The Conservative Cave
Interests => Games & Home Entertainment => Topic started by: Evil_Conservative on September 04, 2012, 09:08:58 PM
-
I posted this on Facebook too, but I need lots of opinions!!
OKAY! I need some opinions from my highly opinionated friends. Since we are getting ready to move, I am shopping around for the best TV packages. We have always used our local company (Cox) because it's been included in our rent package since... forever. Now that we are free to chose what we like, should I go with cable or satellite? I get a discount if I go with Direct TV (through employer), but I don't want to take a service just because I get a discount. I want it to be worth the money. I shy away from satellite because of the contract agreement. What say you? If you have satellite, do you love/like/hate it? Is it just better to stick with a local cable provider?
I just need to know the pros/cons of a satellite. We've never had it. We don't have many weather problems here, except for high winds in the spring and fall.
-
I have Dish. Customer service is good. Channels are awesome. I haven't paid extra for channels because I threaten to go to Direct TV every two years. And I don't have to pay extra for HD. They really stay consistent.
The bad is they did away with AMC.
Plus, with the HD package, there's just one dish on the house. And we have 3 receivers for 5 TVs.
-
Love Directv. Have had it since about 1998, back when you had to pay for the boxes and they threw in the dish for free. The only time it goes out is for an approaching heavy rainstorm, and then only for a few minutes. Great customer service from my experience.
-
My parents have had DirectTV since I worked at best buy back in 94 or 95. They have only had to upgrade the receivers and antenna to get the local channels and if mom wanted to get HD on her new flatscreen we would have to upgrade again. The bill for having the basic and HBO/Showtime and Encore/Movie Channels been about 120/month. It has only gone off with power failures and heavy rains.
-
I've had AT&T U-verse for four years. I like it. The internet is fast too.
-
Just go with wireless internet. HDMI cable to connect your computer to the tv. You can stream and/or download any TV show/movie,including shows on premium channels for free. :yahoo:
-
Living where you do, satellite wouldn't be too bad. Satellite has one problem that cable does not; "rain fade". Meaning; that the signal deteriorates in moderate to heavy rain. (I'm not exactly sure where that threshold is). You may find it just as cheap to have cable TV & internet, vs Satellite & a separate internet. You know, the whole "bundle" thing.
-
Directv is the best. They are constantly upgrading it to make it better and their whole home dvr is awesome. Dish hasn't upgraded in a couple of years.
Directv also has one dish. And have more HD channels than Dish.
-
If you have multiple TVs, be sure to get an AB box. The advantage of cable is that 5 TVs can tune 5 different channels with a single feed. With satellite, you can only tune to what channel the satellite box it set to. The AB satellite box has two sides. The A side for IR, and the B side for RF.
We have DISH, and live in an area where the local cable company says it's too far string up the wire.
-
I have had all three and I prefer Direct TV:
Cox--easier to to use, less channels, no contract, picture quality not as good, cost about the same as satellite.
Dish- had dish for a few years---many, many channels and harder to use, wanted to chg me for a service call so I changed to direct tv. 2 yr contract
Direct TV--specials running for free HBO and NFL games. Many stations. If you are a movie or sports addict, this is the one for you. After the 2 yr contract, they will probably offer an incentive package of free stuff. Call them and mention the word cancel and they will give you all the free stuff again and require you to sign another 2 yr contract. The only downside to Direct TV opposed to cable is that with all the stations, it is harder to use and in very bad weather it goes off more often while searching for the satellite signal. Customer service is very good.
-
Have had Dish, DirecTV and Comcast, now have knology.
Dish was awful, DirecTV wasn't much better, but it may have had as much to do with our location as anything because we were down in a low spot surrounded by very tall trees. We could lose connection if the wind blew too much. But cable wasn't available so we were stuck.
Comcast was good, but expensive. We bundled tv, internet and 1 phone line.
Knology is working out well, but the On Demand selection isn't that great. It is also bundled, and the best thing about it? It's $200 per month less than Comcast!!!
-
+1 for AT&T Uverse. So long as the power has been on I have never lost a signal. When I had DISH there were times when the signal would have issues when it rained.
-
I know a lot of people like Dish, I happen to like Cable. I got a special deal for $160 a month, I get tons of channels and movies and 6 Boxes, phone service and internet are included.
Can I also make another suggestion to you? especially since you have a child, think about getting Roku, I have the purple box which is under $50, I have 2 right now and I'm going to ask for a new tv and a roku for the kitchen, it's absolutely awesome. I use Roku with my Netflix and Prime subscription, but there are tons of free stations available, it really increases your viewing choices:
Roku:
http://www.roku.com/
List of channels, click on a channel to see which ones are free or subscriptions:
http://www.rokuguide.com/channels
-
No cable here . Had Dish , meh , Now have Direct. Pretty good but they pester you to death with offers..
