Author Topic: Cable or Satellite TV (Read 5744 times)

BEG · « **on:** August 14, 2009, 07:30:30 AM »

I've been up since 4:00 am with pain in my neck (loverly arthritis) so I decided to get on my phone and see what is available in our new neighborhood. I have never had satellite but my mom recently changed from cable to satellite. While we stayed with my parents for the last two weeks before we moved I was able to watch a lot of TV and everytime it rained the satellite screwed up for quite awhile. My inlaws also have satellite and when it rains it screws up quite a bit as well.

So I would like advice on which you think is better.

DixieBelle · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2009, 07:44:34 AM »

I like cable because of the weather issues you mentioned. if you don't get that kind bad weather though, maybe satellite? I liked the variety it had when we tried it.

Chris_ · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2009, 07:45:54 AM »

I have DirecTV, and although they have LOTS of HD channels and even some XM stations, they are a pain the arse to deal with. Every time they've sent out a technician to install or change something, they've screwed it up. You do lose signal during heavy storms. You also have to pay extra to get local TV stations added to your lineup, and if you watch the Weather Channel, you won't get your local forecast every 10 mins. You also have to pay for a receiver for each TV you connect to the dish.

The local cable company wanted $3800.00 to hook up cable to my house!!!...and that's with me providing the underground cable (My house is 600' from the road). All they were going to do is connect it at each end. When I asked them to clarify the fee and then said, "You've got to be kidding." They hung up on me.

Flame · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2009, 08:11:29 AM »

I actually prefer cable, but it is not available here. We had satelite in FL and here, and so far here it hasn't been too bad...amybe a couple issues due to weather, but not a frquently as Florida.

NHSparky · « **Reply #4 on:** August 14, 2009, 08:28:03 AM »

In town, I'd go with the bundle if you want phone and Internet along with cable. Time Warner is the cable company where you are (office on Harbor just north of the 91 freeway).

http://www.timewarnerla.com/pricingguides/PDFs_2009/0020E-PL-0709.pdf

Lord Undies · « **Reply #5 on:** August 14, 2009, 08:38:13 AM »

I have AT&T U-verse, which comes in through the fiber-optic phone lines. I have been most happy with the system.

The part about being able to program your TV from any computer in the world is fun. I've used it a few times while out of town. My wife is always forgetting something she wanted to record.

edit: Absolutely no weather problems.

DumbAss Tanker · « **Reply #6 on:** August 14, 2009, 08:40:27 AM »

We have Dish, cable isn't available out where we live now, but everywhere else we've lived has been cable. Cable depends on satellite dishes too, just bigger ones that aren't in your own yard. Though they are less sensitive to moderate rain than a household mini-dish, they still go out in heavy weather - heavy where the big dish is, not necessarily where your house is. Everywhere I've had cable, it went down in severe weather too. The cable companies also love to push software changes to their boxes through the system which seems to occasionally interfere with the actual service. Seems like when I was in Georgia for an extended stay last year, I had to call the cable company up at least every month or two because they had turned off the wrong line when a neighbor moved, or had hosed up the software push, or had screwed up my service some other way. Cable also seems to have inferior programming packages for more money, if you can put up with the reception issues in rainstorms (And there's always DVDs) satellite has been better for me.

If you go with satellite, look for a package deal bundling installation and as many receivers as you want to have connected TVs, Dish and DirecTV both always have various specials going for installation up to four rooms, if you just hit them in the interludes when there is no special offer, it's kind of like buying a car at MSRP.

Wayne · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2009, 09:41:43 AM »

I would not recommend Dish.. It took 5 trips by 5 different techs to cure my HI DEf prob...It would be fine for a while then it would dump.. The 5th guy installed a new dish to go along with the other on AND they tried to charge me $100 bucks to fix the prob.

debk · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2009, 10:54:38 AM »

Quote from: lug-nut on August 14, 2009, 07:45:54 AM

I have DirecTV, and although they have LOTS of HD channels and even some XM stations, they are a pain the arse to deal with. Every time they've sent out a technician to install or change something, they've screwed it up. You do lose signal during heavy storms. You also have to pay extra to get local TV stations added to your lineup, and if you watch the Weather Channel, you won't get your local forecast every 10 mins. You also have to pay for a receiver for each TV you connect to the dish.

The local cable company wanted $3800.00 to hook up cable to my house!!!...and that's with me providing the underground cable (My house is 600' from the road). All they were going to do is connect it at each end. When I asked them to clarify the fee and then said, "You've got to be kidding." They hung up on me.

We have DirecTV, too....for basically the same reason you do...cable was not put into the underground wiring here, and even if it was, we are about 350 feet from the road.

