Currently subscribe to Brighthouse in Central Florida. I pay about $140.00 a month for a gazillion stations I don't watch,plus HBO and my internet service. Brighthouse is switching to all digital in May and they claim I will need "adapters" on my other TV's(4 others) that I currently just plug into the wall and get around 120 channels on cable-ready TV's. This will raise my costs a bit. DirectTV has been pushing hard in the area with special "introductory" offers that would be a little lower for the first 2 years. I have several questions to anyone who has experienced both services. Will my overall price be comparable after the 2 years?(I'll have to add internet service from somebody) Is it worth "locking in" for 2 years? Is there a difference in picture quality? Is there a difference in customer service?(Brighthouse,is...well I'll be kind,a bit below average) I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions. It's either a dish or cable where I am,no U-Verse or anything like that is available. Thanks for any input.
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Convince me to switch to DTV(or not) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Rubi
- Start date
Mr.Pack
Footballguy
Copeman
Footballguy
I'm switching from my cable provider do DTV. The tech is coming Saturday to install. I am keeping my internet from my current cable provider. After all is said and done, I will be saving about $80/month, then after the 1st year it will be savings of about $40-$50. 2 year contract. As long as the service is ok, I will be happy.
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Whenever I change the channel I get a "searching for signal" message and it takes a few seconds to switch,so I guess that wouldn't be an issue for me.
Actually the picture goes out or skips when the weather is bad even with cable. I called Brighthouse about that several times and each time they blamed it on our electrical service provider. Which was amusing to me because not only is that a lie but my wife works for our electrical service provider and tells me she gets calls all the time from people saying Brighthouse told them it was their fault.
![[icon]](/data/avatars/m/5/5167.jpg?1660313464){kind=avatar}
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Insoxicated
Common issue with improperly aligned dishes due to lazy install techs. I had this problem until I had a good tech come through for a box upgrade. I mentioned it and he remedied it by spending a little extra time getting the signal from 90-92 range to 97+. This eliminated the issue in all but the most torrential downpours.
WHile this used to be a pretty major issue...it's improved greatly with the newer generations of hardware. Latency with my Genie HD Box is negligible.
They're in the wrong retirement community. They need to be in the one with the above average occurrence of STD's. They'd be happier.
MindCrime
Footballguy
Yes, it does, but really a non issue with a proper dish alignment, as stated above.
I am in East Orange County in Central FLA., been with DTV for 8 years. Had Brighthouse prior to that, but it's been a while ( They were still "Time Warner" when I had it, not digital, etc")
My DTV package varies between 100-140 per month, based on how many calls I make to them for discounts, offers, etc. I just upgraded to the Genie HD system late last year, with 3 other mini genies, as well as an older HD DVR in on bedroom, so 5 tvs total, each with dvr in HD.
Only downside I have is that I've been using ATT DSL, at a whopping 6Mbs, the fastest I can get since uverse isn't available. Been thinking of calling Brighthouse and see what kind of "Internet only" plans they have.
GoFishTN
Footballguy
I've never had a problem with DirecTV going out, except for during one of the recent snowstorms. I cleared off the dish and we were good to go. And we get some pretty good storms in East TN.
Detroit Fan 365
Footballguy
Pros:
After two years the price is comparable to what you are currently paying.
NFL Ticket is exclusive to Direct.
Cons:
When it rains hard the signal is lost.
After two years the price is comparable to what you are currently paying.
NFL Ticket is exclusive to Direct.
Cons:
When it rains hard the signal is lost.
gethugefast1
Footballguy
work for a phone/internet/tv provider, live in central florida, company i work for does not service cfl
to stop outages from weather on dtv/dish dishes... spray with wd40
check again with dtv about pricing you received from rep you called and ask for supervisor for pricing (hidden prices) & (you will probably get different pricing each time you call in and speak to rep)
dtv & dish are constantly offering different promos
fyi, i am also waiting for costs from brighthouse when they go to hd only (of course i'll be threatening to cancel if i don't get those additional costs waived)
to stop outages from weather on dtv/dish dishes... spray with wd40
check again with dtv about pricing you received from rep you called and ask for supervisor for pricing (hidden prices) & (you will probably get different pricing each time you call in and speak to rep)
dtv & dish are constantly offering different promos
fyi, i am also waiting for costs from brighthouse when they go to hd only (of course i'll be threatening to cancel if i don't get those additional costs waived)
shadyridr
Footballguy
Worst installation/technical experience ever. Every time i had a tech guy at my house my stress level was thru the roof. Each service guy was more incompetent than the last. Best thing that happened was i found a neighborhood dtv guy, i took his number and called and paid him everytime i had a problem. And there was tons of problems. DTV was the most miserable experience ever. So happy i switched to fios
MindCrime
Footballguy
Thanks
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Insoxicated
Again, this really isn't true if the dish is properly aligned/installed. It has to be torrential storms for it to affect it... and I mean torrential by southern standards. Not sure it's possible to rain hard enough above the mason dixon to stall a properly calibrated DTV dish.
