Which way is the way to go Directv or TWC?

[naimbeg]

I want to either get Directv or TWC ....
I will require 4 recievers (1 being a HD reviever)...
I also want to get the HBO package...

One issue is that Once you start getting into the HD packages with TWC the price really seems to jump up...

What or the pros and cons going either route?

Also, I think I have seen people post that they were able to haggle the price with Directv?
If so,  can anyone give me pointers on how to do this and what I should shoot for?

Thanks!

[Chinatown]

If the 1st 90 channels being analog does not matter to you, then choose cable. However, if you want to get your moneys worth, then choose D. I have had it for 5 years & would never go back to cable. Yes, you can haggle with them. I got $150.00 of of the HD package. And NO, you do not loose the signal, as long it is professionally installed.

The 4 receivers will run you $20.00......+ $45.00 for the basic+ pacakge......The HD pacakge runs $12.00, but as a new subscriber the 1st 6 months will be free.......HBO, etc. runs $12.00 extra.   I have never had trouble with service & you can change/alter service 24/7. Will have whatever changes you want in place within 30 seconds......... You best go to the website to get all the details...........

[picopir8]

Oh oh here we go again!

Trying to stay as diplomatic as possible, it really depends on what and how you want to watch.  There is no one solution that is best for everyone.

For the three non-HD sets.  With cable you could connect them directly to the cable but you would only get the 1-99 channels.  If you wanted all the channels on those TVs then you would need to rent digital boxes ($7 each,IIRC).  Going with DirecTV will cost the price of the boxes (you might be able to find a 3-4 TV hookup deal for free if you are a new customer, otherwise plan on at least $50-100 each) then you will need to pay $5/mo per box.

For HD, TWC offers a few more HD channels and all the HD locals except UPN and WB are broadcast.  DirecTV will broadcast HD locals by summer but I dont think Milwaukee is one of the markets.  Though you can get the locals with an antenna.  Some channels dont have very high power at the moment but I think everyone will be cranking their power later in the year.

DirecTV offers Tivos though I think those will be phased out soon.  TWC offers on demand programing as part of their DVR package.

DirecTV is all digital but a small handfull of channels (locals especially) are heavily compressed and compression artifacts are present.  TWC 1-99 channels are analog and look fuzzy on a big screen.  100+ channels look great.

Both DirecTV and TWC have the same outage frequency from my experience.  DirecTV can suffer from dense cloud cover and TWC can suffer from fallen lines. In each case the outages usually occur only when the weather is really bad.

These are the major differences.  Use this as a guide to determine exactly the kind of service you want then price out both companies plans, and price out both companies promotions (free boxes w/ DirecTV and reduced rates for TWC).

[TPK]

I want to either get Directv or TWC ....
I will require 4 recievers (1 being a HD reviever)...
I also want to get the HBO package...

One issue is that Once you start getting into the HD packages with TWC the price really seems to jump up...

What or the pros and cons going either route?

Also, I think I have seen people post that they were able to haggle the price with Directv?
If so,  can anyone give me pointers on how to do this and what I should shoot for?

Thanks!

I like cable better for the simple reason that if I want to have television on my not-so-important TVs (like the one in my bedroom, the one in my kitchen, the cheap TV tuner in my computer, etc) I need only to split the cable and run it to my various devices....

Few people would justify the expense (and counter space) of having a full blown dish receiver just to receive television programming on their 12" television in their kitchen....  

The nice thing is that any TV you can get now-a-days is going to be 'cable-ready', so you can just plug a cable into the RF input and suddenly you get 80 or so channels in good-enough quality to work on a 12" TV...

And, in the future, hopefully any TV you could get will have cable-card slots equipped, in which case the TV would be 'digital-cable-ready', then you can get all channels, even the premium channels, on your lowly television in your kitchen...

I don't see any satellite system ever being so versitile....

[jkane]

Sorry for the food for the fire, but I can't resist!

I have sattelite cable all over my house and do not have a box sitting at each TV.  I have an infrared remote repeater sitting on top of the tv that transmitts the signal back through the same cable that feeds the signal.

I have not had cable since the mid 90's, so things may have changed.  Outages from cable were days at a time.  Outages for dish have been a couple of hours per YEAR!

