TV Options

[reefa]

So I just got off the phone with DirecTV, because I'm upgrading my Dish to an MPEG-4 one, and the crackheads that are outsourced have missed two appointments in three Saturdays. And after dealing with a "customer service professional", I decided to cancel my account. I was bribed with free HBO, Showtime and HD programming for a year (the first two were for 6 months), and I rescheduled one last time, for 7/14. I'm being overly patient with them because I'll be getting it free in the next couple of weeks anyway. But, assuming the "three strikes and yer out" policy is in effect, which one should I go to?

[arciooh]

I'd go with Cable (since I used to have, and had no contract, so you can cancel anytime), but we've switched over to verizon fios, but it's DVR sucks really bad compared to Tivo...

[J.M. Vargas]

I'm trapped by the New York City antiquated zoning laws and old technology into having Time Warner Cable as my main provider. My building won't allow me to put a dish outside the window (fire hazard regulations) but if they did I'd get Dish. Direct TV has the edge with HD sports (MLB, NFL, etc.) but Dish has an offer to have a free HD-DVR if you sign up before September. Ultimately I'd like to get FIOS (heard nothing but good things about it) but it'll be years before Verizon comes to Harlem with that service.

[Future Man]

After being at a relative's who has satellite TV yesterday, during a rainstorm, and the dish being unable to pick up any signal for two hours due to the rain, I'm glad I have cable.

[hoytereden]

After being at a relative's who has satellite TV yesterday, during a rainstorm, and the dish being unable to pick up any signal for two hours due to the rain, I'm glad I have cable.

That's my problem with getting satellite. When you live in a area that averages over 120" of rain yearly that sounds like a lot of washouts. Right now I have basic cable but when I did my TV channel scan for the initial set-up it picked up a couple of HD channels (ABC & NBC) makes me want to upgrade but they only offer about 8 channels of HD.

[sneakers]

I have Directv but it doesn't rain that much where I live. If the dish went out for 2 hours I would just watch a dvd. No big deal.

[HGervais]

I've had DirecTV ever since Katrina when the cable company wasn't able to get their shit together quickly enough. So almost two years and no problems. Better picture quality, less expensive and the Tivo DVR beats the pants off the cable company's version.

[Mike Jackson]

Right now I have cable through Time Warner, but we're moving into our new digs this week, and AT&T offers U-Verse there, so I'm going to give that a try. If it doesn't pan out, then I'm going with DirecTV. I've had both satellite providers in the past, and they were my favorite.

[Rob Lineberger]

I voted the Ol' Rabbit Ears and antenna, because that's how I pick up OTA HD signals: a VHF antennae on the roof. 100 bucks, one time install, free HD TV for life.

[TemporalWisdom]

I can't do rabbit-ear antenna, because I tape everything I watch, and if the antenna needs adjusting I won't be there.

[Rob Lineberger]

If you're talking regular rabbit ears, I hear ya.

If you mean a UHF/VHF antenna on the roof to pick up HDTV, I doubt you'd find yourself "tweaking" it often. Mine is mounted by two steel straps to the chimney. HD is digital, so you either get the signal or you don't. If you do, it comes in at full uncompressed HD resolution. If you don't, there isn't much adjusting you can do, unless the signal tower moves for some reason.

[mkiker2089]

I always thought the rain outs were a myths by the cable company. I have many friends with satellite, Direct and Dish, and they only get rain outs when a hurricane washes onto shore. this far inland hurricanes happen once every 5 years and storms of that magnitude are almost as rare.

I wonder if it's location to the equator or something? Maybe the further south the better the signal? In that case people in Mexico need to stop coming across the border and simply subscribe to better TV.

I voted antenna but that's not really acurate. I subscribe to Time Warner's Road Runner and pay 8 dollars for "basic" which is the networks, PBS, and a select few other channels. I only watch the networks, pbs, and Hallmark. I don't consider myself a cable subscriber though since I don't get "cable" channels.

[Adam Arseneau]

unless the signal tower moves for some reason.

But, but... the doctor said it was a side effect of my medication. I knew it!

[BrettCullum]

What... no option for Apple TV? Anyone do this? I am actually tempted. I figured if I took what I spend in cable, and feed that into my iTunes store credit each month... I'd be able to watch what I wanted when without commercials. It's like a downloadable DVR or TiVO. The only thing is you do need two things: 1) wireless router in your house and 2)HDTV hooked up to it. For some reason even though I have both I am hesitating on it.

