End of an era.... I cancelled DirecTV!

[Fezmid]

I haven't been around here in forever, but back in the day, I was a big DirecTV advocate. Then they were bought out by AT&T and it all started going downhill. Then they were divested and it got a tiny bit better, but not really. And then they lost Sunday Ticket, and that was the final nail in the coffin.  I cancelled DirecTV.

 

Not sure if any old-timers will remember me or not, but I figured I should login and share because, well, why not.

 

For anyone interested, I basically cut the cord a couple of years ago, and have been keeping DirecTV purely for Sunday Ticket, suspending the account in the offseason.  I use my own home Plex server and OTA Antenna to save shows, plus some streaming services to fill the gaps.  Here's the article I wrote on the topic:

https://www.neowin.net/news/synology-plex-and-hdhomerun-how-to-cut-the-cord-forever/

 

RIP, DirecTV, it was a fun 24+ years...!

[Johnny Hammersticks]

I don’t like the cut of your jib, young fellow.

[T&C]

3 hours ago, Fezmid said:

I haven't been around here in forever, but back in the day, I was a big DirecTV advocate. Then they were bought out by AT&T and it all started going downhill. Then they were divested and it got a tiny bit better, but not really. And then they lost Sunday Ticket, and that was the final nail in the coffin.  I cancelled DirecTV.

 

Not sure if any old-timers will remember me or not, but I figured I should login and share because, well, why not.

 

For anyone interested, I basically cut the cord a couple of years ago, and have been keeping DirecTV purely for Sunday Ticket, suspending the account in the offseason.  I use my own home Plex server and OTA Antenna to save shows, plus some streaming services to fill the gaps.  Here's the article I wrote on the topic:

https://www.neowin.net/news/synology-plex-and-hdhomerun-how-to-cut-the-cord-forever/

 

RIP, DirecTV, it was a fun 24+ years...!

I did 17 years and said the hell with it, this was probably 6 years ago. Is what you are doing similar to a superbox or the same thing just going about it a different way?

[Fezmid]

1 hour ago, T&C said:

I did 17 years and said the hell with it, this was probably 6 years ago. Is what you are doing similar to a superbox or the same thing just going about it a different way?

No -- it's all legit.  I have an HDHomeRun which I plug an antenna into.  That basically takes the local channels I can get over the air and lets me watch them anywhere. I then feed that into a Plex server (running on a Synology NAS for storage) so I basically have unlimited local DVR capacity.  I also ripped all of my DVD/Blu-Ray/4k disks and saved those on the Plex server as well, so I can stream both the local channels and my movies anywhere in the world.

 

And we have a few streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, etc) to catch other shows we want to see.

[Buffalo Super Fan]

BSF favorite streams, ESPN+ I get all our UB Bulls college football and basketball games of the Big 4 UB, St Bonaventure, Canisius and Niagara basketball they are archived so I never miss a game if they are on at the same time just for that it’s worth it no more radio games only. Buffalo Bandits, Buffalo Beauts and Buffalo Sabres. MILB tv stream for all the Buffalo Bisons games so I am covered. The Buffalo Bills, Sabres and New York Yankees are on Cable television where I catch my Los Angeles Clippers when they are on television which is a lot late night. BSF is good I get all the games. That is why I say does it really matter anymore what city a team plays in if these teams are pricing out working class fans in cities like Buffalo?
 

Television is the key today that is why the NHL is talking about Atlanta again for a third time to expand there along with the huge Houston market because of television markets. TNT is in Atlanta. It really doesn’t matter if the seats are sold today anymore they make the money on television and selling merchandise in the cities that the teams are located in my opinion. Go Bills! Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

22 hours ago, Fezmid said:

I haven't been around here in forever, but back in the day, I was a big DirecTV advocate. Then they were bought out by AT&T and it all started going downhill. Then they were divested and it got a tiny bit better, but not really. And then they lost Sunday Ticket, and that was the final nail in the coffin.  I cancelled DirecTV.

 

Not sure if any old-timers will remember me or not, but I figured I should login and share because, well, why not.

