# Everything Else > Arts & Entertainment >  Cox vs Dish vs DirectTV...real costs??

## SoonerDave

I'm a (reasonably) happy Cox customer (phone, TV, 'net), but I also like to keep my options open.

I'm trying to get an apples-to-apples cost comparison for service comparable to what I have from other vendors, primarily focusing on TV service. Its nearly impossible to get such a comparison because of the layers of promotional prices that perpetuate the ads. 

So, for those of you in satellite land, what do you have, and what does it cost you? 

I presently have two rooms with HD boxes (one of which is a DVR), with two rooms (kids) with only plain cable (primarily because I can't exclude channels on a digital converter box, plus its $6 more a month). I'm intrigued by four-tuner, Internet-programmable, and multi-room DVRs, which Cox has talked about (at least some), but never delivered. And I think I'm seeing more and more compression artifacts on Cox's HD signal as they continue to deal with bandwidth issues...

So....if you're willing to share what you have and what it costs, I'd be appreciative. Be aware that I loathe all things ATT, so they start with several strikes against them...but I'll still listen to what they have...

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## decepticobra

dont get me started on directv. i worked at convergys in moore for 5 yrs. dtv is evil, stay away.

this thread should just be entitled "cox vs. dish network"

dont even waste your time with directv. its not worth it. heed my warning.

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## HVAC Instructor

> dont get me started on directv. i worked at convergys in moore for 5 yrs. dtv is evil, stay away.
> 
> this thread should just be entitled "cox vs. dish network"
> 
> dont even waste your time with directv. its not worth it. heed my warning.


Tell us about it then. I'm looking at Dish or DTV pretty soon. Cox has no cable out my way yet.

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## rod4soonrs

I've been with Directv since '99 no problems with them.

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## MadMonk

> I've been with Directv since '99 no problems with them.


I've been with DTV since '97 with the exception of one horrible year of Dish network service.  I'll never go back.  If there was so much as a dark cloud in the sky the reception was horrible.  In addition, the receiver was frustratingly slow to respond to input.  Support was uncaring and at times rude.  They eventually changed out the receiver after 5 or 6 calls but it made no difference.  I went back to DTV as soon as my contract expired and have been very happy ever since.

I'm in a grandfathered plan that's no longer advertised, but a close match would be the "Choice Extra + DVR" with local channels for $65.99/month.

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## Roadhawg

> I've been with Directv since '99 no problems with them.


I've been with them the past 18 months and no problems

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## decepticobra

> Tell us about it then. I'm looking at Dish or DTV pretty soon. Cox has no cable out my way yet.


Seriously. Go with Dish Network. Im short on time right now. But if you demand reasons why, I will fill you in later when I have more free time.

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## HVAC Instructor

> Seriously. Go with Dish Network. Im short on time right now. But if you demand reasons why, I will fill you in later when I have more free time.


Yes! I demand! LOL! 

Please do post what you know when you can.

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## so1rfan

I have had Directv for 8 or 9 years. I recently upgraded to Hi-def. I also have a strange package they no longer offer. I think I pay around $70. 

If I could get cable I probably would, simply because I could have it in every room and not have to pay extra. Plus when it does come a downpour, Directv will completely lose the signal, not really something you want to have happen during storm season.

However I think that my Hi-def is better than my dad's who has Cox.

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## Luke

I have had Dish for about three years.  I'm pleased with it.

Currently, we have an all HD package plus locals for about $35 a month.  We also have a great HD-DVR.

I was cautioned on the reception, but we get excellent reception.  The only time it goes out is in very severe weather, emphasis on very.  The signal stays on through the majority of storms.  It even stayed on during the ice storm.  Besides, we've hooked up an antenna to the DVR, scanned for locals and now even if the Dish goes out, we will still be able to get locals over-the-air.

All in all, for the price, reception and DVR, Dish is great.

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## bluedogok

> I've been with Directv since '99 no problems with them.


The same for me, I changed when I lived in The Village and Multimedia Cablevision service went out when the wind blew....I will never go back to cable for television, I do have cable (TimeWarner in Austin) for internet. I also have NFL Sunday Ticket and MLB Extra Innings which I can't get on the other options.

I am also pretty sure every call center has horror stories, I have known quite a few who have worked at different ones and all are hard on the employees. Good customer service just isn't that important to most large corporations anymore and there are plenty of disgruntled workers at all of them.

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## Kerry

I have had DirecTV since '98 and I love it.  I will never go back to cable.  We have Choice +, TIVO DVR service, and 2 boxes.  Our bill is $73/month.  As for the weather issue, the only time we lose a signal is if really severe thunderstorms are directly overhead.  We generally lose the signal for less than a minute.  It seems once the dish gets coated in water the signal comes back.  When it happens I just switch over to the rabbit ear antenna I have sitting on the floor behind the TV by pressing the input button on my remote a few times.  Then I am able to watch local weather bulletins.

I have Bellsouth DSL (now ATT) bundled on the same bill so I save $10 on my DSL.  As for the warning from decepticobra, I use to work in the Management Information Group for Convergys - DirectTV isn't evil, Convergys is evil.

Finally, one of the things I really like about DirecTV is when we go to the in-laws house in Kentucky the stations are the same.  I don't have to hunt for the Travel Channel or the DIY Network.  Plus, I can control my DVR at home through my cell phone (which I have had to do when dinner out runs longer than expected).

Next on my wish list is a sling box.