We had DISH, when we moved in here and it was awful.

However, when we switched to DirecTV, they just used the same wiring and hooked up the their boxes without checking to see if it was right. After having an HD box for months that didn't work, a new one sent out that didn't work right, two guys came out last month, moved the satellite from by the chimney to the side of the house and totally rewired everything (outside of the house

), it is working much better. Fortunately we had a service contract and it didn't cost us anything...they were here from 10am until a bit after 6pm.

According to the guys that came out...DirecTV has had so many complaints about their service techs who were individual contractors...they are now about 80% in house techs. The guys said they are doing nothing but going out and fixing incorrect installations. Lug...you may want to have them come check out your system.

We can get the local weather reports on 3 of the boxes, because they aren't the TIVO one or whatever it is that we can't get it on.

We still lose the satellite feed during heavy rain, and it pixelates on moderate rain....but at least we aren't losing it any more, when all that going on, is the wind blowing.

Our house sits down low from the "line of sight" and we are surrounded by very tall trees and higher elevations...so that does contribute to our weather problems.

Airwolf · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2009, 11:02:12 AM »

We have had DirectTV for years and except for when it rains we have no problems with it. The dish is hooked to the side of the chimmney and we get a real strong signal. Just had one of the recievers replaced in the kitchen when the original one gave out. They said that if we added a warrenty to the service for about $7 a month they would do it for free and have the tech here in a few days. He got here and replaced the nit ,no fuss and now not only do we have some new channels but we get local updates on the weather channel when ever we tune to it and when they do local on the 8's.

debk · « **Reply #10 on:** August 14, 2009, 11:05:45 AM »

I wish we could get internet service through ours...but apparently that service is not available here.

I have AT&T DSL...but I wish we had a choice.

BadCat · « **Reply #11 on:** August 14, 2009, 11:09:21 AM »

It doesn't rain much in LA.

Get DirecTV. I've had it for 9 years, no problems.

Chris_ · « **Reply #12 on:** August 14, 2009, 11:10:47 AM »

Back when I was young, dumb and single, I had cable. They're probably the single largest reason that I have no hair forward of centerline on my scalp.

When we moved up to Colorado, lo these many years ago, we bought into Dish Network. Service was great; and weather was never really an issue (I could have snow piling up on the ground at the rate of a foot an hour, and the signal was never affected. We had signal while we were huddled down in the basement waiting for the tornado to go away last year.) About the only real complaint I had with Dish was that in order to get the channels I wanted, I'm buying the deluxe, $69 a month package (bill came out to about $75 a month after taxes), but then I'm blocking half of the damned channels that either bored me to tears, or had no place in a household with a pre-schooler.

Since then, unemployment has forced me to sell the TVs, cancel the satellite service and find alternate means of entertaining the 5-year old, but if/when my financial situation permits it, I'd happily go back to Dish.

Chris_ · « **Reply #13 on:** August 14, 2009, 12:11:18 PM »

Quote from: debk on August 14, 2009, 11:05:45 AM

I wish we could get internet service through ours...but apparently that service is not available here.

I have AT&T DSL...but I wish we had a choice.

I use Sprint mobile broadband for internet. I'm too far out in teh sticks for DSL.

Wayne · « **Reply #14 on:** August 14, 2009, 12:35:29 PM »

Quote from: lug-nut on August 14, 2009, 12:11:18 PM

I use Sprint mobile broadband for internet. I'm too far out in teh sticks for DSL.

Ditto the DSL... I would have cable but it stops about 1000 yards from me..

Chris_ · « **Reply #15 on:** August 14, 2009, 12:47:06 PM »

Quote from: Wayne on August 14, 2009, 12:35:29 PM

Ditto the DSL... I would have cable but it stops about 1000 yards from me..

I can't even get a

pizza delivered.

Chris_ · « **Reply #16 on:** August 14, 2009, 01:00:34 PM »

Quote from: lug-nut on August 14, 2009, 12:11:18 PM

I use Sprint mobile broadband for internet. I'm too far out in teh sticks for DSL.

I first got Sprint Mobile Broadband when I was doing oil & gas work out in the Texas panhandle. It was the only internet service that would reach all the way out in some of the BFE locations we were working. Got a second card for the home computer shortly thereafter, and haven't had a single problem since.

Thor · « **Reply #17 on:** August 14, 2009, 03:33:39 PM »

When I lived in Becker, MN we had our video provided by the phone company over the phone lines. The service was nearly perfect. Unaffected by weather, outages were rare, video signal was awesome. We even had pay per view. Caller ID showed on the TV. DSL was as fast as I wanted to pay for. I had the standard 1.5 Mbps. Not as good as cable, but far more reliable. I think I remember ONE time that my dsl was actually out in three years.