 

For anyone interested, I basically cut the cord a couple of years ago, and have been keeping DirecTV purely for Sunday Ticket, suspending the account in the offseason.  I use my own home Plex server and OTA Antenna to save shows, plus some streaming services to fill the gaps.  Here's the article I wrote on the topic:

https://www.neowin.net/news/synology-plex-and-hdhomerun-how-to-cut-the-cord-forever/

 

RIP, DirecTV, it was a fun 24+ years...!

Didn’t you used to work for DTV? 
 

I canceled myself (after almost 20

years), and my plan runs out here in two weeks. Not sure yet what I am going to do. 

[Kiva]

Who still has cable?  Giant waste of money. 

[Augie]

3 hours ago, Kiva said:

Who still has cable?  Giant waste of money. 

 

I have cable. 

 

And satellite. 

 

And cassettes.

 

And an eight track. 

 

I’ll skip ahead……………….I have an abacus.      😋

 

 

[T&C]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

I have cable. 

 

And satellite. 

 

And cassettes.

 

And an eight track. 

 

I’ll skip ahead……………….I have an abacus.      😋

 

 

You left out reel to reel's and 4-tracks...

[Augie]

16 minutes ago, T&C said:

You left out reel to reel's and 4-tracks...

 

That’s where I skipped ahead.   😋

[LewPort71]

My kids shake their heads when I still buy CDs.

 

Frontier Co. is offering fiber optic connection here in WV and I am getting ready to kick cable to the curb.

 

[Just Jack]

11 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I have cable. 

 

And satellite. 

 

And cassettes.

 

And an eight track. 

 

I’ll skip ahead……………….I have an abacus.      😋

 

 

 

But is it the smaller Dish/DTV type dish, or the big 8 foot dish in the backyard? 

[Gregg]

I have had DirecTv since 2001. Only reason was the NFL Sunday ticket. Now I will have to get you tube TV since they now have the Sunday ticket. I am a Bills fan who lives in NJ so it's the only way I can see the Bills unless they play the Jets/Giants or it's a primetime game.

[Ned Flanders]

Welcome back!  Always like a good DirecTV/Sunday Ticket/streaming discussion, especially @nucciwhen he didn't get any love over at DTV. 

 

As I've stated in other posts, I dumped DTV after the regular season ended, and went with YouTubeTV.  Monthly bill went from $122 to $65.  YTTV is ok; really pissed they dropped MLB Network two weeks after I joined though.  Hopefully they'll get that fixed before the season starts.

[nucci]

18 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

Welcome back!  Always like a good DirecTV/Sunday Ticket/streaming discussion, especially @nucciwhen he didn't get any love over at DTV. 

 

As I've stated in other posts, I dumped DTV after the regular season ended, and went with YouTubeTV.  Monthly bill went from $122 to $65.  YTTV is ok; really pissed they dropped MLB Network two weeks after I joined though.  Hopefully they'll get that fixed before the season starts.

I just read that they are still negotiating with MLB to get it back. 

[Virgil]

58 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

Welcome back!  Always like a good DirecTV/Sunday Ticket/streaming discussion, especially @nucciwhen he didn't get any love over at DTV. 

 

As I've stated in other posts, I dumped DTV after the regular season ended, and went with YouTubeTV.  Monthly bill went from $122 to $65.  YTTV is ok; really pissed they dropped MLB Network two weeks after I joined though.  Hopefully they'll get that fixed before the season starts.

 

MLB is probably the best app for not being tied to a service.  Even if you don't get it through YTTV, most smart devices have the MLB.TV App and it's a seamless setup.  They also offer the ticket just for your main team, which I'm hoping YouTube does for the Bills

[Ned Flanders]

6 minutes ago, Virgil said:

 

MLB is probably the best app for not being tied to a service.  Even if you don't get it through YTTV, most smart devices have the MLB.TV App and it's a seamless setup.  They also offer the ticket just for your main team, which I'm hoping YouTube does for the Bills

I'm an O's fan in O's "territory" so MLBTV does me no good.  MLB's antiquated blackout policies preclude me from seeing O's/Nats without cable/satellite.  YouTubeTV does not want to pay the exorbitant RSN "fees" and I don't blame them here.  RSNs are on life support however (really interesting subject if you have the time) and this may expedite the end of the MLB blackouts, hopefully.     

[LeviF]

Do you still have your Zune?

[WhoTom]

17 hours ago, Augie said:

I have an abacus.      

