Do they rock, suck, or sah-ri-ete? Anybody have regretful experiences with using the service?</strong>
1. Need multiple decoder boxes for multiple TVs.
2. At least they now carry local broadcast channels.
3. Some local broadcast channels may not be carried (UPN, WB).
4. ~3 second latency on channel flipping.
5. Gets flaky during stormy days.
I switched from Dish Network to cable to get cable modem access, but perhaps the biggest penalty is the lack of having every local broadcast channel and the 3 second latency. Oh, I never did bother to figure how to get a VCR working with it, so that may be a problem, I don't know.
Do they rock, suck, or sah-ri-ete? Anybody have regretful experiences with using the service?</strong>
1. Need multiple decoder boxes for multiple TVs.
2. At least they now carry local broadcast channels.
3. Some local broadcast channels may not be carried (UPN, WB).
4. ~3 second latency on channel flipping.
5. Gets flaky during stormy days.
I switched from Dish Network to cable to get cable modem access, but perhaps the biggest penalty is the lack of having every local broadcast channel and the 3 second latency. Oh, I never did bother to figure how to get a VCR working with it, so that may be a problem, I don't know.[/QB]<hr></blockquote>
i get dozens of local channels. every single one and i think both the local and national PBS feed.
2. At least they now carry local broadcast channels.
3. Some local broadcast channels may not be carried (UPN, WB).
4. ~3 second latency on channel flipping.
5. Gets flaky during stormy days.<hr></blockquote></strong>
Very good points. #1 has been my biggest reservation to switching so far. They are offering a competitive price for 2 box packages, though, so at least they are trying.
#3 I'll have to check on- not having UPN to watch Enterprise might not be cool with me.
#4- yes, I've watched my friend surf around in his satellite cable setup, and the receiver response is unmistakibly "pokey"- like trying to expediently do work on a too slow computer. Is it really a 3-sec latency, or are you just exaggerating for effect?
So are you saying the sound will be crappy, Applenut? That might be a big deal with me. Sound is a big part of the experience for me. Not that cable sound is that great, but at least it is in stereo and has reasonable quality and audio bandwidth. Are you saying that satellite cable sound will be a step down from this? Please tell me!
oh no... its basic RCA out. i would say it is on par with my old cable box sound out but expensive receivers have optical out and DD 5.1 support and such and as a result offer much better sound output.
certainly not bad but its just "standard", no really great or audiophile
Interesting- so the receiver box has separate RCA outs for the audio? There's no audio on the coax cable that gets decoded by your TV like in a regular cable from the wall setup? G-damnit, why do simple things have to be made complicated! Now I got to figure out how to make all this work with my stereo and A/V switching, blah-blah-blah.
<strong>I would take DSS/DirecTV over cable here any day.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I love Directv. I had Charter cable and it was BLAW! Bad quality. I have had Directv for about a month now and I will never go back to cable for TV. I still use Charter broadband cable for my internet connection but not the junk they they pass off as a TV signal.
Yes you wait to change the channel but who cares. I like the menu system. I have the Sony Receiver and it has optical out that I use through my Stereo and a S-Video cable for the picture. Also has coax and RCA. I use the one receiver and have it distributed to my other two TV's via coax. I chose the Sony receiver as it has an RF (radio frequency) remote that works throught the walls so I can take it with me and watch TV in any of my rooms even though all tv's have to be on the same channel that way. I don't care. I love the selection. I do not care for some of the (artifacts) you see during major screen changes but that is the price we pay with digital.
my mom and my sister have dish network and dish network is CHEAP with price!!!! good value. I just love the networks I get on Directv and will pay more for it. Dish network uses cheap receivers that are less up to date as far as not having optical outputs etc. Another reason I went with Directv.
The only thing that keeps me on cable at the moment is the fact that I rent my apartment and will be moving from here in just a few months. Cable is crappy and expensive compared to satellite. I pay about $70 a month just for basic digital service, and then another $30 for cable internet. It's split up between five roommates, so it atleast seems fairly reasonable, but if it were just me and my b/f, we'd definitely opt for dish. Dunno what we'd do for internet, though.
Cable internet does rock, and directv is discontinuing their internet service, so the only other option would be dsl or isdn, or, heaven forbid, dial-up.
