Sat TV providers

[Charlie T]

I'm only a weekend resident in Gilford and as such I can't see paying Metrocast over $70.00 a month for TV reception as I have been for years now. I've seen several "specials" from different providers/ resellers of satellite TV in the lakes region. Any recommendations? Horror stories? $29.95 a month is sure a lot easier to take than what I'm paying now.

Thanks to all who provide valuable insight with your responses

[Lakesrider]

HA! I started out at $29.95 I'm up to $75.00 a month now.
If you get the free 4 boxes and dish, keep in mind that if you cancel you need to give the entire thing back to DirecTV. Also If you buy a new HD box or a HD DVR for $199.00, and then you cancel, You have to give them those boxes back as well. Yep your money...their box.:eek: If you read up on it they can charge you up to $490.00 for the DVR if you don't hand it over... Holy Moly.:eek:

That said I have good luck with them. The HD service at $10.00 per month is worth it and the picture on some of the channels like HDnet and the Discovery channel is AWESOME!
Don't expect it to work in a heavy snow storm, of thunderstorm though...Not going to happen.

[Orion]

Lakesrider is correct that your costs rack up pretty quickly so you need to compare apples to apples to see if you will really save money for the services you want. As far as Dish vs. Direct TV they're pretty close. Check the channel lineups to see what matches your preferences and what the costs of those are.

One major difference between the two is that Dish requires two dishes to get the full channel lineup whereas DirectTV uses a single wide dish to pick up three satellites in the same area. This means that DirectTV only requires a WSW clear view but Dish requires both WSW and S for all channels.

As far as storm interuptions, if the dish is pointed properly, you only lose signal for a short period during heavy rains when looking right through the storm cell.

[newbie]

lakesrider

with direct tv, do you get local stations or ABC/NBC/FOX/CBS feeds from another city? I have been thinking about DTV for a while, but have been afraid that if the NE Patriots are not the national televised game then I will subjected to the JETS:eek:

Thanks


HA! I started out at $29.95 I'm up to $75.00 a month now.
If you get the free 4 boxes and dish, keep in mind that if you cancel you need to give the entire thing back to DirecTV. Also If you buy a new HD box or a HD DVR for $199.00, and then you cancel, You have to give them those boxes back as well. Yep your money...their box.:eek: If you read up on it they can charge you up to $490.00 for the DVR if you don't hand it over... Holy Moly.:eek:

That said I have good luck with them. The HD service at $10.00 per month is worth it and the picture on some of the channels like HDnet and the Discovery channel is AWESOME!
Don't expect it to work in a heavy snow storm, of thunderstorm though...Not going to happen.

[Grady223]

I have had DirecTV for almost 15 years and love it.

One other consideration is that you need to have a clear view to the southwest (the satellites are over Houston) which is not always easy with all of the tall trees in the area. I can not get a clear shot from my island home, must rely on DVDs for video entertainment.

[Seeker]

I had Dish for a number of years and really liked it. Unfortunately some trees grew too tall and blocked my sat signal. Dish guys said cut them down but they are on my towns' conservation comm. land so that wouldn't work. Asked them to put the dish on my garage roof but they said I'd have to do the trenching. Thru them out and got cable (kept all dishes and boxes). Read contract AFTERWARDS and found out they were responsible for trenching up to 100' or so IIRC.

[jetskier]

lakesrider

with direct tv, do you get local stations or ABC/NBC/FOX/CBS feeds from another city? I have been thinking about DTV for a while, but have been afraid that if the NE Patriots are not the national televised game then I will subjected to the JETS:eek:

Thanks

DirecTV has a package that includes the local stations. It is reasonable (I believe about $5/month).

I have DirecTV both in MA and at the lake. The picture quality is great and the only weather condition that causes outages is a heavy rain storm with thick cloud cover. Those tend to be infrequent and do not last very long.

The HD channels are absolutely worth the money if you have a large screen TV. Baseball and hockey take on a whole different viewing experience.

Jetskier :cool:

[AB_Monterey]

If you already have service at home, you may very well be able to get another dish, another box and "add a room" and get service up north for $5.

Pick up a box and dish from craigslist.

It may depend on how far away you are from home but I have a friend who has been doing it that way for years. I'm not sure what the details are regarding distance.

[jetskier]

If you already have service at home, you may very well be able to get another dish, another box and "add a room" and get service up north for $5.

Pick up a box and dish from craigslist.

