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08-19-2011, 02:58 PM
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Comcast, Direct TV or The Dish Network best??
Moving soon and have these three options. Never had any of them before or satellite service either. Thoughts from you guys as to which is best, or which to avoid? Thanks. Bud
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08-19-2011, 03:03 PM
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Southern Maine
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DirecTV. PM me and I'll save you $100
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08-19-2011, 03:21 PM
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Location: MI
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In the last five years, I've tried all three.
Dish Network programming is comparable to the others, customer service, including just finding someone to talk to, almost nil.
Comcast was fine, except from the time of purchase, the prices just seemed to creep up little by little, until, after nine months or so, I was paying an extra forty bucks a month on "incidental fees." The one plus is that if you bundle cable internet, it may be a decent deal, and the program guide is almost instantaneous. In my area, they do "throttle down" certain HD programming and sound, so you don't get programs broadcast in surround sound, or Dolby Digital, only in stereo 2.1.
DirecTV is where I've settled. Programming is fine, many packages available to satisfy the customer [which they all basically do anyway.] Sound quality is excellent for HD home theater viewing. Customer service is top notch. Price has not moved since day one.
The cons with DirecTV? Program guide is criminally slow, sometimes during data downloads, it hangs altogether.
As with just about any satellite service, and contrary to the optimistic advertising, weather will sometimes affect your viewing, i.e., heavy snow or rain.
Hope this helps,
Len
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Qui me amat, amet et canem meum
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08-19-2011, 03:22 PM
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Moderator
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My vote is Direct-TV..
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DAV in honor of POP
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08-19-2011, 03:27 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2011
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I switched from Dish to Comcast last year when trees in the backyard grew to the point they were interrupting service. Very satisfied with Comcast.
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08-19-2011, 03:30 PM
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Absent Comrade
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: washington illinois
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my family uses comcast and its service is very good
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08-19-2011, 03:36 PM
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US Veteran Absent Comrade
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Since it never rains in (Southern) California I vote DirecTv.
Here in the midwest I hate it, it's always down when we most need it.
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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69
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08-19-2011, 03:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RonJ
Since it never rains in (Southern) California I vote DirecTv.
Here in the midwest I hate it, it's always down when we most need it.
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Should have mentioned, if it matters, that I am moving south of Denver to Castle Rock.
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08-19-2011, 03:47 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Lenawee County, Michigan
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I have Direct TV. Quality of picture and sound is great.I live in Michigan and we seldome lose the signal, but it does happen. Usually from a very strong storm cell, never had trouble from snow but I have heard it sometimes happens. Overall very satisfied. I would not go with Comcrap. Their service is NOT GOOD (said politely while blood pressure boils from bad memories)
Stonecove
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08-19-2011, 03:55 PM
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 I have ATT Uverse. If you have it in your area I think you will like it. Don
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08-19-2011, 03:57 PM
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My vote is for Direct TV.
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08-19-2011, 03:58 PM
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Location: West Central IL
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I've had Comcast for many years, and I use the Cable TV, with digital and Comcast high speed internet connection. The internet connection I love, pictures download almost instantly, (handy when your shopping Gunbroker or looking at S&W Forum). The TV has been utterly reliable with only 1 partial day when service was down in the past 5 years, and that was when we had 90mph straight line winds hit us and it knocked out just about everything in town. Recent up-grade of equipment in precess now and the Comcast people have been the most courteous and helpful of any utility type company I have ever dealt with.
However, Denver happens to be the Headquarters for Direct TV, and all their technician support is located there. Whether that means anything or not I don't know. Most people I speak with that have either Dish or Direct expect 6-8 days of interrupted service per year. I expect none.
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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244
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08-19-2011, 05:38 PM
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We have the old fashioned antenna...it's free and all the local stations are in HD. For everything else there's Netflix!
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08-19-2011, 07:40 PM
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Castle Rock gets snow I believe - snow and dish or directTV don't mesh well together unless you rig up a heating system to keep the dish clear (something to consider if you have never had Sat. TV before). If your needing internet service along with the tv I would probably go with Comcast high speed bundle - if not then I would go dish or directTV. I have had both (DirectTV for 3 years and Dish for 8 years now and find CS better with Dish in my case. The HD DVR's that Dish have are of very high quality and provide a large number of applications that are included with them. So unless you need a bundle for internet I would say go with Dish.
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Don't tread on me
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08-19-2011, 07:58 PM
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I switched back to cable from Dish Network. I also had Direct TV years ago. Without fail the signal would be lost everytime it rained hard. I have a fear of severe storms after being in a mobile home during a tornado, and have to have my local TV station on during bad weather. No more satellite for me.
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Misty
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08-19-2011, 08:13 PM
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I have Comcast and like it just fine. My buddy has Direct, it does have advantages. He gets more stations for less money, and if I didn't live where it rains ALOT I'd think about switching. But when it rains hard all he see's onscreen is, "searching for signal."
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08-19-2011, 08:30 PM
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Location: Watkinsville, GA
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Ditched DISH and went with Direct and never looked back.......lots of reasons...but Direct kicks DISH anyday IMO
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08-19-2011, 09:42 PM
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Banned
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Location: Colorado
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Dishes go out often when it rains or snows. I'd get a bundled internet/cable package.