-
The biggest issue with Directv is that it is so sensitive that it has to be installed properly. Over they years they have upgraded the way it is installed, ie; not using metal staple and such. Directv also has a requirement that the installer has to be certified in some area to install their system. They are trying to get it where all installers have to be certified.
When I was working tech support with Directv, you wouldn't believe the number of calls I got for signal issues and here turning out to be because that there was a kink or a crack in the line.
-
The biggest issue with Directv is that it is so sensitive that it has to be installed properly. Over they years they have upgraded the way it is installed, ie; not using metal staple and such. Directv also has a requirement that the installer has to be certified in some area to install their system. They are trying to get it where all installers have to be certified.
When I was working tech support with Directv, you wouldn't believe the number of calls I got for signal issues and here turning out to be because that there was a kink or a crack in the line.
I learned most by of that by trial & error back when they didn't have reliable service/expensive service calls. Those who provide service now seem extremely knowledgeable and reliable. Not meaning to be a shill for Directv, have just had it for years & can't imagine switching to a different service.
-
I learned most by of that by trial & error back when they didn't have reliable service/expensive service calls. Those who provide service now seem extremely knowledgeable and reliable. Not meaning to be a shill for Directv, have just had it for years & can't imagine switching to a different service.
Yeah, I remember those days also. They have improved drastically over the years. I love Directv. I will probably never leave it. I, in fact, even own stock in it lol.
The only complaint I have about Directv is the music stations. They suck. I been trying to get them give us XM Radio back. But they won't do it. Then seeing that XM wanted $500 million to keep the contract, I can see why. That is o.k though, I can listen to Pandora on it. So that makes up for most of it.
-
For those of you with satellite, what are you using for internet access?
-
For those of you with satellite, what are you using for internet access?
That's what I would like to know too.
I see on the Direct TV website that I can bundle internet in with my TV. My in-law's do that and their internet is really fast.
-
That's what I would like to know too.
I see on the Direct TV website that I can bundle internet in with my TV. My in-law's do that and their internet is really fast.
My parent's have AT&T U-Verse and their internet speeds suck IMO.
-
For those of you with satellite, what are you using for internet access?
Centurylink, used to be Qwest. Locked for $20/month, seems to be fine.
-
That's what I would like to know too.
I see on the Direct TV website that I can bundle internet in with my TV. My in-law's do that and their internet is really fast.
DirecTV is pretty good in Las Vegas. I have had some great service techs come out of Vegas to my house when I had to use the movers service. The mover's service was a pain in the ass, but I went up the food chain and was able to get their attention quickly. Service technicians from my town were actually deleting things off the work order and that is why they were not getting done. I was at work, and had my mom there to let the guys in, so they were being lazy and pulled a fast one...well, they ended up getting in trouble also... :rofl: Now everything I pay for works and I was able to get a nice refund.
I use a high speed wireless internet provider called Keyon, but Vegas has more options. I was not able to bundle with DirecTV with internet due to the location of my house. I really do live in a secluded part of town. I do have a DirecTV hardwired into my internet modem for DirecTV on Demand. It's very rare to have any type of service interuption, even with our high winds. I have two HD dishes and six receivers.
I am not a fan of Dish due to the fact that one receiver is used for two TVs. One will get HD, and the other will only get standard defintion signals. (At least that is what it was a couple months ago when I looked into it) Dish is also being sued by the Federal Gov't.
On the other hand, if you have been happy with Cox, I would continue to use them. I also see CenturyLink being advertised a lot on the Las Vegas stations. http://www.centurylink.com/
When DirecTV gives you the free NFL package for signing up, it's a good idea to ask them to block that, otherwise it will renew each year automatically and you will get caught with a high bill....My mother went through that before she moved in next door to my house. She's never watched a game of football in her life.
So to sum it up.....DirecTV or stay with Cox
-
DirecTV is pretty good in Las Vegas.
At least you won't have to worry about rain, snow, leaves, cloudy days, or any other inclement weather aside from the occasional dust storm.
-
At least you won't have to worry about rain, snow, leaves, cloudy days, or any other inclement weather aside from the occasional dust storm.
True!
-
I'm okay with Cox... sometimes. They make me mad some days, but not enough for me to be like, "OMG I AM CANCELING BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE ASS BAGS" or anything like that.
Build my own bundle (with no house phone, because we really don't need one...) is $176/mo after the six month promotional deal. I don't even know about satellite dishes & the HOA yet. I should just go (and stick with) Cox to avoid any possible hassle with the HOA.