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## stick47

Just saw a DTV ad that showed you could get NFL games on your cell phone if you had their service. Anyone know what that's about? Built in Slingbox maybe?

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## Bunty

The main objection I have over going to satellite from cable is the loss of local government channels, so I won't be able to see the various public meetings.  I don't always want to be bothered with having to go to the actual live meeting over a fight with a zoning change in my residential neighborhood.  Of course, if you own no homes and/or businesses,  maybe you couldn't care less about the local government channels.

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## bluedogok

> Just saw a DTV ad that showed you could get NFL games on your cell phone if you had their service. Anyone know what that's about? Built in Slingbox maybe?


It works if you have NFL Sunday Ticket, it worked on mine today.

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## stick47

> It works if you have NFL Sunday Ticket, it worked on mine today.


My Wife is from Seoul, S. Korea so we watch a lot of Korean satellite TV and they've got cell phone television there. No added charge since it's over the air broadcasting and not through the cellular companies. You can also use your phone to pay your bus fare, buy groceries, etc. The US needs to catch up.

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## bluedogok

Well, their phone markets are different over there. I know in Japan (in 1996) there was no such thing as "local calls" as every call whether it was across the hall or country paid a per minute rate. Plus you had a virtual monopoly with NTT and their build out costs are less because they are covering a very small fraction of land area and much higher population density in much smaller countries. Much like it is with many things between the countries like rail systems.

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## PennyQuilts

I apprecaite this thread.  We are making plans to come back home - hopefully by the end of the year - and will need internet for a home office and TV.  No cable where our house is.

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## so1rfan

> I apprecaite this thread.  We are making plans to come back home - hopefully by the end of the year - and will need internet for a home office and TV.  No cable where our house is.


Will high-speed internet be available? Because the only option I have where I live is satellite internet, and it is dreadful. I have contemplated going back to dial-up many a time. I use Wildblue and have regretted it every since I bought it.

I have heard better things out of Hughesnet but it is more expensive, so i guess you get what you pay for.

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## PennyQuilts

> Will high-speed internet be available? Because the only option I have where I live is satellite internet, and it is dreadful. I have contemplated going back to dial-up many a time. I use Wildblue and have regretted it every since I bought it.
> 
> I have heard better things out of Hughesnet but it is more expensive, so i guess you get what you pay for.


We are going to have to do the best we can and may end up with dial up - blah!  He will have a home office but working out of DC so can't afford to be offline for any length of time.

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## bluedogok

Depending upon where it is there may be fixed wireless available. I had Sprint Broadband Direct when I lived in OKC and it was great. I know some former fellow employees who lived out in more rural areas had fixed wireless for internet. There are some small providers around that offered it a few years back. You might check and see if it is available where you are moving.

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## SoonerDave

I'd still appreciate some package prices on satellite HD services/equipment rentals if anyone's willing....

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## PuckSR

I've been looking to compare these services too..
I am moving to Yukon, so AT&T u-verse is out...

I am looking more for a comparison of offering and prices, rather than technology.  I know a lot about the technology(I am an EE), just not the prices.

If anyone has done a good number crunch, I would be very interested.
Evil companies, poor customer service, etc doesn't really bother me.  I am more concerned with getting the most bang for my buck!



> I've been with DTV since '97 with the exception of one horrible year of Dish network service. I'll never go back. If there was so much as a dark cloud in the sky the reception was horrible. In addition, the receiver was frustratingly slow to respond to input. Support was uncaring and at times rude. They eventually changed out the receiver after 5 or 6 calls but it made no difference. I went back to DTV as soon as my contract expired and have been very happy ever since.


Umm...what?

Dish Network and DirecTV use the same technology in their signal.  One is not going to have better signal than another(unless a specific thing, like a tree, was blocking Dish Network and NOT DirecTV).  The entire argument that one had "horrible" reception, while the other was perfect would seem to imply that you are a less than objective testimonial.

As far as the receiver being 'frustrating slow to respond', this too strikes me as odd.  Over the past decade Dish Network and DirecTV have both had several dozen different receiver models.  It is a bit like saying "don't buy car company X, they have horrible fuel economy".  It is highly dependent on which model you were using for your comparison, it also isn't very relevant to compare a model from 10 years ago(that had issues) to a modern model that is entirely different.




> I have had Directv for 8 or 9 years. I recently upgraded to Hi-def. I also have a strange package they no longer offer. I think I pay around $70.
> 
> If I could get cable I probably would, simply because I could have it in every room and not have to pay extra. Plus when it does come a downpour, Directv will completely lose the signal, not really something you want to have happen during storm season.
> 
> However I think that my Hi-def is better than my dad's who has Cox.


I think I just saw that cable requires you to pay extra for each additional TV if you want HD in every room(or a DVR).  You only get basic analog cable service with COX for free in every room...and that is only because they can't stop you from doing it.




> I was cautioned on the reception, but we get excellent reception. The only time it goes out is in very severe weather, emphasis on very. The signal stays on through the majority of storms. It even stayed on during the ice storm. Besides, we've hooked up an antenna to the DVR, scanned for locals and now even if the Dish goes out, we will still be able to get locals over-the-air.


I can say that in my experience, if you have a good install and a clear satellite view...it is very rare for satellite to go out.  Many people don't have a great install(which allows the dish to swing in wind) or an obstructed view...which is why so many people have problems with signal going out.

