Direct TV HDTV startup kit for $100 at Best Buy

[pestario]

I was at Best Buy yesterday and I saw a HDTV Startup kit that cost $94. What the Kit gives you is a lease program with Direct TV. You get 1 top of the line HDTV reciever and up to 3 regular recivers for $10/month fee. Then you just have to commint to regular Direct TV programing with one of the HD packages for 1 year.

Seems like a decent deal but after 1 year your basically out $220 between the startup fee and lease fees.

Time Warner cable rents out HDTV boxes for like $7/month plus programing, but the programing costs a bit more. Isn't it around $54 with regular Digital cable an an HDTV box?

Has anyone tried this program? Any opinions on it?

[Paul S.]

Originally posted by pestario

Time Warner cable rents out HDTV boxes for like $7/month plus programing, but the programing costs a bit more. Isn't it around $54 with regular Digital cable an an HDTV box?

 

Yeah, it is. What would it be with DirectTV? Sounds interesting...

[pestario]

Direct TV would be right around $50/month with lease fees for comperable service. But thats still not including the $94 startup fee.

Both options you lease the equipment, local HD channels with Direct TV are also through an atenna that is attached to the HD dish

[Paul S.]

So, its maybe a lil more for dish, eh?

[borghe]

IT seems like it is about a horse a piece... but I think the thing that we are seeing here for the first time is that new users without a ton of cash to drop aren't "forced" to go with TWC. For the last 2ish years we have been seeing people on this board saying "I can't afford $500 for a box to get HD. TWC will give me one for free." What this could lead to gaining those DirecTV customers who genuinely liked what DirecTV had to offer, just thought the startup costs were too steep. And let's not forget DirecTV's current customer retention special. If you are a good enough customer with directv (really not that hard, pay your bill and carry $50 worth of programming for the last two years) they will even give you an HD receiver with Dish/install for $100. Doing that you will make your money back over cable in less than a year.

DirecTV is finally competitive in HD equipment.. There are a lot of offers out there which you will end up paying from around the same amount as cable to much less than cable.. You just have to find out wat they are (most are in this thread). Unfortunately it will be hard once again when HD DVR comes.. but unless Rupert wants to loss lead like cable and just give those boxes away for leasing fees, it will be like that for at least the next 1-2 years.

[pestario]

in reading through the programing packet it looks like there is a service fee of $4.99 a month per room for addition recivers(not the lease cost but cost for programing)

If this is the case that shoots the price of Direct TV up as you can add cable to any room wih a cable ready TV for no additional fees. I have a total of 4 areas which recieve TV right now.

Looks like Ill be calling TW shortly, Sigh

[sp44again]

you can't get digital cable in those rooms, that's just analog

[Gregg Lengling]

Not neccesarily...depends...all Diredtv is digital..if you are talking about HD it depends on the box...If you have an HD capable box in each room it still gives you HD and it's till only 4.99 per box...but you need to own the boxes.

[pestario]

right, I dont minf the analog on my other TVS but wanted digital HDTV for my Theater room.

With time warner there is no additional cost for regular cable to the other TVS, with DIrect TV I have to pay $4.99 per additional Television.

[sp44again]

But DirecTV is all digital and cable in your other rooms is analog. That's why you are paying with DirecTV.

[pestario]

I dont mind paying extra for the digital but I dont need anything dynaimc in the other rooms. If I am really into a show I am going to watch it in the theater with HDTV, analog would be fine for the others. Unfortunatley with Direct I dont have that option.