Funny thing, our cable plays those propoganda ads about how the dish cuts out during storms and the like, but last week when we were getting a nasty near-hurricane rain storm, the cable kept cutting out intermittently. My parents live in the northern snow belt, they have the dish because they live in the middle of nowhere, and their signal is just fine, even when the dish has a good six inches of snow on it. They suffer with dial-up internet.
The whole need a box for each tv thing is kind of a pain in the rear, but it's the same for digital cable, and my cable company charges me $10 a month for each extra box. Our cable company also forces alot of crap channels on us, it's basically all or nothing. Dish seems to have a few more tiers. Perhaps what's exceptionally bizarre about our cable is that they offer to block any channel you don't want, for a mere $5.00 a month extra. What a rip off! Don't all modern tv's have that capability as it is anyway?
anywho, dish for me as soon as I'm settled, unless the cable company is a little less insane wherever we end up.
Am stuck in the hills of West Virginia and my only option here is satellite, Cable from the next town ends about a block away (and no cable internet connection offered anyway),
Pegasus handles the DirecTV accounts here.
I kept the 2 RCA sourced boxes; one headless for the living room sound system (music channels-it's still cheaper for me than adding XM) and one for the downstairs AV sytem. The boxes will pass through Dolby Pro Logic but not DolbyDigital.
The main system has 2 sony boxes; one a DirecTIVO (Get one-it will change your life!) and the other a High-Definition decoder, both of which handle DolbyDigital well. Pegasus here charges $4.99 a month for each box after the first one. The original dish and 2 receivers came free along with free installation; I purchased and had installed the Hi-Def antenna on my own dime. I added a Terk antenna on the original dish which pulled in the only local station available (an NBC affiliate) rather poorly. However, the station started HDTV broadcasts this past summer and the antenna works wonderfully (alas, only a few shows at night are HDTV quality, and I wonder what they use for a line doubler for the rest of the shows as there is a notable artifact from the processing. Gotta give them a call...).
Quality: variable. Haven't had much problem with weather interference that I've been able to notice. Some channels seem more compressed than others. SciFi channel tends to lack smooth shade transitions in the shadows/swirling mist effects commonly used (noticeable banding) and this appears to be a broadcast issue as it occurs on all of the decoder boxes (I even swapped in the headless box to compare). I do not recall such banding artifacts on the digital cable set-up I had in CT. Otherwise, DirecTV is great. Except no UPN or WB despite my numerous calls to their headquarters (they explain that it is available in areas that carry it as a local on-air broadcast, but there are no local broadcasts in my area so I'm out of luck).
I switched back to cable for one reason alone...They try to dictate what I as a consumer should have to operate their equipment and would not budge. Here is my rant/story...
I had Directv for about two years, mostly because I wanted NFL Sunday Ticket. I had ordered and I didn't have a phone line connected to the box, because it is cheaper to just have a cell phone for my home phone. Anyway, they go ahead and hook it up for me, and I am all happy....
The next year hits, and it is time to re-subscribe to the service of Sunday Ticket. This year they can't do it without a phone line hard wired to the unit...WTF?? I explain how I had it last year, and they say,"well you shouldn't have, and whoever gave that service to you without a phone line is going to lose their job. Keep in mind I am talking at this point to whoever is in charge. I explain how they shouldn't dictate what I the consumer that helps a company like this exist through my selection in this instead of that company, and they say, "we have plenty of customers that are happy with us." basically blowing me off on an extra service that I want to purchase that will work without a phone line, but that they just refuse to let me buy....LET me buy....Let..uugh.
I switched back to my trusty cable, if I can't get sunday ticket anyway, why stick with a bunch of assholes?
You also have sun outs in the summer for about a half hour or so. If there is a lot of lightning, it will go out. if it snows, you have to wipe the snow off the thing. Birds like to perch right in between the signal and the dish. Make sure high winds won't mess up your angle. Make sure there are no trees that are going to get in the way eventually, or buildings or houses going up nearby that might do the same thing.
You can get Dolby Digital sound, but you have to buy an expensive box, and then only at certain times on certain channels can you use the feature.
Having more than one box is a pain. If you have more than 2 tv's you will need another dish to have different channels on more than 2 tv's at the same time. That would be a pain in my house...
Well, there is my experience with the satellite realm. I am back at cable, and while it isn't the best, it sure as hell isn't the worst.
Hey all, I work for Hughes Network Systems-- we designed the DirecTV system, and manufacturer most of the receiver dishes and set-top boxes. Just thought I'd supply a few notes on the discussion...
