Cable or Direct TV?

[JasonInAugusta]

Here's the situation.

In my area I have Charter cable. They don't offer HDTV service here in Augusta and, thanks to the cable companies being nice enough to not encroach on each other's turf, I'm stuck without HDTV service.

Add to that the fact that when I tried to order the UFC PPV this past Saturday that I had to call and wait for over 45 minutes before I had a chance to speak with a person before they told me that I'd have to pay full price for the PPV even though I missed an hour of it. :roll:

They were nice enough to offer it at another time for the same price...the time they offered was 1AM.

Never mind the fact that I had folks at the house since 3PM that were ready to watch at 9:30.

So...I compared Direct TV and Charter cable.

Direct TV service is cheaper than cable, even with the HD package but I would need a home phone line and DSL service in conjunction with Direct TV.

Depending on how I set up the bundle package though BellSouth, I could actually save a bit of cash by making the switch to Direct TV.



Now, for those of you that have had both, which is better?

I'd like to enjoy HD programming, but if I'm going to loose signal when the rain hits (I've lost signal with cable as well...they get their feeds via satellite as well) it might not be worth it.

 

[joecrawler]

I would go with the direct tv, i know over here in southern MD most people have it becuase are cable sucks. but with the issue of lossing your precious shows dosent happen to often. every now and then a big storm might hurt the signal and make it fuzzy. But it is really nice to have the HD package they offer becuase discovery HD is the best channel ever, they play moster garage alot and i am sed i am on vacation for shark week. oh well i guess i have to tivo it. so i would say go with the Direct HD package.



God, after reading my post i think i might have add

 

[Red Rockcrawler]

I have both directv and cable modem. I'v been with directv for 9 years now. Every channel is digital no fuzz. Like cable channel's lower that are analog and fuzzy. the only draw back for directv is you have tohave a box for each tv to get programing. Each box is $5.00 each a month. You only need a phone line if you want to order pay per view's. You can order them on the net or call them if you don't want to hook it up to a phone line. Rain shouldn't bother it if it is installed right.

 

[Robb]

I have DirecTV, and have had cable (Cox or whatever they are this week). I actually still use my cable company for broadband, which means I also pay for basic cable tv service, since they are cheaper as a bundle than just the broadband service by itself.....................but even with that, I use DirecTV for my TV.

I personally just hate the cable company!! They just don't seem to want to help you, or provide quality service at all. Whenever I have had problems with my cable service (or had it turned off due to non-payment), it seems to be an act of congress, and hours on a phone, to get them to do anything. DirecTV on the other hand, nothing but friendly helpful people when I have had to contact them!!

I do lose my satellite signal often due to rain/snow.............but I believe that to be more of a problem with my personal installation than anything else. I know many around me that, basically, never lose their signal no matter the conditions outside.

I ordered last weekend's fight directly on my TV, only 5 minutes before it all began. It took about 30 seconds to order it, and I instantly had it.

 

[joecrawler]

hey i called 12:48 for my posting time you *******:lol:

 

[rockwerks]

I live in the boonies, have had dish network for 4 years, the only reason to need the phone line is to order PPV junk, I also use radio DSL. no other options but at close to 1g speed for 39.00 a month Im not complaining

 

[kris]

I have Dish Network and there can be snow on it and it will still work, try Dish and ask about HD they some times run great deals on equipment, but be warned if you buy the box you can never go back to renting:x

 

[RD400]

I have had both, in my area Cox cable kicks *ss. Direct TV is like having rabbit ears on the RCA console. Picture sucks, always loosing signal, limited channel selection compared to our cable servise, and having to call a different time zone to get costomer service.

Cable on the other hand, 24 hour local service, you can get a tech to your house in less thes 24 hours, never more then a 5 minute wait on the phone to talk to a real person, and the HD is beautiful on the 50 inch8) .

 

[RXcrawler]

I live in the boonies, have had dish network for 4 years, the only reason to need the phone line is to order PPV junk, I also use radio DSL. no other options but at close to 1g speed for 39.00 a month Im not complaining

Not to be an idiot but what is radio DSL and who has it. I live in the boonies too and I hate this dial-up crap, especially after having had a cable modem.

 

[rockwerks]

Not to be an idiot but what is radio DSL and who has it. I live in the boonies too and I hate this dial-up crap, especially after having had a cable modem.

This is my company, wireless broadband.