My dish is still the lowest priced service around.

Last I heard, cable was still basic stereo sound only.  I have excellent sound on dish!

Of course, this is an HDTV forum, so when you focus on that alone, cable has 2 of the 3 big satellite companies beat hands down.  (The third one has a poor selection of basic channels if it will even be around next year.)  If you don't mind the forever rental fees that never end and keep going up nad up and up, you may be better off with cable until sattelite gets up to speed on HD.

All that said, do I think dish is better?  Yes.  Is it better for you?  That's your choice. :p

[Stanley Kritzik]

If you're interested in HDTV right now, you'd need DirecTV (D*) plus an off-air antenna to match Time Warner.  And, with D*, you do have to scatter receivers or repeaters around the house for each TV set, but D* has a great, but pricey HD Tivo device.

Fast forward a year or two, and D* will have new satellites broadcasting lots of HD programming plus (probably) all the local stations in HD.  They'll also have some sort of a home entertainment center this year to support one HD set plus four (I think) standard definition sets.  Presumably, the cable industry will have new gadgetry, too.

In summary, I think it's a tough time to make a decision, 'cause so much is changing, and I haven't even mentioned the switch from VCRs to high definition DVDs (if the industry can ever solve the HD-DVD vs. Blu Ray format clash).  There's also Tivo and like devices to consider.  Depending on your preferences (I want certain things NOW, or I want enough now and the best in a few years), make your evaluation and go with it on a strategic (long-term) basis, because switching between TW and satellite is a lot tougher than simply upgrading equipment within either delivery system.

So, with all that "on the one hand/on the other hand" conversation, let us know what you decide.

SK

[picopir8]

I have not had cable since the mid 90's, so things may have changed.

Things have changed quite a bit.  I too switched to satellite in the mid 90s.  At that time its was way ahead of cable.  A few months ago I decided to give cable another shot (waiting for voom business to settle down or wait for D* prices to drop).  I was amazed at what I was missing.  TWC offers more channels, the digital picture is better, the on demand content is a nice bonus.  Sure the 1-99 channels are a bit fuzzy but its something I can live with  especially since most of the the ones that I would watch are also offered in HD in the 500+ range (locals, espn, tnt, discovery, etc).

As for sound.  Digital cable offers surround sound.  My receiver has registerd 5.1 DD signals.

Also, with the multiple TV setup.  Yes you can use one satellite receiver to drive multiple TVs but then you are limited to watching that one channel on all the TVs.  It works if you are a single person who just wants to be able to watch TV in different rooms.  However, if the significant other, kids, or house guests want to watch something else, you are SOL.

For me, switching back to TWC has been just as pleasent as when I left them nearly 10 years ago.   However I know that not everyone is looking for the same thing.  Cable has changed a lot in the last 10 years and I think a lot of people who left think that nothing has changed.

Actually since cable has no contracts, I recommend just about everyone giving it a shot for a month.  I bet most people would probably stick with it.

[FiberOptic]

If you are a Chicago baseball fan, the games will be on WGN and Comcast Sports Net.  TWC customers will only get the 74 WGN games this year, unless TWC adds Comcast Sports Net.  D* has both channels and E* will add Comcast after 4/1, so with satellite you get almost all 162 games

[AndrewP]

Of course, this is an HDTV forum, so when you focus on that alone, cable has 2 of the 3 big satellite companies beat hands down.  (The third one has a poor selection of basic channels if it will even be around next year.)  If you don't mind the forever rental fees that never end and keep going up nad up and up, you may be better off with cable until sattelite gets up to speed on HD.

I cannot agree with you on that third satellite company, VOOM. It has all basic cable channels with better PQ than Dish Network. I can compare because I have Dish Network (in sleep mode now). Just name basic cable channel Voom doesn't have. And Voom has 40 HD channels. Yesterday they released Super DMA map for Milwaukee area local OTA. I will try this summer to install a better antenna and pickup most of 51 available locals. I have all Milwaukee locals but want to add Chicago stations. Initail investment in Voom for three receivers is just $1.00 ot only one dollar more than TWC. The good part of Voom receiver is that it has 5 outputs (2 HD - DVI and component, 3 SD - coax, S-video, composite) and all are active. So you can watch some program on 2 HDTVs and 3 regulat TVs at the same time (the same channell of course).
And as for the Voom future I think and hope that Voom will make it. But it is not 100% known as of now.

