OT: DISH vs DirectTV vs Cable

Submitted by Allin4Blue on

I have been with Comcast for a long time with a very minimal plan.  I'm looking to upgrade plans since Michigan Football with be on the BTNs and FS1s and such.  Comcast does not offer low level plans to get sports packages and my wife is an avid HGTV watcher (which we don't have, because it requires the premium plan).  

My question for you all is:

What TV provider do you have and are you happy with them?

 

(I'm thinking of switching to DISH to take advantage of their $49.99 two year plan)

My concerns with satellite are:

-Bad service during storms

-Crazy install and hidden fees

-Need to still use Comcast for Internet (no bundle plan)

-Customer Service

 

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UMGoRoss

August 11th, 2015 at 2:38 PM ^

We have it in Ann Arbor and love it. User interface is way better than the cable providers, plus you can typically get Sunday Ticket free for the first year.

Joined: 03/08/2011

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BlueFish

August 11th, 2015 at 3:30 PM ^

I've been a DirecTV customer off and on for 10+ years; my parents have Comcast and a friend has U-Verse (and I was formerly a U-Verse customer, as well as a Dish customer at one time).  I much prefer the DirecTV user interface.

As for weather, I only lose signal in heavy downpours, which would need to actually coincide with my TV-watching.  It's maybe once a quarter, and only temporarily.  An overblown worry, in my opinion.  If I'm watching a Triple D marathon and my signal goes out due to heavy rain, I can usually find something else to do for a few minutes.

The only annoying thing about DirecTV is the occasional soliciting phone calls, where they call repeatedly and don't leave messages.  But when I finally answer to chew them out, they usually offer me a good deal on premium channels.

There was a time when DirecTV was the only way to see U-M games outside the region (via the GamePlan package).  No other provider had it.  But that's no longer a concern with the ABC/ESPN/BTN coverage arrangement.

Joined: 08/21/2009

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Above and Beyond

August 11th, 2015 at 3:47 PM ^

I have that same issue with losing signals in heavy storms. The temporary fix? Just go to your menu and switch the setting to display the standard definition channels and watch those until the signal comes back. The reason SD channels (usually) work when HD doesn't is because they require a much lesser signal.

Joined: 07/27/2015

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HenneGivenSunday

August 11th, 2015 at 5:22 PM ^

^^co-sign as well^^
I have been a DirecTV customer for about 5 years now. I was paying about $135/mo for cable before, now paying $75 or so per month for DirecTV. I haven't really had too many issues with reception during storms, and you get so much more DVR space. Customer service can be a bit of a challenge sometimes (takes 3 phone calls to renew or renegotiate your contract when it comes up). Do not let your contract rollover to month to month, and do not take their first offer for renewal.



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NFG

August 11th, 2015 at 2:39 PM ^

I have DirecTV. IMO, it is the best out there. Albeit the first commentor disagrees. The HD, channel selection, movies on demand etc. put Dish to shame. It is more expensive however.

Joined: 04/24/2012

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Optimism Attache

August 11th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^

I now have an internet-based watching experience with digital antenna. I will surely not have formal access to some games (FS1 and BTN games), but those can usually streamed by other means--or, I don't mind going to the bar to watch a couple games a year. Sling Tv offers an ok sports package with multiple ESPN options, plus it has HGTV. 

Total ~ $70/month with taxes. 

Joined: 09/13/2011

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Optimism Attache

August 11th, 2015 at 5:57 PM ^

We like it a lot. We use a cheap Roku LT. Picture is HD and I like that you can watch on your phone or laptop with Sling. 

I will say the remote response time is not the greatest--not sure if that is the Roku or Sling. No technical issues beyond a couple outages they had when it first launched a few months ago.

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Wolverine Devotee

August 11th, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^

Honestly, your best bet is to upgrade to the digital preferred package with Comcast. You get basically every sports channel except Pac-12 Networks and FCS which are premium.

You even get the Comcast-only channel 900 that has Michigan Hockey games.

 

Joined: 06/29/2009

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Wolverine Devotee

August 11th, 2015 at 2:55 PM ^

Price depends on if you include the triple play with the internet and house phone or not. It's cheaper to go with the triple play than just cable.

