WARNING: Those looking to get HDTV From DirecTV

[Yreka]

Originally posted by: TygGer

I prob. gonna call and see what they say....

Btw - do you ask to speak to "customer retention reps" ?

Its best to call them directly and skip customer service altogether.

1-800-600-8977

 

[kki000]

I get CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, PBS, Discovery, HBO, Showtime and ESPN HD from Adelphia and the DVR/Receiver was free. (Got two of them actually). Monday Night Football on my Plasma is a religious experience.

I get all of those channels, thru the dtv dish, except pbs, which i get ota. All of the locals i can recive ota as well.

Football games in hidef with hdtivo is godly. I can go thru a 3.5 hr game in 25 minutes flat. 30 second skip, 40 sec play clock.. Can also do this with 2 games recording at once.

Ive seen the hd dvrs from cable co's.. total bush league.

BTW the hd tivo is 299-100 rebate for existing customers. Keep trying retention until you get it.

 

[rugby]

My biggest problem with DirecTV, local HD channels over OTA, and my HD Tivo? Not enough space on the Tivo!

I need to find a deal on 400GB drives to increase my recording for HD. The HR10-250 only has 33 hours of HD recording on it, and that's with a 250GB drive.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: rugby
My biggest problem with DirecTV, local HD channels over OTA, and my HD Tivo? Not enough space on the Tivo!

I need to find a deal on 400GB drives to increase my recording for HD. The HR10-250 only has 33 hours of HD recording on it, and that's with a 250GB drive.

I've had 2 300GB drives ready to go into mine for over a month now, but no time to do the upgrade.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: ProfessorFate
Watch your favorite prime-time shows in High-Definition with your DIRECTV® HD Receiver, an HD Television Set and an off-air antenna*.
Are you folks actually getting Hi Def feeds for locals from your DTV dish? Last time I looked into this DTV only had a few channels and the equipment price was a joke. I get CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, PBS, Discovery, HBO, Showtime and ESPN HD from Adelphia and the DVR/Receiver was free. (Got two of them actually). Monday Night Football on my Plasma is a religious experience.

I get all of what you get minus PBS. You can add HDnet,HDnet movies,YES, Universal HD,and best of all Sunday Ticket games in HD.

 

[scoreadeal]

So, if Directv equipment is going to be outdated, why not just get Dish Network in the meantime? They lease their equipment, so in a year when DirecTV gets their act together, you could still switch? Besides, now that Dish Network merged with Voom, all the better, more HD to choose from anyways... the best offer seems to be at sundish.com as others have posted before... now does anyone know any tricks for those whose houses are wired for cable? As I understand you need a direct run from the dish to each receiver...

 

[labgeek]

That makes sense how exactly? If you can get some HD now if want it and they're replacing the equipment later for FREE, why pay to lease anything from someone else?

 

[sat4fun]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie

Originally posted by: Ike0069
It seems as though once you are a customer, DirectTV doesn't give a sh!t about you.
If it weren't for the damn Sunday ticket package that I MUST have, I would go to Dish Network, or maybe even cable.

not too sure I can agree with that.

When i got my HDTV 18 months ago, DirecTV installed a brand new dish for free and did not force me to renew my contract. And yesterday morning, they installed a TiVO receiver in my bedroom. They charged me $50.00 for the box... the going rate for ppl with no contract, not the $99.00 that current customers age being charged. And I did not have to make any renewal commitment.

Been with DirecTV for almost 6years.. havent had a contract in almost 5yrs. I stay because the price is good, the service is great an they treat me well. But, I dont wait for them to call me up and say... hey here is a freebie... I call them and ask what they will do to keep me and they always are very kind.



edit: spelling errors.

No contract? You signed a 24 month contract, that's two years, when you accepted that $50 Tivo box. Anytime you add a box to any DTV account, you sign a 12 month contract. Read the fine print dude.

 

[labgeek]

That apparently must be up to the CSR or their supervisor or something... I had picked up a 2nd account since 2 houses in 2 states could not be on the same account. When they did that, they came out installed new hardware, AND swapped out hardware on the old account. I was not under contract at the old address even with new receivers on the old account. When I sold that house a few months, I terminated the contract without any fees. Later I re-added the DVR to the account here with no problems. Since both accounts were in my name, they didn't even do a card swap. When you've been a customer for years, they'll work with you. And you can check it at directv.com and log into your account. If there's a contract on there it will say something like "xyv 12 month commitment".

 

[scoreadeal]

Originally posted by: labgeek
That makes sense how exactly? If you can get some HD now if want it and they're replacing the equipment later for FREE, why pay to lease anything from someone else?

Because dish network has HDTV + DVR and a lot more HDTV channels.

 

[labgeek]

Originally posted by: scoreadeal

Originally posted by: labgeek
That makes sense how exactly? If you can get some HD now if want it and they're replacing the equipment later for FREE, why pay to lease anything from someone else?

Because dish network has HDTV + DVR and a lot more HDTV channels.