Mr.Pack
Footballguy
I've heard that and plan on asking for new equipment. Other than the major lag and sound skipping, I love DTV
SHIZNITTTT
Footballguy
Directv because I can call and threaten to cancel every year and get a better rate.
mquinnjr
Footballguy
Agree completely. Will never go back to cable unless I have to because I move and I can't get Phillies games without it in the Philly area. I personally just have a much better experience with it, and Sunday Ticket alone is worth it. Tack on MLB Extra Innings in all HD (vs. cable where it's the same price for SD only) and it's a slam dunk if you're into MLB/NFL packages.
shadyridr
Footballguy
yeah some people liked this. I hated this every year
Stanwyk
Footballguy
Live in Central Florida. Previously had Brighthouse. Currently have DirecTV and love it. Brighthouse has more HD channels but DirecTV has Sunday Ticket, a better guide, a better DVR, etc. With the latest Genie DVR, you get 5 legitimate tuners for recording. Remote responsiveness with the Genie is greatly improved over previous DVRs. Brighthouse internet only base package is $54 plus modem rental fee ($4) plus tax.
I have 95+ signal strength across the board when no clouds are out. I can lose signal before it starts raining due to the summer storms. Bad news - you will lose signal in the summer in Florida and it may interrupt golf on the weekends. Good news - signal usually only drops for a few minutes and only in the worst storms. More good news - not many storms during prime time TV watching.
Central Florida thunderstorms are different. Not to get all weather geek here, but Florida has the East Coast Sea Breeze, which produces very strong outflow boundary and very tall, super dense storm clouds. The storms generally move in from the southwest - same direction the sat dish points - which means the dish is looking straight into 40k foot clouds packed with rain for a long duration and the DirecTV Ka band can barely penetrate that.[icon] said:
I have 95+ signal strength across the board when no clouds are out. I can lose signal before it starts raining due to the summer storms. Bad news - you will lose signal in the summer in Florida and it may interrupt golf on the weekends. Good news - signal usually only drops for a few minutes and only in the worst storms. More good news - not many storms during prime time TV watching.
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Insoxicated
fruity pebbles
Footballguy
I've had dish, direct and time warner. i like dish the best.
Soulfly3
Footballguy
Timmay
Footballguy
Chaka
Footballguy
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Insoxicated
Soulfly3
Footballguy
VA703
Footballguy
fantasycurse42
Footballguy Jr.
fantasycurse42
Footballguy Jr.
Can we compare bills and services?
Lets find who is paying the least so I know what to demand...
Currently I pay $93 for two HD receivers with DVR with every channel excluding Starz, Cinemax, & Showtime.
I paid $89 for the Sunday Ticket Max.... How did I do & where do you stand?
Lets find who is paying the least so I know what to demand...
Currently I pay $93 for two HD receivers with DVR with every channel excluding Starz, Cinemax, & Showtime.
I paid $89 for the Sunday Ticket Max.... How did I do & where do you stand?
Timmay
Footballguy
I've had DTV for 3 years now, and just about 1-2 months ago, it started really having a delay whenever I try changing the channel.
Wingnut
Footballguy
Another Central FL DTV customer here. Have had it for a total of 13 years over the last 15.
Goes out in super heavy storms but not the usual Florida summer storms. Remote doesn't lag at all except when loading the On Demand menu, and its only a couple of seconds.
I get Sunday Ticket free every year, and my monthly bill is $74 for the Choice Plus package with HBO, Cinemax, Starz, Showtime, Encore, and TMC.
Couldn't be happier.
Goes out in super heavy storms but not the usual Florida summer storms. Remote doesn't lag at all except when loading the On Demand menu, and its only a couple of seconds.
I get Sunday Ticket free every year, and my monthly bill is $74 for the Choice Plus package with HBO, Cinemax, Starz, Showtime, Encore, and TMC.
Couldn't be happier.
Wingnut
Footballguy
Yup. I be been re-upping my contract every year or so and they still hook me up with deals, including free Sunday Ticket every year, even when I'm under contract. You just gotta know how to play the game.
shadyridr
Footballguy
huh?
Wingnut
Footballguy
I'm pretty sure he was asking SHIZNITT about getting better rates while still under contract.
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Wingnut
Footballguy
Its always some BS story about how the wife (which I don't have) has been whining abiut the satellite bill and wants me to switch to another service, and how that service will pay my ETF to switch...but that I myself love DTV and want to keep it, and ask them how we can keep everyone happy, yadda yadda...I always ask where they're located and chat em up a bit...talk weather, sports, whatever...just make them feel more like a person and less like a faceless CSR. There's a few threads about what spiel is working for people in the DTV threads here and in the shark pool. I always do it about a month before football season. Those threads are gold that time of year for DTV customers.
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SHIZNITTTT
Footballguy
Yes, you can still ask and get a better rate on your bill even under contract. Kinda like when a professional athlete asks for a better deal even though they have a current contract.
seahawk 17
Footballguy
I was a DTV subscriber for 13 years and loved it. Great customer service. Anytime I had an issue they made it right. Easy to negotiate with. Had one outage in all of that time.(I understand FL rain is different from OR rain.)
I loved them so much, I had no problem paying for NFL Ticket a majority of the time rather than calling them and busting their balls for a cheaper rate.
One of the few companies I was absolutely a loyal customer of.
I loved them so much, I had no problem paying for NFL Ticket a majority of the time rather than calling them and busting their balls for a cheaper rate.
One of the few companies I was absolutely a loyal customer of.
