TWC vs D*TV

[chure]

Now that TWC is said to be getting ESPN HD (the one HD channel keeping me with D*TV) have opinions changed on the preference towards one over the other?  I have D*TV right now with HD, but the wife complains everytime (once every 6 months) that weather affects viewing, and curses D*TV.  

I did look at the packages with TWC and it seems like it would cost more $ each month, including middle programming, DVR, iDemand and two tvs.

I know some people wouldn't spit on TWC if it were burning down, but does anyone else have an opinion....stay with D*TV or switch to TWC with DVR, and iDemand, etc.

Thoughts...?

[borghe]

hmm.. that sucks about the WAF.

umm.. I still wouldn't give TWC the time of day. mostly it comes down to two things: customer service and Tivo. It used to be price but ever since they started practically giving away the service to new subscribers price has become a relatively moot point.

Customer service is horrible. The service has just as many if not more problems than DirecTV (tell your wife cable goes out in bad weather also.. and you better hope a line doesn't get knocked down), and trying to get things fixed when there are problems can often lead to severe frustration on TOP OF no service.

For me also, there is Tivo. Instant replay, dual tuner buffering/pausing, season passes, wishlists, advanced searching, digital video extraction (OTA and satellite), caller id, etc.. Tivo is heads and shoulders above every other DVR.

The things TWC has going for it are simple. Convenience and lack of HD equipment to buy.

Personally I think herein lies your answer. Most people go with TWC due to convenience. They don't want to mess with OTA, don't want to buy the hardware, just want everything done for them. You however already have all of that taken care of. So what it comes down to now is service, and frankly DirecTV has TWC beat hands down. With your DirecTV HD service the only channels you are missing are inHD1&2, you get bravo to make up for it, and depending on your location you get as many or more HD locals than you do on cable.

Just my thoughts.

BTW, if any of it comes down to money, call customer retention at DirecTV.. they will be more than happy.. some of the bigger deals that are getting thrown around right now are free HD package for 6 months, $200 HD credit (useable on an HD Tivo), free OTA antenna install, all on top of the usual free HBO, Showtime etc. No you won't get all or most of them, but a customer retention rep will unquestionably give you one or two probably.

[MathWiz579]

I (very) recently made the switch from D* to TWC but for specific reasons:

(1) I don't have a home phone line but still wanted a DVR

(2) My apartment complex would not allow me to install the OTA antenna so I could get D* HD locals.

Now that I have switched I'm pretty satisfied.  Picture quality on the regular cable channels is not as good as D*, however the ability for me to have HD and DVRs (and an HD-DVR without spending $800) is very cool.

I would suggest that you at least call TWC and say that you are thinking about switching from sat. to cable.  They should switch you over to a special department that can give you a pretty good deal.  I ended up paying about the same for TWC as I was paying with D* and have a DVR, an HD-DVR, HD-package, and HBO package along with everything else I had with D* before the switch.

I've actually been pleased with TWC customer service.  They have been responsive and the people they have sent out to my place knew what they were doing and were able to reasonably pinpoint problems and come up with possible solutions.

Any questions, ask away.

[summerfun]

We have covered this ground over and over again, so there is no point to rehash it again. Just to say;

I am very happy with my TWC service. Their customer service has been great for me, never had a problem. Their cable and internet service has been great as well.

I like the DVR, even though TIVO may have a better menu search, the features they do have are more than acceptable.

Nuff said.  

[sp44again]

People that post should have experience with both like MathWiz. I've had both and customer service will always be better on DirecTV. What do you need customer service for with satellite? I can also change my programming in a matter of minutes without talking to someone! Picture quality will always be better also as long as cable still has analog stations from 1-99 or whatever it is now.

Anyway if your wife is boss why even bother posting the question. Change to TWC so she does't complain once every 6 months.

[smack]

I can't believe you lose service with D* every 6 months.  Maybe the dish needs to be realigned?   I have lost service with them due to rain/snow fade probably 3-4 times in 5 years and each time was for 10-15 minutes max.

I am sure TWC will be upgrading the HD offerings they have in the next year too, but D* is planning to launch 2 new satellites next year that are capable of handling something like 2000 HD channels.  This will be for providing HD locals as well as other channels such as ESPN2-HD which is scheduled to launch in Feb.

I don't have anything against TWC, but I love D* for the NFL ST and I like what D* has planned for the future with HDTV as well.

smack

[summerfun]

Originally posted by sp44again
People that post should have experience with both  

What an asinine thing to say. Only people with both can have something valuable to say?

