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Boston: Comcast vs. DirectTV for HD Content (or any other dish)

679 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  CPanther95, 
B
Hi,


I'm moving soon, and I'm currently very happy with my 42" Plasma HD with my Comcast HD package in Boston.


The new apartment that I am looking at doesn't offer Comcast cable service. You have to use a dish.


The hardware looks so expensive I'm thinking of passing on this place, and the possibility to miss 180 games of HD RedSox on NESN with Remdog and Orsillo is enough to make me run away from the deal.


I'm thinking that these dishes look like total junk and I'm wondering if I'm just plain wrong or missing something or what? Cost - pricey. Local stations - none? HD Content - not so good. On Demand - none.


I could care less about XM, I've got an iPod and I use my computer for all my music with custom playlists through my HT system. .

This is a serious quesiton for my HT system, which is pretty important to me!


Some specific questions about using HD dishes in Boston:

* Can I watch the RedSox games in HD without paying extra? Can I watch them in HD through an additional sports package? NESN is included in the extra sports package, but it doesn't mention whether it's HD NESN (and thus I would conclude that it's not HD and thus I'd be stuck watching 180 games of crap SD)

* Does the DVR require the additional payment for Tivo service?

* What local channels would I get? Let's say I watch the local news, would I be able to watch my local news (my plasma doesn't have an over the air antenna capability)

* Do you get HD network channels like NBC, ABC, Fox, on a dish? Will those channels broadcast local content like Patriots games on Sunday?

Thank you,

Billd
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M
1) Only if the game happens to be on ESPN or happens to be a game they are offering in HD as part of the Extra Innings package, they don't carry NESN in HD.

2) Yes, $6 a month for DVR service added to your Directv bill.

3) Directv offers ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC in HD via MPEG4 but they don't have a DVR out yet that can receive and record MPEG4 stations, if you want the DVR, you are limited to using the ATSC tuner built into the DVR and an OTA antenna.

4) No since Boston locals are available via the dish.


Personally I use Directv cause I don't have an option where I live. If you can get Comcast elsewhere, I'd find a different apartment, you won't be happy with Directv coming from what you have now.
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D
Quote:
Originally Posted by billd
The new apartment that I am looking at doesn't offer Comcast cable service. You have to use a dish.
Is there no cable TV service in the town?


I was under the impression that, by law, your landlord has to allow the local cable company to wire your apartment for cable service. I may be wrong, but you may want to look into this.
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B
yeah its a loft deep in an old neighborhood in boston. its a live/workspace for artists and it dosn't have cable. boston is served by comcast and rsn cable, and that's whats giving me heartburn about the dish requirement! getting comcast into the building would be very difficult if not impossible and its a fight i'm not willing to start.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjones73
4) No since Boston locals are available via the dish.


Personally I use Directv cause I don't have an option where I live. If you can get Comcast elsewhere, I'd find a different apartment, you won't be happy with Directv coming from what you have now.
just so I'm clear on this....DirectTV doesn't offer local Boston stations and I won't be able to see the Patriots play unless I have the NFL ticket (which costs hundreds of dollars)? Does the NFL ticket broadcast all games in HD?


Its not like I'm a total sports nut, it's just that the lack of local stations seems to preclude me from watching any local sports games, which would definitley suck considering that it's nice to put on the HD red sox game and have it on in hte background. So if its a sunday during December, and I turn on CBS I definitley want to watch the Patriots game (local affiliate) instead of watching the Jets/Kansas City game.


i happen to really like the apartment, but this is the one big "gotcha" ha. damn!
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Ken H
Quote:
Originally Posted by billd
just so I'm clear on this....DirectTV doesn't offer local Boston stations and I won't be able to see the Patriots play unless I have the NFL ticket (which costs hundreds of dollars)?
No, DirecTV does carry the local Boston HD stations. All locally broadcast games that are in HD you can get with these two options:

From DirecTV with the local stations package

or

If they are receivable via over-the-air


In general, if you are less than 55 miles from the stations and have direct line of sight, you should be able to get HD locals using the DirecTV HD receiver and a antenna.

Quote:
Does the NFL ticket broadcast all games in HD?
No, it only offers the games available from CBS & FOX in HD. CBS currently does 3 HD games per week, FOX does up to 6 HD games per week. Having said that, NFL ST blacks out games that are available from your local stations. So having HD locals from either DirecTV or over-the-air is necessary for seeing the Pats in HD.



See www.antennaweb.org & www.titantv.com for basic asistance with local HD reception.


For the best local HD resource available, see the local Boston topics found in this master local topic: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=453241
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OK, so it looks like I would get the Direct TV local package and be relatively happy. My Panny 42HD doesn't have an OTA antenna, and I'd like to avoid buying an antenna to watch TV, sounds like a hassle...probably not connected to the on screen guide if I used the DirectTV antenna, which would look like crap in my unit anyway. Who wants rabbit ears anymore when you've got a sick HT setup?


Anyway, thanks a lot for the responses. My next issue is to figure out the Dish Network vs. DirectTV setups for Boston. I'll definitely go through that link to see the Boston specific resources.
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Ken H
Quote:
Originally Posted by billd
OK, so it looks like I would get the Direct TV local package and be relatively happy. My Panny 42HD doesn't have an OTA antenna, and I'd like to avoid buying an antenna to watch TV, sounds like a hassle...probably not connected to the on screen guide if I used the DirectTV antenna, which would look like crap in my unit anyway. Who wants rabbit ears anymore when you've got a sick HT setup?


Anyway, thanks a lot for the responses. My next issue is to figure out the Dish Network vs. DirectTV setups for Boston. I'll definitely go through that link to see the Boston specific resources.
Over-the-air reception has advantages over DBS:

- It's free. DirecTV will charge you for local channels, HD and otherwise.

- You are guaranteed the best possible HD quality. DirecTV HDTV can be reduced image quality, although for HD locals this is still not determined as yet, and for the other DBS/cable HD channels (ESPN HD, HDNet, etc.) it may change.

- You don't have to worry about rain fade.


In some circles, an antenna on the roof for Digital TV reception is a new age status symbol. Once your neighbors see what it can deliver, for free, they too will want one. Maybe.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken H
Over-the-air reception has advantages over DBS:

- It's free. DirecTV will charge you for local channels, HD and otherwise.

- You are guaranteed the best possible HD quality. DirecTV HDTV can be reduced image quality, although for HD locals this is still not determined as yet, and for the other DBS/cable HD channels (ESPN HD, HDNet, etc.) it may change.

- You don't have to worry about rain fade.


In some circles, an antenna on the roof for Digital TV reception is a new age status symbol. Once your neighbors see what it can deliver, for free, they too will want one. Maybe.
Yeah, I hear you with regards to OTA reception, yet my Panny requires the set top box or some other external tuner.


Also, I've got very limited capability to install things on the roof of this building wihch is a big old loft building. Running cables up a few stories through a hundred and fifty year old building is tough. I've got to contend wiht the architecture firm which is right above me, several condo owners, a landlord, the historic neighborhood association and the city permitting process. Since the dishes are already up there the wiring and installation is grandfathered, they are out of sight lines from the street level, etc. putting anything else up on the roof would be crazy difficult. at least if i can get the local package in HD, that's quite a good solution for what i need. :)


so should i get hte HD box from Dish or Direct TV or should I look into buying a different one? how's that work anyway?
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Continue discussion in Boston, MA - OTA or Boston, MA - DBS threads. See the US Index at the top of the forum.
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