-
I'm okay with Cox... sometimes. They make me mad some days, but not enough for me to be like, "OMG I AM CANCELING BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE ASS BAGS" or anything like that.
Build my own bundle (with no house phone, because we really don't need one...) is $176/mo after the six month promotional deal. I don't even know about satellite dishes & the HOA yet. I should just go (and stick with) Cox to avoid any possible hassle with the HOA.
Good point. From what I've heard some HOAs have strict regulations where and if satellite dishes can be used.
-
For those of you with satellite, what are you using for internet access?
I have Phone and cable internet through comcast, Blast Tier. It isn't bad. 30 meg down is nice :-)
I am going to be going strictly cell phones here soon. Of course, I will be keeping the internet.
-
I have Phone and cable internet through comcast, Blast Tier. It isn't bad. 30 meg down is nice :-)
I am going to be going strictly cell phones here soon. Of course, I will be keeping the internet.
Can you use your cellphone as an uplink for that satellite internet, or are you limited to using a 5Kb/s land line.
I remember rewiring the phone terminal in the house I was staying in just so I could get an extra 1/2-Kbs transfer rate on my dial-up modem. I thought it was hot shit at the time.
-
Can you use your cellphone as an uplink for that satellite internet, or are you limited to using a 5Kb/s land line.
I remember rewiring the phone terminal in the house I was staying in just so I could get an extra 1/2-Kbs transfer rate on my dial-up modem. I thought it was hot shit at the time.
I've seen things that show you how to turn your cell phone into a satellite phone. I never tried it, so I can't say if it works or not. If you are talking about wifi, you can as long as it is a wifi compatible phone. The speed will be a little slower because of it being wireless, but you won't really notice much.
As far as satellite internet with Directv, it is handled by Hughes Net.
-
I have had Dish for quite a few years and I am very satisfied. Plus, since they bought Blockbuster you can get a free DVD every week or so in the mail, depending on how fast you watch movies.
-
Yeah, I remember Hughes Net. We were selling them when I worked for Best Buy over a decade ago.
I'm just surprised they haven't found a better uplink than a dial-up land line.
-
Yeah, I remember Hughes Net. We were selling them when I worked for Best Buy over a decade ago.
I'm just surprised they haven't found a better uplink than a dial-up land line.
Yeah, satellite internet isn't a good thing to use if you game, or day trade. The lag will kill you.
-
Yeah, satellite internet isn't a good thing to use if you game, or day trade. The lag will kill you.
Yeah. Try playing Words With Friends on a laptop in a Holiday Inn.
-
I got switched to DirecTV when they bought out Primestar (God knows how many years ago); and I LOVE it. I can't imagine ever changing. I've called customer service a few times over the years and have always had pleasant experiences. They also show my Braves games that are broadcast on Peachtree TV...Dish does not do that. I do have problems with rain fade; but not many...and they don't last too long.
As for internet, CenturyLink has a bundle plan that will bill you for phone, internet, and DirecTV. I don't have that option since I already had DirecTV.
-
When I had DirecTV, I had AT&T DSL and it sucked.
When I switched to Comcast, had to get a new computer, because the speed on cable pretty much blew up my computer. When it took 5 days to get a tech out for a service call on Comcast internet a couple of months ago, I was able to use my cell phone. I called Verizon and they turned my cell phone into a wifi hotspot, for $30/mo. Worked great, all I had to do was make sure that my phone was plugged into charger the whole time as it zapped the battery really quickly.
Can't remember what the speed is on knology, but I'm not noticing a difference from Comcast.
-
When I had DirecTV, I had AT&T DSL and it sucked.
When I switched to Comcast, had to get a new computer, because the speed on cable pretty much blew up my computer. When it took 5 days to get a tech out for a service call on Comcast internet a couple of months ago, I was able to use my cell phone. I called Verizon and they turned my cell phone into a wifi hotspot, for $30/mo. Worked great, all I had to do was make sure that my phone was plugged into charger the whole time as it zapped the battery really quickly.
Can't remember what the speed is on knology, but I'm not noticing a difference from Comcast.
I never had a problem with Comcast tech support. I only had to call them maybe twice, and they were at my house the same day. Verizon the other hand took a week minimum to show up, and when they did, they didn't have anything they needed; so they end up rescheduling!
-
Yeah. Try playing Words With Friends on a laptop in a Holiday Inn.
It depends how comfortable the person's lap is.
-
Yeah, I remember Hughes Net. We were selling them when I worked for Best Buy over a decade ago.
I'm just surprised they haven't found a better uplink than a dial-up land line.
DirecTV had an agreement with Wildblue. You did not need a land line but at times the satellite signal was slow. It sucked.