I would also say that cable add that cable signal can go out too.  It also takes longer to restore cable service, since you have to wait for the weather to clear AND wait for someone to get out there to fix it.  The only thing that will really end satellite service is if a solar storm knocks out a satellite...which would cause bigger problems anyway

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## PennyQuilts

We've been lookling at ATT U-verse.  My in-laws are very happy with it.  Any horror stories?

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## stick47

> I can say that in my experience, if you have a good install and a clear satellite view...it is very rare for satellite to go out.


Even with a great signal strength you can lose satellite signal during a storm and the storm doesn't have to be immediately overhead. We've lost our reception in good local weather while the weather to the South of us was bad. 
Ice storms will also cause a loss of reception. I McGyver'ed our dish back in operation in the last ice storm by using my heat gun on a long pole to melt the ice off of the LNB.   :Ohno:

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## PennyQuilts

> I McGyver'ed our dish back in operation in the last ice storm by using my heat gun on a long pole to melt the ice off of the LNB.


Sounds like using the phone on Green Acres.

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## lump9816

Beware of hughes net! It's way too expensive initially and in monthly cost and it's not that great to boot. The speed is not that great, if you exceed a certain amount of data in a given timeframe they narrow your bandwith, and their technical support sucks. At least in my experience. If you live in a rural area and have no access to cable you might want to look at wi fi. I use atlink and it's working out great for me. It's nearly half of what hughes net was, $39 a month compared to $60 a month. And it's quite a bit faster with no download limits. And they didn't charge $400 to install.

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## kevinpate

> We've been lookling at ATT U-verse.  My in-laws are very happy with it.  Any horror stories?


Not after the 2nd call back, and they were right decent about it.  Very OK with the telly and the phone.  98% ok about the internet.

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## PennyQuilts

> Not after the 2nd call back, and they were right decent about it.  Very OK with the telly and the phone.  98% ok about the internet.


Good to know.  We can get our new phone number thirty days out which would be ... hmm...let's see... today or tomorrow.

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## Charlie40

Umm...what?

Dish Network and DirecTV use the same technology in their signal. One is not going to have better signal than another(unless a specific thing, like a tree, was blocking Dish Network and NOT DirecTV). The entire argument that one had "horrible" reception, while the other was perfect would seem to imply that you are a less than objective testimonial.

As far as the receiver being 'frustrating slow to respond', this too strikes me as odd. Over the past decade Dish Network and DirecTV have both had several dozen different receiver models. It is a bit like saying "don't buy car company X, they have horrible fuel economy". It is highly dependent on which model you were using for your comparison, it also isn't very relevant to compare a model from 10 years ago(that had issues) to a modern model that is entirely different.

My response below to this:

This is untrue, Direc tv and Dish Network use totally differnt systems. And the quality can differ due to how much they overcompress the channels  (how many channels they try and cram into 1 mux)

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## PuckSR

> This is untrue, Direc tv and Dish Network use totally differnt systems. And the quality can differ due to how much they overcompress the channels (how many channels they try and cram into 1 mux)


Really?
They use totally different antenna?

So, i suppose it would be impossible to use a Dish Network satellite to pick up a DirecTV signal?
(I will spare you the trouble, this can be done).

They use different encoding methodologies, not different broadcast systems.

Here is a quick comparison.
Both NTSC(analog TV) and ATSC(digital television) are broadcast over the air.  They both make use of similar frequencies.  However, analog TV makes use of amplitude modulation, while modern digital broadcasts make use of vestigial side-band modulation.

What does this mean?
You can use an old antenna to pick up modern HD broadcasts.  The data is being sent in a different way, but it is still utilizing the same frequencies.

The same is true for both satellite operators. This is why you can use one satellite for either service, you just can't use a receiver for either service.

....
As far as "compression", they are both using the same compression technology.  H.264 At least for modern broadcasts.  They both previously used Mpeg-2(which happens to be the same compression that DVDs utilized).
The real problem with the compression isn't a "loss of quality" issue, it is a decoding issue.  The infamous Hughes receiver for DirecTV lacked the processing power to handle the decompression, so it had a poor picture quality.

Trust me though, if one of the companies was degradating their image quality to improve capacity....we would have heard about it.  Like we did when certain cable companies tried to pull that trick.

The discussion is irrelevant though, as I was commenting on another post about "poor reception".  They were obviously complaining about loss of signal, not quality of picture.

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## stick47

On Dish and maybe all the Sat carriers I keep getting "disonnected" due to inactivity. IOW I guess, if you haven't changed the channel in several hours they assume you left the house with the TV on. Thus they disconnect you to save their bandwidth. I haven't complained about this annoying practice but feel that I should. It reminds me of the early days of dialup internet and IMO it stinks!

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## kevinpate

> Good to know.  We can get our new phone number thirty days out which would be ... hmm...let's see... today or tomorrow.


Phone sound quality is better, my opinion sans any hard research, with U-verse than my att landline was.

Telly features in U-verse, omgarsh!  You can spin it back to catch a line you missed (happens to my no so great ears more than my family wishes.) ALSO, show you wanna see comes on but someone still there or plate fixing, clearing,whatever time.  Pause it, kick it in when ready, then ff through commercials to catch up to real time.  

For me, I can more readily record shows and watch them when it is convenient and as a bonus bubby, I get to blaze right past the ads, boring intros, etc.

I'm a convert.

The internet seems slower to me than the cable modem based setup i used to have.  Oh well, it's not that much slower since I mainly read rather than game or videos.

