DirectTV/Dish Network/Time Warner Cable

[Campy]

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1. Rain Fade... Grrr... It happens a lot more than DTV admits to. In MD here, strong storms come in the hours before dusk and that is prime time viewing.

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I have a bundle deal through Cox Communications (my local cable monopoly), the money saved on internet and phone service is a huge plus and the reason we dropped DTV when we moved to the new place a couple of years ago. The fact they had just added Center Ice played no small role in that decision as I've had it via DTV since '98.

 

I can't comment on the other points you make, but rest assured, we're no stranger to the weather you describe. In fact, and I don't recall its name, but one of the tropical events that roared through the area 5 or 6 years ago brought wind gusts of 60-70 mph and torrential rain. We lost power before we had any problems with rain fade.

 

I did have rain fade at first but found that re-aiming the dish for a stronger digital lock eliminated any of those issues. Maybe you have a similar problem? After re-adjusting mine it never dropped below 85 (out of 100). I dunno', just a thought, but check the digital lock via the receiver. I'd bet it's a low number, ie, a weak lock.

[R_Dudley]

Congrats on the soon to be new crib.... after spending 10 mos working at Xerox in 2000-2001 I'm curious where you setting up shop ?

 

IMHO The cable compelete packages that include phone, Tv and internet are the only way to compete with the price advantage DTV usually gives you for TV. The other difference then mainly becomes in what packages floats your boat or you can afford.. Good luck

[wjag]

I have a bundle deal through Cox Communications (my local cable monopoly), the money saved on internet and phone service is a huge plus and the reason we dropped DTV when we moved to the new place a couple of years ago. The fact they had just added Center Ice played no small role in that decision as I've had it via DTV since '98.

 

I can't comment on the other points you make, but rest assured, we're no stranger to the weather you describe. In fact, and I don't recall its name, but one of the tropical events that roared through the area 5 or 6 years ago brought wind gusts of 60-70 mph and torrential rain. We lost power before we had any problems with rain fade.

 

I did have rain fade at first but found that re-aiming the dish for a stronger digital lock eliminated any of those issues. Maybe you have a similar problem? After re-adjusting mine it never dropped below 85 (out of 100). I dunno', just a thought, but check the digital lock via the receiver. I'd bet it's a low number, ie, a weak lock.

Thanks.

 

I have a reasonably strong signal. Usually in the 92-94 range. Doesn't matter...

[stuhast41]

If you live in Fairport and are thinking about TWC - be warned- no MSGHD / Sabres in HD for the home games. I'm sure they will add it after April 1 after the home schedule ends. TWC Rochester has been promising MSGHD since October with no results.

[inkman]

If you live in Fairport and are thinking about TWC - be warned- no MSGHD / Sabres in HD for the home games. I'm sure they will add it after April 1 after the home schedule ends. TWC Rochester has been promising MSGHD since October with no results.

I've lived in Fairport for all of my 36 years in Fairport (minus the years at college) and I am well aware of no MSGHD. Grrr...

[inkman]

By the way congrats on the new house...

Congrats on buying a house!

Congrats on the soon to be new crib.... after spending 10 mos working at Xerox in 2000-2001 I'm curious where you setting up shop ?

Thanks everyone! I am moving from North end of Fairport to the South end, you know the other side of the tracks. Except we are going from the po side to the rich side, not that our house represents anything like that.

[nfreeman]

I was one of the first on my block to go with DTV. The advantages to us out of market folks simply outweigh any other package. The NFL and NHL packages keep me in touch with my teams and my city.

 

HOWEVER, I do have issues with them.

 

1. Rain Fade... Grrr... It happens a lot more than DTV admits to. In MD here, strong storms come in the hours before dusk and that is prime time viewing.

2. Bad equipment... DTV is constantly upgrading their poor quality receivers with poor quality receivers. You get caught up in a never ending upgrade cycle with them. The latest scam was the new HD receivers to go with the new HD TVs and a pretty hefty price.