-
The HOA CANNOT forbid you to install a satellite dish per the FCC Telecommunications Act of 1997. The dish has to be less than 1 Meter, which almost all of them are nowadays. I got into a battle with my old HOA over this and they lost. ;)
-
You can't find the 10 or 15 foot diameter dishes anymore.
Well, you probably could at a salvage yard. But they won't work.
-
My nephew has U-verse bundled (TV, phone, cable) in Baton Rouge. Most people's electricity came back on two days after the hurricane. His U-verse service did not come back on until the 6th day after the storm. That is a good reason not to bundle everything. Same thing happened after hurricane Gustav, Cox cable was off for several days after the electricity came back on. Glad I have Direct TV.
-
Evil_Conservative were you expecting all these suggestions? O-) :popcorn:
-
Evil_Conservative were you expecting all these suggestions? O-) :popcorn:
Of course she did. :-)
-
Of course she did. :-)
Young cute girls get all the attention. :-)
-
Evil_Conservative were you expecting all these suggestions? O-) :popcorn:
Yes. That's why I ask anywhere I can find opinionated people. :)
-
Yes. That's why I ask anywhere I can find opinionated people. :)
Do you have a mole at DU? :lmao:
-
Do you have a mole at DU? :lmao:
No. I tried that place out once, but their 1992 forum layout pissed me off.
-
No. I tried that place out once, but their 1992 forum layout pissed me off.
:rofl:
They would be happy to suggest what form of pay television has the best selection of gay & lesbian programing. On top of all the insigightful shows on how to scam the government of more money.
-
:rofl:
They would be happy to suggest what form of pay television has the best selection of gay & lesbian programing. On top of all the insigightful shows on how to scam the government of more money.
They would probably suggest Logo. They probably do a split screen where logo is on side and MSNBC is on the other.
I blocked that station my house.
-
I had Comcast they suck. My wife insisted we use Comcast at the office because they offer commercial phone service (much cheaper), internet, and basic TV. They insisted we would get "preferred service" for commercial account. :rotf:
At home I will never go back to Comcast. :censored:
Had Dish and Direct TV, always had to realign the satellite dish on BOTH after the "professional installation", one guy (don't remember which), did NOT want to go into the attic. :hammer:
I now have FIOS (not available in all areas). They are OK but......
.
-
You can't find the 10 or 15 foot diameter dishes anymore.
Well, you probably could at a salvage yard. But they won't work.
What do you think the cable TV companies use? They use the 3 meter dishes. (or a combination dish, which is even larger) You just need to know where to buy them and the LNbs from.
-
What do you think the cable TV companies use? They use the 3 meter dishes. (or a combination dish, which is even larger) You just need to know where to buy them and the LNbs from.
I use a 3 meter dish for my dinner. O-)
-
We stuck with Cox and went with the advanced TV and the next level up on internet speed since we use it so much through different devices... at the same time.
-
What do you think the cable TV companies use? They use the 3 meter dishes. (or a combination dish, which is even larger) You just need to know where to buy them and the LNbs from.
I was referring to personal use now. Not commercial.
-
I was referring to personal use now. Not commercial.
Many companies sell to normal average people, not just companies. It's more a matter of knowing WHERE to obtain these things than being some commercial entity.
-
We have Directv. We live in the middle of no-where and the issues we have is they always find a way to raise the bill. $60 month. We no longer buy pay per view movies since they come on TV at some point. We complain and they reduce the bill then give us the free movie channels. For us the movies are crap, they replay the same ones over and over. Now at first when we got the free HBO.MAX all of them it was nice for me because I hadn't seen most of the movies for years and hadn't seen the others. Then after a couple of months I didn't even watch.
Our signal goes in and out during snow. Customer support is iffy some times. We called to cancel the movie channels and the guy at Directv told my hubby we couldn't until the final day of the offer.
I have Wild Blue for the net. Others in town have Hughes and they complain. Some days the signal is down for a couple of hours with Hughes. Most on Hughes have had to get new modems. I think they are about the same price as Wild Blue I have the middle package 69$ a month. I do have bandwidth issues and don't like Wild Blue if you go over you get penalized for 30 days with slower than dial up speed. I used to have the faster speed, but just cannot afford it anymore.
No way cable will ever be up here. I have a friend who has Comcast and he is happy with it.
-
Many companies sell to normal average people, not just companies. It's more a matter of knowing WHERE to obtain these things than being some commercial entity.
That might be the case, but I looked all over the net can't find a single cable provider that still offers them for residential entities. Unless there never was a provider?
Edit: Ok. I finally found something. Skyvision still offers them -> http://skyvision.com
I thought they went out long ago, I guess I was wrong.
