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Forums > comments on review of DIRECTV

Review by NorthAlabama

member for 10.6 years, 308 visits, last login: 1 days ago
updated 14 days ago

Huntsville,Madison,AL
Contract price not specified.
"On Screen Apps, HD On-Screen Guide"
"Signal Reliability Is A Joke, I Can't Watch TV In The Rain"
"First Look Elsewhere If You Have Other Choices"

Pre Sales information:

Install Co-ordination:

Connection reliability:

Tech Support:

Mail,DNS,News:

Value for money:

(ratings match consensus)

My Other Reviews

·VOIPo

·Vonage

·AT&T Southeast

·T-Mobile US

UPDATE - Directv just rolled out a new, high resolution HD on-screen user guide that looks really nice. Good news first - searching for shows in the guide is a lot faster, and the picture quality of the guide is great with the increased resolution. They have also added movie ratings from rotten tomatoes and flixster, and rearranged their menu to use icons instead of list based choices.

The bad news, when I try to pull up my playlist on my dvr's, it takes forever for the screen to load, a good 15-20 seconds after i hit the list button on the remote. That doesn't sound like a long time, but if your sitting there, waiting for the list, it seems like an eternity. I hope they get that fixed soon.

Also, just when I thought Directv on-demand couldn't get any slower, it now takes me 3-4 hours to download one HD movie. Doesn't on-demand mean right now, not ask and get it in a few hours?

I still can't wait for U-verse to come to town so I can give their service a try. I might even consider going back to Comcast if U-verse doesn't get here soon, or if Directv's service doesn't improve.

UPDATE - The on-demand selection is slim, and I have to use my own broadband connection, which is going to get interesting with caps and overage fees from at&t. Sometimes it takes 2-3 hours to download 1 HD movie.

I called customer service, and the rep didn't really know how to help. She said she didn't have high speed internet at home and had never used Directv, and that there wasn't much information given to her to help with on-demand.

In the past, Directv has rolled out software updates to my dvr that have shut down my service in the home, at least twice. Don't they test these things before sending them out to customers?

10/2009 - Pre sales info and installation was a breeze, but the tech through trash all over the yard and in the home, and i had to clean it up later. I lose service every time it rains, and sometimes when it's cloudy.

The only reason I put up with Directv is the only other alternative is Comcast.

I cant wait for U-verse to come to town.

Comments:

pisd off

@bresnan.net

Direct TV, customer service, residential service, 2 year con

I recently (3 days ago) signed up for Direct TV having been sickened to the point of vomiting by the cable networks, I chose to go with the sattelite people. Now, two days before the Super Bowl, I learn that I'm not going to be able to see the game on Sunday due to the pissing contest between cable, and local sydicated stations-or what the hell ever. The point is that I can't host the party that I planned and Direct TV can't help me/won't help me. So, if you have another way of getting your TV needs met, I sure as hell would NOT consider Direct TV.

permalink · 2012-02-02 22:19:32 · Print ·

NorthAlabama

join:2001-06-18
Huntsville, AL

Reviews:

·DIRECTV

·VOIPo

·Vonage

·AT&T Southeast

·T-Mobile US

Re: Direct TV, customer service, residential service, 2 year con

i just saw your post, and i'm curious...were you able to watch the game last sunday? most times directv will provide a national access channel for major events, like the superbowl, when there's no access through local channel service providers.
--
The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you. - David Foster Wallace

permalink · 2012-02-09 05:05:01 ·

toolman90 join:2007-08-10 Cincinnati, OH	Rain Fade Your DirecTV Service should not go out durring a normal shower if it continues I would call DirecTV to have them send out a Tech to check the alignment of your satellite Dish.
	permalink · 2012-02-07 10:10:08 · ·

NorthAlabama

join:2001-06-18
Huntsville, AL

Reviews:

·DIRECTV

·VOIPo

·Vonage

·AT&T Southeast

·T-Mobile US

Re: Rain Fade

there's a line of sight issue, and unfortunately, a dish alignment won't help. it'll take trimming some trees, or relocating the dish, and neither option is favorable. so far i have no issues with any HD channels, but rain especially, and sometimes wind, are factors. i'll have to make a decision eventually if the signal degrades further.
--
The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you. - David Foster Wallace

permalink · 2012-02-09 05:03:02 ·

Forums > comments on review of DIRECTV

Review by Mr_A1

member for 7.8 years, 2868 visits, last login: 1 days ago
lodged 53 days ago

Dickson,Dickson,TN
Contract price not specified.
"Matched or better value than AT&T UVerse with superior HD picture quality"
"If you want great picture quality for the price consider Directv."

