Question: DirecTV question...

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,487
39,557
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Huntsville, AL,USA
This is really a football question. :D I've become interested in some of the NFL teams and college games I can't get and I'm fed up with Comcast to the gills, for quite a lot of reasons. What would I lose by switching to DirecTV? We're in the middle 3 acres of woods, so I may not get line of sight, but I'd like to investigate anyway...
 

bamanut_aj

Hall of Fame
Jul 31, 2000
20,057
82
167
51
Spring Hill, TN
we just made the switch a couple of weeks ago, and I'll tell you, we're missing NOTHING.

I just 'assumed' that cable gave you a better picture and sound, but I've experienced just the opposite. The HD signal and sound from Direct TV is superior to what Charter gave us. I also get more HD channels than I did with Charter....FAR more.

Oh, you're interested in some NFL now? Well, sign up now and you get the NFL Ticket for FREE this year. I was sold! I don't regret moving over to Direct TV one bit, and it's gonna take some real nightmare to make me go back to cable.

edit: also get the NFL Network standard, MLB network standard, and ESPNU standard. Charter HD only gave me MLB Network as part of my package, and I watched it for an hour or two every day. Love that channel! But I also wanted ESPNU, which again, I now have.
 

GulfCoastTider

Hall of Fame
I've had DirecTV for 10 years and haven't looked back once. I am never going back to cable.

There are some instances when very heavy rain will interrupt the signal. But the programming choices vastly exceed anything else available and their customer service is very good.

Because I have no wire from the street to my house, when I have power I have TV after a tropical storm or hurricane passes.

Go for it. I haven't regretted it and I don't think you will, either.
 

SavannahDare

Hall of Fame
Jul 23, 2004
15,169
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Gulf Breeze, Florida
We have been customers of DirecTV for 12 years and it has become far more reliable in terms of signal strength. Even with the recent tropical storm we only lost signal a few times and for only about 15 minutes at a time, during the heaviest bands. Twelve years ago, we would lose signal if a small rain shower passed through the southern skies!

We used to purchase College Game Plan when we lived in NC and IL, but we haven't needed it since moving to MS. We finally got local channels a few years ago, and that was nice, so make sure you get your local stations where you are or you will miss some games you don't want to miss.

When we saw the advertisements recently for Sunday Ticket for new customers, Robert called up and asked what they could give us for our 12 years of loyalty. After a little back and forth, we got Sunday Ticket this season for $20/month for 5 months (it's normally around $70/month for 5 months). So, as a company, we've been pleased overall with their customer service. I think the only time we had a beef with them was with one of our moves when the installation guy jerked us around in terms of scheduling and rescheduling. Other than that, it has been a good company to deal with.

So, as for football viewing, so long as you get local stations, DirecTV will give you lots of options and excellent picture quality.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,487
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Huntsville, AL,USA
I've had DirecTV for 10 years and haven't looked back once. I am never going back to cable.

There are some instances when very heavy rain will interrupt the signal. But the programming choices vastly exceed anything else available and their customer service is very good.

Because I have no wire from the street to my house, when I have power I have TV after a tropical storm or hurricane passes.

Go for it. I haven't regretted it and I don't think you will, either.
The best part will not having to listen to my wife's rages each month when the Comcast bill arrives. :) LOS may be a problem (for me as well as our team). I have a small garage building and a sizable shop building which would have better LOS, but the first is about 70' from the house and the second around 100'. I feel sure that wouldn't be included in their free "standard" installation. When I was over in Germany in March, I noticed that their dishes are almost vertical. Now there, there should really be LOS issues...
 

KentuckianaBFan

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Jan 26, 2011
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We signed up with Primestar in the early Nineties, and wound up with Directv when they bought out Primestar...no complaints with picture quality, service, etc. Correct posts about interruptions from rain, snow, but only very dense cells passing through--normal rain/snow hasn't affected reception.
 

GulfCoastTider

Hall of Fame
After a long hard look, I conclude my three acres resembles a rain forest. Trees will probably have to be cut...
Maybe not. They have a new roof mounting system that will probably get over vegetative obstruction. If the south or west side of the structure has a roof higher than your treetops, you probably won't suffer. In my situation, they mounted the rooftop antenna on the first floor roof over the den addition. The dish looks up and over a 50' tall Live Oak in my neighbor's yard.
 

RJ YellowHammer

Hall of Fame
Sep 1, 2009
7,117
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Memphis, Tn
After a long hard look, I conclude my three acres resembles a rain forest. Trees will probably have to be cut...
Like you Earle, I'm at my wits end with Comcast. It's been issue after issue the last 2 years and, being on the outskirts of Shelby County I've got the same LOS issue as you do. The reason I haven't switched to U-Verse already is concerns about the MPS up/down wrt to high speed internet service. I use it quite a bit all over the house.
 

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
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Everyone's experiences are different, I suppose.

DirecTV is good, had it for a long time, but around here, Comcast gives a MUCH better picture and never goes out during heavy storms (which are not only common here, but one of the times I really WANT my TV signal so I can track weather).


