Any Reason Not to Switch to Comcast Digital Cable/HD? (1 Viewer)

[Brian Cal]

I currently pay $43/month for basic DirecTv. No movie channels, no sports packages - nothing but basic satellite and the local channels. I just talked to a local rep from Comcast who offered me a 16-month package deal consisting of digital cable, a high-definition decoder box, all the HD stations including local HD, and an HBO package all for only a few dollars more than what I am currently paying for bottom of the barrel satellite.

I am ready to jump on this awesome sounding deal, but am just curious if I am missing something. Is there any reason not to go with this deal?

Thanks for any help.

 

[James W. Johnson]

If it were not for my DirecTivo I would do the same thing..also I have the old Select Choice/Tivo/Locals & the 7 HBO package all for around $52 a month. I doubt Comcast could beat that.

 

[Brian Cal]

Thanks James. Does your package include hi-def for the locals as well?

 

[anthony_b]

Go for it...I did the same thing (8 years with directv).

 

[Tim K]

no reason not to. Price is the only reason I would consider switching from Comcast to Satellite....and if you are getting a good deal, go for it.

 

[Anthony_J]

Ouch - based on the first post, I think Comcast is screwing me royally. Oh well, I guess I don't mind too much.

I was paying $75 a month for non-HD digital cable with the HBO package only. I upgraded when I got a HDTV and am now paying $100 a month for every single premium channel that Comcast offers (including all available HD channels ABC, PBS, NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, INHD 1&2, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz) I've been very happy with the service so far.

The $100 a month hurts a lot less than the $75, but that's mainly because I was getting really screwed with the non-HD package, as opposed to just a little screwed now.

 

[Rachael B]

The problem with Crumcast is that the non-HD channels like TMC, History Channel, AMC, Comedy, ect., look like crud. I'm happier with SD DirecTV because I don't watch the locals much. I'll put up an antenae for the locals when it's worth my trouble, when they go 24-7 digital. Crumcast service is SO uneven. DirecTV is pretty even from channel to channel. The channels I actually favour like TMC are much better from DirecTV. I quess it depends where your intrest is? Also, you should anticipate aggressive price increases in Crumcast's future. They're stille bleeding customers. Everytime they lose one it puts even more pressure on them to raise the remaining folks bills. That's my take...

 

[ty_diaz]

on a related note...I've had just bad experiences with Comcast technicians. Not too nice. Of course, they are the only ones with cable-modem service in my area.

 

[John S]

The Comcast product varies quite a bit from market to market. Try to find some local Chicago folks, and see if they have any opinions on it.

 

[Brian Cal]

I appreciate all the feedback - lots of varying opinions here. I think I'm going to give it a shot. With HD on board, it's bound to be better than what I have right now. I really couldn't care less about SD, since I rarely watch it now.

My only concern is that this is part of a "buy back" program, where they buy back my DirecTV receiver in order to give me a good price. This will screw me if I ever want to switch back to Direct, but hopefully that won't be an issue. Even if the SD Comcast channels are worse quality than Direct, I won't really care since I'll rarely watch them.

 

[John S]

My friend just switched to Comcast HD, he went and bought a non-working DirectTV reciever for next to nothing and gave them that one for the buy back offer.

 

[Brian Cal]

I just got hooked up today. I barely had time to watch, since I had to get back to work, but from what I saw, SD looked MUCH better with Comcast than with DirecTV. HD looked awesome. Not flawless like I would have thought, but awesome nonetheless.

One thing I noticed was that when watching the Lakers game in 1080i on INH2 (or whatever it's called), the stats were cut off at the top, so I could not see the score. Is this because the game was filmed 4:3 and cropped for 16:9 HD? Either way, it was kind of annoying. Any way to fix that?

BTW, I have a 16:9 Toshiba set.

Thanks.

 

[Ernest Yee]

Did you end up selling them a messed up unit? DirectTivos are great and I'm sure you would've made off like a bandit had you given them a garbage unit and sold your own on ebay.

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

Comcast is so unreliable out here, it's unbelievable. And they gouge you for cable-modem service if you don't subscribe. You're the only person I've ever heard who switched from DirectTV to Comcast.

 

[ty_diaz]

Optonline is way better but unfortunely the area where I live does not have their services. ...so I'm stuck with comcast.

 

[Dave Milne]

How's this for a reason: NO HD content in my area. No plans to add any either.

OK, I'm not in LA... but 700,000 people isn't exactly a tiny market...

 

[Jacinto]

This seems to happen quite a bit when watching sports on INHD. Since I don't get the same problem watching sports on other networks, I would guess that INHD doesn't take overscan into account when setting up their stats on either the top or the bottom of the set. They probably put the stats as far up as they'll go on the 16:9 image, but most sets won't show you every inch of that picture. I've got a Toshiba as well, and for me, only the bottom half of the stats for that Laker game were visible.

Anybody else have any other thoughts on why that happens?

 

[John S]

Shoot, I'd complain about it...

I hate it when I hear that they provide supposed HD and you are see'n issues like that. True 16:9 HD content, should be fine on any HDTV.

 

[Brian Cal]

Well, DirecTV was raping me in price for bottom of the barrel basic service, they wouldn't rent me an HD box, would not offer the local stations in HD, and the picture quality all out sucked. Seemed like reason enough for me.

 

[Jake T]

I'm switching from Sat to Comcast. I have 6 TV's and I'm tired of paying $5/mo. for every box even basic channels.

I too am doing the buyback-not giving them my HD box or 5.1 box though. Out of the 6 I have, I'm giving them a 9 yr. old sony.

I'm mostly switching because they offer the locals in HD and the internet service is cheaper if you're a subscriber. (still have overpriced IDSL). Also because I won't need to rent a box for TV's that premium channels are not watched on.

Disappointment today - they were supposed to do the install. Came in and said there is no drop to my house (2 yrs. old) Said they might have to wait until April because they need to trench under the road and my driveway.

Oh well-have to go re-hook up the SAT boxes