What satellite company do you use???

[hemispheredancer]

We are considering dropping Comcast and going satellite. DH has a few channel pre-reqs: OLN, "the Mens Channel???", any hunting/fishing. Currently Comcast is our cable and internet provider. So, I would have to get rid of my internet, too. I was thinking about going WOW for phone and internet. Any experience with this carrier?

 

[hemispheredancer]

BUMP...come on....nobody has satellite tv???

 

[gallaj0]

We use DirecTv and have for years. We'd never get rid of it, and go back to cable. It's much more reliable than our cable ever was, no rental fees for the equipment, and just less expensive, for every channel, including XM satellite radio starting this month.

Can't help with the WOW.

 

[RAD]

If OLN is a requirement then you need D* (DirecTV) since E* (Echostar/Dish) just dropped them over a pricing dispute. I had D*, switched to E* for some programming that they had that D* didn't but switched back due to the unreliability of the E* receivers. However, if you don't get any advanced receivers from E*, just their basic box or their 501/508/510 digital recorder they are much more stable then their other boxes.

If you're at all interested in high definition TV I'd recommend waiting a few months and see what happens with both providers. Both D* and E* need to upgrade their receivers to a new form of digital compression to all them to add new HD channels. D* is also rolling out a new satellite dish to pick up two additional orbital positions (just doing a beta test in Detroit). E* hasn't announced their plans yet, all they say is it will be required.

You might also want to look on sites www.satelliteguys.us, www.dbsforum.com and www.dbstalk.com to see what other folks have to say about both services and their hardware. Good luck.

 

[PixieDust32]

We got Dish Network since 1998 and love it!

 

[lewdyan1]

We love out Directv!!! I only wish they would add the Tennis Channel.

 

[pixiemomma]

We have Dish Network and I am counting down the days until we can get out of the contract. Our local channels constantly go out, despite perfect weather and no obstructions. IF we didn't pay $129 extra a year for Center Ice I would not be able to watch any NHL ice hockey because they do not carry OLN or any of the ComcastSportsNet channels.

I've never heard of WOW but since the one prerequisite is OLN, do not choose DIsh Network. (I do love the DVR option though because it is REALLY easy to use)

 

[Papa Deuce]

We have Dish Network and I am counting down the days until we can get out of the contract. Our local channels constantly go out, despite perfect weather and no obstructions. IF we didn't pay $129 extra a year for Center Ice I would not be able to watch any NHL ice hockey because they do not carry OLN or any of the ComcastSportsNet channels.

I've never heard of WOW but since the one prerequisite is OLN, do not choose DIsh Network. (I do love the DVR option though because it is REALLY easy to use)

Only Comacst Cable had the Sportsnet Channels; it is what they fight the dishes with, bacause both dish systems offer more for less than Cable.

 

[Shelby5514]

We have had Dish Network since 1997 and have been very happy with them. We maybe lose a signal once or twice a year and that's usually when there is a severe storm.

 

[Dan Murphy]

DirecTv. And it does have the local Comcast Sports Channel on it.

 

[RAD]

Both D* and E* usually have the regional sports networks, except for Comcast Philly, they're a special case. The FCC says that a programming service must be made available to the satellite companies if they use satellite to distribute the channel. Comcast Philly uses fiber links to distribute it so they don't have to offer it to the DBS companies. I do know that when Comcast Sportsnet Chicago started up, D* had it up fairly soon, E* waited about 6 months before they started to offer it. The ROT is if you're into sports programming D* is the way to go.

 

[puffkin]

I am not sure where you live, but if you watch any sports on the Comcast Sports channels, you will NOT get them through satellite.

In the greater Philadelphia area, unless you have Comcast, it is very hard to see Phillies, 76ers or Flyers games since they are mainly shown on Sportsnet.

BTW, just be aware that you can have signal problems with satellite. My parents had DirectTV from 1996 until 2004 and they would lose their signal in bad weather and things like that. They lived in an area where cable was unavailable though. Now they moved and have comparable service with Comcast with no outages and pricewise it is about the same.

 

[RAD]

I am not sure where you live, but if you watch any sports on the Comcast Sports channels, you will NOT get them through satellite.

As it was said, you can't get Comcast SportsNet Philly via any satellite provider, other then that, other Comcast SportsNet's ARE available on both D* and E*. I live in the Chicago area and can watch all the Cubs/Sox/Bulls/Hawks etc games that are on Comcast, no problem. The Philly area is the only place that has a problem with Comcast Sportsnet.

 

[JimB.]

Direct TV.

No issues, except for the occassional lost signal in mid-summer Florida gully-washers.

I'm waiting for my DVR to arrive & get installed, and also upgrading to a triple LNB dish so we can receive our local stations......................

And what we get (which is one of the cheaper programming packages) is loads cheaper than local cable.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

I have DirecTv and Love it.
I rarely lose signal other than huge thunderstorms when I lose picture for 5 maybe 10 min and thats very rare, The picture on digital cable would pixalate far more often, wont go back to cable.

 

[crz4mm2]

DirecTV here too. Have had it for years. Recently got Tivo too. and LOVE that. As far as sports, I don't watch, but DH has all the hunting stuff down pat!! I don't know the channels, but do know there is Outdoor stuff because we have to watch deer hunting and turkey hunting and big game stuff..... so I know they are available!
We loose signal once in a while with severe storms. Now, the direcway internet is a whole different story!!!