Can't speak to the more channels. But DTV has HD and DVR.
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/HDDVR.dsp

Both:
ESPN HD, ESPN HD2, Discovery HD, HDNET, HDNET Movies, HBO, Showtime, PPV HD

DTV Only:
Universal HD, Spice HD (PPV Adult)

E* Only:
TNT in HD, Voom's channels (Ultra, Monsters, Rave, Equator, Gallery, Animania, Rush, HD News, Guy TV, Majestic) and CBS HDTV (maybe - select markets)


So it does look like there are 12 channels that you can't get on DTV that you can with Dish, and 2 on DTV that you can't with Dish. Most of which appear to be on the Voom side, I'm not sure I'd be watching those... it would depend on the actual programs playing but none sound like channels I'd be watching all the time. Though the TNT in HD might be interesting. As far as the CBS goes, I'm not in one of the 17 markets, and not in a "white area". I've been there before with Dish, won't ever go back.

 

[sxr7171]

Originally posted by: scoreadeal
So, if Directv equipment is going to be outdated, why not just get Dish Network in the meantime? They lease their equipment, so in a year when DirecTV gets their act together, you could still switch? Besides, now that Dish Network merged with Voom, all the better, more HD to choose from anyways... the best offer seems to be at sundish.com as others have posted before... now does anyone know any tricks for those whose houses are wired for cable? As I understand you need a direct run from the dish to each receiver...

DirecTV might have more brand recognition or whatever, but Dish outclasses them in every other way.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: sxr7171

Originally posted by: scoreadeal
So, if Directv equipment is going to be outdated, why not just get Dish Network in the meantime? They lease their equipment, so in a year when DirecTV gets their act together, you could still switch? Besides, now that Dish Network merged with Voom, all the better, more HD to choose from anyways... the best offer seems to be at sundish.com as others have posted before... now does anyone know any tricks for those whose houses are wired for cable? As I understand you need a direct run from the dish to each receiver...

DirecTV might have more brand recognition or whatever, but Dish outclasses them in every other way.

Let me guess, you're a Dish subscriber, right?:roll:

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: sxr7171
DirecTV might have more brand recognition or whatever, but Dish outclasses them in every other way.

I respectfully disagree.

DiSH has always suffered from equipment troubles, among other issues. I know a lot of DTV installers who migrated from DiSH work because of that.

On top of it, I always though (IMHO) DiSH's menu and navigation were crap.

DiSH does have a few more HD channels. But (except for TNT-HD) they are major suckage and nothing I'd pay for anyway.

For the record, I subscribe to DTV HD and also receive the 4 major network HD feeds via DTV.

 

[sxr7171]

Originally posted by: Muadib

Originally posted by: sxr7171

Originally posted by: scoreadeal
So, if Directv equipment is going to be outdated, why not just get Dish Network in the meantime? They lease their equipment, so in a year when DirecTV gets their act together, you could still switch? Besides, now that Dish Network merged with Voom, all the better, more HD to choose from anyways... the best offer seems to be at sundish.com as others have posted before... now does anyone know any tricks for those whose houses are wired for cable? As I understand you need a direct run from the dish to each receiver...

DirecTV might have more brand recognition or whatever, but Dish outclasses them in every other way.

Let me guess, you're a Dish subscriber, right?:roll:

No. I used to have DirecTV then I switched to Dish (which was far better) and now I have cable because I live in a building where I can't have satellite TV and I like digital cable just fine.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: sxr7171

Originally posted by: Muadib

Originally posted by: sxr7171

Originally posted by: scoreadeal
So, if Directv equipment is going to be outdated, why not just get Dish Network in the meantime? They lease their equipment, so in a year when DirecTV gets their act together, you could still switch? Besides, now that Dish Network merged with Voom, all the better, more HD to choose from anyways... the best offer seems to be at sundish.com as others have posted before... now does anyone know any tricks for those whose houses are wired for cable? As I understand you need a direct run from the dish to each receiver...

DirecTV might have more brand recognition or whatever, but Dish outclasses them in every other way.

Let me guess, you're a Dish subscriber, right?:roll:

No. I used to have DirecTV then I switched to Dish (which was far better) and now I have cable because I live in a building where I can't have satellite TV and I like digital cable just fine.

So explain how Dish outclasses DTV? Everyone I know who has tried both had the same experience as Pabster. Most are now with DTV.

 

[faZZter]

Originally posted by: lobadobadingdong
I use dish, I know too many people who've had issues with directv.

Just the opposite for me......DirecTV has always fixed any problems I have and have treated me right.

 

[EuGeNiLe]

im on DTV right now, the only reason I joined was in hopes for many HD channels.. also on their promise.. online and on tv commercials that they are/will be the company with the most HD programming.. 1 year later.. and we get 1 more channel from the HD pack.. which is ESPN2 HD.. which doesnt even always have HD programming..

I'm a huge BBALL fan and I missed a lot of HD games because they were on TNT-HD..

I'm really starting to look at my options.. not just with HD programming, but pricing as well.. I really have to budget right now so I have to weigh out whats important.. the $10+ for what is it now? 5 HD channels on the HD Pack.. (ESPN/ESPN2 HD which I wouldnt really count because come on.. only 50% of the programming.. if that.. is actually HD) I might remove the HD pack first.. until they get more programming, FREE OTA HD stuff on primetime will serve my HD needs for now..

also, is Dish Network's HD feeds compressed like DTV's? I notice the compression blocks sometimes.. The Free OTA feeds are superior..

we will see..

PS not to mention the Samsung TS360 HD reciever is acting up.. sometimes just freezes, slow remote response, and sometimes just screen goes black.. and have to turn the darn thing on and off..

just waiting for my year contrat to end..