1) DirecTV did NOT discontinue it's internet services. I discontinued DirecTV DSL-- a while back someone thought it would be a good idea to buy a DSL company that was going under and rebrand it-- still wasn't making any money though, so good riddance... but it still provides DirecPC one-way or two-way capabilities over satellite.
2) Of course DirecPC won't work with Macs out of the box because it uses some sort of bastardized Windows library to connect with the box-- there's an ethernet based router on the way (so I hear) so I guess that's not really a problem.
3) If you're planning to get a DirecTV box, buy a Hughes box and save some cash. We manufacture the boxes for Sony and slap their label on the front, inside it's the exact same box. RCA is the only brand that actually makes their own boxes.
To carry on the discussion, yes I have DirecTV, yes it's great, lucky for me I get the Platinum Package for free >
I have a hughes gold box...in the garage. the equipment was fine, it was the lack of support for people that look to save money by not having a land line that got me to switch. I left the dish on the old place, because I had intended on them coming out and putting up a new one as advertised, but then directv turned into a bunch a dicks. Long Live Cable!!! At least until satellite companies stop trying to tell consumers what other consumer products they have to have.
Is it really true you need 2 dishes (as well as 2 boxes, of course) to tune 2 channels simultaneously? That is a real bitch! If they can multiplex 70 channels or so in analog, why is it so tough for them to do something remotely close to that in digital? All these digital advantages seem to foreshadow the lack of "basic" capabilities/flexibilities that analog seems to handle just fine. It's a damn Eminence Front, I tell ya!
Is it really true you need 2 dishes (as well as 2 boxes, of course) to tune 2 channels simultaneously?</strong>
No. My Dish Network dish had dual capability. Don't remember the terminology, but the focal point of the dish had two receptors so the one dish could feed two decoder boxes. Don't recall how the cabling worked for it, though.
yeah. If you have a dual reciever dish, then you can have two tv's with different channels, however, if you have more than two tv's and want channels to be different on all three, then you would need a second dish.
Yes, I checked with my DSS contact, and they say their dish will feed 2 boxes. I signed the deal, so we'll see how it goes... Having a clear corridor to the satellite feed could still be the deal-breaker, though. I've got a bunch of trees right to the south of me, but a narrow corridor southeast, so who knows...
...and if the sound is to be on separate RCA connections instead of modulated on the coax, that will cause me frustrations, as well.
They say UPN is included in my area, so hope for the best there.
I dunno- maybe all this integration frustration isn't worth saving less than 10 bucks over analog cable service? Damn you Time Warner!!! Why do you have to be so fricken greedy!!!
<strong>Yes, I checked with my DSS contact, and they say their dish will feed 2 boxes. I signed the deal, so we'll see how it goes... Having a clear corridor to the satellite feed could still be the deal-breaker, though. I've got a bunch of trees right to the south of me, but a narrow corridor southeast, so who knows...
...and if the sound is to be on separate RCA connections instead of modulated on the coax, that will cause me frustrations, as well.
They say UPN is included in my area, so hope for the best there.
I dunno- maybe all this integration frustration isn't worth saving less than 10 bucks over analog cable service? Damn you Time Warner!!! Why do you have to be so fricken greedy!!! </strong><hr></blockquote>
Comments
goes out occassionally in big storms
but other than that, very good
Do they rock, suck, or sah-ri-ete? Anybody have regretful experiences with using the service?</strong>
1. Need multiple decoder boxes for multiple TVs.
2. At least they now carry local broadcast channels.
3. Some local broadcast channels may not be carried (UPN, WB).
4. ~3 second latency on channel flipping.
5. Gets flaky during stormy days.
I switched from Dish Network to cable to get cable modem access, but perhaps the biggest penalty is the lack of having every local broadcast channel and the 3 second latency. Oh, I never did bother to figure how to get a VCR working with it, so that may be a problem, I don't know.
<strong>[qb]Originally posted by Randycat99:
Do they rock, suck, or sah-ri-ete? Anybody have regretful experiences with using the service?</strong>
1. Need multiple decoder boxes for multiple TVs.
2. At least they now carry local broadcast channels.
3. Some local broadcast channels may not be carried (UPN, WB).
4. ~3 second latency on channel flipping.
5. Gets flaky during stormy days.
I switched from Dish Network to cable to get cable modem access, but perhaps the biggest penalty is the lack of having every local broadcast channel and the 3 second latency. Oh, I never did bother to figure how to get a VCR working with it, so that may be a problem, I don't know.[/QB]<hr></blockquote>
i get dozens of local channels. every single one and i think both the local and national PBS feed.