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## PuckSR

The features you are discussing are standard for a DVR.  I believe that AT&T U-verse also allows you a few more options, such as any-room playback.  Many of the DVRs have similar feature, but it looks to work rather well on AT&T.

AT&T is a bit different from other providers.  It functions more like satellite than cable. (At least to the average user)

What actually happens is that they only transmit the show you are currently watching.  In other words, when you want to watch CNN, it starts sending CNN.  You change the channel to Fox News, it stops sending CNN and starts sending Fox News.

The internet on AT&T is slower, but it is sold a bit differently.
Cox sells you high-speed internet.  It is fast.  They tell you the max speed, not the constant speed.  Their download speed isn't constant.

AT&T sells you bandwidth.  You will get the speed you pay for...nothing more and nothing less.  This makes more sense, but winds up costing more to the average user.

Hope that information helps

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## flintysooner

> Phone sound quality is better, my opinion sans any hard research, with U-verse than my att landline was.
> 
> Telly features in U-verse, omgarsh!  You can spin it back to catch a line you missed (happens to my no so great ears more than my family wishes.) ALSO, show you wanna see comes on but someone still there or plate fixing, clearing,whatever time.  Pause it, kick it in when ready, then ff through commercials to catch up to real time.  
> 
> For me, I can more readily record shows and watch them when it is convenient and as a bonus bubby, I get to blaze right past the ads, boring intros, etc.
> 
> I'm a convert.
> 
> The internet seems slower to me than the cable modem based setup i used to have.  Oh well, it's not that much slower since I mainly read rather than game or videos.


On telephone I really like the browser interface for management.  Sound is excellent.

You can pause and rewind live stream only on the primary DVR.  You can record or watch 4 regular or 2 HD programs.  But works really great.

Initially had quite a bit of stutter on HD but that's recently much, much improved.

My Internet is outstanding.  I have 6 Mpbs.

Installation was really easy for me but I was prewired.

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## bluedogok

> On Dish and maybe all the Sat carriers I keep getting "disonnected" due to inactivity. IOW I guess, if you haven't changed the channel in several hours they assume you left the house with the TV on. Thus they disconnect you to save their bandwidth. I haven't complained about this annoying practice but feel that I should. It reminds me of the early days of dialup internet and IMO it stinks!


I've never had that happen with any of my Directv receivers, I have a couple of 10 year old Sony SD recievers, a DirecTivo SD, two different HD-DVR's and an HD receiver. Most stay "on" all the time and are working like they are supposed to whenever I turn the TV on.

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## Jon27

> I am moving to Yukon, so AT&T u-verse is out...


AT&T u-verse is available in Yukon.

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## stick47

> I've never had that happen with any of my Directv receivers, I have a couple of 10 year old Sony SD recievers, a DirecTivo SD, two different HD-DVR's and an HD receiver. Most stay "on" all the time and are working like they are supposed to whenever I turn the TV on.


The screen shows a message something like; "Your receiver is about the be turned off due to inactivity. Press OK to turn off the receiver, press cancel to continue watching the program." 
This only amounts to a 3 or 4 second interruption in the program but it's nuisance, esp if the remote is not within reach.

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## bluedogok

I just haven't seen that with mine, maybe it is a Dish thing. I will have to ask my sister...if I remember.

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## decepticobra

> Tell us about it then. I'm looking at Dish or DTV pretty soon. Cox has no cable out my way yet.


yeah ok. i got some free time on my hands. 

for the record, i worked at convergys in moore for 5 yrs. they are outsourced by directv to handle customer service, billing and technical issues. (or they did when i worked there)

Directv is fueled on monetary greed, for starters. anything to get your money. there were contracts abound, and lots of frilly exciting talk on whatever package they were trying to get you to sign up for. the average customer was forced to read the fine print to get the 'real' scoop to educate themselves as to what they were REALLY getting themselves into, cause we werent allowed to school them ourselves over the phone.

...scandalous? you betcha.

when i worked there, there were three main entertainment packages: silver, gold, platinum. these packages offered a great line-up...trouble is the technology of the hardware was subpar. 

i do realize some time has passed since i worked there, and perhaps the technology of the reciever boxes and other related devices and also improved, but nonetheless, im still quite skeptical about DTV's business practices, cause its therein where the real evils lurk.

The company is very much "by the book", as in "Their book, and not your book". There was no such thing as "the customer is always correct" The customer was the guilty party unless they could present some sort of evidence to us to substantiate themselves otherwise. It was a very crooked company, I loathed working there, but just like you I had bills to pay too. The only time DTV is even readily willing to read 'your book' is if it is subtitled "class action lawsuit". 

during the time i worked there, there were numerous class action lawsuits being slammed against DTV filed by angry customers. Most of the customers were those who felt betrayed by the lack of apparent offerings in many of the sports packages that they advertised. (NHL Center Ice, NFL Sunday Ticket, NCAA Game Plan, NBA League Ticket, etc)

For the average customer, there existed a myriad of confusing blackout rules regarding which games they could see in their area. Sometimes these rules would be so acenine they would literally frustrate many of our customers, and then our phonelines would be red hot busy.

so busy that other DTV clients with various other issues could never get a rep on the phone.

Then theres the issue with the Reciever itself. They were all cheap junk, quickly slapped together in an overseas sweatshop and sold for many times its actual value and perfomed on a subpar level.

how subpar?, ..it wasnt uncommon for many customers' to have issues with the reciever units ordering pay-per-view without their direct authorization. as phone reps, we were basically instructed to call every customer a liar (not literally), but telling them that they were indeed liable for all PPV charges because the only way to order a PPV was with the remote. 

