Direct TV option ?

TheProfessor · 10-04-2015, 06:16 PM

There is no easy answer.

If you have two homes you can have one Direct TV account. You can turn off one and turn on the other. You can carry your receiver with you from home to home as some do. Or obtain other receivers.

I purchased my HD receivers and own them. No lease. But I do pay the for the monthly insurance.
The receivers are "dumb" and don't know where they are. So practicality - you can take a receiver anywhere that has a correct dish. If you want local channels away from home you have to telephone Direct TV to switch local channels. Such as NH to Florida as an example.

I get a $15.00 discount off bill every anniversary - as I call to cancel. Yes, to get the discounts you have to call and tell them it is too expensive and you wish to cancel. Then they offer the discounts. Same is true for Sirius XM.
My 2 year contract was done over 10 years ago. I started with Pegasus who had the original Direct TV contract.

But there is no easy answer for TV and internet. I pay cable company for internet. So add the two together and I am not saving much if any money.

Be careful though with Direct TV. Every time you change equipment and such a new 2 year contract may begin. I have to make Direct TV customer service READ me back that I am not under any contract - every time I change equipment.

HomeWood · 10-04-2015, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheProfessor

But there is no easy answer for TV and internet. I pay cable company for internet. So add the two together and I am not saving much if any money.

This is where I was with DTV for TV and TWC for internet and phone. I saved $50 a month by going back to a triple bundle with TWC. DTV was OK enough where using them again is not totally out of the question.

bigdog · 10-04-2015, 08:22 PM

OK, I think I'm going to nix Direct TV......

Called my cable company back (Charter), to see if they offered a 'Basic' TV package PBS, Boston channels, and a few others My current package is what's referred to as 'Expanded Basic'. Well.... I'm at the bottom tier and they no longer offer the 'Basic' package anymore !

Surprise !

Think I have an alternative solution, tell me what you think!
Option would give met me TV reception at both the lake house and Mass. house. FYI, I don't have cable connected at lake house, just Internet with Metrocast, and use Roku, to stream videos Netflix, etc, but have lot's of options.including Amazon Prime.

So was thinking, getting the Metrocast TV Basic package for $35 per month. The Basic package will get me PBS, Boston channels, WMUR, Portland, and several others, enough for me !

I then buy a Sligbox, set it up at the lake house, and send the Metrocast channels to Mass house ! Wa-lah, I have TV at each location, and for minimal pcost per month. I understand I have to buy the Sligbox, but that's a one-time cost !

Two questions:
1. Will above senario work ?
2. Does Sligbox have to work with only 'smart' TV' ? One of my Tv's is an old projection TV and not sure if Sligbox would connect?

brk-lnt · 10-05-2015, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdog

Two questions:
1. Will above senario work ?
2. Does Sligbox have to work with only 'smart' TV' ? One of my Tv's is an old projection TV and not sure if Sligbox would connect?

Fundamentally, yes, the above scenario will work. Keep in mind that watching TV at your house in MA is going to be highly dependent on your Metrocast connection. The Slingbox needs to send video out of the house, using the upstream bandwidth, and of course the Metrocast connection needs to be up.

My personal experience with Metrocast would lead me to expect a decent amount of downtown and limited upstream bandwidth for this application. Meaning that your image at the house in MA is likely to be less then full HD a lot of the time, and completely unavailable an random times.

I'd buy the slingbox and test it for a month or two before fully committing to this approach.

8gv · 10-05-2015, 08:29 AM

DISH Network?

I really liked their "Hopper and Joey" system. With one DVR and a box at each tv you can record or play recorded shows from any tv. You can also have FULL access to your system via the internet. Their price is competitive with other companies but in my opinion, DISH has better equipment.

Orion · 10-05-2015, 10:00 AM

I've had both Dish and DirecTV at different times. With Dish, I needed two dishes to get all the channels since it has satellites in two different directions (one south and one SW) whereas DirecTV has all their birds in a single SW arc. Maybe it should be called Dishes. I can't agree that Dish has better equipment either. The DirecTV DVR receivers seem bulletproof with much better DVR software.