<strong>
1. Need multiple decoder boxes for multiple TVs.
2. At least they now carry local broadcast channels.
3. Some local broadcast channels may not be carried (UPN, WB).
4. ~3 second latency on channel flipping.
5. Gets flaky during stormy days.<hr></blockquote></strong>
Very good points. #1 has been my biggest reservation to switching so far. They are offering a competitive price for 2 box packages, though, so at least they are trying.
#3 I'll have to check on- not having UPN to watch Enterprise might not be cool with me.
#4- yes, I've watched my friend surf around in his satellite cable setup, and the receiver response is unmistakibly "pokey"- like trying to expediently do work on a too slow computer. Is it really a 3-sec latency, or are you just exaggerating for effect?
So are you saying the sound will be crappy, Applenut? That might be a big deal with me. Sound is a big part of the experience for me. Not that cable sound is that great, but at least it is in stereo and has reasonable quality and audio bandwidth. Are you saying that satellite cable sound will be a step down from this? Please tell me!
[ 03-03-2003: Message edited by: Randycat99 ]</p>
certainly not bad but its just "standard", no really great or audiophile
[ 03-03-2003: Message edited by: Randycat99 ]</p>
[ 03-03-2003: Message edited by: Randycat99 ]</p>
<strong>I would take DSS/DirecTV over cable here any day.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I love Directv. I had Charter cable and it was BLAW! Bad quality. I have had Directv for about a month now and I will never go back to cable for TV. I still use Charter broadband cable for my internet connection but not the junk they they pass off as a TV signal.
Yes you wait to change the channel but who cares. I like the menu system. I have the Sony Receiver and it has optical out that I use through my Stereo and a S-Video cable for the picture. Also has coax and RCA. I use the one receiver and have it distributed to my other two TV's via coax. I chose the Sony receiver as it has an RF (radio frequency) remote that works throught the walls so I can take it with me and watch TV in any of my rooms even though all tv's have to be on the same channel that way. I don't care. I love the selection. I do not care for some of the (artifacts) you see during major screen changes but that is the price we pay with digital.
my mom and my sister have dish network and dish network is CHEAP with price!!!! good value. I just love the networks I get on Directv and will pay more for it. Dish network uses cheap receivers that are less up to date as far as not having optical outputs etc. Another reason I went with Directv.
Good luck
Fellows
Cable internet does rock, and directv is discontinuing their internet service, so the only other option would be dsl or isdn, or, heaven forbid, dial-up.
Funny thing, our cable plays those propoganda ads about how the dish cuts out during storms and the like, but last week when we were getting a nasty near-hurricane rain storm, the cable kept cutting out intermittently. My parents live in the northern snow belt, they have the dish because they live in the middle of nowhere, and their signal is just fine, even when the dish has a good six inches of snow on it. They suffer with dial-up internet.
The whole need a box for each tv thing is kind of a pain in the rear, but it's the same for digital cable, and my cable company charges me $10 a month for each extra box. Our cable company also forces alot of crap channels on us, it's basically all or nothing. Dish seems to have a few more tiers. Perhaps what's exceptionally bizarre about our cable is that they offer to block any channel you don't want, for a mere $5.00 a month extra. What a rip off! Don't all modern tv's have that capability as it is anyway?
anywho, dish for me as soon as I'm settled, unless the cable company is a little less insane wherever we end up.
ciao,
michael
Pegasus handles the DirecTV accounts here.
I kept the 2 RCA sourced boxes; one headless for the living room sound system (music channels-it's still cheaper for me than adding XM) and one for the downstairs AV sytem. The boxes will pass through Dolby Pro Logic but not DolbyDigital.
The main system has 2 sony boxes; one a DirecTIVO (Get one-it will change your life!) and the other a High-Definition decoder, both of which handle DolbyDigital well. Pegasus here charges $4.99 a month for each box after the first one. The original dish and 2 receivers came free along with free installation; I purchased and had installed the Hi-Def antenna on my own dime. I added a Terk antenna on the original dish which pulled in the only local station available (an NBC affiliate) rather poorly. However, the station started HDTV broadcasts this past summer and the antenna works wonderfully (alas, only a few shows at night are HDTV quality, and I wonder what they use for a line doubler for the rest of the shows as there is a notable artifact from the processing. Gotta give them a call...).