Then we began down this annoying track of questions with the client interrogating them, and asking if their (insert one: spouse, child, dog, shrink, priest, babysitter)..had possibly ordered any PPV movies without their consent.

eventually (and logically) every call ended with an escalation to a supervisor desk, with the supervisor agreeing the credit only a portion of the PPVs (and not all of them, like they shouldve)

....i think the PPV ordeal eventually ended in a lawsuit as well, but it was a long time coming before that occured.

then there was the ordeal with customers relentless tirade of broadcast network affiliate acquisitioning. these stations were intended for those customers who resided out in the extreme boonies and couldnt get a local tv reception with the use of conventional rabbit ears or other likewise peripheral. 

however, these stations also proved appealing to other clients who resided in areas with no problems of getting their own local channels, but also wanted these channels so they could watch their fave tv programs at times that were convienent for their schedules. 

so, all in all...the customer service is poor, the equipment is shoddy, and even the installers are horrible. 

i wont even delve into all the destruction some of the installers have caused to customers homes, but its really bad. 

anything else you desire to know? i can go on about the hells of DTV.

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## Hawk405359

> I think I just saw that cable requires you to pay extra for each additional TV if you want HD in every room(or a DVR).  You only get basic analog cable service with COX for free in every room...and that is only because they can't stop you from doing it.


We have HD in every room our our house from Cox and don't pay anything more for it aside from the HD package.  I didn't even realize I had HD until I got an HDTV for Blu-Ray and Hi-Def gaming.

Yeah, Cable can go out.  Since we've had it (10 years or so) I think it's gone out maybe 4 times, and two of those were related to storms that knocked everything out.   Depending on where you live and how widespread it is, it can take a while, but aside for one time where electricity was out for multiple days, they got in the same day.

That said, I'm far from loyal to Cox.  I don't have exact totals, but they were still pretty expensive.

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## MikeOKC

U-Verse has channels unavailable on Cox and being a Cox customer, I hate that. I want several that they have. I want Fox Movie Channel and I heard people in an office the other day say they love Hallmark Movie Channel on Uverse which Cox doesn't offer. (Not that I would like that one particularly, just sayin'.)

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## bluedogok

> yeah ok. i got some free time on my hands. 
> 
> for the record, i worked at convergys in moore for 5 yrs. they are outsourced by directv to handle customer service, billing and technical issues. (or they did when i worked there)
> 
> Directv is fueled on monetary greed, for starters. anything to get your money. there were contracts abound, and lots of frilly exciting talk on whatever package they were trying to get you to sign up for. the average customer was forced to read the fine print to get the 'real' scoop to educate themselves as to what they were REALLY getting themselves into, cause we werent allowed to school them ourselves over the phone.
> 
> ...scandalous? you betcha.
> 
> when i worked there, there were three main entertainment packages: silver, gold, platinum. these packages offered a great line-up...trouble is the technology of the hardware was subpar. 
> ...


What you stated could pretty much be said of *ANY* corporation in operation, I know of some Cox, Time Warner, Comcast, AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FIOS horror stories as well. I don't know of any corporation that subscribes to "the customer is always correct" mantra anymore, it seems the shareholder is the only one who "might" be correct.

For one thing, Directv changed ownership a couple of years ago, they are no longer owned by Rupert Murdoch, they are pretty much owned by John Malone which throughout his corporate industry has been better than Murdoch. Most of what you discussed about people calling to complain are things that were beyond Directv (or Dish/cable companies) control. Yes, blackouts get annoying on MLB Extra Innings but those are rules set forth by MLB (or NHL, NBA, NFL) and there isn't anything that any of the providers can do about it. The distant channels issue is something the networks have cracked down on against both Directv and Dish. I never had any issues with PPV as well. I know that many people who call to complain constantly are just high maintenance jerks that are always looking to get something for nothing, I have known too many of them personally. You also worked for a contractor who was looking to make their margins better, then you are in kind of a "double squeeze" between the mother company and the contractor, which usually ends up dumping on the contracted employees.

I went to Directv because Multimedia Cablevision in The Village was worthless, because of the old overhead lines the cable would go out when the wind blew. I have been with Directv for 10 years and haven't had much of an issue with anything, I never plan on going back to cable. Like I stated above, I still have 10 year old boxes that work fine. I haven't had issues with installers but then I do my own installations and did installs for others back when you just bought the kit.

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## dismayed

One nice feature that I believe U-Verse has that I wish everyone else had was the ability to do Picture in Picture regardless of whether or not the TV has that feature available.

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## PennyQuilts

I'm feeling better and better about U-verse.

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## OKCDrummer77

> One nice feature that I believe U-Verse has that I wish everyone else had was the ability to do Picture in Picture regardless of whether or not the TV has that feature available.


Cox can do that if you have their DVR service.

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## venture

> What you stated could pretty much be said of *ANY* corporation in operation,


Pretty much nailed it there. The bitter phone monkey worked for an outsourcing shop - and the job sucked? Shocker. From my experience with DTV and people I know that have worked there - things are not that bad. I had them for about a year, but I like getting the best bang for my buck so I went to cable for a promo. While I had DTV - never had any major problems. Signal did go out in very heavy rain, otherwise it would be okay. I managed my account online, so really my interaction with the Convergys reps was limited. 

