Comcast/Direct Kick issues

[Steve Holroyd]

I'm posting this here because I wanted to ask a Philadelphia-area audience:

1. Anyone in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area buy the Direct Kick package?

2. Anyone notice last night that, although Direct Kick covers four channels (called Team6, Team7, etc.), Comcast has only allotted three; as a result, attempts to access the two games on Team6 (i.e., Channel 756) last night were met with a "Not Authorized" message?

Calls to Comcast proved useless; first they tried to tell me the NY game was blacked out. However, when I pointed out that Direct Kick has no blackouts, they ran out of answers. At one point, they told me the NY game was on the Comcast channel; alas, that was the Kixx game. I love well-informed staffs...

Anyway, before I make a few follow up calls today, I wondered if anyone else encountered this problem.

[PhillyMLS]

I heard this was a problem down on Comcast in DC as well. You apparently would have to enter the NBA ticket code for that channel to get the game. So when you make the phone call at least have that information ready that the staff in DC was well aware of how to correct the problem but your local staff was clueless.

[Steve Holroyd]

I heard this was a problem down on Comcast in DC as well. You apparently would have to enter the NBA ticket code for that channel to get the game. So when you make the phone call at least have that information ready that the staff in DC was well aware of how to correct the problem but your local staff was clueless.

Thanks, but--why would I have the NBA Ticket code if I'm not getting that package? Or is that a code I should tell them to use? I think you mean the latter, but I'm a bit punchy this morning. ;)

[Diviney]

this happend to me and i have cox and live in florida

[PhillyMLS]

Thanks, but--why would I have the NBA Ticket code if I'm not getting that package? Or is that a code I should tell them to use? I think you mean the latter, but I'm a bit punchy this morning. ;)

This is what i was referencing to: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8062400&postcount=39

So what you said was right; it is on their end not yours.

[billf]

Every year that I subscribed to this package with Comcast I had issues like this. DirecTV has been a joy to deal with as I never had a single problem. I had to give up most Philly sports but the trade was reasonable since my blood pressure is now lower.

[Adam Zebrowski]

mls direct free kick from comcast has some bugs...

for a long period of time team7, was being shown for free, nominally an nba game...

april 1st, team7 had the red bulls at dc match....

then team7 became disabled, and team9 showed columbus at colorado...

my understanding is a free preview is available the first two weekends, but it was clearly screwed up...

a free MLB preview was up and running, but it was showing NHL too, since they run concurrently on 771-780....

who knows what the dunces at comcast do.....

they just rake in the money.....

[SoccerPrime]

My opinion is that you all switch to DISH or DIRECTV. Superior product.

[celt1997]

My opinion is that you all switch to DISH or DIRECTV. Superior product.

I love my Dish Network. Not to sound like a commercial, but the amount of HD programming I get for the price, plus a DVR, is far and away better than anything Comcast could quote me. Plus I don't feel like I'm selling my soul to the Devil by dealing with Comcast.

[CyphaPSU]

My opinion is that you all switch to DISH or DIRECTV. Superior product.
Then you miss out on all the Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers games shown on Comcast, unless you buy all of those sports packages and that will add up the $$ fast.

[SoccerPrime]

The sports package for me on DISH is cheap:
http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/packages/sports/multi_sport/index.asp?viewby=1&packid=10161&sortby=1

[Sundevil9]

The sports package for me on DISH is cheap:
http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/packages/sports/multi_sport/index.asp?viewby=1&packid=10161&sortby=1


I tihnk he was referring to getting the individual sports packages, Center Ice, Extra Innings, and the NBA package. They're about $150/season. Each.

[SoccerPrime]

Oh yes, they wouldn't change the price. I guess Comcast Sports Philly plays hardball with the DISH and DIRECTV ppl.

[billf]

Then you miss out on all the Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers games shown on Comcast, unless you buy all of those sports packages and that will add up the $$ fast.

You're still not getting the Philly teams with the sports packages if you live in the territory claimed by a Philly team. Until the terrestrial loophole is done away with, that's a fact of life in this area. You either deal with satan to get Philly sports or get DirecTV or Dish and enjoy your new found free time and extra dinner out or two or something else a month.

Now if the sports packages did actually give you access to Philly sports when you made a switch, the amount of money you saved would probably allow you to pick two of the three major sports packages and still come out ahead. I pay $79 a month of DirecTV in three rooms, the sports pack, and HBO. A comparable package would cost about $125 a month with Comcast. That's $948 a year v. $1500. I'd gladly pay $130 for Center Ice instead. I'd be shocked if I could get a decent digital package in one room from Comcast for under $80.

While the sports packages do add up in price, just paying Comcast month to month does as well. This is what I, personally, find so galling about the way Comcast operates. If they actually had to compete head to head on a level playing field, they'd either have to offer something of a substantially higher quality to justify the price or adjust their pricing to avoid losing too many customers.

[billf]

Oh yes, they wouldn't change the price. I guess Comcast Sports Philly plays hardball with the DISH and DIRECTV ppl.

They don't play hardball, they use a loophole that allows them to not play at all. The other regional CSN's are all on Dish and DirecTV. Federal law says they have to negotiate in good faith if the signal for a channel goes into space. CSN Philly is transmitted via microwave and closed circuit cable. If CSN Philly was part of the DirecTV and Dish lineups, you'd get the channel without having to pay for a sports package or a sports tier.

[Looper121]

Oh yes, they wouldn't change the price. I guess Comcast Sports Philly plays hardball with the DISH and DIRECTV ppl.
Yes, I miss all Philly sports because of the fact the fact that Comcast has Philly by the balls. I would have Comcast probably bu it is not available in my neighborhood. Urban Cableworks , and that crap is too expensive for me...DirecTV has been great over the past 3 years I have had it...

[n4100]

Now if the sports packages did actually give you access to Philly sports when you made a switch, the amount of money you saved would probably allow you to pick two of the three major sports packages and still come out ahead. I pay $79 a month of DirecTV in three rooms, the sports pack, and HBO. A comparable package would cost about $125 a month with Comcast. That's $948 a year v. $1500. I'd gladly pay $130 for Center Ice instead. I'd be shocked if I could get a decent digital package in one room from Comcast for under $80.
What's a "decent digital package" consist of for you? I've got their DigitialHD with the sports pack that has FSC and GolTv for about $65. There's another tier up for another $5 that has more stations, but I wouldn't watch most of those stations either. Grant it, don't get HBO, but don't care.

[nad1998]

sorry to bump this back up...but i'm getting sick of paying 85 bux (with taxes) a month for comcast (no special packages, other than digital cable package).

i'm thinking of making the switch to direct tv...but would hate losing the phils and sixers (but i guess i could get the on-line video packages or use sopcast).

DirectTV has an HD package for $55...plus taxes. i'd also have to get the sports pack so that's 8 bux extra.....

only concern is losing signal when it storms etc...anyone have any trouble?

[Z010 Union]

sorry to bump this back up...but i'm getting sick of paying 85 bux (with taxes) a month for comcast (no special packages, other than digital cable package).

i'm thinking of making the switch to direct tv...but would hate losing the phils and sixers (but i guess i could get the on-line video packages or use sopcast).

DirectTV has an HD package for $55...plus taxes. i'd also have to get the sports pack so that's 8 bux extra.....

only concern is losing signal when it storms etc...anyone have any trouble?

I always had trouble during storms. DirectTV lasted 3 months in my house. We've had digital cable for 3 years now, minimal complaints

[N-I-C-H-O]

Comcast is shit regardless its a monopoly.