Quality: variable. Haven't had much problem with weather interference that I've been able to notice. Some channels seem more compressed than others. SciFi channel tends to lack smooth shade transitions in the shadows/swirling mist effects commonly used (noticeable banding) and this appears to be a broadcast issue as it occurs on all of the decoder boxes (I even swapped in the headless box to compare). I do not recall such banding artifacts on the digital cable set-up I had in CT. Otherwise, DirecTV is great. Except no UPN or WB despite my numerous calls to their headquarters (they explain that it is available in areas that carry it as a local on-air broadcast, but there are no local broadcasts in my area so I'm out of luck).
Hope this info helps.
I had Directv for about two years, mostly because I wanted NFL Sunday Ticket. I had ordered and I didn't have a phone line connected to the box, because it is cheaper to just have a cell phone for my home phone. Anyway, they go ahead and hook it up for me, and I am all happy....
The next year hits, and it is time to re-subscribe to the service of Sunday Ticket. This year they can't do it without a phone line hard wired to the unit...WTF?? I explain how I had it last year, and they say,"well you shouldn't have, and whoever gave that service to you without a phone line is going to lose their job. Keep in mind I am talking at this point to whoever is in charge. I explain how they shouldn't dictate what I the consumer that helps a company like this exist through my selection in this instead of that company, and they say, "we have plenty of customers that are happy with us." basically blowing me off on an extra service that I want to purchase that will work without a phone line, but that they just refuse to let me buy....LET me buy....Let..uugh.
I switched back to my trusty cable, if I can't get sunday ticket anyway, why stick with a bunch of assholes?
You also have sun outs in the summer for about a half hour or so. If there is a lot of lightning, it will go out. if it snows, you have to wipe the snow off the thing. Birds like to perch right in between the signal and the dish. Make sure high winds won't mess up your angle. Make sure there are no trees that are going to get in the way eventually, or buildings or houses going up nearby that might do the same thing.
You can get Dolby Digital sound, but you have to buy an expensive box, and then only at certain times on certain channels can you use the feature.
Having more than one box is a pain. If you have more than 2 tv's you will need another dish to have different channels on more than 2 tv's at the same time. That would be a pain in my house...
Well, there is my experience with the satellite realm. I am back at cable, and while it isn't the best, it sure as hell isn't the worst.
1) DirecTV did NOT discontinue it's internet services. I discontinued DirecTV DSL-- a while back someone thought it would be a good idea to buy a DSL company that was going under and rebrand it-- still wasn't making any money though, so good riddance... but it still provides DirecPC one-way or two-way capabilities over satellite.
2) Of course DirecPC won't work with Macs out of the box because it uses some sort of bastardized Windows library to connect with the box-- there's an ethernet based router on the way (so I hear) so I guess that's not really a problem.
3) If you're planning to get a DirecTV box, buy a Hughes box and save some cash. We manufacture the boxes for Sony and slap their label on the front, inside it's the exact same box. RCA is the only brand that actually makes their own boxes.
To carry on the discussion, yes I have DirecTV, yes it's great, lucky for me I get the Platinum Package for free >
Seriously though, is this really true???
[ 03-05-2003: Message edited by: Randycat99 ]</p>
Is it really true you need 2 dishes (as well as 2 boxes, of course) to tune 2 channels simultaneously?</strong>
No. My Dish Network dish had dual capability. Don't remember the terminology, but the focal point of the dish had two receptors so the one dish could feed two decoder boxes. Don't recall how the cabling worked for it, though.
...and if the sound is to be on separate RCA connections instead of modulated on the coax, that will cause me frustrations, as well.
They say UPN is included in my area, so hope for the best there.
I dunno- maybe all this integration frustration isn't worth saving less than 10 bucks over analog cable service? Damn you Time Warner!!! Why do you have to be so fricken greedy!!!
<strong>Yes, I checked with my DSS contact, and they say their dish will feed 2 boxes. I signed the deal, so we'll see how it goes... Having a clear corridor to the satellite feed could still be the deal-breaker, though.
...and if the sound is to be on separate RCA connections instead of modulated on the coax, that will cause me frustrations, as well.
They say UPN is included in my area, so hope for the best there.
I dunno- maybe all this integration frustration isn't worth saving less than 10 bucks over analog cable service? Damn you Time Warner!!! Why do you have to be so fricken greedy!!!
of course the sound is also in the coax