-
We have Directv. We live in the middle of no-where and the issues we have is they always find a way to raise the bill. $60 month. We no longer buy pay per view movies since they come on TV at some point. We complain and they reduce the bill then give us the free movie channels. For us the movies are crap, they replay the same ones over and over. Now at first when we got the free HBO.MAX all of them it was nice for me because I hadn't seen most of the movies for years and hadn't seen the others. Then after a couple of months I didn't even watch.
Our signal goes in and out during snow. Customer support is iffy some times. We called to cancel the movie channels and the guy at Directv told my hubby we couldn't until the final day of the offer.
I have Wild Blue for the net. Others in town have Hughes and they complain. Some days the signal is down for a couple of hours with Hughes. Most on Hughes have had to get new modems. I think they are about the same price as Wild Blue I have the middle package 69$ a month. I do have bandwidth issues and don't like Wild Blue if you go over you get penalized for 30 days with slower than dial up speed. I used to have the faster speed, but just cannot afford it anymore.
No way cable will ever be up here. I have a friend who has Comcast and he is happy with it.
They do make dish heaters to keep the snow off of the dish.
I had Comcast when I was up in MN. They sucked. TV was OK, but their cable tv system had phone internet problems. I guess service & technical abilities vary by areas. I had to troubleshoot their system and get in touch with the tech manager, yell at him a few times before they got my internet & phone properly working. Their entire return path was all messed up and the techs couldn't seem to figure it out. I was less than impressed, especially since I spoke with the tech and he had like 15+ years "experience" with cable TV. ::)
-
They do make heaters that go on the dish to melt the snow. We were always getting calls, in the winter, from customers wanting us to send a tech out to clear the sow off of them. Unless the customer was an elderly person, or a disabled person, and couldn't find anyone to do it for them; We would usually tell them that we don't do that, and if they want to combat it, get a dish heater.
Here is an example of what they look like...
(http://www.2000networks.com/v/vspfiles/photos/HSSLNGRKIT-2T.jpg)(http://www.thesatelliteshop.net/images/47.png)
-
They do make heaters that go on the dish to melt the snow. We were always getting calls, in the winter, from customers wanting us to send a tech out to clear the sow off of them. Unless the customer was an elderly person, or a disabled person, and couldn't find anyone to do it for them; We would usually tell them that we don't do that, and if they want to combat it, get a dish heater.
Here is an example of what they look like...
(http://www.2000networks.com/v/vspfiles/photos/HSSLNGRKIT-2T.jpg)(http://www.thesatelliteshop.net/images/47.png)
How did the pig get on the roof?
-
How did the pig get on the roof?
I meant SNOW. Thanks for pointing that out .. :-)
-
They do make dish heaters to keep the snow off of the dish.
I had Comcast when I was up in MN. They sucked. TV was OK, but their cable tv system had phone internet problems. I guess service & technical abilities vary by areas. I had to troubleshoot their system and get in touch with the tech manager, yell at him a few times before they got my internet & phone properly working. Their entire return path was all messed up and the techs couldn't seem to figure it out. I was less than impressed, especially since I spoke with the tech and he had like 15+ years "experience" with cable TV. ::)
Our DTV dish is under its own roof so the snow doesn't get on it..yet when the snow slides off the roof of the house it slides over the dish and we have to open the kitchen window and know it down with a broom handle. My Wild Blue dish I spray silicone or Pam on it right at the beginning of winter. That helps. I also shovel to the dish every year so I can knock of the snow if necessary.
-
Our DTV dish is under its own roof so the snow doesn't get on it..yet when the snow slides off the roof of the house it slides over the dish and we have to open the kitchen window and know it down with a broom handle. My Wild Blue dish I spray silicone or Pam on it right at the beginning of winter. That helps. I also shovel to the dish every year so I can knock of the snow if necessary.
Or you could move somewhere that snow don't go.
-
Our DTV dish is under its own roof so the snow doesn't get on it..yet when the snow slides off the roof of the house it slides over the dish and we have to open the kitchen window and know it down with a broom handle. My Wild Blue dish I spray silicone or Pam on it right at the beginning of winter. That helps. I also shovel to the dish every year so I can knock of the snow if necessary.
We recommended not to spray pam or silicone on the because it will make depree stick them and cause more problems then are worth.
They also make snow covers for them. But the draw back with those is that if too much ended on up on it, it would sag and block the beam.
-
Get a product like WX2100 for snow, ice and water build up on a dish.
-
They do make heaters that go on the dish to melt the snow. We were always getting calls, in the winter, from customers wanting us to send a tech out to clear the sow off of them. Unless the customer was an elderly person, or a disabled person, and couldn't find anyone to do it for them; We would usually tell them that we don't do that, and if they want to combat it, get a dish heater.
