3 questions on switching from TWC to DirecTV

[yaderhey]

Apologies in advance if these questions have been answered in other places, but I have three specific questions that, despite my research, I can't find answers to.

I think I'm ready to switch from TWC to DirecTV, but ...

1. I don't have a phone land line anymore, just a cell phone.  Can I have DirecTV and its DVR without one?

2. Are Milwaukee local channels actually available in HD?  The DirecTV Web site appears to show that 4, 6 and 12 are, but 58 and 10 are not.  (If not, does the DVR set top box come with an HD tuner/antenna so I can pick up those stations OTA?)

3. I use Earthlink as my ISP, which is really just RoadRunner with a different name.  Without a land line, I can't get DSL.  So if I drop TWC, will I continue to use its cable modem service via Earthlink?  (And currently, the Earthlink bill comes through my cable bill. What happens if I'm not a TWC customer?)

OK, I guess that's technically five questions.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Bluto]

Apologies in advance if these questions have been answered in other places, but I have three specific questions that, despite my research, I can't find answers to.

I think I'm ready to switch from TWC to DirecTV, but ...

1. I don't have a phone land line anymore, just a cell phone.  Can I have DirecTV and its DVR without one?

2. Are Milwaukee local channels actually available in HD?  The DirecTV Web site appears to show that 4, 6 and 12 are, but 58 and 10 are not.  (If not, does the DVR set top box come with an HD tuner/antenna so I can pick up those stations OTA?)

3. I use Earthlink as my ISP, which is really just RoadRunner with a different name.  Without a land line, I can't get DSL.  So if I drop TWC, will I continue to use its cable modem service via Earthlink?  (And currently, the Earthlink bill comes through my cable bill. What happens if I'm not a TWC customer?)

OK, I guess that's technically five questions.

Thanks in advance for your help!

1.  Yes.  I have 4 receivers/DVRs with no phone lines attached to any of them.

2.  4, 6, and 12 are available in HD via DirecTV.  I use an over-the-air antenna, plugged into my set top boxes to get all local channels.  Your location may impact what you get via OTA, though.

3.  I have Roadrunner as my ISP even though I do not use their cable service anymore.  I imagine that TWC will continue to bill you for Earthlink like they do today.  But maybe someone else can confirm that.

[yaderhey]

Re: the phone line, I got the impression from DirecTV that it was required to send localized information to the programming guide, like TIVO does (I think).

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but here's their line from their FAQ:

"In order for us to comply with the blackout rules established by each professional sports league, we require our sports customers to have a continuous land-based phone connection to their DIRECTV Receiver."

Would that prohibit me from watching Brewers/Packers games?

[kevbeck122]

According to this: http://escapees.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/765603761/m/1121064672 you don't need the landline connection.

[vegasvic]

The only thing you can't do without being hooked up to a phone line is order PPV through the remote.  But you can order PPV online or over the phone, not a big deal.

[yaderhey]

Thanks very much for the clarification.

Two more quick questions, if I can:

1. How does the DirecTV HD DVR compare to TWC's?  (Storage, usability, ability to record one show and watch the other, etc.)

2. When I had DirecTV four years ago (before I bought my HDTV), my biggest complaint was that it took a second or two to switch between channels.  Is that lag time still an issue (in HD or otherwise)?

Thanks again!

[vegasvic]

I dumped TWC before they had DVR's so I can't answer that.  But the HR20 rocks.  I also have a Tivo and I prefer the HR20.

There is a small lag between changing channels.  I don't really notice it much except when switching between SD/HD or HD/SD.  But I rarely watch anything in SD anymore.

[Blitzburgh]

Jump now buddy.

There are more axels being added the D*'s bandwagon to handle all of the newcomers.

There DVR's rock also.

[yaderhey]

Last and final question (for now) ... I promise:

How about FSN Wisconsin, which is occasionally in HD for Brewers games on TWC?

Brewers games, for the few times they're shown in HD, look soooo great.  Does DirecTV offer that channel in HD, too?

Thanks again so much.

[murdoc]

Last and final question (for now) ... I promise:

How about FSN Wisconsin, which is occasionally in HD for Brewers games on TWC?

Brewers games, for the few times they're shown in HD, look soooo great.  Does DirecTV offer that channel in HD, too?

Thanks again so much.

FSN Wisconsin is not offered by D* at the moment, just FSN North (channel 641).  The Brewer's games come up on a separate alternate channel (channel 642).  Once in a while D* will add the FSN HD channel in the 90's range of channels for the game.  Not all the FSN Wisconsin HD games were carried by D* this year, but by the time next season rolls out, I would expect D* to carry FSN Wisconsin and the HD channel as well.

[vegasvic]

Yup, most, but not all, of the Brewer FSN games in HD were carried on Channel 94 or 95.  By next year they will all be on.  The Bucks are in the stone ages when it comes to TV so who knows with them.

[Bebop]

If you want to watch Bucks games, live in China. They probably get every single Bucks games there.

[vegasvic]

I've heard that the Bucks opener in Orlando will be broadcast in HD on FSN.  At least that's one (but I'll believe it when I see it  )