It may depend on how far away you are from home but I have a friend who has been doing it that way for years. I'm not sure what the details are regarding distance.

I don't do it this way, but the way to do this is as follows:


Set up a dish up at the lake
Take the receiver (with its authorization card) up to the lake and plug it in to the dish when you are there
Do not plug into the phone line


I know people who take their receiver back and forth to save cost. Alternatively, you can set up a second receiver here and use it up there (that is a $5 subscription addition). Again, follow the prior instructions. I have two separate subscriptions, but I have been tempted.

Jetskier:cool:

[codeman671]

I don't do it this way, but the way to do this is as follows:


Set up a dish up at the lake
Take the receiver (with its authorization card) up to the lake and plug it in to the dish when you are there
Do not plug into the phone line


I know people who take their receiver back and forth to save cost. Alternatively, you can set up a second receiver here and use it up there (that is a $5 subscription addition). Again, follow the prior instructions. I have two separate subscriptions, but I have been tempted.

Jetskier:cool:

I have HEARD this works... ;)

[Seeker]

I have HEARD this works... ;)

I can confirm that. BTDT :rolleye2:

[Blue Thunder]

I have HEARD this works... ;)

I have SEEN that too....

BT

[Lakesrider]

Yes you can move your reciever. I take mine down to the Yacht Club all the time in the summer. I have 4 receivers so one pretty much stays on the boat. Billed to my home system. No phone line.

As an update, and because of this thread on the forum, I was thinking of getting the HD DVR and buying it at Best Buy instead of paying for shipping from DTV. But I called yesterday because I was having an issue with getting the upgraded service pack online at their site. It said my estimated monthly billing would be $150.00 per month. WHAAAAAAAT?:eek:
So anyway, I called. They said I would be happy to learn that they would come and install a new HD DVR, and move my present box to the basement family room, run cable, etc. for FREE! Ummm, "Because, I was such a LOYAL customer" Yeah right..... Hey, at least I didn't have to go to Best Buy and spend $199.00 on a receiver. So now the service will only cost me an extra $5 for the extra card/lease and $6 for the DVR service. I was lucky that I already had the two cables run for the DVR when we installed the system. I was thinking ahead by a year or so for a TIVO. :D So if you were thinking about a DVR and didn't want to pay $199.00 for the box call and "suggest" that they give you one for free as well.....:laugh:

[weim2]

It used to really bother me when we had Metrocast that they would publish some pretty disgusting titles for adult entertainment inbetwen childrens programming. So kids would have to scroll down and between Hannah Montana and Discovery Children,they certainly got an eye full.

[BroadHopper]

In North Carolina, you can choose from a number of cable providers as well as SAT TV providers. The competition is fierce. My sister has phone, internet and cable service for less than $50. That being said NH cable providers are a big rip off.
A case in point, my new neighbor have ask for basic cable from Metrocast in Laconia. There was a $49.95 installation fee. A technician showed up, attach the TV to the cable jack in the wall with a cable and that was it! A no brainer. Anyone can do that. Yet Metrocast insist a technician must install the cable.

[rick35]

I talked to Metrocast today about connecting on Bear. I would have to meet the techs on a Thursday at the dock and bring them and their gear over to the island. I'm not thilled about loading a 30 foot ladder and their gear into my boat. Metrocast came out to the island last year to reconnect the cable next door and they got themselves over to the island. I'm going to give over the air another try with a new antenna and then maybe go with Direct TV if that doesn't work.

Hey Rick, looked for you at the Lyon's Den on Saturday!

Rick

[ishoot308]

I'm only a weekend resident in Gilford and as such I can't see paying Metrocast over $70.00 a month for TV reception as I have been for years now. I've seen several "specials" from different providers/ resellers of satellite TV in the lakes region. Any recommendations? Horror stories? $29.95 a month is sure a lot easier to take than what I'm paying now.

Thanks to all who provide valuable insight with your responses


I have Dish Network at my main home. I am allowed to have 6 boxes per household. I currently only have three. For my island camp, I am simply purchasing two H.D. boxes and having the local retailer set them up. Each H.D. box can do one H.D. television and one standard. I have two H.D. televisons at the camp and that is why I need two boxes. These boxes will be added to my account at rate of $7.00 per box. You will need to pay for the initial install but that is about it. No new account or monthly bill!!

I hate cable and swear by satellite service. I have had Dish Network for a number of years now and like their service and programming. Did I say I hate cable!!

Good Luck!

Dan