As far as blackout details, getting the NY/LA stations, etc...a lot of that isn't a DTV issue as Blue stated. Probably the biggest complaint I have heard about was the termination fee for breaking a contract. Customers apparently upset they have to pay for it. However, this comes down on the the customer not reading the writing online/in-store or the CSR not relaying the information they are trained to do so. 

Can't say I've ever had an issue with a receiver ordering a PPV without my pushing something. Lets be honest. From what I know PPV ordering is relayed through the phone callback they are suppose to do (the receivers). If people, like me, forget to plug the phone line in or just never get around to it...then, hey a lot of charges are going to show when they get the receiver back. People tend to forget about such orders after a few weeks...so not a shock they would be surprised.

All in all DTV was just fine, even better if you can get a deal for free DVRs and premium service. Something I would love to do again, but that whole not being a new customer thing sucks. :-P

Other than that, the long response sounded like nothing more than a bitter phone monkey who got paid $8-9/hr and hated their job but didn't do anything to move on with their job aspirations.

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## Jon27

> Hallmark Movie Channel


Cox has that channel.  It's in HD on 796.




> I'm feeling better and better about U-verse.


I felt the same way a few months ago until I researched it.  The break point for me was the 4 shows at once thing.  You can only watch 2 HD channels at once.  Meaning if you have all HD in your house, only 2 people can watch HD at a time.  If you are recording a HD show, and someone else is watching a HD channel, that other person can't watch HD.  So say the person in the living room is recording 2 HD and a SD show, and watching a SD show.  (Trust me, my wife would do something like this if she could)  The other person would be SOL for watching any TV as all 4 streams are being used.  Plus, Cox will be coming out with Docsis 3.0 next year boosting the internet to over 50Mbps.  Cox is also getting a multi room DVR next year.  I heard both of this from an employee that works for Cox that would know this stuff.  That's why I stayed.  I've had them for 10 years, and no problems.

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## PennyQuilts

> Cox has that channel.  It's in HD on 796.
> 
> 
> 
> I felt the same way a few months ago until I researched it.  The break point for me was the 4 shows at once thing.  You can only watch 2 HD channels at once.  Meaning if you have all HD in your house, only 2 people can watch HD at a time.  If you are recording a HD show, and someone else is watching a HD channel, that other person can't watch HD.  So say the person in the living room is recording 2 HD and a SD show, and watching a SD show.  (Trust me, my wife would do something like this if she could)  The other person would be SOL for watching any TV as all 4 streams are being used.  Plus, Cox will be coming out with Docsis 3.0 next year boosting the internet to over 50Mbps.  Cox is also getting a multi room DVR next year.  I heard both of this from an employee that works for Cox that would know this stuff.  That's why I stayed.  I've had them for 10 years, and no problems.


Well, I really, really appreciate all the information.  I should add that in making the decision, Cox isn't an option due to location.  Moreover, it is just husband and me and neither of us watch much tv.  I can't recall the last time we were on different channels but even if we were, neither of us are young enough to figure out how to work the controls to do anything fancy like recording something.  I'm just hoping we don't lose the remote.  

Your wife needs to learn to share!

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## Jon27

> Well, I really, really appreciate all the information.  I should add that in making the decision, Cox isn't an option due to location.  Moreover, it is just husband and me and neither of us watch much tv.  I can't recall the last time we were on different channels but even if we were, neither of us are young enough to figure out how to work the controls to do anything fancy like recording something.  I'm just hoping we don't lose the remote.  
> 
> Your wife needs to learn to share!


Oh, I apologize!  I didn't see that Cox wasn't an option for you.  If you are needing TV, Internet, and phone all in one.  Plus if you can deal with the 4 shows, I would probably recommend AT&T for you.  The picture is good from what I saw at the AT&T store.  I have family members that have DISH, and they like it.  Best of luck!

I read to my wife what I wrote, and she didn't disagree!  She's a reality show junkie, so she hogs the TV.

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## flintysooner

Another thing on U-verse is that we ended up going with a higher priced package because I wanted some particular channel and I upgraded the Internet, too.  We had never had DVR before and I have to say it has been really a good thing and very easily used.

I wired so I can receive over the air signal, satellite, and cable if I wanted to do it.  We had experience with Cox, Direct, and Dish.  But U-Verse became available about the time we moved in so I used it for Internet, telephone, and TV.  My over-the-air is a rather simple antenna in the attic.

U-verse has been a good choice for us.

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## PennyQuilts

> Oh, I apologize!  I didn't see that Cox wasn't an option for you.  If you are needing TV, Internet, and phone all in one.  Plus if you can deal with the 4 shows, I would probably recommend AT&T for you.  The picture is good from what I saw at the AT&T store.  I have family members that have DISH, and they like it.  Best of luck!
> 
> I read to my wife what I wrote, and she didn't disagree!  She's a reality show junkie, so she hogs the TV.


Oh, no apology, good grief.  I really appreciate the good posts but just have to laugh at the notion that anyone in this household, except perhaps the younger dog, is technologically advanced enough to handle more than one channel at a time.

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## drumsncode

Speaking of DVR's, I love that commercial with four people aiming the remotes at each other like a gunfight, and the little girl says, "Happy Pony's on, and I'm _not_ missing Happy Pony!"  

I know the feeling, except it's with Samantha Harris! ;-)

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## muzique808

Just a little of my experience.