Pre Sales information:

Install Co-ordination:

Connection reliability:

Tech Support:

Mail,DNS,News:

Value for money:

(ratings above consensus)

My Other Reviews

I switched back to Directv from AT&T UVerse after an almost 2 year break; I cannot believe I actually tried UVerse and kept it as long as I did. The install was short with an update to a SWiM LNB with DECA and an HR24-100 DVR. The picture quality to 1000x better than UVerse ever was and no DD sound issues as with UVerse, which caused me to use just stereo instead of DD. Now, with the new HDGUI and other new items coming out, Directv is starting to jump ahead of the competition.

Comments:


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Forums > comments on review of DIRECTV

Review by (hidden by request)
(review was emailed from domain coloradosos.com)
lodged 63 days ago

Blue Eye,Stone,MO
Contract price not specified.
"Good service, sports channel"
"Billing nightmare! If they have your credit card, they will draw off it when they want to."

Pre Sales information:

Install Co-ordination:

Connection reliability:

Tech Support:

Mail,DNS,News:

Value for money:

(ratings match consensus)

Direct TV is the most unethical company I have ever had. They literally
stole $1000 from our account. When we cancelled before the contract
date, due to unforeseen financial difficulties, we were sent a $971.16
bill ($136 past due balance, $15 disconnect fee, $795 misc fees), and
they drafted it out of our account prior to our receiving it.

They had a notice at the bottom of the bill that stated, "For
your convenience, in about 15 days from the Statement Date printed near
the top of this page, any total outstanding account balance will be
automatically charged to the credit/debit card we have on file for your
account." When we can't afford the $136 a month because
we are trying to feed our 4 young children, why would they
think they could draft $1000 from our account (via pre-authorized
transaction) and call it fair collection practices! What a bunch of
cheats!!!!

Katie

Comments:

samiam1

@evertek.net

Direct TV are CROOKS!

They did not stand behind their service and we were told that we had 30 days to decide whether we wanted to keep their service and were told multiple times on the phone that if the service was not working properly we could opt out of our contract. We never did get satisfaction with the service (and might I add that everything about Direct was awful.) and they charged our card $575+ today even though we sent back all of the equipment and never did get it to work properly. HATE Direct Tv

permalink · 2011-12-14 10:52:51 · Print ·

Forums > comments on review of DIRECTV

Review by kiknwing

member for 1.1 years, 511 visits, last login: a few hours ago
updated 75 days ago

Roy,Weber,UT
Contract price not specified.
"Great to Existing and New Customers"
"Nothing"
"Can't go wrong with directv"

Pre Sales information:

Install Co-ordination:

Connection reliability:

Tech Support:

Mail,DNS,News:

Value for money:

(ratings above consensus)

My Other Reviews

·CenturyLink

·Qwest VOIP

·Siteground.com

·Clearwire Wireless

Update 11/28/2011

I have had the new HD GUI for a few months now and it is fantastic. I never thought that my HR22-100 could be so fast. It's not as fast as the HR24-500 but it is a huge improvement.

I upgraded to a SWM setup in June and activated Whole Home DVR service. That was the best $40 I have ever spent (I installed the swm equipment myself). The Whole Home service is great, it allows for playback of saved content on a dvr on any hd or hd dvr receiver. It does not turn your hd receiver into a dvr, if you want dvr capabilities get a dvr. I also added a H24 to the family and it is a great receiver.

Original Review

I have never had a better customer service experience with a company. The service ans install techs are very friendly and skilled. Only have had one billing problem but that was taken care of in minutes. If you get the chance, make sure you get a HR24 for your DVR. This is Directv's newest and fastest dvr to date. I have a HR22 & HR24 and the HR24 blows the doors off the HR22. As far as rain fade, it only goes out one or two times a year. Snow is not a problem if you fill a squirt gun with hot water. I think that I will be a customer for at least another 12 years.

Comments:

jphil @mchsi.com	direct tv After a miserable, costly experience with Mediacom tv it is good to be back in the hands of a company that knows what it is doing.
	permalink · 2011-01-06 14:05:45 · ·

jenner7

@24.49.166.x

Horrible company

I have never dealt with such horrible customer service in my life!!! I have both NFL Sunday ticket and NHL center Ice through this provider, since the military brought me to a base far from home and I wanted to be able to still watch my teams, and what they don't tell you is that you will be paying a cap load of money for programs and won't necessarily be able to watch the games you want. I am a huge sports fan and was promised that I would get all of the games with these packages, and was completely lied to. When I called to ask why these games were being blacked out, they couldn't give me a reason, they had no clue, but they would also not do anything for me, and told me I could terminate my service and pay the early cancellation fee if I did that. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER! Glad I can fight for your freedom so you can be such an A hole!!

permalink · 2011-11-29 22:51:48 · Print ·

Forums > comments on review of DIRECTV

Review by MacThrasher

member for 9.8 years, 2721 visits, last login: 2 days ago
updated 86 days ago

Chagrin Falls,Cuyahoga,OH
Contract price not specified.
"HD, tons of channels, great reliability, good installation"
"Delays in installation, momentary lapse when changing channels"
"So much better then TWC, I am VERY happy"

Pre Sales information:

Install Co-ordination:

Connection reliability:

Tech Support:

Value for money:

(ratings match consensus)

My Other Reviews

·AT&T Midwest

Update 11-17-11: Still very happy with their service.

