Directv/Dish network alternatives?

[rogdan]

Noone with Sky Angel?

 

[MadReferee]

Just an FYI to all of those who experienced problems with DirecTV and Pegasus. The contract that Pegasus had with DirecTV expired a few years ago and was not renewed. You now go thru DirecTV for all your servicing needs. Pegasus is totally out of the picture. Thankfully, i'm sure.

 

[jwstewar]

Just an FYI to all of those who experienced problems with DirecTV and Pegasus. The contract that Pegasus had with DirecTV expired a few years ago and was not renewed. You now go thru DirecTV for all your servicing needs. Pegasus is totally out of the picture. Thankfully, i'm sure.

This was actually going on right as we were switching over. We switched 2 or 3 weeks before DirecTV started taking the customers over. But since Dish had the Dual Tuners, it still made more sense for us to stay with Dish. At this point I don't see us changing anything. Not even HD channels anywhere to make me consider paying for them or switching somewhere. Until they start carrying my local channels in HD and most of the other channels we watch. I'm staying put with my SD.

 

[rox]

rogdan,
There is another alternative but it isn't satelite tv. Have you ever heard of a Slingbox? Basically you install a Slingbox to your tv (or video recorder, the hard drive type) then you connect that box to your router/modem. Then you go to any computer anywhere on earth and through the internet you remote control that slingbox and watch either live tv or you watch shows that you ahve recorded. Don't tell anyone, shhhhh, but i was the Grand prize winner for thier 12 daysof Christmas giveaway and I won the whole shooting match. you can use your cell phone's internet connection and watch your own tv from your home. Shhhh don't tell them that i live in France becasue actually one of the rules was you had to be a US resident. Since we still ahve a condo in Wisconsin and I still ahve my Wisconsin drivers License and we still pay Wisconsin and Federal income taxes, i do consider myself a resident. I jsut ahve multiple residences, but one of them is Wisconsin. there is a forum community Sling Community - The Site For Everything Slingbox but again please don't say you know me, and you can read up on it. I'm going to install it in my duaghters house in virginia and then I can watch cable tv over the internet over here in France. I am having my name added to her cable bill, and also I will pay $15 a month for an extra HD cable bo/recorder. It will sit in an extra bedroom at her hosue and I will be able to via the internet program the cable box to records shows for me. Because of the time difference it is not feasible for me to watch live tv, it is better if I record them first over at her house. The EULA states that I am to be a resident of the home where the slingbox is, so just to make it as legal as possible I am being added to her cable bill. That is the only part that is a little bit of a fudge. Not totally a fudge since I am paying part of the cable bill but a little bit since I ny "live there" when I go to visit her. The content providers are not fighting the slinboxes becasue they do one very important thing. Only one person can connect to the Slingbox at a time. So you cna't get one slingbox and then boradcast to many users over the internet. the concept is like a VCR, you are able to record shows for your own personal use. With the slinbox you are accessing content that you subscribe to, you are jsut watchg it i a different place. You can even set this up for your home. You can parlay your cable connection to other rooms in the house adn watch them over a computer.

I won the wireless thing so that my daughter won't ahve to run cable form the Slingbox to the computer. The wireless thing is on backorder and I should ahve it in a few weeks.

This is an alternative if you have a family member who has Dish or Direct tv, you can hook this Slingbox up to their system, or if you have a second residence you can watch you home tv from your vacation spot. If you read that Forum people who have to travel a lot really like it. they take an internet connection from the hotel room and watch their home tv shows, especially people who are into sports like it. Remember I do have multiple residences, and one of them is in the USA so don't rat me out over there

 

