robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ
1 edit | Time to try something new
Well, as far as I can tell it's been Verizon's goal to become a cable tv company and it looks like they've succeeded. It's impossible to get any question answered, the billing system sucks and they pretty much sat back and watched cable and satellite companies pass them by as far as HD goes.
Yes, I know about the 160 HD channels some time next year but if they're using the same methods of calculating that as they are for the IMG rollout I wouldn't hold my breath.
The big thing for me now is that DirecTV has MSG, FSN and VS in HD. I'm sick of standard def hockey and apparently VZ doesn't care enough to fight the Dolans to get MSG and FSN in HD. I got a nice deal from DTV and I'm getting it installed next week. The upfront costs are pretty significant for 2 HD DVRs but the programming cost savings for the first year will more than offset it. After that, the price is almost identical.
I really hate doing this because I think the potential for FiOS TV is far greater than what DTV can offer and I know that the SD picture on DTV is not as good as FiOS has but with 85 HD channels it's not at all likely that I'll be tuning in any SD channels. My kids will miss the VOD but they're looking forward to watching the Devils in HD.
I just hope this install goes smoother than the FiOS TV install went last year. |
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matcarl
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY | Good luck with your install. You can always come back in the future after Verizon works everything out. |
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knarf829
join:2007-06-02
| reply to robjlevin
said by robjlevin  :I just hope this install goes smoother than the FiOS TV install went last year. Awww...come on. Man up and do the install yourself. That's what satellite is for. That was the best part for me when I had it - that incredible feeling of being self-installed and self-contained |
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robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ
| Back in 1990 I installed my BUD by myself. Words can't describe the feeling when I hooked everything up and started getting pictures on each satellite.
Back then even seeing a Canadian test pattern was pretty cool. We got all the football games for free and there was plenty of hockey to be seen, too.
I installed a Bell ExpressVu dish a few years ago and I tell you, aiming that little thing was more of pain than aiming the BUD. |
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HenryFarpolo
Premium
join:2003-08-31
Andover, MA | reply to robjlevin
Good luck rob...you posted with class and you are leaving without rancor and with similar class. Stay tuned, things will get better with FIOS. |
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knarf829
join:2007-06-02
| reply to robjlevin
said by robjlevin :Back in 1990 I installed my BUD by myself. Words can't describe the feeling when I hooked everything up and started getting pictures on each satellite. Back then even seeing a Canadian test pattern was pretty cool. We got all the football games for free and there was plenty of hockey to be seen, too. I installed a Bell ExpressVu dish a few years ago and I tell you, aiming that little thing was more of pain than aiming the BUD. I wonder if it's worthwhile to have a BUD anymore or if everything is encrypted.
In any event, good luck with DirecTV. |
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davefl
@verizon.net | Yes it is worthwhile to have a BUD today. Not only are they not encrypted they are available anywhere fines beers are sold. |
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odubum
@spcsdns.net
| reply to robjlevin
I have Direct TV and their service sucks. They use contractors and sadly most don't speak good english. I went round and round with one guy about a problem I had and he couldn't understand what Iwas saying. I just gave up and fixed it myself.
Another issue I have with Direct TV is the nickel and dime you. I bought and HD dish from them but that dish isn't good enough to get the new HD channels or local channels in HD. I have to buy a whole new dish. what a joke. Also. some HD channels I used to get now say I need to call to order them. Huh?
My last complaint is the dish goes out even in the slightest rain storm due to the trees in my yard. I was hoping to keep Direct TV for NFL Sunday Ticket buy my frustration level is so great I am getting FIOS instead. It can't be this ba.d |
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vz tech 2
join:2005-11-19
Richmond, VA
| reply to robjlevin
yeAH DIRECTV has more HD channels but they are also charging up front dvr and hi def boxes fee's 10.00 a month for the hd package and now the kicker is they have recently started moveing hd channels to another tier that is not included in the 10.00 a month it cost an additional 4.99 per month for these channels that were in the 10.00 teir just a couple of days ago sure they will have 150 channels but at what cost? Good luck though and you will always be welcomed back to the light side (ow a pun)  |
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knarf829
join:2007-06-02
| reply to odubum
said by odubum :
My last complaint is the dish goes out even in the slightest rain storm due to the trees in my yard. I was hoping to keep Direct TV for NFL Sunday Ticket buy my frustration level is so great I am getting FIOS instead. It can't be this ba.d I'm for DirecTV bashing as much as the next guy, but I have to believe that the incredible rise in this "dish goes out in rain" issue directly correlates to the fact that virtually no one installs their own dish anymore. Some hourly waged dude just isn't going to put in the kind of time it takes to properly align the dish and secure it for all possible issues. |
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robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ | Agreed. I intend to watch this guy like a hawk and make sure that dish is aimed properly. There's no way a properly set up system goes out unless it's absolutely pouring. |
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KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
 ·Cricket Broadband
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to davefl
said by davefl :
Yes it is worthwhile to have a BUD today. Not only are they not encrypted they are available anywhere fines beers are sold.
Can't beat the price for BUD's either, you can get 24 of them for less than $20 bucks.