Got sick of Time Warner. Thankfully I do not have them for internet access.
I had the "optimum" step up from basic cable. It went up by $15 and we lost 15 channels. I decided to start looking. AT&T wanted to offer Dish, but I decided... no. I want DirecTV.

Installed something like 3/28/08 after three delays by BlueGrass. Fine. They at least sent out a great install tech, Anthony. Some of the remotes had to be tweaked, but 2 reg def and two HD receivers were installed in about 3-4 hours.

For about 90 bucks? 185 channels? most in HD?
OK. One little complaint.
All HD channels appear first usually then the lo-res standard after, except for Fox Sports Ohio and Sports Time Ohio... they appear AFTER the lo-res version ... FSN is 657_1 rather then giving me the HD first.

Other than that. I give them a B+

Comments:


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Forums > comments on review of DIRECTV

Review by aztr0

member for 4.2 years, 199 visits, last login: a few hours ago
lodged 93 days ago

Brooklyn,Kings,NY
Contract price not specified.
"When it works."
"When it doesn't work due to weather AND when not due to weather."
"They want your money, they don't care about customer satisfaction."

Pre Sales information:

Install Co-ordination:

Connection reliability:

Tech Support:

Mail,DNS,News:

Value for money:

(ratings match consensus)

My Other Reviews

·Optimum Online

I signed up for the Choice Package with 150 Channels, the regional sports package and also the Chinese package. I had 3 regular receivers and 1 HD receiver. I remember I had to pay for my HD receiver a couple years back even though the promotion stated free HD receiver. When I called them about why they charged me, they didn't give me a good answer, and pretty much said deal with it, because you have already paid and we can't refund you. Okay, call me stupid I guess, I got tricked. After a while, I would say a year into it, I would start losing signals on a perfectly good day/night. During the basketball season, MSG was not working, and after a while, the signal lost became very frequent. I finally gave DirecTV a call and told them the issue. Before the representative did anything, he told me that I was going to be charged the tech service fee of $49.95, but since I was a long time customer they will waive it. And how I should get the insurance. I said no, because if your service requires that I have to constantly call you to fix, then your company has a big problem.

The tech came and immediately knows the problem. He told me, that this thing in the satellite or the satellite itself will do this as time passes. So I'll have to get tech service again when it happens in another year. At this point I was mad, because of what he told me. But since the service was fixed for now, I didn't want to bother with DirecTV's customer service for a while. In comes, the next year, my receivers for my other rooms were old, and the remotes were not operational. I gave DirecTV a call, and asked them politely and nicely, whether the company can do anything about upgrading my receivers and/or replace my remotes. The rep tells me, unfortunately, they cannot do that. I will have to pay the price (I forgot how much) to replace them myself. I will note this, the rep did not give me any credit option to help me pay for some of the money, "because I was a valuable, long time customer." I kept my composure and told the rep I was going to have to think about whether I want to stay with the service any longer and hung up.

A couple months after, the losing signal on a good day/night issue occurred again, and I called for service. The rep told me they can't waive the fee, and the best they can do is take off $25 of the fee (this was after 2 calls, the first rep told me no fee waive at all, not even the $25). So I said okay, come and fix it. The tech came and fixed the thing. Then a couple months after, I noticed the problem is coming back again and I'm fuming, because I knew what the answers I was going to get from the customer service and I told them, it hasn't even been a year since the last service, you're going to charge me for having another tech to come over, when it obviously is your service issue? I ended that conversation and started to look for alternatives. In comes a mailing from Optimum about the triple play costing $69.95 a year. Since I already had Optimum, I knew what kind of customer service I was going to have. So I made the call to cancel DirecTV.