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08-19-2011, 09:51 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Oregon
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Been with Dish Network for ten years. Good customer service. Never had a problem getting things fixed when needed.
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08-19-2011, 09:52 PM
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I switched from Direct TV to Comcast. Direct has better picture quality and the programming may have been a little better. But we had all kinds of problems with Direct TV. Three different technicians came out to fix problems and each time they would blame the previous technician for some mistake. The DVR never worked right either. I tried online support and phone calls. No help. So I finally got tired of getting my butt chewed because of it, called and cancelled Direct after only a year and four months. They tried to get me to stay by offering to send another guy out and giving me a discount for a couple months. I laughed at them and told them they should have done that months before. They also charged me a $200 early termination fee. I didn't pay it. They sent me to collections. So I contacted the Attorney General. They got Direct to waive the fee and clear the collections of my record.
This may have been an isolated incident. But Comcast has been outstanding.
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08-19-2011, 10:06 PM
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We have Comcast for HD TV & HS Internet. I remember when I first hooked up to cable about 40 years ago it was $7 / month and I thought I was getting taken for what it offered - now (after many cable take-overs etc) it's about 20X that and I feel the same way - difference is that now I have a handful of their stock so that when the monthly bill is paid I know a bit is coming back our way.
Pretty satisfied with Comcast overall.
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Lou
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08-19-2011, 10:21 PM
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Comcast can't seem to get their high definition to work in my area without constant interuptions. Also, no matter what you sign up for, they change their channel selections at will, raise their rates whenever, and you have absolutely nothing to say about it. If it wasn't for my wife, I wouldn't have any of it.
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08-19-2011, 11:27 PM
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I have had Direct TV, AT&T Uverse, Dish and now Comcast. Direct TV and Dish, went out EVERY time there was a thunderstom. AT&T picture was terrible, slow to change channel just did not work correctly. Now we have Comcast. Good picture, not as good as Direct TV, but OK. Price is higher than the others, but I have not lost a picture in over a year! I will stay with Comcast.
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08-20-2011, 09:27 AM
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Yeah, it snows here. Some winters will see 65 inches. Some storms can drop 24 inches in a day. Go with Comcast, or be certain you want to clamber up a ladder onto a frozen rooftop in a blizzard to knock the snow off the dish.
Oh, and it occasionally gets a bit windy out on your side of the valley, too. Plays heck with the dish.
But those 300 days of sunshine you'll have here? Won't effect the dish at all if you go that route! Heh!
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08-20-2011, 09:45 AM
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directv had it for years. very happy!!
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George Jamison
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08-20-2011, 11:13 AM
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Comcast Internet and TV. I pay for 6Mbps download but regularly test at +20Mbps. Upload is around 6Mbps. TV service is near 100%. Very cool iPad App remote control for Comcast cable box/DVR. I don't use Comcast phone service but do use the Internet connection for MagicJack (it really does work as advertised) and Google Call Phone via the computer.
One of my neighbors switched to a satellite service because they had a sports package he wanted that Comcast didn't have.
We are one of the few areas that has fiber optic service available. EPB is the provider (also our electric co.). Smokin' fast... with Internet speeds that start at 30Mbps to 1,000Mbps. They're supposed to have an on demand TV selection second to none and DVR that will record 4 shows at one time.  More than I need... but once upon a time I thought a 20MB hard drive would be more than I would ever need.
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08-20-2011, 02:21 PM
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Member
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Location: Rocky River, OH, USA
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I have Cox cable here. The most valuable thing they provide me is fast internet service. Turner Classic Movies and Discovery are a bonus.
I don't watch much TV, even less now that I'm on second shift. I don't get any of the premium movie channels and watch no sports at all.
What's your alternative if you don't have cable internet? AT&T? My experiences with them have been UNIFORMLY AWFUL.
Never miss an opportunity to NOT deal with AT&T.
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08-20-2011, 05:35 PM
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I have switched from Dish to Direct and back and forth. The fees get high and they will not negotiate with an existing customer so we swap every 2 + years. Living in SW Montana we get some weather but have never had a rain or snow outage or even a wind outage though we get 65 mph winds occasionally.
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Front sight and squeeze
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08-20-2011, 06:06 PM
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Comcast, Direct TV or The Dish Network ....................a lot of home improvement, cooking, reality, religion, advertising and other non stimulating videos at a high price.
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08-20-2011, 06:08 PM
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US Veteran Absent Comrade
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We have dish, a couple of years ago when it rained here in texas we did lose the signal but since then its been pretty good. Lol
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08-20-2011, 07:22 PM
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US Veteran
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Location: South of the Laurentian D
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Dish here at home, DirecTV at the family cabin in MN. Back when I was in business I sold Primestar, DirecTV and Dish over the years. I prefer Dish.
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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72
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08-20-2011, 08:51 PM
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Location: missouri
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Directv. And I've tried em all.
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08-21-2011, 10:52 PM
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Location: Friendship, Tennessee
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We like Directv. We have had it for several years and it has served us well. We take one of our standard definition receivers with us in our 5th. wheel and this works just great.
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08-22-2011, 09:20 AM
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Had comcast long ago when I lived in a city, alway out for days. Tried primestar, direct, have had dish last 12 years. It is the best, one winter I had to remove snow 2-3 times, other that that it's never a problem and we have snow from late Nov until April every year, and thats always on the ground no melt off.
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