I have 2 options in Flagstaff here. you probably have one where you live.

http://newhome.commspeed.net/

 

[TMXONR]

I have Comcast Digital Cable, and I love it. I know people with satelite tv, and they say that they wish they had cable. I don't know if you can get it with sattelite, but with the digital cable we get On Demand. Its like PPV but you don't have to pay for most of it, but you do have to pay for things like big sporting events, and new release movies.

 

[kris]

Direct TV is like having rabbit ears on the RCA console. Picture sucks, always loosing signal, limited channel selection compared to our cable servise

Good point, Your service is only as good as the person that installs the dish, I did mine and have watched T.V. in 70mph winds and can count the number of times on one hand I lost picture in the last eight years.Than at that I don't need customer service to send someone out I just fix it my self. As far as channel selection i don't have Direct T.V. or HD for that matter but freinds that do only complain about not having local channel 9 it is broad cast in hd and is our NBC affiliaite.

 

[rockwerks]

I have had both, in my area Cox cable kicks *ss. Direct TV is like having rabbit ears on the RCA console. Picture sucks, always loosing signal, limited channel selection compared to our cable servise, and having to call a different time zone to get costomer service.

Cable on the other hand, 24 hour local service, you can get a tech to your house in less thes 24 hours, never more then a 5 minute wait on the phone to talk to a real person, and the HD is beautiful on the 50 inch8) .

I have none of those issues, Never lost a signal even during blizzards, digital picture is always perrfect, HD is great, I have access to over 500 channels If I wish, now have 175 channels, my customer service is right here in town. We had not used one of the 4 TV boxes in 6 months, So when my mom came to set up her motorhome at the house we gave it to her,

I called customer service, talked to a person right away, they sent me to tech support and in less than 10 minutes the reprogramming was done.

I have no issues with dish network in 4 years, as for our local cable company COX forget about it. total opposite. dropped signals, usually a 4 day wait for field service, they just suck.

 

[badger]

Direct TV is like having rabbit ears on the RCA console. Picture sucks, always loosing signal,

You must not know how to adjust your dish then. I installed everything myself and have no issues at all. I have also had both Comcast Cable and now Directv and the picture quality on the Directv Sat is far more superior to Cable.

The ONLY thing that Cable has over Sat right now is the OnDemand movies for free.

 

[JasonInAugusta]

You guys are pretty much reiterating what I've already been thinking...dump cable and go to the dish.

What REALLY sucks about Charter is that all the local stations that are broadcasting in HD are being converted to analog by Charter and piped through the cable network.

 

[gregrocks90046]

Direct TV is like having rabbit ears on the RCA console. Picture sucks, always loosing signal, limited channel selection compared to our cable servise

not true. how do you think the cable station gets their signal? from a satellite, then they pump it to you. i'm sure everyones experience is different, but i've had way more problems with cable versue dish net/direct tv. and how come the cable companies can't come up with a program menu like the satellite companies? always have to wait for the cable menu to slowly scroll through the programs like chinese water torture.

 

[Double J]

I've had Direct TV for at least 5 years now and only had problems because a kid next door hit it with something. A latter and wrench fixed the problem in about 5 minutes.
Plus if you join now you can get the football channels and watch every game at a discounted price. I did it for 2 years before the price went to normal costs. every sunday every game.

Plus now you can get your DSL, Direct TV and phone all in one package and pay less. I think its like $40 cheaper. I wasn't able to do it because they said I allready have both (wich sucks) and they couldn't change it. It's for new customers only.

I've lost about 20 minutes total due to no signal. And you can get the local channels in true HDTV.

 

[bulletproofcustoms]

Well hey Jia your more then welcome to to bum off some of my cable and cable modem if you like;-) I also have all the other extra crap like HBO, Cinmaxx and your favorite the Oxygen channel:lol:

Just le me know how you would like to do this;-)

 

[badger]

You guys are pretty much reiterating what I've already been thinking...dump cable and go to the dish.

What REALLY sucks about Charter is that all the local stations that are broadcasting in HD are being converted to analog by Charter and piped through the cable network.

Just to clarify my post, I do not have HD at home. I just have a decent Mitsubishi 42" big screen TV, hooked up to a Hughes Tivo/Directv DVR and the picture quality is way better then my previous Comcast Digital cable setup that I had for years.

 

[JasonInAugusta]

Well hey Jia your more then welcome to to bum off some of my cable and cable modem if you like;-) I also have all the other extra crap like HBO, Cinmaxx and your favorite the Oxygen channel:lol:

Just le me know how you would like to do this;-)

ROFL!

You going to run the cable from your house to mine?

I need to make one of the Florida crawls. Wanted to come down this past weekend but couldn't do it.

Badger...sounds good.