Satellite is not only affected by the weather, but also by sunspot cycles. The 18" dish is a poor reception device.

Cablet TV/ Internet/Phone is OK, at best. The benefits are that there is typically free long distance and usually faster cable modem speeds. The disadvantages are: If the cable goes out, you lose EVERYTHING. The phone and internet can go out and you can still have video. Electrical storms have and will affect your cable. Video is often noisy if you are receiving analog channels over the cable (typically channels 1-74) Cable RF power fluctuates from summer to winter, which can affect one's internet, phone and sometimes the TV. Digital TV can be pretty good, when it works. However, if the cable company is lame, it will prove to be frustrating. I had some major problems with Comcast after we moved to Ramsey, MN. (there was little other video/ internet alternative) Internet and phone kept going out, day & night, at random times. It took me three months of calling the cable company and complaining. I finally threatened to contact the Public Utilities Commission about the phone service and that got their attention. I was pretty close on the problem, considering I had NO equipment to troubleshoot it with except for my intimate cable tv knowledge.

Here in Texas, I have the cable/internet/phone from the local cable TV company. I'm semi-rural. If there were another decent option, I would consider it. Storms always make the electricity and cable go out and the company here is slow to get the cable tv back up and running.

RightCoast · « **Reply #18 on:** August 14, 2009, 04:04:15 PM »

I have digital cable through Cox and other then the price love it. One of the main reasons I won't let the Mrs Switch is we lost singnal to the digital box in the living room one night while watching a movie. I called customer service and spoke to a real person that was able to voodoo the box back on in time for me to have not missed more then a few minutes of the show. All this at 1:00 in the morning. Plus the cable modem is soooooo fast.

Chris_ · « **Reply #19 on:** August 14, 2009, 04:12:06 PM »

Quote from: RightCoast on August 14, 2009, 04:04:15 PM

I have digital cable through Cox and other then the price love it. One of the main reasons I won't let the Mrs Switch is we lost singnal to the digital box in the living room one night while watching a movie. I called customer service and spoke to a real person that was able to voodoo the box back on in time for me to have not missed more then a few minutes of the show. All this at 1:00 in the morning. Plus the cable modem is soooooo fast.

So Cox service has improved, I see. That is also the customer service level I was enjoying from Dish.

SilverOrchid · « **Reply #20 on:** August 14, 2009, 04:16:42 PM »

We have the cable/internet/phone deal with Comcast. I really wish we could have Dish but we have horrid credit and have to put up a hefty deposit. If you are a day late, you get the fun of a COMPUTER not a person to call you at least ten times in a row at the dinner hour. Since it is not a person, you can't tell Comcast to knock it off. We have complained but they really don't care. Luckily, we aren't often late but still annoying. DSL from AT&T is not in this area for whatever reason.

RightCoast · « **Reply #21 on:** August 14, 2009, 04:53:10 PM »

Quote from: DefiantSix on August 14, 2009, 04:12:06 PM

So Cox service has improved, I see. That is also the customer service level I was enjoying from Dish.

Customer service has been great for 5 years here in CT, of course that customer service has cost me nearly $10,000 over 5 years too.

Chris_ · « **Reply #22 on:** August 14, 2009, 04:55:56 PM »

Quote from: DefiantSix on August 14, 2009, 01:00:34 PM

I first got Sprint Mobile Broadband when I was doing oil & gas work out in the Texas panhandle. It was the only internet service that would reach all the way out in some of the BFE locations we were working. Got a second card for the home computer shortly thereafter, and haven't had a single problem since.

I just upgraded to the new MyFi card from Sprint. One card can give 5 wireless computers internet access.

debk · « **Reply #23 on:** August 14, 2009, 06:52:27 PM »

Quote from: lug-nut on August 14, 2009, 04:55:56 PM

I just upgraded to the new MyFi card from Sprint. One card can give 5 wireless computers internet access.

I was told that to use the wireless cards, we had to have "line of sight" to a tower....and we don't.

Is that true?

Chris_ · « **Reply #24 on:** August 14, 2009, 07:49:47 PM »

Quote from: debk on August 14, 2009, 06:52:27 PM

I was told that to use the wireless cards, we had to have "line of sight" to a tower....and we don't.

Is that true?

Nope. Like I said earlier, I've been using Sprint Wireless broadband since it was the only service that would reach 3 1/2 hours from civilization in the oil fields - and hills and dales - of the Texas panhandle. My wife and I have also used it in our favorite camping spot up in the Rocky mountains, where the nearest cell towers are either around the WinterPark ski resort, or Rocky Mountain National Park.

News:

Author Topic: Cable or Satellite TV (Read 5744 times)