[_RaT_]

rogdan,
There is another alternative but it isn't satelite tv. Have you ever heard of a Slingbox? Basically you install a Slingbox to your tv (or video recorder, the hard drive type) then you connect that box to your router/modem. Then you go to any computer anywhere on earth and through the internet you remote control that slingbox and watch either live tv or you watch shows that you ahve recorded. Don't tell anyone, shhhhh, but i was the Grand prize winner for thier 12 daysof Christmas giveaway and I won the whole shooting match. you can use your cell phone's internet connection and watch your own tv from your home. Shhhh don't tell them that i live in France becasue actually one of the rules was you had to be a US resident. Since we still ahve a condo in Wisconsin and I still ahve my Wisconsin drivers License and we still pay Wisconsin and Federal income taxes, i do consider myself a resident. I jsut ahve multiple residences, but one of them is Wisconsin. there is a forum community Sling Community - The Site For Everything Slingbox but again please don't say you know me, and you can read up on it. I'm going to install it in my duaghters house in virginia and then I can watch cable tv over the internet over here in France. I am having my name added to her cable bill, and also I will pay $15 a month for an extra HD cable bo/recorder. It will sit in an extra bedroom at her hosue and I will be able to via the internet program the cable box to records shows for me. Because of the time difference it is not feasible for me to watch live tv, it is better if I record them first over at her house. The EULA states that I am to be a resident of the home where the slingbox is, so just to make it as legal as possible I am being added to her cable bill. That is the only part that is a little bit of a fudge. Not totally a fudge since I am paying part of the cable bill but a little bit since I ny "live there" when I go to visit her. The content providers are not fighting the slinboxes becasue they do one very important thing. Only one person can connect to the Slingbox at a time. So you cna't get one slingbox and then boradcast to many users over the internet. the concept is like a VCR, you are able to record shows for your own personal use. With the slinbox you are accessing content that you subscribe to, you are jsut watchg it i a different place. You can even set this up for your home. You can parlay your cable connection to other rooms in the house adn watch them over a computer.

I won the wireless thing so that my daughter won't ahve to run cable form the Slingbox to the computer. The wireless thing is on backorder and I should ahve it in a few weeks.

This is an alternative if you have a family member who has Dish or Direct tv, you can hook this Slingbox up to their system, or if you have a second residence you can watch you home tv from your vacation spot. If you read that Forum people who have to travel a lot really like it. they take an internet connection from the hotel room and watch their home tv shows, especially people who are into sports like it. Remember I do have multiple residences, and one of them is in the USA so don't rat me out over there

Rox, I won't rat you out, but its going to take a little "oil" to grease the wheels of silence.

PS: I have not found anything with higher quality then over the air local UHF HD broadcast. It is free for those with the ability to pick them up and decode them. I bought a small UHF antenna and get all the signals (usually two) from each and every local broadcaster. After seeing the high quality HD especially those on PBS, even satelite HD pales in comparision. Remember, just because it says its HD does not mean it was recorded or filmed in high definition. I've seen 480P that looks better then 1080i.

 

[rogdan]

Thanks Rox for the info and link i will will study up on the Slingbox.

 

[rogdan]

The news on the radio earlier this week confirmed my fears "Dish Network and Directv are the only national satellite TV companies"
What's worse is that the two are considering a merger and as an aside the two satellite radio companies are as well. No competition certainly wouldn't improve customer service or the price.

 

[radman1]

The news on the radio earlier this week confirmed my fears "Dish Network and Directv are the only national satellite TV companies"
What's worse is that the two are considering a merger and as an aside the two satellite radio companies are as well. No competition certainly wouldn't improve customer service or the price.

Dish and Direct tried to merge about 3-4 years ago and the feds squashed it for fear of a monopoly. I am surprised they would try it again so soon.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

as an aside the two satellite radio companies are [attempting to merge] as well.

If satellite radio is going to survive at all, these two companies will have to merge. Neither have ever turned a profit, and both a bleeding money and losing value. Added together, the two satellite companies have only a tiny share of the overall radio market. The advent of the new, and free, HD radio frequencies, and the integration of HD radios into some brands of cars starting this year will further hinder the claims that Satellite Radio has superior quality. Further, the integration of Apple's iPod into popular cars allows people to program their own commercial free listening (music, talk, etc) for hours of uninterrupted listening.