We signed up for Dish originally because they had the largest number of Chinese language channels available, and we had non-English speaking family staying with us for the year.  Later, we kept the service and just changed the plan.  Really the only time in three years that we had any serious service interruption was when we had 60-70mph winds one night and the antenna kept moving and losing the signal (we keep the old attic antenna connected, so weather broadcasts are still available when this happens). 

The only problem I have had with Dish is their poorly selected/trained installation contractors.  One guy actually had to come out six times over five days to get everything working, fix the place on the roof he damaged, and fill the unnecessary/mistake holes he drilled in the walls.  The last time we moved, it wasn't that bad though.  Word of wisdom: whoever you choose, _stay with the contractors at all times and always document any damage!_

We have Cox for internet, and while it is, in my opinion, quite overpriced, it is very fast and very little downtime.

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## flippity

> I'm a (reasonably) happy Cox customer (phone, TV, 'net), but I also like to keep my options open.
> 
> I'm trying to get an apples-to-apples cost comparison for service comparable to what I have from other vendors, primarily focusing on TV service. Its nearly impossible to get such a comparison because of the layers of promotional prices that perpetuate the ads. 
> 
> So, for those of you in satellite land, what do you have, and what does it cost you? 
> 
> I presently have two rooms with HD boxes (one of which is a DVR), with two rooms (kids) with only plain cable (primarily because I can't exclude channels on a digital converter box, plus its $6 more a month). I'm intrigued by four-tuner, Internet-programmable, and multi-room DVRs, which Cox has talked about (at least some), but never delivered. And I think I'm seeing more and more compression artifacts on Cox's HD signal as they continue to deal with bandwidth issues...
> 
> So....if you're willing to share what you have and what it costs, I'd be appreciative. Be aware that I loathe all things ATT, so they start with several strikes against them...but I'll still listen to what they have...


I've just read your post, no one else's.  STAY WITH COX.  FOR GOODNESS SAKE, STAY WITH COX!!!

I HATE directv, but I don't have much choice where I live.  One block in every direction, and they have Cox...where I am, I gotta have some kind of satellite.  They will say what you want to hear to get you signed up, then WHAM, your bill is about $50/month more than you thought it would be. They told us how great the onDemand thing was, but they don't have a contract with HBO, so you can't get anything from HBO on demand. (which is what I really wanted, they have my favorite shows)

PLUS When we moved in, we had ordered 4 receivers, but decided to have one more room set up for a receiver, in case we decided to put one in there.  Well, we decided to, and they said that if they sent us one, it would cost some fee of $60 and it would take a few days...or we could just go to best buy and buy one.  So I did that...got an HD DVR for $99.  Then I learn that I didn't really buy it, i'm leasing it from the company.  so even though I paid up front for it, i'm still paying a $5/mo fee for it AND if/when I change services, I have to give it back to them.

They suck...for all the same services/channels I got with Cox, I'm paying about $50-60 more per month.

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## flippity

> I've been with DTV since '97 with the exception of one horrible year of Dish network service.  I'll never go back.  If there was so much as a dark cloud in the sky the reception was horrible.  In addition, the receiver was frustratingly slow to respond to input.  Support was uncaring and at times rude.  They eventually changed out the receiver after 5 or 6 calls but it made no difference.  I went back to DTV as soon as my contract expired and have been very happy ever since.
> 
> I'm in a grandfathered plan that's no longer advertised, but a close match would be the "Choice Extra + DVR" with local channels for $65.99/month.


^^^ 

this too.  They told us the dish was soooo much better now that it hardly ever goes out, even in thunderstorms.  Lies.  Lies, I tell you.

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## flippity

> I have had DirecTV since '98 and I love it.  I will never go back to cable.  We have Choice +, TIVO DVR service, and 2 boxes.  Our bill is $73/month.  As for the weather issue, the only time we lose a signal is if really severe thunderstorms are directly overhead.  We generally lose the signal for less than a minute.  It seems once the dish gets coated in water the signal comes back.  When it happens I just switch over to the rabbit ear antenna I have sitting on the floor behind the TV by pressing the input button on my remote a few times.  Then I am able to watch local weather bulletins.
> 
> I have Bellsouth DSL (now ATT) bundled on the same bill so I save $10 on my DSL.  As for the warning from decepticobra, I use to work in the Management Information Group for Convergys - DirectTV isn't evil, Convergys is evil.
> 
> Finally, one of the things I really like about DirecTV is when we go to the in-laws house in Kentucky the stations are the same.  I don't have to hunt for the Travel Channel or the DIY Network.  Plus, I can control my DVR at home through my cell phone (which I have had to do when dinner out runs longer than expected).
> 
> Next on my wish list is a sling box.


They don't do TIVO anymore, they do some other thing.  THey lost their contract with TIVO so that's not what you get now. the new thing sucks.

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## bluedogok

> They don't do TIVO anymore, they do some other thing.  THey lost their contract with TIVO so that's not what you get now. the new thing sucks.


Directv owns Tivo now...

What happened was Tivo wanted more in licensing fees so Directv went out on there own because Rupert Murdoch owned a software company that wrote the software for his other sat. systems in Europe and Australia. Tivo lost pretty much all their licensing agreements with sat/cable providers due to their desire to raise fees, but they did win their patent lawsuit against Dish. Soon after that ruling, Liberty Media (now the owner of Directv) bought Tivo and there are plans for reintroducing it into the Directv DVR lineup, they also have no ties to NDS anymore since Murdoch is no longer the Directv owner. I have had both, to me the are the same thing, just different, both had things that I thought were useful and other things which were downright goofy.

