I currently have comcast in an area where the bandwidth is limited. We only have 8 HD channels. Other comcast areas have more. I've been told there is no more bandwidth to add more HD channels even if they wanted to. THey would first need to upgrade the system in my area for more bandwidth. (i live in the south hills of Pittsburgh, PA)

A few weeks ago I read in newsweek that the guys in charge of Direct TV are going to be adding all sorts of HD channels. I read the annocement in this board that there are new HD channels coming soon.

I'm pretty sure that my comcast will not be getting any of these channels (See above). The current channel guide of Direct TV shows only a few HD channel. I don't even see PBS HD or INHD.

So my questions are:

1. What are the odds of Direct TV getting more HD channels any time soon? What about DISH? They have more HD channels, but most of it seems like crap.

2. It seems to be DirectTV is the better company, but with less HD i'm worried about them getting more HD channels?

3. I want to get a HD DVR and a regular DVR and i don't want to pay for it. I have heard that you can talk the people at DirectTV into giving it to you for free. HOw true is this?

4. How true is the sat feed going away in bad weather? For example it's snowing heavy today. Would i lose my TV?

5. Is installation usually free? Do the guys come over and put it all and and everyone for me?

5.5 I currently have cable internet with comcast and i'm very happy with it. Will they let me keep this but not pay for cable?

6. Overall what would you do if you were me? wait for comcast to upgrade my area and give me more hd, or switch to Sat? and if so which Sat company and why?

Thanks. This is a big choice for me. All reponses are appriciated.

1. Summer 2007. DirecTV has two new satellites lined up to handle the new HD content.

2. See 1. They're threatening tons more.

3. As a new customer, you'll get a DVR free. New customers have a bit of a hard time getting the HD DVR for free but take the DVR, make your payments on time and call them in six months. I've had very good luck getting almost anything I want.

4. A properly aligned dish will have very little trouble finding a strong signal. Here (Michigan) I have about 30 minutes of outages per year, mostly in strong thunderstorms. It rarely lasts more than a couple of minutes. If nothing else, brush off the dish in heavy snow. No big deal.

* Ponder this: ever driven by the Comcast building and seen the satellite dishes they use to get their content?

5. New customers usually get something like 2-4 DVRs installed free.
5.5 Comcast will sell you anything you want. You may see a price increase for standalone services, though.

6. I'd switch to DirecTV. I was in a similar situation a few years ago and just went for it. I'm so glad I did. I never realized how much I was getting jerked by Comcast or whatever it was called at the time.

DirecTV is the larger of the satellite television providers and seems to have a solid future plan. They've laid out their schedule and have usually hit it in the past. HiDef programming is their next selling point and they plan to have most of their lineup in HD within a year.

Dish has more HD channels right now, but most of them are the failed VOOM channels. I usually tell people if you want HD right now, get
Dish. If you want better and more HD and can wait a few months, get DirecTV.

A related funny story: about two years ago, Viacom (Nicktoons, TVLand, Nick) and Dish Network couldn't come to an agreement over licensing rights, but Dish continued to broadcast Viacom programming. Viacom then put little message boxes on the screen saying Dish wouldn't pay the rights fees and subscribers would soon be losing these channels. Most people wouldn't be very happy to lose those channels. Dish actually had someone moving a black box around the screen trying to cover up those messages. After looking like fools for bickering over what came out to be less than a penny per subscriber fee increase, Dish gave in and put out a press release saying they were doing it for their subscribers. All the Dish fanboys taunted the DirecTV forums saying 'you just wait until it's your turn' but DirecTV had already negotiated the Viacom rights, absorbing the fee increase in the process.

The biggest drawback to Sat is the commitment requirement - no such gotcha with cable. In times of great change, I'd never commit to anything more than a month of service.

To answer your question regarding getting HDDVR for free, it won't happen. I had regular D* for about 2 years when they pissed me off and I called to cancel my service. They threw all these new options at me which include: $150 off a HDDVR(i still had to pay the other $150), free HD channels for a year, and a $5 a month credit on my bill for a year. Not a bad deal at all but I tried and tried to work out a deal for a free HDDVR but to no avail, mind you I talked to 6 different people about it over 2 days. Also I had to sign a 2 year renewal contract. It's supposed to get installed on the 10th so I'll let you know how it is.

thanks so much for your replies. I'm still torn on what to do. No PBS HD on Direct TV.. why is that? Do i even get PBS period? I see i get the locals but it looks like no PBS. Also it looks like the HD locals are national feeds from big market channels. So it will be like watching i'm sitting in NYC (whever the feed comes from) watching TV? seeing all their local adversiting?