 

[hockeyhead]

Listen to this, I have had dish network for two years now as of Dec.'06. Before that I had direct TV for 5-6 years. I left Direct TV, because 1) cost, 2)dish offered a 4 room system for way less money{we had a two room with direct TV}. 3) sick of their story of lost reception. So I signed a 2 year contract with dish network first 12 months @ $49.95 all channels. Now in the second year paying $89 per month. Last week, I get a call from DMS (digital media solutions) asking me what system I'm using, because they sell both, and after talking to him a while, and since I have dish network I can go back to Direct TV and get a 4 room system for $50 per month,all channels, 12 month contract.
Now if I already had direct TV I could switch to dish network and get the same deal.
Now of course I can't get that deal now from dish network since I'm already a subscriber.
Two plus years ago Direct TV called me 3 times wanting to know what it would take to come back right after I switch to dish network.
I still have 2 recievers, cards and the dish for directTV,
They are both the same really
I'm thinking about switching back to direct TV
then switching back to dish network when that deal ends
then back to direct TV again,
Basicly, talking frankly with these people at DMS that's what I should be doing to save money.

house is wired, whose box is plugged in doesn't really matter, both do the same thing , both same services, both same quality, cheapest rate wins.

I'd still take cable TV if I had a choice. I grew up with cable TV and my first house in suburbia had cable. For me, between cable and satelite dish, cable hands down.

 

[mjarrels]

I was told by the cable company that their service was not avalible in my area (sister has it just down the road). When digging utilities for this new house, guess what was dug up... yet TV cable at the end of the driveway.

mark

 

[rogdan]

I thought about trying the switching game, works to keep for car insurance rates down. We bought our Directv contract out a couple of months early so I don't know if that "marked" us. The replies to this post have shown me that part of the problem in this area is not having installation companies to rely on for professional, timely install and to be available for correction. We have fly nighter's that live and work out of the trunks of their car's. The guy that put in out Directv was recently indicted on drug distribution charges. I am looking at putting up an antennae for locals and then I won't be married to Dish as Directv does not have a contract with our locals.
Interesting post on the Satellite radio I had considered XM years ago when I drove more but wanted to have more flexability with the receiver. I now use various company cars and am about half time in the office, but it may be better now.

 

[RollTideRam]

I got Directv in the early 90's and had to pay $900 for it. Got around 50 channels for $20 month. I only watched about 12 of the channels. I have had Dish for the last 5 years, I swapped just to get the Outdoor channel. I'm paying $50 a month now for 150+ channels and still only watch about 12 of them. I've been thinking about trying cable again, mainly for fast internet, but I can't shake the memory of how bad our cable used to be. JC

 

[rogdan]

I swapped just to get the Outdoor channel. I'm paying $50 a month now for 150+ channels and still only watch about 12 of them. JC

There was some talk of forcing ala carte on cable and satellite TV companies but I have not heard any more on this.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

There was some talk of forcing ala carte on cable and satellite TV companies but I have not heard any more on this.

That would sure be a sweet thing. I have a 200 channel package, plus the HD packages. I watch about 1/2 the HD channels, and maybe a half dozen regular channels. But to get the channels my wife and I wanted I needed to upgrade the package.

Its amazing how much junk in on TV, plus who wants all those shopping channels, etc.

 

[coffeeman]

Hi there

When I was a kid???? Summer.... Bare feet and baseball; every store, barber shop, garage and gas station.... If the game was on, the radio was tuned in.

ALSO if u like to watch baseball and your team is not in your market, Direct TV will be the only company, satellite or cable that u will be able to watch baseball. FCC is looking into the deal, but unless they stop it, say good buy to watching baseball without paying to watch it.

I had Dish network and had to switch to Direct TV a few years ago when the Yankees started YES to broadcast all games. It is bad enough it cost big $$ to go to a game and now u will need to spend big $$ to watch baseball on TV. When I was a kid u could watch the Mets and Yankees for free on TV, channels 9 and 11. NOW unless your family is well off u can not watch baseball, what is wrong with this picture! 1st the baseball strike and now this!

 

[coffeeman]

Used to be, where I live, the TV was free, my water was from a spring house and my garbage; I sorted the tin and glass, burned paper and threw rest into garden. Now i don't have a garden; I keep my garden at the local steak house. The garbage is picked up by truck; that parts nice. My water is city water; spring water is good but somehow I never could get used to those little fishy looking things we would see in the water from time to time. Now I have Direct tv; there is a little more selection over the local channels. Now "they" want me to switch to pay radio?? One year of that was enough for me as I didn't listen to it that much.

