggest ordering online from DirecTV straight-on? I'm all thumbs on installation of a satellite system; this would be the first time in my entire life I would use such a thing :|

Circuit City's insurance plans I wouldn't touch with a 10-mile pole. They're outrageously high and have been for years. :rolleyes:

Paul
(I am going to get it; before she passed away, my mom always drilled into me if you have a tough decision to make, list the pros and cons and if there's more of one than there is of the other, that's what you go with...)

[da_cfo]

So you would suggest ordering online from DirecTV straight-on? I'm all thumbs on installation of a satellite system; this would be the first time in my entire life I would use such a thing

Circuit City's insurance plans I wouldn't touch with a 10-mile pole. They're outrageously high and have been for years.



I bought the equipment for "free" after rebate but I did not buy the "protection" plan.

You'll get better DirecTV equipment by buying from Best Buy or Circuit City than if you call DirecTV directly. The current generation RCA receivers are good enough for most people.

DirecTV offers some of the worst equipment available (Phillips and Hughes, for example) to people who order from DirecTV directly. Ditto WalMart, which offers lousy equipment.

If you want to go with DISH Network instead, you can buy equipment for Radio Shack or Costco.

[Dave141]

Avoid the so-called "protection" plans sold by the likes of Best Buy and Circuit City. They are designed solely to make a profit on those consumers who don't know better.

99+% of the satellite TV units sold usually don't have a problem.

I have installed both DISH Network and DirecTV (Para Todos) systems myself.

The installation isn't difficult if you know what you are doing.

If you want Serie A, La Liga, and Copa America, you will need to go with DISH Network because only DISH offers Gol TV and TeleFutura in the Philadelphia area (which does NOT have a full-power TeleFutura broadcast affiliate).


Ollie,

I have DirecTV and live in the Philadelphia DMA. If you get the local channels (which is about $6 a month, I believe), you get channel 28, which is a Telefutura affiliate out of Philly. So the only Spanish (Mexican football) channel I can't get that is on DISH is Azteca.