[67drake]

I currently get Time Warner cable as our TV,high speed internet,and home phone provider.
First off,TW cable dropped one of our local Milwaukee TV stations about 2 weeks back that provides Packers and NFL games-NOT good. Second I open up this months bill today and it is up to $165 a month! $20 higher than last month! BS!
I can live without a home phone and just use my cell,and I'm sure I can find another internet provider. My question is what do you guys think of Dish or Direct TV? Are these the same thing? I've had only cable since the 80's so I know nothing else about these dish things.
I'd like to hear pro and con of all,and maybe what you guys are paying per month. I'm fed up with Time Warner!
Thanks!

[Icefan71]

Never had a dish. Like you, I've had cable since the 80's. I have basic digital cable and internet - $105/month. And Vonage for my home phone. i think its $30 or $35/month. Honestly, I pay the bill every month and I'm pretty ignorant about other options. I know people that switch back and forth every couple of years anytime the prices go up. Personally I have too much to worry about in my life so I'll just keep paying my cable bill. They've shuffled some channels here and there, but luckily for me its nothing that affects what I watch.
The only complaints I've heard about having a dish is losing the signal in bad weather.

[The Champ]

I have had both Dish and DirecTV. They are NOT the same.

I first got DirecTV back around '94. I dropped my cable tv because it was absolute crap - picture quality wise and was only broadcasting in mono.

Very happy with DirecTV customer service and signal quality. Moved in 2005 and switched to Dish in order to get local channels (had to play some games to do it back then), but was very unhappy with the customer service.

When my Dish contract ran out - went back to DirecTV. Glad I did.

The "weather" issue with a properly aimed and mounted antenna is not much of a problem at all. I had more problems with my cable service than I ever had with either satellite company.

[cdrookie]

i have directv(my buddy is a dealer). i'm not happy paying $110/month for 2 record receivers but overall i can't complain. did have issues with signal lose during heavy rain but a chain saw fixed that, guess the signal comes in more from above than where it's aimed. bad thing is their internet provider is verizon and they won't give you internet without home phone service, or at least they won't for me.

[NBF823]

No cable.
Indoor amp antenna.
Xfinity Internet. $65 month, not the fastest, but not the slowest either.
Netflix streaming. $8 month
Cell phone on shared plan. $40 month.
No land line.

[fyrffytr1]

I have Mediacom basic cable and broadband internet. I also have Directv. I have local channels on both cable and satellite. If I lose one signal the other usually works.

[sonjaab]

I have directv, dish and evil time warner!

I have basic directv and 8 outlets at my hotel operation. $59 month. 3 boxes I got for free on install and bought 5 more at $50
each so I pay no equipment charges.

My new house I ended up with dishtv (they were cheaper than TW or Direc) with the 200 channel pkg, no prem. channels 3 outlets (one box controls 2 tvs), I only pay for the one box. Cost is approx. $62 monthly.

My other motel operation has TW basic channels no converters in the rooms and in my apt. I have digital and prem. channels and the cost is $225 month.

Dish and direc are about the same as far as cost and channels.
Both have signal issues during heavy rain or snowstorms!
Neither has free repair service either (unlike TW).

Go with price and channels IMO !!!!!!!!
Cause they all suck!

[fiedlerh]

DirecTV round 1: after 8 years we requested updated equipment. They said it would be around $30 more a month plus a new contract. We threatened to switch and they said don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out. After we switched they begged for us to come back and said they didn't mean to charge us extra.

Dishnet: Decent service, but the price kept going up a little bit every 6 months without warning. We wanted a DVR and it was going to be $200 up front and $7/mo plus a new contract. We threatened to switch and they said don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out. After we switched they begged for us to come back and said they didn't mean to charge us extra.

DirecTV round 2: A little better picture quality, but more sensitive to storms. Then they started to cancel channels on us and said they could cancel channels any time they wanted. Contract is up next year, so we will look around.

Comcast typically runs $10-$20 more than satellite around here, but said they can negotiate. Internet via Comcast has been terrific.

Forget Uverse unless you are within a block of their tan box.

The new systems require your house to be wired with RG6, but they only use one cable now. Any flaw in the connection and no picture.

[GT182]

Comcast here.... 125.00 per month.... Basic+ cable and internet only. Vonage for our landline. I've had Vonage since after a few months that it first came out and love it. Cell phone on the stepdaughters account at no cost to us.

Trying to get the wife to agree to switch to DirectTV, but keep cable for the internet.

[Dick Boneske]

Yes, Direct TV only uses one RG6 coax cable now. It's relatively easy to string cable throughout your house to allow access in any room you want. Their newest DVR supports whole-house access to all programs--live and recorded. The only thing better would be wireless access through the whole house, which is not far into the future.

I've been a Direct TV customer since 1995 with no regrets. I've tried Charter digital TV service, but quickly eliminated it due to cost and awkward controls. TW is likely the same.

[sonjaab]

I neglected to mention at my new house I have Time warner for
landline phone and internet. Its a one year deal for $39 bucks a month
with free long distance. I bought my own modem off fleabay used
for $20 bucks so no equipment charges either................

[PMD1969]

Our experience with DirecTV was great at first and then it slowly went sour. I had bought one fo the first sats in 1995 and as a customer until 2009. They kept dropping channels and raising the prices to stupid levels.

We then went to TW for a short time. They too did the sae but their service was even worse. The internet always cuts out and the service guys were the daily scum they picked up off the street.

Finally we went to a Texas cable company and have had excellent service since 2010.

