Time Warner vs. DirecTV?

[dapinger]

I've been giving some thought to the double bow tie.  Sounds like it is a good antenna.  Do you have yours indoors or in the attic?

[Tom Snyder]

Actually, it's sorta both. I have a cathedral ceiling, with a space above my media closet. I have my antenna up on that shelf, hiding in a bunch of decorative hoo-hah.  So, it's at attic height, but it's in my living room. And my wife can't see it.  

[sp44again]

I have mine on top of my entertainment center and I get all the HD OTA channels. I'm using a Zenith SilverSensor. Good antenna! I also live in New Berlin BTW.

[yaderhey]

By the way, after three phone calls and actually going through the sign-up process, I finally got a customer service manager at DirecTV to admit that this $50 upgrade pays for the new dish but not the HD receiver.  Which means no over-the-air tuner, I guess.  That would be $400.  I told them to take a hike.

[Tom Snyder]

This may seem like a pretty serious about face on my part, but now that I have spent a few days bouncing back and forth between OTA, DirecTV and my newly acquired TWC Digital/HD, I have to say that my 1 year required commitment to Total Choice to get my third LNB and a lack of ESPN-HD on TWC are the only things keeping me from canceling my DTV service and switching to cable. HDnet is a factor, as well, but I'm finding that I hardly ever watch HDnet or HDnet movies anyway.

Not sure why it's better than it was two years ago... maybe a better cable box, but there is now very little difference in PQ between DTV and TWC in the mid-tier channels, and absolutely none on the digital and HD channels.  And not having to dink with my antenna or switch between sources to go from cable channels to HD locals.

And I can get Fox 6 Digital!

[borghe]

And not having to dink with my antenna or switch between sources to go from cable channels to HD locals.

If I had this I might be annoyed also... for me though there is no source switch (well aside from Tivo which would be inevitable on cable anyway) and I don't have to mess with my antenna at all. Heck, I have even found the final spot in my front hall to get fox at 58-61 right now.. total time investment to receive fox? 10 seconds.. total time to get any of the other channels, like a second or two for all of them combined..

but yeah, if I had those two problems maybe my mind would change..

[gparris]

Originally posted by Tom Snyder
This may seem like a pretty serious about face on my part, but now that I have spent a few days bouncing back and forth between OTA, DirecTV and my newly acquired TWC Digital/HD, I have to say that my 1 year required commitment to Total Choice to get my third LNB and a lack of ESPN-HD on TWC are the only things keeping me from canceling my DTV service and switching to cable. HDnet is a factor, as well, but I'm finding that I hardly ever watch HDnet or HDnet movies anyway.

Not sure why it's better than it was two years ago... maybe a better cable box, but there is now very little difference in PQ between DTV and TWC in the mid-tier channels, and absolutely none on the digital and HD channels.  And not having to dink with my antenna or switch between sources to go from cable channels to HD locals.

And I can get Fox 6 Digital!

Yes-and Fox 6 rocked tonight with the Fox show "24"!!!
All without DTV's help-or ability...satellite will be great in the future for the rural dweller or those "unable for cable" (pun intended):rofl: HDNET may not be on cable soon, but IN HD is somewhat the same I have heard from my Texas relatives who get in Austin with TWC and now-on 11/5-in Houston  with TWC.

Cable HAS gone a long way rapidly...and will continue to do so in the future once they figure out that in the HD realm, as long as their are local HD sources subscribers want to watch like CBS, FOX , NBC , ABC and so on...satellite will lose. :p

Satellite is good because it gives people choices-and it makes them both (cable and sat) squirm for our subscriber dollars and then-everyone wins with competition.  :cool:
Until satellite finds some new technology to give us HD locals like it does SD for those antenna-shy, unable or unwilling, cable will have the edge.
I went from "8 Simple Rules" on Channel 512 on TWC to 506 for "24" without an antenna, switching or anything...including any problems...thank you TWC!:bow:
Now just give us that SA8000HD PVR - without paying hundreds of dollars to get an HD PVR like satellite will-and we'll be in HDTV heaven!:)

[Matt Heebner]

Is ESPN-HD on TWC yet?