Here is an example of what they look like...
(http://www.2000networks.com/v/vspfiles/photos/HSSLNGRKIT-2T.jpg)(http://www.thesatelliteshop.net/images/47.png)
When I lived in the Midwest we never had an issue with snow on the dish. It must of slid off. The dish was on the roof and we never had an outage.
-
When I lived in the Midwest we never had an issue with snow on the dish. It must of slid off. The dish was on the roof and we never had an outage.
That is good to know. A lot of it has to do with kind it is - Wet snow is more likely to stick than dry snow, if you know what I mean.
-
Neither. I cut those ties last year and I feel great! I have netflix for $8.73 a month and it does everything we need. I was paying well over $60 a month for direct tv and didn't even watch it. I took the Dave Ramsey course and that part stuck.
-
Neither. I cut those ties last year and I feel great! I have netflix for $8.73 a month and it does everything we need. I was paying well over $60 a month for direct tv and didn't even watch it. I took the Dave Ramsey course and that part stuck.
I been reading Dave Ramsey for a couple of years and refuse to get rid of my Directv. I agree with a lot of what he says, but my Directv, Gadgets, and internet are three things I will never get rid of.
-
I been reading Dave Ramsey for a couple of years and refuse to get rid of my Directv. I agree with a lot of what he says, but my Directv, Gadgets, and internet are three things I will never get rid of.
You better not be charging that stuff to your credit card.
-
I been reading Dave Ramsey for a couple of years and refuse to get rid of my Directv. I agree with a lot of what he says, but my Directv, Gadgets, and internet are three things I will never get rid of.
and they is why you will be poor :tongue:
-
Neither. I cut those ties last year and I feel great! I have netflix for $8.73 a month and it does everything we need. I was paying well over $60 a month for direct tv and didn't even watch it. I took the Dave Ramsey course and that part stuck.
My wife and I pitched Dish Network (we were getting the "Deluxe" package just so we could get the 6 channels we actually watched) about 4 years ago. We watch movies on demand now, and get news and info from the radio and internet. And you know what? We discovered this thing we had all along and never even realized it: a family! Did you know that those things were pretty damned entertaining??? :hi5:
-
You better not be charging that stuff to your credit card.
I only ever had one credit card. After reading and listening to Dave, I cut it up and canceled it. I do everything with cash now - Well everything with in cash means anyhow. I feel the only things you should finance is a house and car. Anything else? Save up for it because that gives you time to think about it and decide if you really want it or not.
In all seriousness. If I was saving up for something, I would probably end up putting the money into a mutual fund, ETF, Annunity or something else that made me money back. Of course I wouldn't put it into a CD or Money Market account, as they are both rip offs.
and they is why you will be poor :tongue:
The only bills I have are house and basic utilities. The extras are my Directv and my cell phone. My car is paid for. Everything in my house, I paid cash for. I didn't finance any of it :-)
-
My wife and I pitched Dish Network (we were getting the "Deluxe" package just so we could get the 6 channels we actually watched) about 4 years ago. We watch movies on demand now, and get news and info from the radio and internet. And you know what? We discovered this thing we had all along and never even realized it: a family! Did you know that those things were pretty damned entertaining??? :hi5:
Yep, we place bets on the kids and who ever wins the match gets dinner!
-
My wife and I pitched Dish Network (we were getting the "Deluxe" package just so we could get the 6 channels we actually watched) about 4 years ago. We watch movies on demand now, and get news and info from the radio and internet. And you know what? We discovered this thing we had all along and never even realized it: a family! Did you know that those things were pretty damned entertaining??? :hi5:
I went for years in Illinois without paying for TV. I tried doing the same in Nevada and lasted two years. It's difficult to even get the network stations without a dish or cable. The signals are bounced over the mountain from Las Vegas using UHF. The signal sucks unless the weather is just right. A couple of the stations are now using HD, but once you get the station dialed in, you can't watch any other channel. :hammer:
I work and come home right home after work with the exception of household needs. I don't drink or socialize with co-workers and most women are crazy and drama filled. O-) :-) I enjoy televison for about the first time in my life.
-
Neither. I cut those ties last year and I feel great! I have netflix for $8.73 a month and it does everything we need. I was paying well over $60 a month for direct tv and didn't even watch it. I took the Dave Ramsey course and that part stuck.
We would have went without had we stayed in the city, but we're moving out in the freaking boonies. It feels like a 10 minute drive just to get to the main highway to get anywhere else. We're homebodies and like to stay right close to the house most of the time. We have a walking trail right next to our house and endless TV channels at home. We don't go out to dinner much or to the movies. So this is our "fun" for the month.