Grande Communications. Doesn't help you in WI but I would steer clear of DirecTV if at all possible.

[Alvin]

Had Time Warner for years, then they swapped markets with Comcast. We didn't get to vote.

Comcast is the fastest Internet here period. Have to call them every 1/4 to 1/2 yr to readjust the billing back down. PITA - but I've learned how/when to ask for the customer retention specialist. The latest "trick" gimmick last fall was for them to try to lock you into a 2 yr contract "in order to receive the proffered rates". Hang up. Wait a day and call back and you'll get what you want.

Comcast and NBC are owned by one and the same...not a positive IMO.

IIRC - CBS is blacked out on either DISH or DirectTV now yes?

Heard this interesting Marketplace "backstory" while driving home last week; that all affected by the blackout (and cable, Internet, bundle, customers) might be interested in (at the 3:00 mark). http://www.marketplace.org/node/104416/player/popout

IIRC CBS wanted to double the per household fee from $1 to $2 per household for CBS bundled content...this could really be a game changer industry wide. I couldn't find the link to the Kai Ryysdal analogy of the dispute from earlier last week. Regardless - Check it out!

[Chris65LeMans]

Originally Posted by Alvin

[b]IIRC - CBS is blacked out on either DISH or DirectTV now yes?

While cleaning out the garage this weekend, I heard that radio commercial at least a dozen times - it's Time Warner.

I've got DirecTV, and I love it. Their customer service is... good! If your stuff doesn't work, they'll come and fix it. They relocated my dish for $50. (I was tearing down the room it was on. Try finding someone to climb up, remove, climb up, reinstall, re-wire for $50!)

I use Time Warner for my internet cable modem, and they suck.

[78savette]

Originally Posted by The Champ

I have had both Dish and DirecTV. They are NOT the same.

I first got DirecTV back around '94. I dropped my cable tv because it was absolute crap - picture quality wise and was only broadcasting in mono.

Very happy with DirecTV customer service and signal quality. Moved in 2005 and switched to Dish in order to get local channels (had to play some games to do it back then), but was very unhappy with the customer service.

When my Dish contract ran out - went back to DirecTV. Glad I did.

The "weather" issue with a properly aimed and mounted antenna is not much of a problem at all. I had more problems with my cable service than I ever had with either satellite company.

X's 2, well kinda, as I also had Direct for several yrs then switched to Dish a few yrs ago, difference with me was that I DIDN'T wait for my Dish contract to be up, paid the cancellation fee to go back with Direct, it's just a much better picture, DVR service (little things about Dish's DVR bugged me, like watching a recording then switching back to live, it started the live as new (i.e. you couldn't rewind the cpl hours like Direct), and just easier to use.
Another opinion difference, is even though I think Direct's TV service is unbeatable, their CS sux, it just does but I put up with it because I like their TV service, every time you change service, purchase a movie, ect, they screw it up, to their advantage of course, you have to call, argue with a CS Rep who doesn't care, wastes your time, but again, I deal with it cause I like their picture and DRV service a lot better.
It's all expensive unless you change around every 2 yrs when your contract is up to get the new deals, I pay $90 a month (my new deals are gone, gave me $10 credit when I bitched) for HD/DVR in my LR, DVR in my BR, with their best pkg less the movie channels.
I've tried the cable co's and liked them less than Dish, so it will be Direct till something better comes along (we can't get ATT Uverse, wish we did).

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Chris65LeMans

While cleaning out the garage this weekend, I heard that radio commercial at least a dozen times - it's Time Warner.

I've got DirecTV, and I love it. Their customer service is... good! If your stuff doesn't work, they'll come and fix it. They relocated my dish for $50. (I was tearing down the room it was on. Try finding someone to climb up, remove, climb up, reinstall, re-wire for $50!)

I use Time Warner for my internet cable modem, and they suck.

Yes, you are correct sir! It was indeed Time Warner v CBS pi$$ing match = millions in a CBS blackout.

Thrust of the topic is that if this goes on very long, it may be the catalyst for the dropping of manditory "bundling" of channels not viewed, used, wanted...

TW said, fine they would offer CBS as a separate option, which throws the whole business model for ABC/CBS/NBC broadcast out of the window...

[tigergto]

I have had Directv since they bought out Primestar in the 90s. I never had any problems with customer service. The signal will go out in heavy rain or if there is a snow build up on the dish but that rarely happens. I upgraded to full house HD and Dvr on three TV's. There are so many combinations available that after you get off the phone with customer service you're still confused. Cable is not available in my area and Dish is not an option because they don't carry the Yes channel. After talking to friends with other providers it seems the prices for comparable packages are about the same. I'm not happy with the total cost when paying for satellite, cell phone, internet and land line (which I need for DSL) but not much I can do about it.

[sonjaab]

Tiger.........I also live in the sticks NY so not many choices.
We have Frontier aka hooterville "up the pole" telephone co.
Their tv/phone/net deal was supposed to be $89 month.
Real cost $225 month! Dumped them real fast.................

Alvin...........Have CBS on both dish and direc.
CBS on TW too.

[67drake]

Wow,lots more replies than I expected,Thanks to all of you!
From the looks of it I'm paying more than 95% of you guys,which I suspected. I forgot to mention in my 1st post the cable package I have is just basic,nothing fancy. $165 is just too much.
How does direct tv work then? From what you guys said it's not cable or a dish.

[sonjaab]

Directv is a sat. dish set up just like Dishtv.
Each tv needs a seperate converter box to operate.