Andrew

[mhz40]

I cannot agree with you on that third satellite company, VOOM. It has all basic cable channels with better PQ than Dish Network. I can compare because I have Dish Network (in sleep mode now). Just name basic cable channel Voom doesn't have. And Voom has 40 HD channels. Yesterday they released Super DMA map for Milwaukee area local OTA. I will try this summer to install a better antenna and pickup most of 51 available locals. I have all Milwaukee locals but want to add Chicago stations. Initail investment in Voom for three receivers is just $1.00 ot only one dollar more than TWC. The good part of Voom receiver is that it has 5 outputs (2 HD - DVI and component, 3 SD - coax, S-video, composite) and all are active. So you can watch some program on 2 HDTVs and 3 regulat TVs at the same time (the same channell of course).
And as for the Voom future I think and hope that Voom will make it. But it is not 100% known as of now.

Andrew

Right now your VOOM signal is guaranteed only until March 31st.  IMO, chances of VOOM surviving is not even 50/50 right now.  
I'd save some of that antenna money as a slush-fund for a possible new HD vendor -- especially if you have a soft spot for satellite vendors.

[AndrewP]

Right now your VOOM signal is guaranteed only until March 31st.  IMO, chances of VOOM surviving is not even 50/50 right now.  
I'd save some of that antenna money as a slush-fund for a possible new HD vendor -- especially if you have a soft spot for satellite vendors.

1. Nobody knows what the chances are.  :rolleyes:
2. I had 40 HD channels for 8 months now. How much I will lose ? $0 - I had free installation with free receivers   . And I will most likely keep receivers for OTA.  :rofl: I paid only for programming & rental fees.
3. I have antenna already, I used it on attic with Dish Network before and I did not get Fox6. Voom installed antenna on the roof and delivered all locals. I want just to try reach Chicago with my antenna replaced and/or stacked with Voom antenna.
4. I think that there is only one HD provider - Voom with 40 channels. Everybody else are way way behind. So there is no need for such slush-fund. I will probably just add Dish HD only for $10 + $5 fee to my locals (if Voom will go dark and I think it will not).

Andrew

[jkane]

As for sound.  Digital cable offers surround sound.  My receiver has registerd 5.1 DD signals.

Also, with the multiple TV setup.  Yes you can use one satellite receiver to drive multiple TVs but then you are limited to watching that one channel on all the TVs.  It works if you are a single person who just wants to be able to watch TV in different rooms.  However, if the significant other, kids, or house guests want to watch something else, you are SOL.

Dish has PCM stereo audio on all channels.  5.1 when the providor offers it.

I have 3 receivers all in one rack that feed the house.  People can watch whatever they want in any room they want.  It's not a single feed setup.  Yeah, it's more than what most people will get, but I get great audio and picture all the time no matter what channel I pick.

[jkane]

Just name basic cable channel Voom doesn't have.
Andrew

They didn't carry SciFi nor Food Network last year.  Has that changed?

[AndrewP]

They didn't carry SciFi nor Food Network last year.  Has that changed?

Yes it changed, they carry SciFi, Food, HGTV, last week added Lifetime suite (package of 3 ch.), this week expect to add more.

Andrew

[Army82ndAB]

There really are Pro's and Con's to each provider, so I'll just say why I'm with D* right now.

I used to be with TWC before the Army, and was happy with them for the most part. When I came back home I went back to them, but I was experiencing too many problems with outages, and my boxes just not working all of a sudden. So, I decided to go to D* and give them a shot.

I like D* for the price of their programming, their customer service has been far superior to my experiences w/ TWC, I am able to get "deals" if you ask through D*, and I think D* has a solid plan in place for the future of TV. Since switching to D* I have had one signal loss during one of our heavy snowfalls, but I just went out and brushed off the Dish and LNB's and it came back on. I also have found the SD picture to be better as well.

Just my experience...Both have benefits, just pick the right one for you...I will say as far as i remember Cable isn't on a contractual basis, so you should try that first since you have to agree to a 1 year deal with D*.