Also stuck with Cox in case we felt the service was no longer needed. We're not tied into a contract and can cancel at anytime. I didn't want to pay for satellite for two years if we felt it was too expensive after a year.
-
We would have went without had we stayed in the city, but we're moving out in the freaking boonies. It feels like a 10 minute drive just to get to the main highway to get anywhere else. We're homebodies and like to stay right close to the house most of the time. We have a walking trail right next to our house and endless TV channels at home. We don't go out to dinner much or to the movies. So this is our "fun" for the month.
Also stuck with Cox in case we felt the service was no longer needed. We're not tied into a contract and can cancel at anytime. I didn't want to pay for satellite for two years if we felt it was too expensive after a year.
You are not out in the boonies! You are in a great location! If you want to see what the boonies looks like, visit me.
-
You are not out in the boonies! You are in a great location! If you want to see what the boonies looks like, visit me.
It's the boonies compared to where we live now. Currently, we live about three miles from The Strip. Two miles from McCarran and there is a Walmart/Sam's Club right next door.
Now our closet Walmart is all the way up Rainbow at the 215. I don't mind though. It's quiet and relaxing out there.
-
It's the boonies compared to where we live now. Currently, we live about three miles from The Strip. Two miles from McCarran and there is a Walmart/Sam's Club right next door.
Now our closet Walmart is all the way up Rainbow at the 215. I don't mind though. It's quiet and relaxing out there.
You still have some awesome retail therapy opportunities near your new home.
We have one department store in my town of 35,000 people, Wal Mart. We also have a large Home Depot.
Shopping here sucks!
I do understand what you are saying, but you will be in a great community in which to raise your daughter and to enjoy your neighborhood.
-
I posted this on Facebook too, but I need lots of opinions!!
OKAY! I need some opinions from my highly opinionated friends. Since we are getting ready to move, I am shopping around for the best TV packages. We have always used our local company (Cox) because it's been included in our rent package since... forever. Now that we are free to chose what we like, should I go with cable or satellite? I get a discount if I go with Direct TV (through employer), but I don't want to take a service just because I get a discount. I want it to be worth the money. I shy away from satellite because of the contract agreement. What say you? If you have satellite, do you love/like/hate it? Is it just better to stick with a local cable provider?
I just need to know the pros/cons of a satellite. We've never had it. We don't have many weather problems here, except for high winds in the spring and fall.
I had direct TV for a long time and it's dvr system is better,
I have comcast now and it has on-demand which direct tv doesn't.
Comcast cost less. Direct TV can be affected by storms so, especially if you live in hurricane or tornado alley you might want to consider cable.
But apart from that either is good.
-
I had direct TV for a long time and it's dvr system is better,
I have comcast now and it has on-demand which direct tv doesn't.
Comcast cost less. Direct TV can be affected by storms so, especially if you live in hurricane or tornado alley you might want to consider cable.
But apart from that either is good.
Directv has 'On Demand'. They call it cinema. Comcast also cost more. Do a recent price comparison for what you get, and you will see that comcast charges considerably more. As for storms, it all depends on what kind it is, how the system is installed. In the four years that I have had Directv now, it only went out twice because of weather. And of course you can expect to lose tv if you live in hurricane alley. Even comcast wouldn't last through that.
-
rain fade is quite common in the smaller dishes, properly installed or not. We had one small dish at our head end and constantly lost signal on it during heavy downpours. Our larger dishes never lost signal unless an LNb went out. You can rest assured that the small dish was properly installed and tweaked in.
-
I know a lot of people like Dish, I happen to like Cable. I got a special deal for $160 a month, I get tons of channels and movies and 6 Boxes, phone service and internet are included.
Can I also make another suggestion to you? especially since you have a child, think about getting Roku, I have the purple box which is under $50, I have 2 right now and I'm going to ask for a new tv and a roku for the kitchen, it's absolutely awesome. I use Roku with my Netflix and Prime subscription, but there are tons of free stations available, it really increases your viewing choices:
Roku:
http://www.roku.com/
List of channels, click on a channel to see which ones are free or subscriptions:
http://www.rokuguide.com/channels
How happy are you with Roku? Has it been a good investment in your opinion? My wife is wanting to get cable as we cannot seem to get local channels on our TV. And this seems like a much smarter option than cable if that is all we are wanting. I already have the netflix subscription as well, so I feel this will help maximize that savings.
-
I have a friend who bought a Roku box. She was extremely happy with it after I got it set up on her network and running.
-
I took a look at Roku last night. It doesn't have enough for me.
One thing I do like is Slingbox, though.
