Cable VS Satellite (1 Viewer)

[Mike Frezon]

Gotcha. Thanks everybody!


Lots of good information right here.

I really liked my cable service...but it's too expensive. I haven't had major complaints about the satellite service...except for the occasional storm issue and the DVRs aren't nearly as good as the cable boxes. The fans run a lot (and noisy) and they seem to need to be reset quite a lot. And, of course, these things always seem to happen at the most inopportune times.

 

[Robert_J]

Go to any other home theater site and read about cable company DVR's and you will find almost universal hatred for them.


As a former Dish customer and Dishplayer DVR user, I am biased. I used the only DVR that was so bad it was part of a class action lawsuit. It really was that bad.


DirecTV for the longest had the DVR satellite market cornered with their DirecTiVo units. When TiVo started to upgrade the software and D* didn't, the writing was on the wall. When D* introduced their home-grown DVR is was bad. I waited until the week before the MPEG4 channels went live to upgrade and it wasn't so bad. There were reboots at the worst times but they were few and far between. In the last few years they have rolled out non-stop feature upgrades. Video on demand via the internet - Just like Netflix online, you can download from DirecTV's own servers to your DVR. Watch via PC - I don't think this is supported by D* yet but you can load an application on your PC and watch programs stored on your DVR. Multi-room viewing - This is the most recent and probably best feature. Sit in the living room and watch a program from the bedroom DVR. The program list for all DVRs is combined into one big list. Pick a program and the DVR figures out which DVR needs to play it.


All 3 of those features require a home network and preferably a wired one so their are no delays. Multi-room viewing can also be accomplished via an equipment upgrade to the coax cable that uses existing RG-6 to share video (raw program data). I've been more than happy but still use my DirecTiVo for recording some OTA HD and a few standard def shows that my wife cares nothing about. Working through the menus is like trying to work on a 286 PC running Windows 3.0. You get spoiled by today's faster machines.

 

[Stiffy]

Robert, I hope you are professionally vested in this community because you have an understanding that goes far beyond what I would ever hope is needed as a end user, that said I personally...compulsively... try to understand "why".
Now to updated my D*experience so far.....Outage first night ..very ominous......lasted for 4-5 min in the middle of the night (fell asleep on the couch) power went out 10 min later,the outage was from an intense storm that fell a large tree across a main RD 1/2 mile from my home (tree was 3ft dia) also knocked out power lines for 8-10 hours. I have a generator and fired it up the next morning and in a continuing terential down poor and very overcast conditions I was able to watch TV. I mention this because 2 years ago we had an ice storm that knocked out power for 3 days to most of the city. There was no TV due to the fact that cable systems use power to to transfer the signal through the coax. Buy the way I live in southern Indiana. Happy so far with D*

Chris
P.S. The picture difference is like 420p vs 1080i ..... I mean I think my cable company was making false claims .( I know i am not getting 1080i, this is for dramatic comparrison only)

 

[CB750]

I am very happy with WOW Cable, Internet, and Phone service. Which was the top rated cable company in the last Consumer Reports survey. You can save quite a bit of money when you bundle the three services together, and all of the services are excellent.

 

[Robert_J]

Stiffy,

It's just a hobby for me. Sometimes a compulsive hobby.


Actually, you are getting 1080i, 720p and 1080p (on-demand channels only). There are guys at other forums that can monitor data streams to confirm this. I don't know how or whether or not it is legal but we get true HD with the MPEG4 channels. The older MPEG2 HD channels were HD Lite like you say.

 

[David Willow]

Storms significant enough to knock down trees will no doubt cause an outage. But as you noticed, it was only a few minutes (while the biggest thunder clouds pass). As you also noticed, you don't have to wait for the cable company to fix their lines after said storm takes out a tree.


There's pros and cons for all technology. I'm almost positive I would never go back to cable, not because I dislike cable, but because the companies behind it try to squeeze the last cent out of you, and in turn, compress the channels like there's no tomorrow (at least in my area). For now, I'm happy with FIOS. If Verizon ever turns into the cable company, I will RUN back to D* as fast as I can.


OT: The Verizon installer insisted that he remove my sat cables and multiswitch when he installed my FIOS TV. I quickly explained that he could take his equipment and leave my house. The D* gear is not going anywhere. I want an "easy" switch back if I need it.

 

[Stiffy]

Robert, If you don't mind I would like privately to get some clarification. I'll understand if you just don't have the time to take a rookie through his paces, but I would really like to see if you can clear up some large gray areas for me. Hit me up in a private forum if you are game.

Bill, If you are happy with your cable service enjoy. I was happy with my Bose speaker system for a long time. I gave my cable company many.many. opportunities to fix the problems we had. We where a 10 year customer and my wife was ground floor management there until they where bought out a few years ago (no sour grapes we remained customers for 4yrs after) I cannot relate the frustration we feel for their techs as one in particular, a very experienced and customer service oriented tech, spent 2 hours at the house adjusting signal, replacing connectors, and putting splits in proper sequence. He personally did an outstanding job and was able to hold off our switch through his personal efforts for 3 weeks. But ultimately his efforts where in vein.. the original problem (pixelating) never went away.They even lowered our bill, but when you like a show enough to record it (DVR) nothing can fix the frustration of not being able to watch that show because it pix elates all the way trough,.. just like it did on the previous recording effor!!!t. In all fairness I will not mention the company we had, But "WOW" is my satellite service nice.

Chris

 

[chenchen21621]

Bill, If you are happy with your cable service enjoy. I was happy with my Bose speaker system for a long time.ed hardy bags I gave my cable company many.many. opportunities to fix the problems we had. We where a 10 year customer and my wife was ground floor management there until they where bought out a few years ago (no sour grapes we remained customers for 4yrs after) I cannot relate the frustration we feel for their techs as one in particular, pandora bracelet charmsa very experienced and customer service oriented tech, spent 2 hours at the house adjusting signal, replacing connectors, and putting splits in proper sequence. He personally did an outstanding job and was able to hold off our switch through his personal efforts for 3 weeks. But ultimately his efforts where in vein.. the original problem (pixelating) never went away.They even lowered our bill, but when you like a show enough to record it (DVR) nothing can fix the frustration of not being able to watch that show because it pix elates all the way trough,.. just like it did on the previous recording effor!!!t. pandora braceletsIn all fairness I will not mention the company we had, But "WOW" is my satellite service nice.

Chris

 

[Robert_J]

Stiffy,

I do not provide technical assistance or home theater advice via PM. That is a disservice to the community at this forum. Think of this site as a knowledge base that should be searched before asking a question. PM's can't be searched so that information isn't available to everyone. Ask anything and I'll give you as much information as I can.

 

[Stiffy]

Robert, Got it, It all makes very good sense when you put it that way. I can .............and will use all the help I can get in a Forum format!!

Thanks again all, Chris