Right now I get cable, and here's my biggest problem. I have no time to watch television. I'd rather read, write, or watch a DVD all before I resort to the inane programming on TV. Yes, it's true. I am a television snob. What can you do? I exsisted forever without cable, and if I lived on my own that is how it would be. I used to be a "rabbit ears" guy. And I was happy damn it. I watched two shows on broadcast television, and DVDs. That was it and it was enough for me.

[J.M. Vargas]

Right now I get cable, and here's my biggest problem. I have no time to watch television. I'd rather read, write, or watch a DVD all before I resort to the inane programming on TV. Yes, it's true. I am a television snob. What can you do? I exsisted forever without cable, and if I lived on my own that is how it would be. I used to be a "rabbit ears" guy. And I was happy damn it. I watched two shows on broadcast television, and DVDs. That was it and it was enough for me.

Dude, you are soooo ready for Tivo and/or a DVR. Let the shows you want to watch pile-up for weeks/months (provided there's enough space) and then, when the space alloted is running out or you're in the mood for some serious TV viewing, watch a dozen or so episodes of your favorite show one after the other. I saw all of this season's "Stargate" shows, "Battlestar Galactica," "Heroes" and a bunch of others in massive five-six episode marathons at a time. It's like watching them on DVD but without the damn wait for the Box Set release ("Lost Season 3" in December? Frack that! ) and its the future of TV viewing for a new generation reared on the tube.

[Adam Arseneau]

How do you watch TV?

Poll runs till Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:51 pm
You may select 1 option

• DirecTV
• Dish
• Cable
• The ole' rabbit ears and antenna
• What's TV?

• Naked

[The Butcher]

I get my TV through the telephone line. It's pretty new, but works well so far (I work for the company so I get a pretty good deal). It's supposed to go HD this summer, but I really don't care until hockey season starts.

[Dunnyman]

Being in Seattle, I never realized that the rain would kill my DirectTV signal, but I was mostly watching football on Sundays. Whne I missed the first half of a Raiders playoff game, I was pissed. When I missed the last 10 laps of the Indy 500 I went insane. Why do I still put up with it? NFL Sunday Ticket. If it was available on ANY cable setup, I'd be there in a second. I can get hockey through cable, and ESPN does a good job with baseball as does the local FOX channel, but without football, and my beloved Raiders, there is no life. Plus, the PPV college games and my beloved Penn State are a plus, too...

[vjmurphy]

I had Dish Network for many years, but they annoyed me by not telling me about HD upgrades, both hardware and packages. I never was able to get HD locals, either (they didn't seem to offer it at the time, and my location was bad for over the air). When I moved, I got cable and it's not bad: I'm getting a good number of channels I got with Dish, plus HD locals, HDNet, and HD versions of Showtime, Cinemax and TMC. And, being cable, I do have the option of adding a Tivo Series 3 for HD recording.

Rain fade happened occasionally with Dish, but it tended to happen only when the weather was really bad (and usually the power would go out anyhow).

[mkiker2089]

I had Dish Network for many years, but they annoyed me by not telling me about HD upgrades, both hardware and packages. I never was able to get HD locals, either (they didn't seem to offer it at the time, and my location was bad for over the air). When I moved, I got cable and it's not bad: I'm getting a good number of channels I got with Dish, plus HD locals, HDNet, and HD versions of Showtime, Cinemax and TMC. And, being cable, I do have the option of adding a Tivo Series 3 for HD recording.

Rain fade happened occasionally with Dish, but it tended to happen only when the weather was really bad (and usually the power would go out anyhow).

You can debunk or help prove my theory then. Are you in the northern half or southern half? Like I said the theory is just a random guess but I hear people talking about rain fade like it happens all the time. Here it has to REALLY BAD. Imagine what Earth was like in Star Trek 4, pure cloud cover and constant torrential rain, that's when rain fade occurs here and even then it's not permanent. You get odd freeze frame effects and some pixelation but the signal never completely goes away. I'm in NC by the way.

[maintcoder]

I had Dishnet in the late 90's and when it rained hard or snowed, the picture went out. I have Comcast cable now and rarely if ever have an outage. I added the HD so I could get a box with the HDMI hook-up for my new TV, and it is awesome.