Cable versus Direct TV
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Cable versus Direct TV
I am currently in the process of switching to Direct TV. Most of my neighbors have it and the reception is so much clearer than cable (at least around here anyway). We do not even have Comedy Central. We also have to pay a hefty price for the bundles. In Starkville, MS they have more channels and half the price of what I pay. When I called CableOne about Comedy Central I was told that our Board of Supervisors did not vote that channel in the lineup. I am like "WHAT DOES OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAVE TO DO WITH MY CABLE?" That is where I have drawn the line. I hate writing the cable bill out every month. I can't wait for the day when I can call them to come remove their crap from my house!
I am also switching to DSL.
I am also switching to DSL.
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I assume you don't have digital cable available in your area. Digital cable, in my opinion, is better than satellite TV (DirecTV or Dish Network). However, if that one non-digital (or analog) cable company is pretty much all you have other than over-the-air or satellite, I would strongly consider satellite, especially if it does not have desired network.
A few words of caution before you start getting entertainment from a "bird" (slang for "satellite"):
1. You will not have 1,000 channels to chose from. They may pad that number to include all local channels they provide their customers nationwide. The fact is you cannot pick up all the local channels nationwide due to federal law. If the satellite company you choose to go with has your local channels (I am not sure what local stations you get. Perhaps Jackson, MS?), you will only see those.
2. As mentioned, local channels. If the satellite company does not have your local channels up (they are adding them frequently as they get more space), you may be able to order locals from New York or Los Angeles. Use an antennae to pick up your over-the-air locals.
3. A clear view of the southern sky is required; this is where the satellites are located in space.
http://www.directv.com
http://www.dishnetwork.com
A few words of caution before you start getting entertainment from a "bird" (slang for "satellite"):
1. You will not have 1,000 channels to chose from. They may pad that number to include all local channels they provide their customers nationwide. The fact is you cannot pick up all the local channels nationwide due to federal law. If the satellite company you choose to go with has your local channels (I am not sure what local stations you get. Perhaps Jackson, MS?), you will only see those.
2. As mentioned, local channels. If the satellite company does not have your local channels up (they are adding them frequently as they get more space), you may be able to order locals from New York or Los Angeles. Use an antennae to pick up your over-the-air locals.
3. A clear view of the southern sky is required; this is where the satellites are located in space.
http://www.directv.com
http://www.dishnetwork.com
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- tomboudreau
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We have DirectTv. I will never go back to Comcast. We had Comcast when we lived on up in the northeast part of Allegheny County...but when we bought our house in Carnegie, we got a deal with through the telephone company to get 5 dollars a month off our DirectTV subscription. We only had problems once with our satellite, and that was because of the huge windstorm 3 or 4 weeks ago. Something took out the LBR on the satellite dish.
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Yes my cable company is digital. It is the worst and always going out. All my neighbors have great reception and even when it rains. I have always heard of those rain stories, but not with Direct TV. My neighbors have the antenna to pick up the local channels. I do not have over 1,000 channels now. And if I did, I would pay dearly for them through the cable company.
I do not get the full speed of cable that I am paying for on my internet connection. I have had them out here several times and they tell me they fixed it. My friend who is a computer technician says I am not getting full speed. I pay through the nose for the internet too and am not getting what I am paying for.

I do not get the full speed of cable that I am paying for on my internet connection. I have had them out here several times and they tell me they fixed it. My friend who is a computer technician says I am not getting full speed. I pay through the nose for the internet too and am not getting what I am paying for.
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- southerngale
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I got Dish after Rita hit here, and I'll never go back to cable. After we got back home and a few months after Rita, we still didn't have cable. Meanwhile, my sister, who's been a Dish customer for years, had satellite within a few days of returning home. I think they had to come out and put a new satellite dish up, but they were quick. Her house was damaged pretty bad, but she had TV!
Local channels were just added on our Dish lineup a couple of months ago. They're being offered for free right now, but will be $5.00/mo. starting next year. Before that, I paid $1.50/mo each to get FOX and NBC out of Houston. Our local ABC and CBS wouldn't sign the waivers, but that's all irrelevant, since I have all my locals now. Check to see if yours are available, Linda.
We've tried to talk my parents into getting satellite, but I think they're afraid to take the plunge. lol We did talk them into upgrading to digital cable and they've had that for a couple of months. While it's definitely an improvement over regular cable, I still much prefer satellite. They're enjoying their new "instant reply" for sports with thier DVR too. Make sure you get one (or more) of those! I have gotten myself spoiled....don't want to mess with one of those antique VCR's anymore.
As for the rain, mine RARELY goes out due to rain and you know how much rain I get!! I think my cable used to go out more due to Time Warner's "weekly test" that ran 16 times a day.
Local channels were just added on our Dish lineup a couple of months ago. They're being offered for free right now, but will be $5.00/mo. starting next year. Before that, I paid $1.50/mo each to get FOX and NBC out of Houston. Our local ABC and CBS wouldn't sign the waivers, but that's all irrelevant, since I have all my locals now. Check to see if yours are available, Linda.
We've tried to talk my parents into getting satellite, but I think they're afraid to take the plunge. lol We did talk them into upgrading to digital cable and they've had that for a couple of months. While it's definitely an improvement over regular cable, I still much prefer satellite. They're enjoying their new "instant reply" for sports with thier DVR too. Make sure you get one (or more) of those! I have gotten myself spoiled....don't want to mess with one of those antique VCR's anymore.
As for the rain, mine RARELY goes out due to rain and you know how much rain I get!! I think my cable used to go out more due to Time Warner's "weekly test" that ran 16 times a day.

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- MGC
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Linda, we have Direct TV. We've had Direct for several years. We had TV once the power came back on after Katrina. I had to wait till January for Cable One to finish the cableing after the hurricane. I just recently switched to DSL on BellSouth. Internet on Cable One was like a crapshoot. Half the time it didn't work. I am very happy with Direct TV and DSL from Bell South.....MGC
BTW, if you do decide to go with Direct, have the 5 LNB dish installed. Direct is sending up a couple of new satellites in 2007 and you will need the 5 LNB dish to receive all the channels.
BTW, if you do decide to go with Direct, have the 5 LNB dish installed. Direct is sending up a couple of new satellites in 2007 and you will need the 5 LNB dish to receive all the channels.
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- senorpepr
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I've been tempted to drop Cox digital and pick up DirecTV myself. DirecTV has more choices than what Cox has, especially when it comes to HD channels. Also, the international programming bundles on DirecTV interest me. My fiancée would like the Filipino package so she can watch the same shows she did in the Philippines.
The only problem is we living in an apartment complex and we only have a few out of the SW.
The only problem is we living in an apartment complex and we only have a few out of the SW.
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- Bobbie Lee
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Hurricane Floyd severed our cable line, and the cable company didn't believe us. Every time I called, they said there were no cable problems in our area.
We finally got them to come out and see for themselves. A couple of fellas from Mississippi came by to install a new line, and told my husband, "Get a dish."
We didn't tell them it had already been ordered and the day after they finished the job, we canceled cable and will never go back.
We wanted the local stations primarily for "we're-smack-in-the-middle-of-it" hurricane coverage, and my husband solved that with a special antenna that's installed in the attic, an option through DirecTV. We're really happy with our set-up.


We wanted the local stations primarily for "we're-smack-in-the-middle-of-it" hurricane coverage, and my husband solved that with a special antenna that's installed in the attic, an option through DirecTV. We're really happy with our set-up.
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We had cable for years. Then our rates kept going up. We cancelled our cable and had nothing for a while. Hubby in a funk over high way robbery prices (he said). Yep, we had bunny ears in a two story window to receive better reception, for a while there too. What a fun phase that was! Then we went with the lowest tier on Satellite, one TV, one receiver, $25 a month. Hubby was happy. Until we finished our basement, added another TV, local channels, a DVR receiver, etc. Now our bill is a whopping $52 bucks a month! Yes, I know how did we get here....oh we added the Reds games and extra sports channels package over the summer too.
Long story short, we would like to go back to cable but this time, digital and with high def reciever, etc. We'd also just have high speed thru cable, instead of our phone company. My husband swears this is cheaper, when you add it all up and if we believe the cable commercials running right now. But each time we call, we're told that package has expired. I've been assigned this duty tomorrow - "you call and see if this package is really accurate" - another flyer we got in the mail that sounds unbelievably too good to be true.
All I know is I wouldn't mind cable again b/c I would receive detailed wx updates on TWC and Soapnet again. Also, we have all our bedrooms wired for cable, so in theory if we had cable ready TV's in each one, we'd wouldn't have to keep adding another room/TV at $5 a month.
Sigh......it is a tough decision sometimes.
Mary
Long story short, we would like to go back to cable but this time, digital and with high def reciever, etc. We'd also just have high speed thru cable, instead of our phone company. My husband swears this is cheaper, when you add it all up and if we believe the cable commercials running right now. But each time we call, we're told that package has expired. I've been assigned this duty tomorrow - "you call and see if this package is really accurate" - another flyer we got in the mail that sounds unbelievably too good to be true.
All I know is I wouldn't mind cable again b/c I would receive detailed wx updates on TWC and Soapnet again. Also, we have all our bedrooms wired for cable, so in theory if we had cable ready TV's in each one, we'd wouldn't have to keep adding another room/TV at $5 a month.
Sigh......it is a tough decision sometimes.
Mary
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MGC wrote:Linda, we have Direct TV. We've had Direct for several years. We had TV once the power came back on after Katrina. I had to wait till January for Cable One to finish the cableing after the hurricane. I just recently switched to DSL on BellSouth. Internet on Cable One was like a crapshoot. Half the time it didn't work. I am very happy with Direct TV and DSL from Bell South.....MGC
BTW, if you do decide to go with Direct, have the 5 LNB dish installed. Direct is sending up a couple of new satellites in 2007 and you will need the 5 LNB dish to receive all the channels.
Exactly! There is a Bellsouth Rep coming to the house tomorrow. Thanks for the info.
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- gtalum
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Re: Cable versus Direct TV
Lindaloo wrote:"WHAT DOES OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAVE TO DO WITH MY CABLE?"
On an interesting side note, your local government has everything to do with your cable tv. Unfortunately, local governments have full control over who can provide cable in your area and what channels they can offer. Satellite has no such restriction.
In my opinion, digital cable is superior to DirecTV in every other way, though. Perhaps I just have a good cable provider.
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- JenBayles
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Re: Cable versus Direct TV
gtalum wrote:Lindaloo wrote:"WHAT DOES OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAVE TO DO WITH MY CABLE?"
On an interesting side note, your local government has everything to do with your cable tv. Unfortunately, local governments have full control over who can provide cable in your area and what channels they can offer. Satellite has no such restriction.
In my opinion, digital cable is superior to DirecTV in every other way, though. Perhaps I just have a good cable provider.
<Slaps forehead in great pain> Must agree 100% with gt!

It took a few months, but our area's digital is really good (much as I despise Time Warner) and even Road Runner service settled down and I really can't complain about it. The worst service was when hurricane Rita missed Houston. No service for 3 days because nobody was manning their freakin' generator! Dave was actually considering switching to TW's digital phone service, but the Rita fiasco finally convinced him to keep Bell for local service and one hard land-line number. If we'd had Time Warner's phone service, that would have been gone too when their genny failed.

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- Yankeegirl
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Hey all, looks like a good topic to post this on. For years we had cable but the price kept going up and up. We discontinued cable and went with nothing for a while (bunny ears in the window even, LOL). Then about 5 years ago we tried Satellite and liked it. But over time I missed detailed local wx updates and we didn't like losing reception in storms all the time. So long story short, we went back to cable for TV, phone and high speed. Dish keeps calling us to ask why we discontinued service with them.
Wow, I never recall cable calling us this much! When we discontinued cable years ago, they didn't even glance back at this old customer. LOL It's kinda nice when a company misses a customer.....he he
Hubby says well after our one year cable contract is up, if Dish is still calling us this much, maybe we'll make a deal with them.
Of course I joke if we win the lotto, we could have both......there were things I really liked about Dish (DVR seemed light years ahead of the one cable gave us, etc.).
Let the debate continue - cable vs direct tv. Or nothing - LOL.
*Edit* Just realized this was a very old topic but hey I'm going with it instead of starting a new one.
Wow, I never recall cable calling us this much! When we discontinued cable years ago, they didn't even glance back at this old customer. LOL It's kinda nice when a company misses a customer.....he he
Hubby says well after our one year cable contract is up, if Dish is still calling us this much, maybe we'll make a deal with them.
Of course I joke if we win the lotto, we could have both......there were things I really liked about Dish (DVR seemed light years ahead of the one cable gave us, etc.).
Let the debate continue - cable vs direct tv. Or nothing - LOL.
*Edit* Just realized this was a very old topic but hey I'm going with it instead of starting a new one.
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- southerngale
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