3. Price escalation. They ain't cheap. They sold me a DTV package for 9.99 to watch just seven HD channels. When they rolled out their new satellite, they added many more channels. However, you don't get them all for that 9.99, you need to upgrade the receiver and they took away a channel, Universal HD, from the original seven and put it in another pay package. So now I have three different DTV receivers in my house depicting when I bought them. That also means three different remotes cause they change that too. The new receivers are a pricey $300.

4. Stupid receivers. They now have channel 627 and 627-1 say. That is MSG in DTV-land. The -1 is for the HD feed. If I click on 202 (CNN), I always get CNNHD (202-1). If I click on 627, I never get MSGHD, I always have to advance to 627-1. It's an HD receiver, it should always select the HD feed for you like it does with CNN, but it doesn't. It's a minor agravation I admit, but stupid IT stuff drives me crazy.

5. I don't have a DVR, but I know lots of folks don't care for their DVR. It's pricey and its features are weak compared to TIVO. They had a perfectly good relationship with TIVO but got greedy and began producing their own. The quality wasn't there initially.

6. The NFL and NHL packages go up significantly ever year. I started paying 125 for the NFL. Its now 200+. The NHL is also going up. And still they want to sell you a separate price to see the NFL in HD. That stuff drives me insane. It's not bad enough that they soak me at every step, but to charge me a separate price to see the NFL in HD is ridiculous.

7. Blackouts. Same rules apply. The only time it effects me here in MD is when the Sabres play the Capitals. Comcast televises them exclusively. And Comcast is some obscure DTV number I can never remember. I'm lucky in that the NFL team I detest more than the rest is the Baltimore Ravens. They are always blacked out and shown on local channels. But in Buffalo, that blackout extends to the Bills. They are either on network TV or their not on.

 

That is all....

 

I've had DTV for over 10 years now. I can't disagree with any of the items you list, although I do think it's a lesser of 2 evils thing -- ie more sports, more HD and less bad service than cable just makes it a better choice than cable.

 

On the -1 channels -- on my receiver (which is the HD DVR), you can use the custom channels to eliminate all of the non-HD versions of the HD channels -- so that when you tune to ESPN or CNN, you automatically go to the HD version (and never go to the SD version). It's certainly annoying that you have to do this manually, but once done, it's done.

 

On the DVR -- I switched from Tivo to the DTV DVR when the new HD channels made it a necessity. I was pretty concerned, but I have to say the DTV DVR isn't bad. It lacks some of the features of the Tivo DVR, but includes some features that Tivo lacks. Overall it's no big deal.

 

As for the blackouts -- you still get all of the games, right? You're just stuck with comcast when the sabres play the caps? It's the same here in NYC -- no RJ when the Sabres play any of the 3 NYC teams. OTOH, all of those games are in HD, so it's bearable.

 

Bottom life: nothing's perfect, but as you say, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages if you're out of market.

 

For ink, though, since he's in WNY, assuming he doesn't need the CI or NFL packages, it's probably best decided by cost.

[inkman]

For ink, though, since he's in WNY, assuming he doesn't need the CI or NFL packages, it's probably best decided by cost.

I am going to have to put together a little cost analysis. Which won't be easy because of all the deals they offer for the first year and different packages they offer. Oh well, I have a month until closing, so plenty of time.

[RuffMuff]

A problem I don't like with Direct TV and Center Ice is that they now cut the post game out. You have about 2 minutes after the game and then they black it out. Cheap bastards.... Customer support is very good.

[Wraith]

If you live in Fairport and are thinking about TWC - be warned- no MSGHD / Sabres in HD for the home games. I'm sure they will add it after April 1 after the home schedule ends. TWC Rochester has been promising MSGHD since October with no results.

The first time I've seen TWC Rochester "promise" MSGHD was a month or two back in their big ad rush advertising all the new HD stations: Discovery HD, Science HD, TLC HD, History HD, NGCHD, etc. So far they've delivered most of the channels. Hopefully MSG HD gets here soon, too.

[BuffalOhio]

A problem I don't like with Direct TV and Center Ice is that they now cut the post game out. You have about 2 minutes after the game and then they black it out. Cheap bastards.... Customer support is very good.

 

Actually, since I started to pay for the Sports Pack, I am now authorized to watch The Shootout, and find myself doing so regularly. I even got it in HD last night.