TWC to DTV should I switch?

[headshotwi]

I am really craving more HD stations especially SCI FI and many of the others  I currently pay about 60 a month for TWC with an HDDVR and the HD bonus pack.

It looks like it will cost me 200 bucks for an HDDVR along with 59.99 a month for the HD DVR package with DTV.  However it looks like the price jacks up to 69.99 after the first 12 months which kind of ticks me off.

Is the protection plan critical?  How often does the sattelite equipment break?  And whats with the insance 200 buck price on the HDDVR?

Also is it true I can't get CW18 in HD?  Recording Smallville in HD is so very critical to me....

[gparris]

Sounds like a deal at $60/month for 12 months for HD DVR service from Directv.
But the HD DVR has a lease cost and an upfront cost of at least $199, (at least online it does).
Further, in Milwaukeeland, Directv does not offer CBSHD or CWHD quite unlike our neighbours to the south in Chicagoland with DirectvHD.
Remember, too, to add to the cost for an antenna of some sort to your setup costs for use with the HR20 for HD recordings to get the local CW18HD as well as CBS58HD because that is the ONLY way you are going to get either network in HD here with Directv (or record it).
As far as Dishnetwork goes, they are now a "bit" behind, though some prefer the Voom channels and other in their selection, but they offer no HD locals at all.
AT&T's U-Verse does not offer many of the newer HD channels DirectvHD offers, either and availabilty is limited (no CWHD either).

There is NO perfect solution here in Milwaukeeland, sorry.

If you want Sci-Fi HD, subscribe to BOTH services and switch your HDTV inputs or AVR inputs accordingly, but its going to be a bit more expensive, too.

IF you want Sci-Fi (and most of what Directv has recently added) in HD on TWC:

Wait until 2009 (maybe by then they will "catch up").:mad:

[Bebop]

I don't know why they still have the protection plan, since no one owns any mpeg-4 receiver.

Talk to them again to see if they can offset the equipment cost with free programming.

[bubbaridesfast]

"TWC to DTV should I switch?"

Absolutely! You can't get more HD anywhere except maybe Blockbuster.

The start up costs for dvr's is negotiable as others on this forum have recently made note of. But you have to call (some times more than once) to get any deals.

The protection plan will save you the cost of paying for a service call if your dish goes out of alignment or you have a problem with anything OTHER than the receiver. Since the receivers are now leased, they are exchanged if they fail.

FWIW, I have not carried the protection plan in the 6 years I've had D* and I never regretted it once.

PS, you can add the protection plan if you have a problem but then you have to wait 30 days before you can use it, in other words, if you can get by for a month with the problem (use another box etc.) just add it when necessary.