DirecTV questions

[Sgt Beavis]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger and dump Dish Network for DirecTV. My wife has dropped her requirement for a Japanese language channel and NFL Sunday Ticket beckons. I only have a few questions I want to post to current DTV subscribers.


1 - Do I have to get NFL Sunday Ticket SUPER FAN in order to see games in HD. The website isn't 100% clear on this but it does seem indicate that this is the case. Keep in mind that I'm already ordering HD channels with my DTV package.

2 - DTV claims to have 99% signal reliability. Dish Network goes out if we have anything more than a light rain. What does DTV do differently, if anything? What is your experience during medium to heavy thunderstorms. I live in DFW, and like most of Louisiana, we are prone to having heavy T-storms quite often.

3. How do you like the DTV HD PVR? The Dish Network PVR sucks ass but DTV's PVR isn't a TIVO. Have any of you tried streaming shows from the PVR to your PC? Have you tried streaming movies from your PC to the PVR? I'm planning to do both.

4. After the 12 month contract and the associated discounts have expired, have you been able to get a new contract with lower than regular rates? How open are they to negotiation on prices? I ask because I've done a little haggling with Dish Network and Charter in the past and both were open to negotiation in order to keep me as a customer.

Thanks in advance.

[turbodave]

#1. yes, even with the HD package you will need the Superfan package to see the games in HD. I was a little pissed when I found this out, but after having the Superfan package for a season I love it. Lots of cool features.

#2. I have had Directv for about 10 years now. It has to be a pretty nasty storm for it to go out.

#3. Can't help you there, I don't have one. But the Directv website has forums and there is a forum for them. Might check it out. http://forums.directv.com/pe/index.jsp

#4. Can't answer that one either. Other than what I added on, my rates have barely went up over the years

[jluv]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger and dump Dish Network for DirecTV. My wife has dropped her requirement for a Japanese language channel and NFL Sunday Ticket beckons. I only have a few questions I want to post to current DTV subscribers.


1 - Do I have to get NFL Sunday Ticket SUPER FAN in order to see games in HD. The website isn't 100% clear on this but it does seem indicate that this is the case. Keep in mind that I'm already ordering HD channels with my DTV package.

2 - DTV claims to have 99% signal reliability. Dish Network goes out if we have anything more than a light rain. What does DTV do differently, if anything? What is your experience during medium to heavy thunderstorms. I live in DFW, and like most of Louisiana, we are prone to having heavy T-storms quite often.

3. How do you like the DTV HD PVR? The Dish Network PVR sucks ass but DTV's PVR isn't a TIVO. Have any of you tried streaming shows from the PVR to your PC? Have you tried streaming movies from your PC to the PVR? I'm planning to do both.

4. After the 12 month contract and the associated discounts have expired, have you been able to get a new contract with lower than regular rates? How open are they to negotiation on prices? I ask because I've done a little haggling with Dish Network and Charter in the past and both were open to negotiation in order to keep me as a customer.

Thanks in advance.


As far as the signal cutting out, it's up to the install. If the guys aim your shit right and bolt it all down tight instead of just slapping it up there, you should only lose signal in really severe storms.

Mine only goes out once or twice a year for a few minutes at most.

[Sgt Beavis]

As far as the signal cutting out, it's up to the install. If the guys aim your shit right and bolt it all down tight instead of just slapping it up there, you should only lose signal in really severe storms.

Mine only goes out once or twice a year for a few minutes at most.

So the issue is has a lot to do with the antenna moving in the wind? That would definitely make sense.

[Vertnut]

I'd like to make this change, too, but I need extra HD DVR's (or whatever they call them) and they want to charge me $200 or so for each extra unit.

[Sgt Beavis]

I'd like to make this change, too, but I need extra HD DVR's (or whatever they call them) and they want to charge me $200 or so for each extra unit.

Plus they charge a monthly fee for each one.

[90GT50]

I'd like to make this change, too, but I need extra HD DVR's (or whatever they call them) and they want to charge me $200 or so for each extra unit.

Any idea if you're in a fios area? Are you looking at Directv because of the ticket?

[Tangstang]

I'd like to make this change, too, but I need extra HD DVR's (or whatever they call them) and they want to charge me $200 or so for each extra unit.
Worst part about that, the $200 is usually a fee for leasing the box, use to be you could just buy them.

[Mustangman_2000]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger and dump Dish Network for DirecTV. My wife has dropped her requirement for a Japanese language channel and NFL Sunday Ticket beckons. I only have a few questions I want to post to current DTV subscribers.


2 - DTV claims to have 99% signal reliability. Dish Network goes out if we have anything more than a light rain. What does DTV do differently, if anything? What is your experience during medium to heavy thunderstorms. I live in DFW, and like most of Louisiana, we are prone to having heavy T-storms quite often.

You need to have tech support send out a truck and have them re-align or relocate your Dish. I have DISH Network with a DISH 500 triple horn dish. Mine doesn't go out in rain, dark clouds, wind, or even light hail. My satellite service is more reliable than my FIOS service I had previously. The only time I had a problem is when we had a giant piece of hail take out out one of the LNB horns.