Blue Thunder · 10-05-2015, 10:28 AM

You need to have the SlingBox at the location that has the better high speed internet for the best upload. Otherwise you will have frequent buffering of the signal that will drive you crazy. I ditched DTV this year for all the same reasons as everyone has said and bought a SlingBox. I have had excellent results all season. So the SlingBox is in Mass at my home connected directly to my Verizon FIOS DVR. I watch all of my "home" TV via the SlingBox on a Fairpoint 3-4mbps dsl connection at my island location. I see everything in HD on my $600 Walmart 55" Vizio TV

BT

SIKSUKR · 10-05-2015, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

You need to have the SlingBox at the location that has the better high speed internet for the best upload. Otherwise you will have frequent buffering of the signal that will drive you crazy. I ditched DTV this year for all the same reasons as everyone has said and bought a SlingBox. I have had excellent results all season. So the SlingBox is in Mass at my home connected directly to my Verizon FIOS DVR. I watch all of my "home" TV via the SlingBox on a Fairpoint 3-4mbps dsl connection at my island location. I see everything in HD on my $600 Walmart 55" Vizio TV

BT

Hi BT. I've been wanting to do just this for my skihouse. My only concern and its a big one, is that I'm a bigtime channel flipper. I have heard that slingbox will be very disappointing to me for that reason. Your thoughts?

Blue Thunder · 10-05-2015, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Hi BT. I've been wanting to do just this for my skihouse. My only concern and its a big one, is that I'm a bigtime channel flipper. I have heard that slingbox will be very disappointing to me for that reason. Your thoughts?

I use my Ipad as the "remote". A display of the actual Verizon DVR remote is on the screen. It operates the same....just MUCH slower because it has to send the "I want to change the channel" signal over the internet back to "home base" to tell the slingbox to tell the TV to change the channel. Sounds like you would be disappointed....having said that, The nearly $90 per month savings helps!!

Bear Islander · 10-04-2015, 08:29 PM

I have had DirecTV for about twenty years.

You can have units at different homes and use them at the same time if you don't plug in the phone connection at the unlisted home. DirecTV is one way only. They have no way to tell where you are if you don't connect the phone line. You can also tell them you have no land line.

I like the service. The only big thing DirecTV can not do is on-demand. You can however record programming with the high end boxes.

Wet snow on the dish can put you out of business. Dry snow just blows off. Some dishes have an option for a heater to melt the snow.

TheProfessor · 10-04-2015, 09:11 PM

I have never heard of this. I have no idea what Kodi is.
I do see these for sale on eb*y.

AMAZON FIRE TV STICK JAILBROKEN, XBMC KODI 15.1 MOVIES, PPV, FULLY LOADED!
KODI 15.2 INSTALLED NEWEST VERSION!!

10-05-2015, 10:00 AM	#6
Orion Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: MA Posts: 914 Thanks: 598 Thanked 193 Times in 91 Posts	Dish v DirecTV I've had both Dish and DirecTV at different times. With Dish, I needed two dishes to get all the channels since it has satellites in two different directions (one south and one SW) whereas DirecTV has all their birds in a single SW arc. Maybe it should be called Dishes. I can't agree that Dish has better equipment either. The DirecTV DVR receivers seem bulletproof with much better DVR software.

10-05-2015, 10:28 AM	#7
Blue Thunder Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Eastern MA & Frye Island/Sebago Lake, Maine Posts: 958 Thanks: 257 Thanked 351 Times in 158 Posts	You need to have the SlingBox at the location that has the better high speed internet for the best upload. Otherwise you will have frequent buffering of the signal that will drive you crazy. I ditched DTV this year for all the same reasons as everyone has said and bought a SlingBox. I have had excellent results all season. So the SlingBox is in Mass at my home connected directly to my Verizon FIOS DVR. I watch all of my "home" TV via the SlingBox on a Fairpoint 3-4mbps dsl connection at my island location. I see everything in HD on my $600 Walmart 55" Vizio TV BT __________________ " Live for today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come"

