Octopus Overlords

Hey there. I need to pick the brains/experiences of some of you sattelite tv subscribers.

I've had Directv for the last four years. I'm generally happy with it, but Directv doesn't offer my local channels through their service. I've installed one of those circular antennaes to the dish, and it works "ok". The biggest problem is that there's no way to adjust the thing so all the stations come in clear. If I'm getting NBC clear, then FOX's reception is horrible. So when I want to watch something local, I sometimes have to run outside, climb up my ladder, adjust the antennae, run back inside, and repeat until I get a good signal.

Dish network has just announced that they are offering local channels in my area over their service. Can anybody give me the rundown on their service vs. Directv?

To give you a better idea of what I have now, I've got two older RCA receivers getting the Vanilla Directv package. (no TiVo, no HDTV, no internet). I'm getting the Total choice plus deal, with History channel international, National Geographic, all those Discovery channels, etc.

Long story short, how do the two services stack up? Is it worth switching over just for the local stuff?

I love Directv but if I were in your position I think I would switch. Your not taking advantage of the Directivo service and price of their equipment and you don't mention subscribing to NHL Center Ice or NFL Sunday Ticket. I would just print out each services channel lineup and see if there is anything you would miss by switching. The customer service part of the deal I have no idea about other than I do think Directv's customer service is very good.

You could get one of those remote antenna swivel things I've seen at radio shack. They allow you to turn your antenna by remote from inside your house. Before I could get my locals on Dtv I used a long pole that went from the ground to above my gutter line on the roof with the antenna mounted on top. I could just spin the pole by hand without having to go onto the roof or anything.

If you're happy with DTV, call them and see if the locals are now avaialable through them. From what I've see, DTV and Dish typically both add locals in the same markets at the same time.

If you go dish, you'll want the DVR package...it will change the way you watch TV.

DishNetwork is fine. One thing to check with them is for deals on things. I got an HD tuner and the PVR for free. The PVR is nice because you can use it for two different rooms. YOu can watch one thing in one room while watching another in another room. YOu can also watch one thing on the PVR while recording another thing. It works quite well. One thing that I haven't been able to figure out is how to get the FM remote on the PVR and the FM remote on the HD reciever to be on different channels. Both seem to have only an FM on/off choice with no channels.

I am unhappy about a couple of things with Dish:
During storms, we lose reception. We have local channels but I also got an antenna for local HD channels. When we lose the satellite, we lose ALL channels and I have to switch the antenna input to the tv.

We don't have a phone line. Dish charges us an extra $5 per month because of it.

I haven't seen as many 'hacks' to dish's pvr (none) as there are to tivo or replaytv. I'd really like to be able to watch stuff I record on the pvr on my pc.

no football package dont do it

Rich in KCK wrote:I love Directv but if I were in your position I think I would switch. Your not taking advantage of the Directivo service and price of their equipment and you don't mention subscribing to NHL Center Ice or NFL Sunday Ticket.

Like you, I've been pretty happy with Directv's service, but I'm not getting any of their sports packages or Tivo service.

You could get one of those remote antenna swivel things I've seen at radio shack. They allow you to turn your antenna by remote from inside your house. Before I could get my locals on Dtv I used a long pole that went from the ground to above my gutter line on the roof with the antenna mounted on top. I could just spin the pole by hand without having to go onto the roof or anything.

The biggest reception problems around here other than the windstorms are the locations of the TV transmission stations. FOX/UPN is to the south, ABC/CBS is east, and NBC is to the west. I don't really want to mess with putting up an outside antenna big enough to get clear reception from all of them.

Baktosh wrote:If you're happy with DTV, call them and see if the locals are now avaialable through them. From what I've see, DTV and Dish typically both add locals in the same markets at the same time.

I spoke with DTV and they don't have any plans to include local service in this market.

Right now, since I'm going back to school, I don't plan on upgrading to HDTV or any kind of digital recorder service for at least two years.

It looks like Dish will give me a package comparable to what I've got with their America's top 180. I'll actually gain a few good channels I'm not getting with Total choice plus like The movie channel, and a bunch of channels that come with the DTV's Starz package. The only things I'm going to really miss are Newsworld International, which was great for covering stories like Beslan, and Trio.