You either have an obstruction or the dish needs to be properly aligned with a satellite finder meter. Because this is what contributes to the erroneous satellite myths regarding inclement weather. Mine is rock solid all the time, but it was installed by a tech who took his time and aligned it (using a meter) for optimum signal strength. If it's thrown together or in the wrong mounting location, it is going to suck. That's not the fault of the DISH equipment. It's the fault of the installer.

Here is a video I took a while back to debunk this very issue. The picture doesn't even glitch or pixelate in rain storms.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g18/myjpegs06/Miscellaneous/th_PICT4699.jpg (http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g18/myjpegs06/Miscellaneous/?action=view&current=PICT4699.flv)

[johnny1999]

4. After the 12 month contract and the associated discounts have expired, have you been able to get a new contract with lower than regular rates? How open are they to negotiation on prices? I ask because I've done a little haggling with Dish Network and Charter in the past and both were open to negotiation in order to keep me as a customer.

Thanks in advance.

Turbo Dave answered the first ones so I will answer this one. I just shut off my direct tv last Saturday and they made a hell of a bid to keep me. I have seen it before that if you cancel they will make a good deal to stay. It sucks that you have to threaten to leave before they try to give you a good deal but that is what it takes sometimes.

Johnny

[paul_376]

is the direct tv pay per view in HD?

[90GT50]

is the direct tv pay per view in HD?

I dunno, but FiOS sure is:D, and it seems lately the people I've been signing up from directv are actually saving a little bit of money.

[paul_376]

I dunno, but FiOS sure is:D, and it seems lately the people I've been signing up from directv are actually saving a little bit of money.

i dont know what that is

[90GT50]

i dont know what that is

Verizon FiOS is basically 100 percent fiber optic network to your home. We offer the best picture quality because we don't compress our signal like directv, dish network, all the other companies etc. do. We use the fiber optic lines because they can carry way more bandwidth which means we dont have to compress our TV signal any, which means you get better quality picture and sound than you would with anyone else that uses the copper lines still. On the internet side we offer the fastest speeds you can get. We offer a 25mbps download speed, and that comes with a 15mbps upload speed. I'm not sure if you can get the service since it depends on where you live. If you want you can PM me an address and I'll check availability for you if you're interested. From there if your house is able to get it I'll show you what packages we can offer for you, and pricing.

[Mustangman_2000]

is the direct tv pay per view in HD?

DISH and Direct TV both have 1080p Video On Demand content.

[Mustangman_2000]

Verizon FiOS is basically 100 percent fiber optic network to your home. We offer the best picture quality because we don't compress our signal like directv, dish network, all the other companies etc. do. We use the fiber optic lines because they can carry way more bandwidth which means we dont have to compress our TV signal any, which means you get better quality picture and sound than you would with anyone else that uses the copper lines still. On the internet side we offer the fastest speeds you can get. We offer a 25mbps download speed, and that comes with a 15mbps upload speed. I'm not sure if you can get the service since it depends on where you live. If you want you can PM me an address and I'll check availability for you if you're interested. From there if your house is able to get it I'll show you what packages we can offer for you, and pricing.

You need to clarify that unlike Comcast and some other cable providers, they do not re-compress their signal. The signal FIOS receives is compressed to some degree by the content providers. When FIOS receives the signal it does not typically add further compression and just passes the signal as is to the customer. The content provider/programming source does not send a truly uncompressed HD signal to the cable company. Verizon gets the bragging rights for now of not re-compressing the signal due to the high capacity medium of fiber.

Now that DISH is using MPEG4 compression, it makes it nearly impossible for me to discern between my DISH HD content and a friends FIOS HD content. They both look good.

[90GT50]

You need to clarify that unlike Comcast and some other cable providers, they do not re-compress their signal. The signal FIOS receives is compressed to some degree by the content providers. When FIOS receives the signal it does not typically add further compression and just passes the signal as is to the customer. The content provider/programming source does not send a truly uncompressed HD signal to the cable company. Verizon gets the bragging rights for now of not re-compressing the signal due to the high capacity medium of fiber.

Now that DISH is using MPEG4 compression, it makes it nearly impossible for me to discern between my DISH HD content and a friends FIOS HD content. They both look good.
I'm not sure about what they do for compression from the content provider, but I do know that currently Verizon is only using around 17 percent of their bandwidth, where as most other companies are about maxed out.

[BP]

You don't need to have Sunday Ticket to watch the regular broadcast games on NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN or the NFL Network as long as they are broadcast in your area. They'll all be in HD. Now if you want out of market games you need to get it but I believe this year even the HD ones are included. At least thats what the mailer I got yesterday said.

[BP]

They just offered me the HD version for $150 ($24.95x6). Normally $49 for 6 months plus $100 for the total fan upgrade. I called to cancel the Sunday Ticket since I really don't watch it and spoke with Elvis.