-
We would have went without had we stayed in the city, but we're moving out in the freaking boonies. It feels like a 10 minute drive just to get to the main highway to get anywhere else. We're homebodies and like to stay right close to the house most of the time. We have a walking trail right next to our house and endless TV channels at home. We don't go out to dinner much or to the movies. So this is our "fun" for the month.
Also stuck with Cox in case we felt the service was no longer needed. We're not tied into a contract and can cancel at anytime. I didn't want to pay for satellite for two years if we felt it was too expensive after a year.
I had a dream last night that you will be having customer service issues with Cox.
-
I had a dream last night that you will be having customer service issues with Cox.
:lmao:
-
Ass. Lol
I took care of it and actually got a better deal than before.
-
Ass. Lol
I took care of it and actually got a better deal than before.
O-)
-
Dish has The Blaze TV standard with the 250 package.
Or $5/month a la carte
-
Dish has The Blaze TV standard with the 250 package.
Or $5/month a la carte
\
I just seen an ad for that. I finally figured out where Glen Beck went.
I remember years ago Dish allowing a la carte channels for people that were missing one station but did not want to upgrade to the next level of programing.
-
The AT&T U-verse guy stopped by earlier today to scope out the house. They said they would cover the installation cost at no charge.
I didn't realize it was fiber, or at least it's fiber up to the curb... I assumed it was some DSL-on-steroids. It's only ten bucks more than cable and comes with bunch of TV channels. I'm seriously thinking of switching.
-
The AT&T U-verse guy stopped by earlier today to scope out the house. They said they would cover the installation cost at no charge.
I didn't realize it was fiber, or at least it's fiber up to the curb... I assumed it was some DSL-on-steroids. It's only ten bucks more than cable and comes with bunch of TV channels. I'm seriously thinking of switching.
Yeah, U-verse is fiber. I'd just get the internet and keep Directv.
-
I don't have a satellite dish.
It comes with 4-channel DVR as well.
-
I don't have a satellite dish.
It comes with 4-channel DVR as well.
Yep... Directv has a 5-channel whole home HD-DVR now ...
Edited to add home.
-
How happy are you with Roku? Has it been a good investment in your opinion? My wife is wanting to get cable as we cannot seem to get local channels on our TV. And this seems like a much smarter option than cable if that is all we are wanting. I already have the netflix subscription as well, so I feel this will help maximize that savings.
I'm sorry, I just saw this post. I love love love my Roku, we have 2 now and I'm going to get 1 for the kitchen, my husband is going to buy me a new TV and the Roku as a Christmas gift, he doesn't know that yet though LOL. There are tons of channels free for Roku.
Click each 1 to see which 1 is free and which 1 requires a subscription:
http://www.roku.com/roku-channel-store#15
http://www.rokuguide.com/
Also there something called playon that works with Roku and a ton of other devices, and look at the channels you get for $39 a year:
http://www.playon.tv/
-
I'm considering getting a Roku. Right now, my Blu-ray player plays Netflix and YouTube but nothing else and isn't upgradeable.
-
I'm considering getting a Roku. Right now, my Blu-ray player plays Netflix and YouTube but nothing else and isn't upgradeable.
They add new channels all the time, I just added 3 new channels. Here's the link for the new channels added that is always being updated:
http://www.rokuguide.com/
I stream Netflix and we have an Amazon Prime membership so I get some free movies from that or I can rent a movie from Amazon for like $2.99. Only thing with Roku is they don't stream Youtube, they did at 1 time but I think Google stopped them from doing it.
-
I noticed that Roku has GBTV (Glenn Beck Television) .. The rest of it looks like they took a bunch of streams you can get online for free and put them on on a box to hook up to your tv, at which they charge you for.
-
I noticed that Roku has GBTV (Glenn Beck Television) .. The rest of it looks like they took a bunch of streams you can get online for free and put them on on a box to hook up to your tv, at which they charge you for.
Yes, that was the whole idea behind Roku. It's been around for a few years.
-
Yes, that was the whole idea behind Roku. It's been around for a few years.
If it works, then more power to them. I am thinking about getting this.
-> http://www.apple.com/appletv/
-
If it works, then more power to them. I am thinking about getting this.
-> http://www.apple.com/appletv/
I have no desire to give any of my money to Apple if I can help it.
-
I have no desire to give any of my money to Apple if I can help it.
My whole house is turning to Mac. Apple Tv with Directv would make a great combination :-)
-
Al Gore and Hillary Clinton are on the board of directors, or they were at some point.
-
(http://gifsforum.com/images/meme/junk/grand/44583e573d14a6567a6487536b21121b.jpg)
-
Al Gore and Hillary Clinton are on the board of directors, or they were at some point.
Al Gore still is, but I don't care.