Geeze. Before I even get out of bed in morning it's costing me $200 a month for things I used to get for free. Now...shall we start crying about fuel?

Cheers... Coffeeman
.
.

The news on the radio earlier this week confirmed my fears "Dish Network and Directv are the only national satellite TV companies"
What's worse is that the two are considering a merger and as an aside the two satellite radio companies are as well. No competition certainly wouldn't improve customer service or the price.

 

[Alan L.]

I've had Directv for 10 years or so and have been happy with the reliable service. The last 3 or 4 years I have been using the Directv/TIVO integrated receiver and love it. Last night the thing started locking up, rebooting, and other wise giving trouble.

I stopped by Best Buy today to purchase a new Directv/TIVO receiver, and learned that Directv has parted ways with TIVO and invented their own DVR. Turns out the new DVR has nowhere near the capability that TIVO has, and is harder to use. One thing is that you cannot start recording one channel and switch to another, although it can be programmed to record two channels at once. Unacceptable.

Best Buy sells Directv and the salesman said Directv is going to lose alot of customers over this.

I ordered a new hard drive from Weaknees for the old TIVO receiver, which is supposed to work as long as I remain a Directv customer.

I had hoped to go to HDTV when we move into the new house in a month or two, but for directv the only choice is their proprietary DVR. Its $300, whereas a real TIVO box tied in with Dish Network is $800, but its really probably that much better.

Bottom line, I might be leaving directv over this, pretty soon.

 

[knute_m]

In short:
Direct promised local feeds but did not deliver, we agreed to national feeds at install but could never get NBC or Fox. Direct would cut service often for nonpayment although when reached they acknowledged my electronic transfers as on time. Bills were often inaccurate and with no explanation of additional charges and expected overpayment made until corrected on future bills.
I left Direct for the same reason as another poster the big charge to add an HDTV tuner and having to sign another 18 month contract.
Dish intall was and is the my ongoing issue (i know they contract this out) They would never show or bother to call and one of us would have to take work off each time. We loose local channel feed each evening (no local news) and have this noted numerous time with numerous Dish reps. They admit a install problem but buffaloed us into believing this would self correct with planetary movement. Now that our 90 day warranty is up they want a $50 service fee to fix this. I feel like I am being punished for having patience with them.

I read ROGDAN's post -- I have often repeated a very similar story to anybody who would listen!

We fought with DISH for over a year -- and lost -- over incredibly screwed up billing, from the day they didn't install our system!

Local?? To the satellite companies, local is 150 miles away! In a state and locality that doesn't even know we exist.

If the sky wasn't gifting us with several more inches of snow today, it was my intent to re-install the antenna and rotator. It goes back up tomorrow. I've had it with satellite TV.

Knute (also in WV)

 

[Bird]

This thread is a little old, but it appears to me that Dish and DirecTV are close enough to the same that it doesn't really matter. Anyway, we had Dish Network installed on 9/19/05, the receiver went bad and a new one was ordered on 3/21/06. At that time they said it was "still under warranty" but they had to charge me $14.95 shipping and handling. The setup instructions were completely wrong, and I spent a lot of time on the phone with them before we got the new receiver to work. Well, now we have exactly the same problem as 2 years ago, but the guy I spoke to on the phone this morning says the problem is the remote control and he'd have to send me a new one and since the equipment is no longer under warranty, they'd have to charge me shipping and handling. Now we have their super duper "Americas Everything Pack" (yeah, I know it's crazy to be paying them a hundred dollars a month, but I've got to keep the wife happy), so I told him I wasn't going to pay any shipping and handling charge again to make their product work (and I'd bet money a new remote wouldn't fix it anyway). But he didn't budge, so I have DirecTV coming to install their system a week from today.

Our next door neighbor dumped Dish to go with DirecTV last Fall, but we stayed with Dish as long as it was working, but I guess they don't mind losing customers. It seems to me to be an odd way to do business to lose a hundred dollar a month customer over an $8 shipping and handling charge.