Satalite TV?

[puffy]

Right now I have cable tv.I've pretty much decided to switch to satalite.I wanted AT&T U-verse,but for some reason although its available in towns all around me it's not available in my town.That pretty much leaves me to stick with cable or opt for Dish or Direct. I would appreciate any opinions before I make a decision.Should I switch? If so to which one?

 

[kanaia]

I have had Dish and currently have DirecTV. If you like sports then go with DirecTV because they have much more to offer than Dish.

 

[gwtwdbss]

I have Dish out in the country and I like it. The one thing I have had to do a few times is brush the snow off the dish in the winter so that may be an issue for an older gentleman if it is placed on the roof or high up on the house. It also cuts out during bad storms. I am not sure what I would do if I had a choice between satellite and cable though. I would have to weigh the programming options vs price before making a decision.

 

[flmason]

If you experience lots of rain or snow in your area then forget Dish Network or Direct TV as they go out frequently in that type of weather. I had both companies over the time I lived in TX but when I moved to FL I selected cable only.
I hope you are happy with the type of service you decide on. You might also ask your immediate neighbors for their opinions as well.

 

[werdna]

I had Direct TV for many years. But I wanted fast internet, and switched to cable, to get both TV and internet. Direct TV was very good, but I did have to sweep the snow off the dish occasionally.

 

[crazypipe]

I have comcast cable and love it . and i have been with them a long time.

At one time i had Direct TV. With Comcast i have the home package TV-PHONE And internet. :D

 

[sfsteves]

to my way of thinking, the choice is not between Dish and DirecTV ... it is between cable and DirecTV ... Dish doesn't begin to compare in terms of price/performance (bang for the buck). If you've ruled out cable (and I did so quite some time ago), I'd recommend DirecTV without hesitation ...

kanaia wrote: "If you like sports then go with DirecTV because they have much more to offer than Dish."

absolutely true ... more high def too ...

 

[leacha]

I had DirecTV and was getting tired of watching the same channels but paying for a lot of them. Over the years I went from the top of the line package all the way down to the bottom. I was paying $80+ a month and still wasn't happy.
Then came our baby and all of a sudden my wife and I didn't have time for TV so I made a decision. I dumped DirecTV, purchased two Roku units (one for the bedroom & one for the living room), signed up for Netflix, I was already a member of Amazon Prime, signed up for Hulu Plus (dumped it after the free trial) and installed an OTA antenna.
Directv: $80 month x 12 months = $960.00

Two Roku units from Amazon = $198.00

Netflix: $7.99 a month x 12 months = $95.88

Amazon Prime = $6.25 a month x 12 months = $75.00

Antenna = $30
Lets do some math $960-($198.00+$95.88+$75.00+$30.00)= $561.12 savings the first year and $789.12 each year afterwards. Plus I get 2 day shipping with Amazon orders.
These savings do not take into account additional subscriptions like MLB.tv or rentals through Amazon. Anyways, there is no way I'll catch up to the $960+ dollars a year I was paying for DirecTV.
P.S. We still do not watch as much TV but at least its costing me less.

 

[Perique]

My experience has been pretty much exactly what Chris said. No cable out here in the boonies.
But as Roth said, the Internet side of it would be appealing. So if I lived somewhere where there was Comcast so some such, that's probably the direction I would go.

 

[wnghanglow]

What I personally do is high speed Internet combine with netflix and hulu. Hulu allows me to watch new TV series and netflix has so much older content you'll never run out of stuff to watch. You can also buy a roku for about 50 dollars to watch netflix/hulu on your living room TV. So the total cost is less than 80 a month and the start up/instillation fee is 50 if you buy the roku. Compare that to the 163 a month my parents pay for AT&T uverse and it's clear to see a winner.

 

[inteus]

I currently have cable from Comcast (expensive). I've had both Dish and DirecTV, and if I went back to satellite, I'd choose Dish again. Quality of service was much better with Dish than DirecTV in my area. The equipment was better too. I stream a lot of content over the internet though, whether through Netflix or acquiring movies/TV shows elsewhere.

 

[dragonslayer]

My father has Direct TV and lives in NM. It's windy and he always has weather issues. If you're into any online gaming forget it. The Internet totally sucks and you still have to handle a phone. I do watch a lot of TV and my career and life are closely tied to the net, so for me it's a no brainer. I have every package you can get for the TV, which is up to around $150 a month (TV, Internet and phone). I switch out services every two years when the contract expires, and don't pay for any Netflix or Hulu, just download any and all movies/shows from the net . I've 4 computers hardwired and 3 wireless devices networked all without issues. So it's back and forth between Comcast and Verizon, pick up a new great deal and around a $200 to $300 card they give you for cancelling service with the other company. I get to keep that as my contract has expired. There's always an "issue" that pops up and a sharp phone call grabs a free month. I've been doing this for over 15 years and never had a problem.
Craig

 

[crazypipe]

What is Roku :crazy:

 

[plateauguy]

I've had DishNetwork for 25 years. They have always been there when I needed help, and recently just upgraded my equipment at no cost. My folks had Direct and felt it was a rip-off. I live out where there is no cable, so satellite is my only option.
My phone and computer connections are VERIZON and I'm on the fence about them.