 

I have a slide rule. Works great for drawing straight lines.

 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

Howdy! Nice to see you back! I am driving a Toyota! 😃 

[zow2]

I just cut the Directv cord yesterday.  Been with them for 20+ years but once Sunday Ticket was no longer an option, there's no use for me to keep them.  I'm going to save $40/month by bundling my TV with my Fios internet.  Same channels that I had with DTV so no changes in what i can view.  I guess come this summer i need to figure out how to watch Bills games?,,, if i need to add a YouTube TV subscription or whatever.  

[plenzmd1]

On 3/4/2023 at 5:28 PM, Fezmid said:

I haven't been around here in forever, but back in the day, I was a big DirecTV advocate. Then they were bought out by AT&T and it all started going downhill. Then they were divested and it got a tiny bit better, but not really. And then they lost Sunday Ticket, and that was the final nail in the coffin.  I cancelled DirecTV.

 

Not sure if any old-timers will remember me or not, but I figured I should login and share because, well, why not.

 

For anyone interested, I basically cut the cord a couple of years ago, and have been keeping DirecTV purely for Sunday Ticket, suspending the account in the offseason.  I use my own home Plex server and OTA Antenna to save shows, plus some streaming services to fill the gaps.  Here's the article I wrote on the topic:

https://www.neowin.net/news/synology-plex-and-hdhomerun-how-to-cut-the-cord-forever/

 

RIP, DirecTV, it was a fun 24+ years...!

wow, don't come round here much anymore, but damn  i remember discussing with you the benefits of DTV DVR vs the TIVO we were coming off, and for me the Replay TV DVR i first started with. How to incorporate the damn box we needed for local HDs on the antenna....

 

I started DTV in 94, paid $1200 for the dish and $300 to get it installed...and no locals! 

 

gave it up 3 years ago, they a blacksmith in a car world

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

Canned DirecTV yesterday after 25 years.  Dude said "you qualify for reduced pricing, what if I offered you $85/month?"  I responded "what if you offered me that 2 months ago rather than raising my rate again?"

Hello, Youtube TV.

[Ned Flanders]

29 minutes ago, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

Canned DirecTV yesterday after 25 years.  Dude said "you qualify for reduced pricing, what if I offered you $85/month?"  I responded "what if you offered me that 2 months ago rather than raising my rate again?"

Hello, Youtube TV.

Welcome to the club.  I'd like YTTV a lot better if they brought back MLB Network and added NHL Network though.  I'd even pay extra if they lumped them in with their sports package.  

 

My gutter guy is coming this week and I asked if he'd take down the dish while he was on the roof...he was more than happy to accommodate.

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

14 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

Welcome to the club.  I'd like YTTV a lot better if they brought back MLB Network and added NHL Network though.  I'd even pay extra if they lumped them in with their sports package.  

 

My gutter guy is coming this week and I asked if he'd take down the dish while he was on the roof...he was more than happy to accommodate.

Considering I'm about to move out of market (and will probably give up my seasons when PSLs happen) - Sunday Ticket may be a thing for me in 2026.  Baseball isn't a concern.  I'm sad to be losing MSG and ability to watch Sabres games, especially with them about to become relevant again, but not enough to justify NHL Center Ice.

[Ned Flanders]

7 minutes ago, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

  I'm sad to be losing MSG and ability to watch Sabres games, especially with them about to become relevant again, but not enough to justify NHL Center Ice.

If you're out of market, get ESPN+ to get all Sabres games. You even get the Buffalo feed.

[DQW87]

Judging by a lot of responses on here, Direct TV is on the way out.  I'm a 20 yr+ DTV guy and even kept it when I moved from WNY to Vegas a year and a half ago.  Although I just did the streaming in Vegas.  Always liked DTV, just never cared for the price.  I can probably get Youtube TV with HBO, Showtime and Sunday ticket for about the same price or less than  I was getting Direct TV ultimate package. Probably make the switch before the June 6th deadline of Sunday ticket deal. Goodbye Direct TV, it was fun while it lasted!  

[NCDAWG]

I do Fez.  We are doing the same thing.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I will say that now having had YouTube TV the last few months, I still miss DTV. I think I am just getting old and am used to “old” TV (with channels and a more normal interface). 