Plus, the more cable boxes you have in your house, the more it's obviously going to cost.

 

Joined: 06/29/2009

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spigmoni

August 11th, 2015 at 3:36 PM ^

You can go with a double play also (skip the phone line). Definitely agree that sticking with comcast may be your best bet despite having a notoriously bad customer service, they get away with it by having the best product available especially with the x1 remote/dvr etc you can upgrade for free.  

 Totally anecdotal, but my parent's house has had both DISH and DirectTV throughout the years.  DirectTV is pretty decent for the sports packages; however, anything that goes down for anything weather related (snow, rain) negates any deal you may be able to find IMO.   

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ijohnb

August 11th, 2015 at 3:55 PM ^

customer service has improved.  They do not send out sub-contractors anymore and they are a lot more helpful over the phone than they used to be.  The Xfinity stores are pretty nice and helpful too.  For an internet company their on-line help options are comically bad but you usually don't need them.

The only bad thing about Comcast is the price.  With the premium package, you can connect and disconnect and reconnect enough to get everything you want for $200/month but that is expensive.  Comcast is worth it for busy families with tech-needy kids who frankly use electronics as a babysitter(this is not a judgment, I am one of these people).  I pay quite a bit per month but it is for cable-DVR on three TVs, internet, wireless internet, etc.  It is like paying more to avoid any hastle and that can be worth it.

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M Gulo Gulo

August 11th, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^

I have comcast...it's a little pricy but I get everything and never miss a game. Only thing that sucks is trying to watch the NFL (if youre not a fan of the local team) DirectTV has the monopoly on NFL Ticket so I have to head to the bars to watch my team. But for college comcast does the job and the signal never fails. Best of luck with your decision. Go Blue!!

Joined: 02/23/2015

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SpazCarpenter

August 11th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^

I'm sure other people are very happy with their service. Comcast is the king. It has a user friendly box. The remote has a great RESPONSE time. I can not tell you enough how much of a drag it is to be at friends house and I have to get used to pressing each button 3 times for the box to respond. If you look to support a company who treats their employees well, all of them fail. They are all overpriced and evil, but Comcast IMO delivers the best product for tv and the fastest internet.

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Michigan Arrogance

August 11th, 2015 at 2:43 PM ^

how this thread will go:

  • comment about a la carte being on the horizon
  • fuck comcast
  • 4k is a fad guy shows up - "it's just like 3D"
  • guy who cut the cord years ago has no regrets (and no kids so he can go to the bar for M football and HBO GO from his parents and Netflix from his brother). totally saves thousands a day tho
  • Jim Delaney was an idiot for getting Rutgers based on TV subs
  • Fuck comcast
  • OLED displays - they're the future!
  • will the B10 get the last great TV deal of the 1st of the worst?
  • DirecTV guy praises NFL ticket
  • Dish guy praises prices
  • fuck comcast
  • guys tells you to cut the cord and get free (and illegal) streams online.
  • etc

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ijohnb

August 11th, 2015 at 4:01 PM ^

I am not seeing nearly as much of "just stream it illegally" guy on here as I expected.  At least 10 people have told me how easy it is and then they proceed to explain a process that does not sound at all easy and I just go home and watch my cable bundle with no regrets.

Joined: 09/21/2009

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youn2948

August 11th, 2015 at 2:46 PM ^

While I'm biased.  F%^&* DirectTV.  Salesman lied to me about cost and service.  Called when I received non-HD equipment(also old), they said too bad basically and that I could pay the termination fee if I wasn't happy or charge me an additional $40/mo to throw on HD and upgrade the receivers.

Bundle plans are still usually similar to dish initial 2 yr deals.  Have Charter here whose customer service IMO is much better than Comcasts.  Made a conscious effort about 5 years ago to improve and it shows.  AFAIK, DirectTV vs Comcast is like dealing with either Hitler or Stalin.  Maybe Comcast is no longer awful, but I'd doubt it.

Dish is more friendly than DTV IMO but I fell for the DTV salesman telling me they could get it cheaper(while lying out of their ass).  I'd go dish or Comcast depending on deals and/or preference.  I wouldn't worry too much about satellite cutting in and out, very few times it was an issue for me.  Luckily for me Charter has all the sports packages I need on basic tier, unlike DTV.  IDK about dish and Comcast though.

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Jack Hammer

August 11th, 2015 at 2:51 PM ^

Have Comcast. Worst service company in history. Internet down all the time. Home security never works - is off line. Except when the hinge security system decides to call to local for department. Twice we have had fire engines at our house in the middle of the night for no reason other than that the Comcast home security alerted them. And Comcast will not let us out of the contract despite the terrible issues. And the monthly bill is $200+. I hate Comcast just slightly less than OSU.

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BlueMan80

August 11th, 2015 at 2:55 PM ^

and I'm still happy which ought to say something about it.

As long as you have something recorded on your DVR, you have something to watch when big thunderstorms roll through.  I now have a smart TV, so I can watch Netflix, too, when the weather is bad.

It's is expensive.  There are cheaper alternatives, but they do carry every sports channel known to man, so I never miss a college football game I want to watch.  Not a huge NFL fan, so I have been able to resist adding NFL Sunday Ticket to my bill.

Yes, you may need to hang on to Comcast for cable modem service, but with AT&T acquiring DirecTV, there are TV and data bundles coming in the future.  Have to be.  I am totally unbundled:  Vonage for voice service, Comcast for data, and DirecTV for video.  Once AT&T offers competitive data speeds in my area, I'll consider switching.

Now is not a bad time to get DirecTV.  You should be able to get a deal on NFL Sunday Ticket for this season with a new subscription.

Joined: 01/21/2011

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ShadowStorm33

August 11th, 2015 at 2:55 PM ^

I'm glad I'm not the only Comcast supporter here. I've never been into satellite, so it's cable for me. I moved to an area where Comcast isn't available, so now I have Fios. Higher price for fewer channels and slower internet. Comcast might not be great, but it's better than the alternatives I've seen...

Joined: 07/22/2008

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Hannibal.

August 11th, 2015 at 3:01 PM ^

I have had DirecTV for a little under 14 years now and I haven't regretted it for a second.  Customer Service has always been leaps and bounds better than anything I got at a cable company.  In all the years I had cable I don't think that I ever talked to a customer service person who wasn't both: 1.  Completely apathetic  2.  A victim of brain damage.  Perhaps cable has gotten better since I ditched it in 2001.  I am starting to reconsider though, since DirecTV is getting ridiculously expensive now.  I am a high demand user so my bill is around $150/mo when you add in all of the extra monthly fees for DVR, HD, extra receivers, and Whole Home. 

The whole "rainstorm" thing is a cable company scare tactic.  It takes a downpour to affect the signal.  There aren't a ton of those during the fall and winter, which is when football, hockey, and basketball are mostly on, as well as first runs of the best TV shows.  Outages are usally very short-lived.  I lose maybe 10-15 minutes of a sports event that I really care about maybe once or twice a year.  If it's not a sports event, then chances are, it's a TV show that will be rerun.  There are reasons to stick with cable.  Weather is absolutely not one of them. 

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Rafi

August 11th, 2015 at 2:59 PM ^

It's a market by market, or even a neighborhood by neighborhood decision, to be honest.

The only consistent thing is not TimeWarner, Comacast, etc etc.

I've had DirecTV in Chicago and it was amazing - no issues ever.  I had it here in Kentucky and it was out way too much - had to cancel my subscription.  Switched to U-verse and it was even better than DirecTV when I had it in Chicago.  Then I moved to a new neighborhood, in the same city in Kentucky, and my uverse is out way too much (I'm thinking of going back to DirecTV).  Oh, I had Dish for a while in Chicago before enough people in the condo complained and we switched to DirecTV.  Dish sucked.  

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DreisbachToHayes

August 11th, 2015 at 3:03 PM ^

agree with one of the commenters before... have some things recorded on your dvr to watch during thunderstorms... unless it is during a live event its no big deal. I will say though... I live in VA and we get snow, and our snow is generally heavy. It will build-up on the dish during a storm. It is mounted on our house at a level that is reachable, which is important as it needs to be brushed-off during a storm. Some of my neighbors have them mounted on the roof. Poor bastards.

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