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10-04-2015, 06:16 PM	#1
TheProfessor Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,164 Thanks: 17 Thanked 357 Times in 214 Posts	There is no easy answer. If you have two homes you can have one Direct TV account. You can turn off one and turn on the other. You can carry your receiver with you from home to home as some do. Or obtain other receivers. I purchased my HD receivers and own them. No lease. But I do pay the for the monthly insurance. The receivers are "dumb" and don't know where they are. So practicality - you can take a receiver anywhere that has a correct dish. If you want local channels away from home you have to telephone Direct TV to switch local channels. Such as NH to Florida as an example. I get a $15.00 discount off bill every anniversary - as I call to cancel. Yes, to get the discounts you have to call and tell them it is too expensive and you wish to cancel. Then they offer the discounts. Same is true for Sirius XM. My 2 year contract was done over 10 years ago. I started with Pegasus who had the original Direct TV contract. But there is no easy answer for TV and internet. I pay cable company for internet. So add the two together and I am not saving much if any money. Be careful though with Direct TV. Every time you change equipment and such a new 2 year contract may begin. I have to make Direct TV customer service READ me back that I am not under any contract - every time I change equipment.

The Following User Says Thank You to HomeWood For This Useful Post:
TheProfessor (10-04-2015)

10-04-2015, 08:22 PM	#3
bigdog Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Central MA-Gilford Posts: 1,459 Thanks: 357 Thanked 126 Times in 100 Posts	OK, I think I'm going to nix Direct TV...... Called my cable company back (Charter), to see if they offered a 'Basic' TV package PBS, Boston channels, and a few others My current package is what's referred to as 'Expanded Basic'. Well.... I'm at the bottom tier and they no longer offer the 'Basic' package anymore ! Surprise ! Think I have an alternative solution, tell me what you think! Option would give met me TV reception at both the lake house and Mass. house. FYI, I don't have cable connected at lake house, just Internet with Metrocast, and use Roku, to stream videos Netflix, etc, but have lot's of options.including Amazon Prime. So was thinking, getting the Metrocast TV Basic package for $35 per month. The Basic package will get me PBS, Boston channels, WMUR, Portland, and several others, enough for me ! I then buy a Sligbox, set it up at the lake house, and send the Metrocast channels to Mass house ! Wa-lah, I have TV at each location, and for minimal pcost per month. I understand I have to buy the Sligbox, but that's a one-time cost ! Two questions: 1. Will above senario work ? 2. Does Sligbox have to work with only 'smart' TV' ? One of my Tv's is an old projection TV and not sure if Sligbox would connect?

10-05-2015, 08:29 AM	#5
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,193 Thanks: 63 Thanked 764 Times in 497 Posts	DISH Network? I really liked their "Hopper and Joey" system. With one DVR and a box at each tv you can record or play recorded shows from any tv. You can also have FULL access to your system via the internet. Their price is competitive with other companies but in my opinion, DISH has better equipment.

The Following User Says Thank You to Blue Thunder For This Useful Post:
SIKSUKR (10-06-2015)

10-04-2015, 08:29 PM	#10
Bear Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bear Island Posts: 1,766 Thanks: 32 Thanked 441 Times in 207 Posts	I have had DirecTV for about twenty years. You can have units at different homes and use them at the same time if you don't plug in the phone connection at the unlisted home. DirecTV is one way only. They have no way to tell where you are if you don't connect the phone line. You can also tell them you have no land line. I like the service. The only big thing DirecTV can not do is on-demand. You can however record programming with the high end boxes. Wet snow on the dish can put you out of business. Dry snow just blows off. Some dishes have an option for a heater to melt the snow.

10-04-2015, 09:11 PM	#11
TheProfessor Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,164 Thanks: 17 Thanked 357 Times in 214 Posts	I have never heard of this. I have no idea what Kodi is. I do see these for sale on eb*y. AMAZON FIRE TV STICK JAILBROKEN, XBMC KODI 15.1 MOVIES, PPV, FULLY LOADED! KODI 15.2 INSTALLED NEWEST VERSION!!