[TheCockSportif]

With fiber, and not going overboard with advanced programming options on YouTube TV, it's pretty ***** great -- and a heckuva lot cheaper than the cable or DTV route.

 

Having written that, signed up for DTV probably a decade ago, and it took 8 techs to finally tell us that the tree line would mean zero signal.  Seriously?!  You couldn't put it on the roof?

[Ned Flanders]

19 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

I will say that now having had YouTube TV the last few months, I still miss DTV. I think I am just getting old and am used to “old” TV (with channels and a more normal interface). 

Yeah, I miss punching up channel 4 and getting NBC and 206 to get ESPN, etc.  I miss MLB and NHL networks, along with MASN.  But it had to be done...the cost of DTV at $122/month vs. YTTV at $73/month was just too big a gap...and after several calls, DTV was unwilling to close that gap.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Just now, Ned Flanders said:

Yeah, I miss punching up channel 4 and getting NBC and 206 to get ESPN, etc.  I miss MLB and NHL networks, along with MASN.  But it had to be done...the cost of DTV at $122/month vs. YTTV at $73/month was just too big a gap...and after several calls, DTV was unwilling to close that gap.

Agreed. I told DTV I would stick it out if they could come down to like $65. The closest they could get was like $90, and at an inferior package. I will say I have been getting flyers in the mail for DTV now at $65, but it is too late now. 
 

But it has been more of a hassle than I thought navigating YTTV. (Why don’t they just put in channel numbers for the channels?!). 

[SDS]

On 5/2/2023 at 12:45 PM, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

Considering I'm about to move out of market (and will probably give up my seasons when PSLs happen) - Sunday Ticket may be a thing for me in 2026.  Baseball isn't a concern.  I'm sad to be losing MSG and ability to watch Sabres games, especially with them about to become relevant again, but not enough to justify NHL Center Ice.

Center ice isn’t a thing anymore. The vast majority of games are on ESPN+. Grab yourself the Hulu/Disney/ESPN+ package for like 15 bucks a month.

[Just Jack]

20 minutes ago, SDS said:

Center ice isn’t a thing anymore. The vast majority of games are on ESPN+. Grab yourself the Hulu/Disney/ESPN+ package for like 15 bucks a month.

 

If you have a Roku, you need to get the ad-free package at $20/month, for some reason Roku does not support the "With Ads" packages. 

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

On 3/6/2023 at 7:55 AM, LewPort71 said:

My kids shake their heads when I still buy CDs.

 

Frontier Co. is offering fiber optic connection here in WV and I am getting ready to kick cable to the curb.

 

As a vintage hi fi aficionado, Im guessing your kids have no clue what quality music reproduction sounds like

[shrader]

On 5/3/2023 at 11:25 AM, Ned Flanders said:

Yeah, I miss punching up channel 4 and getting NBC and 206 to get ESPN, etc.  I miss MLB and NHL networks, along with MASN.  But it had to be done...the cost of DTV at $122/month vs. YTTV at $73/month was just too big a gap...and after several calls, DTV was unwilling to close that gap.

But hey, I bet they offered you all the premium movie channels for free for 3 months. That more than makes up for endless months at the significantly higher price. 

[Mike in Horseheads]

I'm under contract until September but they did throw me a nice bone, MLB extra innings for free

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

On 5/5/2023 at 11:27 AM, SDS said:

Center ice isn’t a thing anymore. The vast majority of games are on ESPN+. Grab yourself the Hulu/Disney/ESPN+ package for like 15 bucks a month.

Already have Hulu and Disney through family/acquaintance account sharing.  But maybe ESPN+ for the season.

 

[SDS]

54 minutes ago, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

Already have Hulu and Disney through family/acquaintance account sharing.  But maybe ESPN+ for the season.

 

We’re gonna have to schedule a golf outing when you get settled.

[jayg]

Called DirecTV yesterday and got my bill down to 170 from 250. I have a grandfathered plan , all movie channels, sports package and 7 receivers. YouTube TV was tempting but I'm still not impressed with streaming sports picture and motion rate.  I'm happy to pay extra for something I like.  You can also stream DirecTV now on all devices if you're on the road. I hope streaming Sunday Ticket from YouTube isn't as frustrating as other streaming sports!