They don't work so well with an ordinary dish, better left in the can or bottle. 
--
"Lithium is no longer available on credit" |
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Hound
join:2006-03-08
Princeton, NJ
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to robjlevin
Its a good move. I am considering D* as well and dropping
E*, but keeping Fios as my main TV service on six TVs.
I have two E* HD DVRs on my two primary TVs. The big attraction of D* is MSG HD, FSNY HD and MLB EI in HD. Already have VS HD with E*. Just spent $95 a ticket to take my two sons to see the Sabres game at Prudential tonight. Plus $25 for parking. Be better off spending the money on a D* DVR and watching FSNY HD.
Devils are looking good, but need HD. |
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Thespis
I'm not an actor, but I play one on TV.
Premium
join:2004-08-03
Keller, TX
| reply to robjlevin
said by robjlevin :Agreed. I intend to watch this guy like a hawk and make sure that dish is aimed properly. There's no way a properly set up system goes out unless it's absolutely pouring. In addition to accurate alignment, make sure everything is waterproofed. Most "rain fade" issues are really moisture collecting where it hadn't ought to.
I miss the self contained part of having sat as well. Every time we moved, the dish was the first thing I did at the new house. I left it up on the current house when I got FIOS TV, just in case... |
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knarf829
join:2007-06-02
| said by Thespis :said by robjlevin :Agreed. I intend to watch this guy like a hawk and make sure that dish is aimed properly. There's no way a properly set up system goes out unless it's absolutely pouring. In addition to accurate alignment, make sure everything is waterproofed. Most "rain fade" issues are really moisture collecting where it hadn't ought to. I miss the self contained part of having sat as well. Every time we moved, the dish was the first thing I did at the new house. I left it up on the current house when I got FIOS TV, just in case... You guys are making me want to journey up onto the roof to put up a dish just for the hell of it. I'm getting self-contained nostalgia. |
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noizemaker07
join:2007-11-04
Eatontown, NJ
| Well I'm sure this is not new to anyone here but, yes DTV might have 85 HD channels but 95% of them aren't even showing HD programming!!! For example, Cartoon Network HD, you are not going to be watching the flintstones in HD, LOL! At least the majority of what Fios is currently offering in HD actually has HD programming. DTV's mission here was to attract with quantity!!! Granted, Fios might not have some key sports networks which do provide HD programming, but the future is not so far away.
Good Luck with your DTV install & enjoy!
Carmine! |
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Tested
@verizon.net
| reply to robjlevin
said by robjlevin :The big thing for me now is that DirecTV has MSG, FSN and VS in HD. I'm sick of standard def hockey and apparently VZ doesn't care enough to fight the Dolans to get MSG and FSN in HD. To each his own. However, I don't understand switching to satellite from Fios. Every satellite customer I've ever talked to says they lose the signal when it rains or if there's high wind. I've been in their homes when this happens. Even at that, many of them are quite happy with the service. Like I say, to each his own. Personally, I like Fios and have never had a problem with the service. The picture quality is great and the price is better than anything cable has to offer. If they get 150 HD channels over the course of the next year, I'm sure I'll be quite happy with that too.
By the way, I have FSN-HD on Fios here in the Plano area. Is that not offered where you are? |
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robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ
| Everyone you know has some poorly installed equipment. I already have Bell ExpressVu dish installed that I did myself.
Unless it's coming down in sheets I don't lose the picture and wind for sure NEVER is problem. Where do your friends have their dishes mounted? On a tree?
FSN and MSG are both owned by Cablevision, an evil organization if there ever was one. For years their biggest headache was satellite but with FiOS now around they're more worried about Verizon. |
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robjlevin
join:2002-10-30
Millington, NJ
| reply to noizemaker07
said by noizemaker07 : Granted, Fios might not have some key sports networks which do provide HD programming, but the future is not so far away. With the Dolans involved the future might just as well be a million years from now. I'm shocked enough that they gave those two channels to DirecTV but I can't see it happening with FiOS. |
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JPL
Premium
join:2007-04-04
West Chester, PA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to robjlevin
said by robjlevin :Everyone you know has some poorly installed equipment. I already have Bell ExpressVu dish installed that I did myself. Unless it's coming down in sheets I don't lose the picture and wind for sure NEVER is problem. Where do your friends have their dishes mounted? On a tree? FSN and MSG are both owned by Cablevision, an evil organization if there ever was one. For years their biggest headache was satellite but with FiOS now around they're more worried about Verizon. I never had many outages as a DirecTV customer either. However, I was only an SD customer. I understand that their new slimline dishes (5 LNB - needed to get all their new HD channels) can be much more prone to signal outages due to weather. For me it was never really rain that was a problem - it was cloud cover. For example, when we had a noreaster come through, and deluge us with rain we never once lost signal. But when you had the traditional heavy storms come in from the west, we would lose signal. Certainly never due to wind - and certainly not for no reason. But a co-worker recently upgraded to DirecTV's 5-LNB dish, and not a week goes by where he doesn't have an issue with dropped channels. But then again, there are others that will tell you that the new channels never go out, even when the older channels do. |
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