Cable vs. Satellite

[merkin]

Well I have comcast and the picture is OK, but service and prices su*k. I'm putting in a projector with 720p native resolution. So I thought I would upgrade my cable box in the basement for it. I already have HD service on my upstairs tv(a 46" samsung dlp) The lady at the cable place said you can't do that, we only allow one HD box per house since they are in demand. We want everyone to get one before you can have a second one. After biting through my lower lip and breaking the middle finger on my right hand to stop it from raising up and waving in her face, I just said I know it's not your fault but you know that satelite will let you have as much HD as you want. Maybe you should mention that to your bosses. As soon as I get time I'm checking into switching to DSL instead of cable for a modem and going direct TV.

[Tom Adams]

First of all - a huge thanks to all of you who've responded. I've gotten a lot out of this discussion and I hope others have too. So a big thumbs up to you you guys. [H]

Ok......now that I've decided to take the satellite plunge, I must ask the next great debatable question.

Dish Network??

-or-

DirectTV??

Again....thanks. []

Tom

[Frzninvt]

That would have to be your call since the programming varies a little and it would be what appeals to you specifically.

[rplace]

My decision to go with DirecTV was totally based on getting local channels. That said I like the selection and they are constantly adding more channels. Best to compare channels and your likes/dislikes. DirecTV has XM and I think Dish have Sirius so another thought to throw in the mix.

Good Luck!

[picky]

I'm happy with my Comcast cable. I have digital and High-Def service along with broadband service and phone (VOIP). I've been a long-time subscriber and have no regrets. I call them every other month to check on specials which saves us a lot of money. Our service rarely goes out if at all.

I've never had a dish so, some of you could probably say I don't know what I'm missing. If this is so then, ignorance is bliss!

[customsteve01]

I have DirecTV and do not have any problems with it at all. I don't lose signal very often in the rain or snow either. When huricane Isabell came thru Virginia we lost electricity and we were still watching TV at the time.[] I can't say anything about Dish, But my neighbor has it and I don't hear any bad things from him about it either.

I think it would be just a program and price choice.

Steve

[ScorpsFan]

I'll add my vote for satellite, I have DISH and fades are minimal and short term at best, like nuclearay noted. Had cable (Comcast) they have the same pixilation and fade problems in bad weather as satellite, since apparently that is where their programming originates also.

Satellite at least for me, has better quality picture, cheaper (cable was rasing rates every quarter, and will be rasing again in January '06 locally) and when I purchased had more HD content.

[RichardP]

First of all - a huge thanks to all of you who've responded. I've gotten a lot out of this discussion and I hope others have too. So a big thumbs up to you you guys. [H]

Ok......now that I've decided to take the satellite plunge, I must ask the next great debatable question.

Dish Network??

-or-

DirectTV??

Again....thanks. []

Tom

I have grumbled before about satellite on similar threads, so if you have heard me before, bear with me. This is directed to anyone making the change from cable to satellite. Despite the (usually) better picture quality and slightly lower cost per channel of satellite, they are not without very annoying problems. One big one is poor customer service (at times, at least). Among my experiences (having been a DirecTV customer since 1995 with a one year defection to Dish): Once the contracted installer sets it up and leaves, you are on your own moreso than with cable. If your free receiver develops an uncorrectable problem, you must pay $30 for a replacement; the replacement may/will be a refurbished one. You send the old one back, and the $99 "cost" of the original is waived. When I had to replace/return a defective receiver,of course they failed to give me credit, and the $99 showed up on the next bill (it was worked out). Amazingly, the DirecTV-brand remote controls they use now (the light gray ones) cannot control/activate some features of the bottom-of-the-line receivers they come with. They have ceased licensing their receiver technology to independent companies, and either now in the near future, all equipment can only be purchased from DirecTV themselves. Over the years, they have used less and less bandwidth for SD programming (90% of their offerings), in order to use it for HD programming, and the picture and the interactive program guide suffers. Their degraded (compression artifacts) SD image on a HD TV can indeed look about as bad as some cable signals do. Although my receiver is set up exactly right (strong signal strength) and my remote has fresh batteries, when I press a button to change channels or scroll the guide, it may respond 2, 3 or 4 seconds later, or it may not at all. If I press, get nothing, then press-press-press, it may eventually give me four responses 5 seconds later (4 channel changes or 4 pages scrolled), not what I wanted. This has happened with more than one receiver and I have read about other users' same experiences. A few years back, I wanted to change my programming package (before it was possible on their website), but could not get through to them for 6 weeks; yes, 3 or 4 times per week for 6 weeks I would call, sit through their lame menus, then get a recording stating that they were overwhelmed by new customers and I must call back later, click. Recently I had a problem, and after making my way through the less-than-logical menus, eventually connected with a live "technical advisor" whose accent was so thick that I could not understand him even though he repeated a sentence three times. In my foray to Dish I left after one year because one customer service person told me they would sell me a DVR for $80 (all I wanted was the DD5.1 capability); the next day when I called to order it, I was told that no one could have offered it to me for $80 (implying I was lying or mistaken) and would not honor that price. They are both equally bad with customer service.

In other words, if you have a problem, it is not as easy as calling the cable company and someone will come out to fix it. That all problems have to be solved long distance, with greater user responsibility, is arguably just as bad as that bane of cable customers, "we will be there between 12 & 5 on Tuesday."

My 2 cents. Bah humbug!

[jheis]

I had DirecTV for a couple of years before I pulled the plug (been awhile). I was very dissappointed with their service.

My biggest complaint was their failure to devote sufficient bandwidth

to the individual channels. Nature shows or Formula One - which

require panning shots - were reduced to a blur - unacceptable to me.

That, along with all the drop outs and digital "artifacts." Good

technology poorly executed.

When I complained, they said they'd be happy to disconnect me if I was dissatisfied with their service. **** DirecTV.

James

[sunburnwilly]

Also realise that sat providers use a local sat installer to set up and provide service for your instalation . My experience with my local company was mostly very good . One service call was paticulary bad . I had Voom for 1 year until they went out of business . 4 service calls in that 1 year ...