It was quite a funny call, I told them I was leaving the service. The rep asked why, I told the rep about all these issues that I had, and the fact that my remotes and receivers are all old and just not working properly due to age/use. The rep tells me that, DirecTV will be able to offer me credit up to $175 dollars for equipment replacement or something like that. So I was like WTF? I was told DirecTV can't do anything about crediting my equipment and I'll have to pay full amount from my pocket. Anyways, I was sick of this company by now. I was a loyal customer for many years and this is how they treat me. I'm sure people will ask, why I didn't leave earlier. I was hamstrung by my parents, since they like to watch the Chinese package that only DirecTV offered. It has gotten to that point where I just don't want to deal with DirecTV anymore and if my parents can't watch what they want, then tough luck, they'll have to settle with the Chinese channels from Optimum, since the triple play order has been placed.

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Forums > comments on review of DIRECTV

Review by tristar2

member for 10.1 years, 58 visits, last login: 99 days ago
updated 99 days ago

Alpharetta,Fulton,GA
Contract price not specified.
"Great Hi-Definition and 3D content!"
"Loss of signal during moderate rain"
"If you don't mind the occasional loss of signal during some rain or snow events, the content and price are a winner!"

Pre Sales information:

Install Co-ordination:

Connection reliability:

Tech Support:

Mail,DNS,News:

Value for money:

(ratings match consensus)

The 1080P and 3D content is great. The worst thing about the service is the loss of signal during some rain and snow events.

We have 8 televisions in our home so DirecTV was a cost effective service initially. We grew tired of signal loss so after 3 years we switched to another service provider..

Comments:

ke4pym Premium join:2004-07-24 Charlotte, NC Reviews: ·Verizon Broadban.. ·VOIPo ·RoadRunner Cable ·Northland Cable .. ·Packet8	Don't put up with it! If you are losing signal during a moderate storm, I'd call DirecTV up and make them come out there and re-peak your ODU. There has to be a monsoon over my house before I experience any signal loss. Or freezing rain. Freezing rain will knock it out in a heartbeat.
	permalink · 2011-11-05 13:04:19 · ·

Forums > comments on review of DIRECTV

Review by magicrat

member for 105 days, 0 visits, last login: 105 days ago
updated 105 days ago

Freehold,Monmouth,NJ
Contract price not specified.
"1080p (but at additional cost), 3d content"
"Service, support, pretty much every interaction I've ever had with them, 1.5 inches of snow and no TV"
"Proceed with caution"

Pre Sales information:

Install Co-ordination:

Connection reliability:

Tech Support:

Value for money:

(ratings below consensus)

I recently switched from Cablevision Optimum because I was unhappy with
channel selection (no 3d content, no NFL network, past contract problems
with major networks). I had used DirecTV in the past while living in AZ.
With the sales/gimicks/offers that DirecTV recently made available, I
finally decided to switch. Regretting my decision - experience so far has been disappointing.
They were unable to provide the equipment I ordered... dealing with a Standard DVR as a second receiver seemed to throw
a monkey wrench into the entire operation. At least a dozen calls led to
nothing but unkept promises, misinformation, and wasted time. Inconsistent information by uninformed and
incapable service reps across the board. Took over a month to finally get
what I ordered properly installed.
October 29 - the historic snowfall on the east coast. About 1.5 inches of
snow on the ground in Central Jersey, and no TV service. Seemed to come back online sometime overnight, but very worried about the next snow storm. Standard response is to go clean the satellite dish that they mounted on the top of your house.
I head from others
in NJ that DirecTV was not good, but I didn't heed the warnings. I really want to like my DirecTV service. NFL ticket is great, HD channels as well, picture quality is solid. But seems at every turn, another unhappy experience.
Proceed with caution.

Andy
in Freehold, NJ

Comments:

ArizonaSteve join:2004-01-31 Apache Junction, AZ	The snow isn't their fault. Why don't you quit complaining and go out and adjust the dish?
	permalink · 2011-10-30 11:40:18 · ·

UnKown The Underground Network join:2002-09-08 Orlando, FL	Re: The snow isn't their fault. while not their fault, its a critical downfall of an aging line of sight technology. it's something that needs to be expected with this type of technology, and almost all wireless technology is subject to certain interference.
	permalink · 2011-10-30 12:37:03 · ·

tristar2

join:2002-01-04
Alpharetta, GA

Reviews:

·DIRECTV

DirecTV

Our household had DirecTV for about 3 years here in Alpharetta, GA. After a rough start with the (contract) installer being very unprofessional, we enjoyed our service. The variety of content was good, and the 1080p was great! After upgrading a tv to 3D plasma, DirecTV's 3D content was excellent!

Our problem was loss of signal during almost any precipitation event of slightly less than moderate and above. Anytime along the path of "line of sight" that this precipitation occurred we would experience poor or no signal. If you live in areas prone to moderate or better intensity precipitation you will unfortunately have a strong chance of signal loss. Just as the worst weather (tornadoes and severe thunderstorms here) arrives, your DirecTV leaves...

permalink · 2011-11-05 08:05:20 · Print ·