Again, every situation is different, but you may be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire - you couldn't PAY me to go back to DirecTV now.
 

bama_fan01

Hall of Fame
Aug 25, 2003
7,738
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Ranburne, AL, USA
We've had DirecTV for 10+ years, and the only real gripe is caused by where we live. We're right on the AL/GA line, and are considered in the Georgia viewing area...that means we get Atlanta local channels instead of Birmingham. In the past couple of years we've began receiving channel 13 (NBC) and 6 (FOX) out of Birmingham at no extra charge, so I think it's a great switch if you can get the LOS taken care of.
 

SavannahDare

Hall of Fame
Jul 23, 2004
15,169
316
102
Gulf Breeze, Florida
Before you go considering cutting some trees, you should figure out what the average mounting position and azimuth is in your local area. You'd be surprised how good DirecTV has become in mounting at a height that can receive their satellite signal. Anyone else in your area have DirecTV? They may be able to give you an idea of if it's possible for you even before you call DirecTV.
 

Bama Reb

Suspended
Nov 2, 2005
14,446
0
0
On the lake and in the woods, AL
After a long hard look, I conclude my three acres resembles a rain forest. Trees will probably have to be cut...
To answer your question about LOS, you'll need LOS upwards and to the southwest. The satellite that DirecTV uses is about 365 miles up and over the Gulf of Mexico, somewhere south of Texas and east of Mexico. You may have to cut some trees, but it'll be worth it IMO. And look on the bright side. You'll have plenty of firewood for the winter. :biggrin2:
 

Dartigan

All-SEC
Sep 20, 2004
1,833
2
57
Tuscaloosa
I have NOT been impressed with DirecTV's customer service. I recently had a CSR call me, indicating that my Choice Plus package was no longer an "offered package." But for being a loyal customer, they would like to give me NFL Sunday Ticket for free along with HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz for 3 months. He also said he would change my Choice Plus package to Choice Ultra and my bill would be $5 less per month. I crossed my "t's" and dotted my "i's..." I took the CSR's name, date and time we talked because it seemed too good to be true.

Well, sure enough, I got my bill and it jumped from $85 per month to $121. After calling to inquire, they said they would refund me for the "Free" HBO package AFTER my 3 month trial was up, but I had to pay for it monthly until then. After explaining the situation, they gave me an extra two months "free" on the HBO package. Come to find out. I would end up getting my refund after FIVE months now.

So beware... their "free" customer service packages aren't consistently free. They are for some people, and they rake others over the coals. Likewise, they don't give all of their customers the same "deals." Take for instance Staci and Robert. They've been with DirecTV for 12 years and had to haggle for a $20/month NFL Sunday Ticket while they called me and offered it for free. Is that fair? No.

Additionally, a co-worker of mine just signed up and he got 3 HD DVR receivers for free and when I signed up, I only got 1. I am paying a $6/month for each additional SD receiver for the other bedrooms. When I called, they want to charge me $199 EACH for the hardware (which I would lease) + installation. Then I would STILL pay a monthly lease fee for the receivers after paying the $400 to swap from SD to HD.

Bottom line is all satellite and cable companies bend you over. Consistency and fairness are a big things with me. DirecTV's picture is GREAT, but when my contract expires with them in the middle of November, I'm not sure that I will continue my service.

Oligarchies suck. And there's not much we can do about it.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,487
39,557
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
To answer your question about LOS, you'll need LOS upwards and to the southwest. The satellite that DirecTV uses is about 365 miles up and over the Gulf of Mexico, somewhere south of Texas and east of Mexico. You may have to cut some trees, but it'll be worth it IMO. And look on the bright side. You'll have plenty of firewood for the winter. :biggrin2:
Some trees will have to come down. Not only are the ones close to the house really close, but the ground rises towards our neighbors to the SW, by about 10-12'. Also, our satellite dishes have to have a lower angle here, as compared to the Gulf Coast...
 

Bama Reb

Suspended
Nov 2, 2005
14,446
0
0
On the lake and in the woods, AL
Some trees will have to come down. Not only are the ones close to the house really close, but the ground rises towards our neighbors to the SW, by about 10-12'. Also, our satellite dishes have to have a lower angle here, as compared to the Gulf Coast...
So put it on the roof. I have seen where people had their dish mounted on a pole which is secured to their chimney. There are always options.
There's no such thing as "can't"!
 

Dogtown Darren

3rd Team
Oct 31, 2004
230
0
0
Powder Springs, Ga.
We went to DirecTV about five years ago. Our Comcast bill kept jumping by leaps and bounds, but not our service. Comcast customer service is beyond horrible, and after getting the run around one time too many, we switched, and we'll NEVER go back to cable.

If I had a gripe with DirecTV, they tend to contact you unsolicited fairly often to step up your package, get so and so for an additional $ per month, etc. To some, that's probably not a big deal, but I find it annoying.

I think you'd be more than happy, but if not, switch back when it's all said and done.
 

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