As for the HD DVR. It's a MUST. Comcast gives it to me for 10/month. Dish is charging 10/month just for HD. I will take them into it or i'm not going to do the move.

Does the dish go out of alignment now and then? is it something you can fix on your own or do you have to have them come out and do it?

How many HD channels are coming in the summer? Am i going to have to pay more or will i jsut get them when they come?

Why did they piss you off enough to want to cancel? Are they worse them comcast?

Is there any way i could find out when / if comcast will ever upgrade my area?

You'd think i'd know what to do. but i still don't know which is the right choice. I just want the most HD channels i can have and good HD DVR along with a regular DVR for my bedroom.

Keep the reponses coming..

Check to see if Directv offers locals in HD in your area, if not, you'll need to put up an OTA antenna to get them if you are in range of the local OTA broadcast towers. You aren't automatically guaranteed the national HD feeds from NYC if they don't offer locals in your area.

Unfortunately, my setup date for my new HDDVR isn't for 2 more weeks so most of your questions I can't answer (yet). The reason they pissed me off is because I bought a HD D* receiver at walmart about 2 months ago and after I set it up and called D* to activate it they told me I couldn't use it for what I wanted to. I said fine and boxed it up and took it back to walmart and got a refund of my $100. Then about 2 weeks ago I get an empty box with receiver return information in it from D*. I called them up and they said I had to send them my extra receiver...the new HD one...or else I'll be charge like $300. I told them I didn't have it and it was at walmart after I returned it. They made a big fuss saying I'm going to have to send them a receipt(which I didn't have because walmart keeps the receipts after you return the item and thats the only thing you bought), then they send I would have to contact walmart and get a duplicate receipt made(I don't see how that could even be possible). Anyways, after a 2 hour conversation with many people pissing me off I finally talked to someone who said if it came down to it, walmart would just have to track the item down. The reason I wanted to cancel is because I talked to about 5 people before anyone would believe me and I could switch to Charter for alot cheaper. Called D* to cancel and they offered me all this free stuff. I'm happy with the channels, just not the customer service.

You also might want to ask them to be sure you can get HD where you live. I was told (because of trees and my location) that I CANNOT get HD content from DirectTV. They even refused to install the 5LNB dish, telling me it won't work (for HD). My little "basic" dish gives me a great picture. I'm not sure I believe them when they tell me I can't get HD. I think it was a lazy install guy.

3. I want to get a HD DVR and a regular DVR and i don't want to pay for it. I have heard that you can talk the people at DirectTV into giving it to you for free. HOw true is this?


All I wanted was a HD-DVR too. I have had D* HD for 5 years, stuck with them through many problems. I called to try and get a free dvr and they wanted full price, $299. I said cable will let me use theirs for free, if you don't offer me a free to use dvr I will switch to cable. His instant reply was "OK, I can cancel your D* right now then".

Cable is coming with my new dvr next week. Good bye Directv :mad:

Steven

Yes after much thought I think it's better for me right now to stay with comcast.

I get the DVR that can record 2 HD shows at once. I get all the major networks in HD. That's good enough for now.

I trust that some day in the near future comcast will enventually upgrade my area. And i'm very excited about the comcast tivo interface.

I have had a tivo that now serves in the bedroom, and i can say for a fact the tivo interface is a joy to use, while the comcast interface you just deal with because you must.

All I wanted was a HD-DVR too. I have had D* HD for 5 years, stuck with them through many problems. I called to try and get a free dvr and they wanted full price, $299. I said cable will let me use theirs for free, if you don't offer me a free to use dvr I will switch to cable. His instant reply was "OK, I can cancel your D* right now then".

Cable is coming with my new dvr next week. Good bye Directv :mad:

Steven
You should try calling retention then....someone will cut you a nice deal if you have been a member for 5 years.