The Deed is Done. Bye bye, TWC!

[Cheesehead Dave]

After a third bout of Crapigator failing to record shows on my 8300HDC box because of the dreaded "Channel not available" error, I finally pulled the trigger and placed my order with DirecTV.

They'll be coming out Saturday morning to do the install.

I'll be going out Saturday afternoon to return the 8300HDC. (And get a receipt for the return, just in case...)

[Matt Heebner]

Welcome to the club.
Directv is the way to go. I watch so much HD I am shocked to see something on now that is in SD....everything from DIY to Food Network. You will not be disappointed !!!!

[gparris]

Bring it on, as when the upcoming Crapagator is dumped on unsuspecting TWC HD DVR 8300HD renters, there will be a really big line to return their boxes for getting alternative payTV service providers, me being one of them.

Congradulations and know this:
Bev Greenburg could probably care less, IMO.:rolleyes:

Combine Crapagator with the few (13) National HD channels we have from TWC Wisconsin
(vs. others in many other TWC locations: Going on three dozen)
- and you have a "formula" that will drive almost anyone who can switch out of TWC for cableTV service:
TO SWITCH!;)

[gb4fan92]

Welcome to DirectTV :hug:

Member for 2 months and couldn't be happier!

[Cheesehead Dave]

Now I'll need to look into antenna options. I'm going to miss the Chicago stations for now, but once the weather is nicer, I'll probably end up at the top of the chimney to install an antenna to get those, as well as WDJT-HD, if it isn't available yet.

[gparris]

When I start missing CBSHD, I will attempt to install a Squareshooter antenna to link up with the HR21 and the add-on OTA module coming out soon.
While I am not certain if I have to run three lines to each of the two HR21's for OTA, I will have to do more research on this beforehand.

[Jack 1000]

Let us know how you like it!!!! Now all Direct TV/Dish Network need is Video On Demand, that would really put a dent in cable!

Do you know how much you will be saving with dish vs. cable?  I checked with a friend of mine with a similar packaging structure before I got All in One w/DVR service and there was only about a 5 dollar difference in price.

Are you getting a dish Tivo or DVR?  Everyone likes the integrated Tivo.

Jack

[steve053]

Let us know how you like it!!!! Now all Direct TV/Dish Network need is Video On Demand, that would really put a dent in cable!

DirecTv has video on demand.  You have to network your dvr to the internet and have a broadband connection.  Not quite as easy as cable, but still pretty good imho.

Steve

[steve053]

After a third bout of Crapigator failing to record shows on my 8300HDC box because of the dreaded "Channel not available" error, I finally pulled the trigger and placed my order with DirecTV.

They'll be coming out Saturday morning to do the install.

I'll be going out Saturday afternoon to return the 8300HDC. (And get a receipt for the return, just in case...)

You're gonna love the 80+ HD channels!

Congrats on pulling the trigger.

[gparris]

Directv has a special running for $20 a month for a year until Feb.
-For any almost any selection programming level you pick=$240/year savings.
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/index.jsp
Then:
Add the free HDExtra pack for 3 months=$15
Then:
Free ($42/month Premiums) for 3 months = $126
Total savings before the first $99 HD DVR=$381 :
This gets you 2 HD DVRs and 1 HD box (lease setup costs)
(if you have 3 HDTVs as some forum members do).
-and no future Crapagator headaches!

Make sure you folks getting installed or have done recently get all you are due!

[Cheesehead Dave]

Directv has a special running for $20 a month for a year until Feb.

That's what made it even easier. $20/mo is pretty decent.

[brewtownska]

Anyone who has recently changed to DirecTV and had an antenna...will the installer connect the antenna along with the diplexor (..is that the correct word?) to combine the satellite & OTA signals together so I can get both to each box without running separate lines?  Is that a normal thing to ask of an installer, or would it cost extra?

I have one of those big 30+ ft tall metal free-standing antenna mounts behind my house that holds an old UHF/VHF antenna.  With the exception of one of the largest elements broken off, it looks to be in the direction of all the Milwaukee stations (pointed east...I'm in Waukesha).  I have never climbed up there to run any new wire and try it.  It had the flat wire (300ohm?) coming off in through the baseboard into the basement.  We cut it off when I bought the house 5 years ago thinking we'd never use it :bang:

In a perfect world, I get the installer to mount the dish somewhere on the tall antenna mount, connect the antenna to the setup, and run those new joined signals to a few places in the house.  I only plan to get 2 DirecTV boxes, but I have older boxes that do OTA that I could use on other TVs/computers, which is why I'd love to have both signals combined.

Knowing an installer could and would do that for me would help me jump the TWC ship in the next few months.  So if anyone knows if this is within the norm of an installer's duties, please let me know.

Mike

[bubbaridesfast]

When I upgraded to the 5 LNB dish the installer told me you cannot diplex the OTA anymore but I have since read conflicting reports on DBStalk so he might be wrong about that.
Maybe some one else will come on here with more info. I rather doubt that the installer would install the dish on your antennea, maybe near it but not on the same mast unless it is really substantial. The dish has extra posts to stabilize it in strong winds and there probably isn't an easy way to adapt that to your existing set-up, although I could be wrong, I have never done the dish install myself.

[Bluto]

Basically, install your broadband converter (BBC) *before* you diplex the antenna in, then it would work.  So, move the BBC way up the line ahead of where you'd diplex in the antenna line.

[Cheesehead Dave]

The newer HR21 boxes don't have an input for an OTA antenna. Supposedly later this year, there will be some sort of USB add-on to allow this and integrate the OTA channels into the channel guide. Not sure if you'd get DVR functionality with that, however.

Except for 58-HD, it's really a non-issure for me, except that I'd like to be able to pull in the Chicago stations as well, as that's one thing I'll be losing without cable.