Matt

[FreQi]

@gparris

In switching from ABC to FOX tonight you missed out a funny According to Jim, and Pam Anderson in HD on Less Than Perfect.  Since I still can't get FOX OTA, I've be dowloading their shows this season. ;]  Gotta love 24.

[gparris]

Originally posted by Matt Heebner
Is ESPN-HD on TWC yet?


Matt

When ESPN-HD offers different content to distinguish itself from basic SD broadcasts and can justify its Disney-demanded extra cost to pass unto TWC subscribers, then TWC will justify it.
Discovery HD Theater is no extra charge on TWC, unlike the HD package DTV expects you to pay for in which it resides with ESPN-HD. That is what TWC wants to do for its subscribers, make it no charge, unless there is there is a totally different programme format to ESPN-HD involved to justify the additional cost to the subscriber.  
Additionally, the TWC website mentions a FOX sports HD channel coming soon, unless this information has changed without notice.:eek:  Maybe this will mean something for you in the HD and sports channel realm.
Hope this answers your question...:wave:

[gparris]

Originally posted by FreQi
@gparris

In switching from ABC to FOX tonight you missed out a funny According to Jim, and Pam Anderson in HD on Less Than Perfect.  Since I still can't get FOX OTA, I've be dowloading their shows this season. ;]  Gotta love 24.

FOX on TWC channel 506 with shows like "24" are great - better than DVDs and not as good as HD, but I think more watchable than analog channel 6, especially on larger screens.  I usually watch "According to Jim", but because there is no HD PVR out yet, I neglected to record it in analog channel 12 instead of just watching it...but I hear the SA8000HD is finishing testing and will beta test it soon with its customers-meaning our cable provider, then the subscriber base will get it, just like the SD PVRs that are currently available now. (Hopefully, they will contact the current batch of subs like me with both kinds of boxes).
Then we wouldn't be discussing this..but thanks for the info..

[Tom Snyder]

Any idea on how TWC will charge for an SA8000HD when they come out?

[gparris]

It is watch and wait on this one.
First the quantity of this model, when released to customers(TWC) with depend on its rollout to the subscriber.
In addition, the amount charged for the DVR now is the same $6.95 per month including remote plus tax and fees like any cable box-and of course the fee for using its service (just like Tivo and DirectTivo has). Whether the amount will increase just for the HD DVR version will depend on increased 2004 costs on all TWC offerings or just because its HD is still in question.
Perhaps the incremental cost of the HD DVR  vs. SA's cost of the SD model (8000)  difference  to TWC will be passed along to the subscriber...then again, maybe not.
 More importantly, I would figure the first thing a CSR at TWC will be trained at (hopefully) will be to ask, when these DO become available is - "DO you have an HDTV set for this HD DVR?"
 This way, the SD DVRs will still get rented, saving them for the HD subscriber if they're interested in a DVR.
Eventually, all DVRs will be the 8000HD to keep inventory at sane levels for TWC and the subs.:wave:
Let's all hope these come out sooner rather than later-it still beats coughing up hundreds of dollars for a HD-TIVO or similar product from DISH.

[Tom Snyder]

Hmmm..

If I cancel DirecTV before next summer, I get charged $150.

When it comes out, an HD DVR box for DirecTV will cost me $400.  

So if when that happens, (proivded TWC rolls out their HD DVR at the same time), I cancel DTV, and just go with TWC, I get an HD DVR for a net savings of $250 if the HD DVR for TWC doesn't cost anything extra.  

Even if it costs $20 per month, it still takes two years before I start coming out behind. But that's still not bad.

And if TWC doens't charge the extra $11.00 that DTV does for the HD channel package, I come out that much further ahead.

Is that fuzzy math? :confused:

[mhz40]

My guess is they will not charge any more for SD vs HD.  This is based on the fact that HD set tops charges are the same as SD.