Chrue seems to have a bad impression of TWC and I am telling him otherwise. That has nothing to do with having both systems. BTW, I have had SAT and TIVO before, so I do speak with experience of both.

[mhz40]

I don't know how long it's been since borghe had TW, but if it was more than 12 or 18 months ago; his experiences with customer service are outdated.
I work for TWC (there's your disclaimer).
Much has been done on the customer service side to get the boat pointed in the right direction.... and it's working.  Several times now I have called customer service on behalf of a friend or family member (through the regular consumer channels).  In every case I have received a live body in 10 to 30 seconds and obtained prompt, knowledgeable support from the rep answering the phone.
Now; a few here seem to think CS reps should know launch dates of new channels that have not even been announced, know every connection known to man (DVI, HDMI, firewire, component, Y/C, AC3, SPD/IF etc...) and how it specifically ties into their $5K entertainment systems in their living room; how many hours are on a DVR if 20% is hi-def and 80% is SD, and when the next visible solar eclipse will occur in the northern hemisphere.  IMO, it's not their job to know.  It's their job to fix what no longer works, upgrade/downgrade service needs of the customer and schedule service calls when all else fails.
Is there room for more improvement?  Sure.  But IMO, don't let CS sway you from your decision one way or the other.  Good luck in your decision... and this in no way is a flame on borghe.

Cheers!
:drink: :drink:

[sp44again]

Why would someone that has only had TWC or DTV have something valuable to say? They are wearing TWC or DTV free neon sunglasses.  How can you get a good opinion from someone having only tried one. Of course the person having TWC or DTV is going to say good things. Otherwise they wouldn't have it except for people like Mathwiz who couldn't keep one of them for other reasons. I guess Summerfun thought this was directed towards him. If it was I would of hit the little quote button.

[mhz40]

Originally posted by sp44again
Why would someone that has only had TWC or DTV have something valuable to say?

Because I think that says it all... they had no reason to switch in the first place!

[summerfun]

Originally posted by sp44again
I guess Summerfun thought this was directed towards him. If it was I would of hit the little quote button.

Yes, I did take as directed toward me.

You can't be more wrong. Just because I have TWC and say it is good, that does not mean I have no idea what else is out there. I don't live in a vacuum. I have personally had many different services and currently know people that have other services.

Trust me, If TWC service was lacking in any way, I would be the first one to dump them. I am very high maintenance and expect very high levels of service. TWC has been an excellent provider and they have given me absolutely no reason to change. Additionally, SAT has not provided anything of interest that would make me want to change.

This is not an opinion of someone with blinders on. I am a well informed person that has years of experience. I have lived in many different states with multiple services over the years.

[borghe]

my experiences with cable TV service are very old.. my experience with cable internet are ongoing.. and I know for a fact that up to a point they are the same customer service people.

On that note I am also familiar with the techs as they are the same techs who come to troubleshoot internet lines as are tv lines.

Also mind you I don't hate TWC, and I would never say "stay away from them no matter what" (unlike SBC). You will notice that I said "In your position". He already has DirecTV service, he has already jumped the hurdle of HD hardware costs, at this point is sounds like his wife just lost a show due to bad weather and wants cable because she is mastakenly under the belief that cable never goes out. If that is the case, well, cable does go out and she is probably going to say go back to DirecTV the first time it does..

I did what he asked, I made a recommendation based in his exact situation.. If it were a guy saying he wanted HD DVR and currently had no service but couldn't spend $1000, I would point him to TWC.

[StarvingForHDTV]

I couldn't decide on any provider so I went OTA.  I spent a couple hundred bucks or so on a used OTA HD tuner and antennas.  There is no bill that comes each month.  No worries about whether any provider will carry WB HD or whatever.  If I can't find something to watch I can read a book or go for a walk or spend the $40-$100 per month I would be paying to a provider.

It works for me, but everyone is different.

[oz]

I like TWC, but their customer service is bad. I just moved to a new apartment that didn't have cable installed - it took me about 12 phone calls and three reschedules for them to get it right.

In the end though, if took the guy about 3 hours to run all of the cabling. My bill was only $5.

[gparris]

Originally posted by StarvingForHDTV
I couldn't decide on any provider so I went OTA.  I spent a couple hundred bucks or so on a used OTA HD tuner and antennas.  There is no bill that comes each month.  No worries about whether any provider will carry WB HD or whatever.  If I can't find something to watch I can read a book or go for a walk or spend the $40-$100 per month I would be paying to a provider.

It works for me, but everyone is different.

Dear Starving:

Yes, every set owner IS different and with you having only OTA,

So my guess is that you have a smaller stomach than most of us!:rofl: