Colorado Mike Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 I have had DirecTV and the NFL Sunday Ticket for about 8 years running. I could have sworn that when I first signed up that when I asked, they responded that one could indeed order Sunday Ticket without having a monthly DirecTV package. I ordered their lowest-end package anyway so I could watch the Sabres on Empire. As I also have Comcast cable, the Bills and Sabres were they only things I watched on satelite. Since Empire is no more, it'd make sense, if I could., to cancel my monthly DirecTV service but still remain a Sunday Ticket subscriber. My wife called to ask this of DirecTV and they told her "no, you must have a monthly DirecTV package in order to subscribe to Sunday Ticket". I am a bit skeptical. Can anyone definitely confirm or deny this? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richNjoisy Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 My understanding is that Directv "wised up" and realized they had a goldmine in the Ticket and changed their policy to require a monthly package to get the Ticket that's the scuttelbutt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 My understanding is that Directv "wised up" and realized they had a goldmine in the Ticket and changed their policy to require a monthly package to get the Ticket that's the scuttelbutt. 226522[/snapback] From the reports here throughout the season, this was the last year you were able to get Sunday Ticket without getting DirecTV service. You now must subscribe. Do you have cable? If so, why wouldn't you switch to DirecTV? CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediaman Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 From the reports here throughout the season, this was the last year you were able to get Sunday Ticket without getting DirecTV service. You now must subscribe. Do you have cable? If so, why wouldn't you switch to DirecTV? CW 226529[/snapback] Because Directv only has XX programming while Cable is now offer XXX programing. Maps of Hawaii and Butt Invasions are very popular viewing choices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Because Directv only has XX programming while Cable is now offer XXX programing. Maps of Hawaii and Butt Invasions are very popular viewing choices 226538[/snapback] Yeah, does cable have HD pr0n? http://www.directv.com/see/landing/spicehd.html *grin* CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Mike Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 From the reports here throughout the season, this was the last year you were able to get Sunday Ticket without getting DirecTV service. You now must subscribe. Do you have cable? If so, why wouldn't you switch to DirecTV? CW 226529[/snapback] Thanks. Same to you, richNjoisy. All things considered, if I was going to have to go with just Comcast or just DirecTV, it's looking like Comcast was the better route, but with the confirmation about not being able to subscribe to Sunday Ticket without a DTV subscription, I probably will have to go with them over Comcast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Thanks. Same to you, richNjoisy. All things considered, if I was going to have to go with just Comcast or just DirecTV, it's looking like Comcast was the better route, but with the confirmation about not being able to subscribe to Sunday Ticket without a DTV subscription, I probably will have to go with them over Comcast. 226606[/snapback] Why have you been choosing Comcast over DTV? At least in the Twin Cities, for me their costs are higher and their service is terrible. Just curious. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Mike Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 Why have you been choosing Comcast over DTV? At least in the Twin Cities, for me their costs are higher and their service is terrible. Just curious. CW 226621[/snapback] Ac ouple of reasons. My old, grandfathered basic DTV package was cheap, but did not have stations like ESPN, ESPN2, etc. To move up to a package that did was, at the time, a little more than the lowest cable package that would give me them. There was also the factor that I didn't want to buy a couple more receivers for my other TVs. Lastly, it was not Comcast at the time, but AT&T cable. It is beginning to look more and more like the time has come for me to beef up my DTV and cut ties with comcast, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Ac ouple of reasons. My old, grandfathered basic DTV package was cheap, but did not have stations like ESPN, ESPN2, etc. To move up to a package that did was, at the time, a little more than the lowest cable package that would give me them. There was also the factor that I didn't want to buy a couple more receivers for my other TVs. Lastly, it was not Comcast at the time, but AT&T cable. It is beginning to look more and more like the time has come for me to beef up my DTV and cut ties with comcast, though. 227300[/snapback] A word of warning - someone posted on here that DirecTV is raising their monthly price by $2-$3/month starting in March. If you sign up now, you'll probably be able to lock in the current rate for a year. If you're planning on switching anyway, it might be worth it. If you like negotiating, try calling and asking for "customer retention." They might be able to give you a free TiVo receiver or something for staying on and subscribing to a higher package. I've found that CR is very giving with the free goodies. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Why have you been choosing Comcast over DTV? At least in the Twin Cities, for me their costs are higher and their service is terrible. Just curious. CW 226621[/snapback] I can think of one reason: CASH. Despite what their advertising says, once you add in extra receivers and extra packages, it's WAY more expensive than cable, I've found. For what I paid for DTV, I now get 100+ channels and hi-speed internet. And I get a day out to watch football on a big-screen TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Despite what their advertising says, once you add in extra receivers and extra packages, it's WAY more expensive than cable, I've found. Unless you have 8 TVs in your house, all that need their own receiver, it's not cheaper with cable (in most places). Cable charges you per receiver (and I know Time Warner charges $3/month for the remote alone, on top of the $5/month for the receiver). Besides, unless you're planning on watching 4 different shows on 4 different TVs at the same time, you should look into modulating the signal throughout the house and getting an RF remote. Then you only need 1 or 2 receivers. OhBF has a setup like that if I recall. Best of both worlds. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Unless you have 8 TVs in your house, all that need their own receiver, it's not cheaper with cable (in most places). Cable charges you per receiver (and I know Time Warner charges $3/month for the remote alone, on top of the $5/month for the receiver). Besides, unless you're planning on watching 4 different shows on 4 different TVs at the same time, you should look into modulating the signal throughout the house and getting an RF remote. Then you only need 1 or 2 receivers. OhBF has a setup like that if I recall. Best of both worlds. CW 227318[/snapback] Guess my cable company's not that bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Why have you been choosing Comcast over DTV? At least in the Twin Cities, for me their costs are higher and their service is terrible. Just curious. CW 226621[/snapback] Maybe once you add the cost of the equipment and do a true channel comparison, cable wins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Mike Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 A word of warning - someone posted on here that DirecTV is raising their monthly price by $2-$3/month starting in March. If you sign up now, you'll probably be able to lock in the current rate for a year. If you're planning on switching anyway, it might be worth it. If you like negotiating, try calling and asking for "customer retention." They might be able to give you a free TiVo receiver or something for staying on and subscribing to a higher package. I've found that CR is very giving with the free goodies. CW 227307[/snapback] Thanks for the heads up on the rate increase. Also, the customer retention piece is a good idea, as I have been contemplating moving into the DVR world as well. I have a question on that too. Why do people pay monthly charges for Tivo or other DVR service? Could one not just buy a box outright and use it in the same fashion as a VCR? Or is the cable or satelite provider actually enabling some service, such as on-line scheduling or something? Or is the monthly charge for DVR is simply to subsidize all or part of the hardware cost. For example, I see with DirecTV you pay $X for the box and a $5 monthly charge, and with Comcast, there is no cost for the actual DVR box but one pays $10/month. Could one go buy a DVR through Circuit City or someone like that and have DVR capability without their provider being any the wiser? Also, this morning's paper said Comcast is about to jack up their packages $4/month, so that'd more than offest DTV's increase even if I can't lock the current rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderweb Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Unless you have 8 TVs in your house, all that need their own receiver, it's not cheaper with cable (in most places). Cable charges you per receiver (and I know Time Warner charges $3/month for the remote alone, on top of the $5/month for the receiver). Besides, unless you're planning on watching 4 different shows on 4 different TVs at the same time, you should look into modulating the signal throughout the house and getting an RF remote. Then you only need 1 or 2 receivers. OhBF has a setup like that if I recall. Best of both worlds. CW 227318[/snapback] 10-4 and I'm very pleased overall. Cable here (TW) is simply an inferior choice PQ wise and costs a bit more. Sadly, DirecTV also wised up to the benefits of having an RF remote and modulation so they no longer sell DirecTV units with an RF remote.....but there still are other ways to skin the same cat. We're now running 3 receivers though (up from 2) to satisfy my daughter. P.S. We have 8 TV's hooked up to our home TV distribution system. Room to room and I never miss a play.....Go Bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveincolorado Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 You really get the same channels with DTV as with cable. I get DTV becasue of the NFL package. I've got 5 tv's set up so I can watch 5 games at once. 4 of those are on 4 receivers and the other tv is set up with rabbit ears. For me, its worth the money. I have my team on the 36" tv, one of the enhanced games on the 20", the two other top games on 13" tv's and either the FOX/CBS game on the other 13". I think I pay 190 bucks a year for the package, and like I said earlier, it's worth it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fla Bills Fan Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 10-4 and I'm very pleased overall. Cable here (TW) is simply an inferior choice PQ wise and costs a bit more. Sadly, DirecTV also wised up to the benefits of having an RF remote and modulation so they no longer sell DirecTV units with an RF remote.....but there still are other ways to skin the same cat. We're now running 3 receivers though (up from 2) to satisfy my daughter. P.S. We have 8 TV's hooked up to our home TV distribution system. Room to room and I never miss a play.....Go Bills 227393[/snapback] I bought an RCA from Circut City not long ago - it has RF remote,1 ant out, 2 rca outs, 1 s-video out ,1 interlaced video out & digital audio out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Unless you have 8 TVs in your house, all that need their own receiver, it's not cheaper with cable (in most places). Cable charges you per receiver (and I know Time Warner charges $3/month for the remote alone, on top of the $5/month for the receiver). Besides, unless you're planning on watching 4 different shows on 4 different TVs at the same time, you should look into modulating the signal throughout the house and getting an RF remote. Then you only need 1 or 2 receivers. OhBF has a setup like that if I recall. Best of both worlds. CW 227318[/snapback] Not really. Basic and extended (analog) cable through Comcast is $47 + $5 for 1 HD receiver + tax = ~ $55 I don't have to pay for more receivers as every TV has a built in tuner. No pay-per-view or premium channels for me. 3 TVs in my house. DirecTV = $39.99 +$5x2 = $49.99 with no local HD channels ! If you do an apples to apples (ie. take out the HD receiver I am paying Comcast for), it is the same price. So you don't need to have 8 TVs to make cable cheaper .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
envirojeff Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Maybe once you add the cost of the equipment and do a true channel comparison, cable wins? 227328[/snapback] I originally got DirecTV for the Empire Network. It was nice to have the local (WNY) touch. Now that the blow and are going off, I still wouldn't turn it in. DirecTV is head and shoulders above all others. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Not really. Basic and extended (analog) cable through Comcast is $47 + $5 for 1 HD receiver + tax = ~ $55I don't have to pay for more receivers as every TV has a built in tuner. No pay-per-view or premium channels for me. 3 TVs in my house. DirecTV = $39.99 +$5x2 = $49.99 with no local HD channels ! If you do an apples to apples (ie. take out the HD receiver I am paying Comcast for), it is the same price. So you don't need to have 8 TVs to make cable cheaper .... 227511[/snapback] analog cable is not of the same quality as DTV. You need to compare digital cable with DTV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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