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## AAC2005

Slightly off topic (and yes, I will call Cox customer service later): 

Has anyone had problems with their Cox cable box turning itself off repeatedly during the last couple of days? I had presumed that it was some sort of software update, but when it happened twice in the span of two hours, I began to wonder.

I haven't received any frantic, angry phone calls from the house yet, so I'm guessing it's still on as I write.

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## FFLady

> Speaking of DVR's, I love that commercial with four people aiming the remotes at each other like a gunfight, and the little girl says, "Happy Pony's on, and I'm _not_ missing Happy Pony!"  
> 
> I know the feeling, except it's with Samantha Harris! ;-)



Ditto drums - I chuckle everytime I see that....

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## Jon27

> Slightly off topic (and yes, I will call Cox customer service later): 
> 
> Has anyone had problems with their Cox cable box turning itself off repeatedly during the last couple of days? I had presumed that it was some sort of software update, but when it happened twice in the span of two hours, I began to wonder.
> 
> I haven't received any frantic, angry phone calls from the house yet, so I'm guessing it's still on as I write.


I can't believe this!  I'm having the same issue.  Where are you located?  They've replaced the box 3 times in about 3.5 years.  They just came out on Monday, and put a booster on my line.  Low and behold, came home, the box reset again.  I have 3.  Do you have more than 1?  If so, is it just one of them?  Mine is on the same line as the cable modem.  I can't help but think it has something to do with that.  They keep saying no.  I'm so frustrated with it.  I have a Motorola SB4100 modem.  Any techies out there that can offer help?

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## stick47

Several years ago I had Cox schedule appts for me to be at home 3 times over an issue with losing the TV signal. Each time they tested the connection to my house both inside & at the box in the yard. Still had the same problem. 
Two weeks later after other neighbors complained (I eventually spoke with them and they told me theirs was going out too) they went down to the end of the block and did something in their big switch box. No more problems after that but I wasn't happy about the 3 appointments so the tech could recheck what they'd already checked. Very happy Dishnetwork customer now.

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## dismayed

Is it a DVR?  Could it be overheating and rebooting because of that?

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## Jon27

> Is it a DVR?  Could it be overheating and rebooting because of that?


It's a DVR, but it's not overheating.  It does it when the box is off.  It's almost like something is causing it to shut off.  Cox says it's because it loses the signal.  That's funny because if you unplug the cable from the wall it doesn't reset.  You can put the cable right back in, and it comes right back on.  It is so aggravating.  Like the post above said.  It has something to do with their node box, but they won't do anything about it.  I need to talk to some of my neighbors.

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## flintysooner

> It's a DVR, but it's not overheating.  It does it when the box is off.  It's almost like something is causing it to shut off.  Cox says it's because it loses the signal.  That's funny because if you unplug the cable from the wall it doesn't reset.  You can put the cable right back in, and it comes right back on.  It is so aggravating.  Like the post above said.  It has something to do with their node box, but they won't do anything about it.  I need to talk to some of my neighbors.


My experience with Cox is that it all depends upon who you get for the service call.  

A few seem to go out of their way to find reasons why it can't be their fault and it can't  be fixed.  And to be fair, if you consider telephone, TV, and Internet there are a good many possible reasons.

Another few figure out how to fix the problem whatever it is and ignore fault finding.  They'll even hold the ticket and keep working with you until you're happy.  It's just that you can't figure out how to always get these techs.  

The others try to fix whatever it is as best they know how.  Mostly they seem interested to closing the ticket.  When they leave you're pretty sure you'll have to call them again.

The secret seems to be consistently and persistently calling them out.  But it does take some dedication and good record keeping helps.  A side benefit is that it builds patience.

Cox isn't so much different than anyone else I've dealt with though.

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## Jon27

Ok, this is strange.  The cable box reset itself again today.  This is the second time I've noticed it doing it when I turn the computer on.  The box, and the computer are both on the same outlet.  I have a power strip, and battery back up plugged into the same outlet.  Could it have something to do with the current being drawn from other electronics causing the box to reset.  Now, the lights don't dim, and nothing else shuts off so I know I don't have an overloaded fuse.  The whole room is on the same breaker.  Is it possible that it's the draw on the outlet?  Should I try plugging the computer into another outlet to see if that helps?  It may be just a coincidence.  It has to be something in this room.  The other 2 boxes in the house work just fine.  The only things that are different is the computer on the same outlet, and the cable modem being split on the same cable jack.

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## Prunepicker

Prunette and I have no problem with Cox.  There have been a few times 
when we've needed to call and get assistance, but the problem was resolved.

I'd like to have more options for viewing instead of having to pay for Mexican 
TV.  Can't they come up with a package for Si Habla and No Habla?

I have a cousin who had Dish TV and told me that she never had any problem 
unless it was raining in Seattle.

I'm going to read more of these posts in order to acquire more input.

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## stick47

I wonder if we'll ever see cable & satellite companies selling programming on an ala carte basis?

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## bluedogok

> I wonder if we'll ever see cable & satellite companies selling programming on an ala carte basis?


The networks don't want it, in most cases their ad rates are based on how many number of homes they are in and therefore _potential_ viewers, they would just shut down networks and raise rates on the popular ones. Most special interest networks would go away.

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