Is “Everybody in a rush to leave DIRECTV and DISH?” Really? Even on enthusiast forums?

Before I ran this blog, I was involved in enthusiast forums. Before reddit, before Facebook groups, before YouTube, this was how people got critical tech support information for their hobbies. Often times you had a group of people who were pushing hardware to the limit and they wanted to know how to solve weird problems. I met lifelong friends in those user communities and I still participate in a few today.

That’s why I was a little ticked off, pardon me for saying so, when a user forum for the satellite TV community featured a thread saying everyone was in a rush to leave DIRECTV and DISH. Is it really true? Is it all over for satellite TV? Or is it just more hype?

Here’s the fact: satellite TV is still huge​

DIRECTV and DISH together account for more pay-TV subscribers than any other service. Certainly when you take out those Comcast and Spectrum customers who say they subscribe to pay-TV but are actually using captive streaming through their provider networks, that’s got to be the case. Both companies have been actively pushing customers away from cable boxes and toward apps and custom streaming devices. When DIRECTV and DISH do that, the industry calls it “losing subscribers.” When Comcast does it, apparently those people still count.

I’m not going to tell you that satellite TV’s subscriber numbers are where they were in 2010, when about 40 million homes had satellite TV. That was about one quarter of the total number of homes in the country. Those days are over. Of course they are. Streaming video wasn’t really possible in those days for most people. Today it’s so common we don’t even think about it.

But that doesn’t stop me from saying that satellite TV is still huge. There’s something over 25 million homes and businesses still using satellite TV. For businesses in particular, it’s the only option in most cases. Cable TV isn’t available for many commercial installations. Streaming is flat out illegal in public-facing businesses at this point. Fact is, satellite TV is here, and as they used to say, get used to it.

Why would someone in an enthusiast forum think “everyone” is jumping ship?​

When I started using satellite TV, it was still very much an early adopter medium. You bought the parts at your local store, all in cash, and you were expected to put up the dish and aim it yourself. Even a decade later in the early 2000s, satellite TV was what they called a “disruptor.” Folks were leaving cable because of what we then called “high prices” (usually about $60 a month) for DIRECTV’s much lower priced packages and greater selection.

At that time, there was a very large and robust enthusiast community. And let’s be honest, we all needed each other. A lot of satellite hardware, including early DVRs, didn’t work the way we thought it should. We needed to swap stories and tips or none of us would be watching TV much at all. Those enthusiast forums were a lifesaver in those days.

Today, satellite TV is in a very stable place. Both DIRECTV and DISH have hardware that’s been the same for 5 years or more. The software has been evolving for 20 years and honestly, it’s pretty darn good. There’s not the same need for peer support that there once was.

When you see someone asking a real legitimate question on a peer support forum, it’s often for one of two reasons. Either they’re trying to milk every last day out of some older but beloved equipment, or they’re trying to do something the provider doesn’t support. Both of those are noble goals but they’re just not that common anymore. So, a lot of the talk you see on these forums has changed.

I just logged on to say…​

You see a lot of posts on these forums now where someone starts it with “I just logged on to say goodbye, I finally ditched satellite but you all have been great.” It doesn’t mean everyone is ditching satellite. It means that a lot of longtime users (who are getting older, just as we all are) have found other hobbies. A lot of us are in the mindset of finding new challenges and satellite TV isn’t challenging any more. Some of us are already at the point where we’re cutting expenses and downsizing. It happens sooner or later.

But in the end, it doesn’t mean that “everyone” is canceling satellite TV service. These sites are great but they have always been places that didn’t represent the mainstream. That’s sort of the point of them. It’s a place where people who want to do something special find other people who want the same. It doesn’t represent what’s going on in our culture at all.

Love satellite TV? Stay!​

Here’s the way I see it. Satellite TV is a great value. It gives you a ton of content with incredible reliability. It’s something you’re familiar with and something you know how to use. You get local channels and there’s always something to sit down and zone out to. Streaming is great but the stress of finding something to watch can be its own problem. Satellite TV is zen, and let’s be honest we could all use some zen right now.

The post Is “Everybody in a rush to leave DIRECTV and DISH?” Really? Even on enthusiast forums? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.

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[telstar_1]

If they were really hobbyists there remains plenty to play with as far as satellite beyond the DBS duopoly. Simply, they probably really weren't.

There's always the impetus toward newer is better. DBS is now old hat while streaming is the new shiny object.

The anecdote about the beginnings of DBS (with DTV/USSB) is telling. It should never have been "challenging"- the tech was thrown onto the market (in 1994) helter-skelter through numerous electronics makers and large retailers, leaving the public pretty much adrift as to what to do with it as far as installing once they brought the big box home from the big-box store. They simply figured folks would tear their hair out and eventually get a signal, particularly since there would be a lot of early adopters more willing to put up with struggle. Some of the existing C-band dealers were allowed in to sell (and install/service, IF they would feel like it), but I was one of those left out, so I continued with C-band a couple more years until Charlievision came out.

Point is that DBS didn't come onto the market well in terms of service and was marketed basically as a consumer-electronics good. DiSH said they'd change that script but mostly didn't- Charlie used the dealers (and used them up) even as he himself had big-box envy, but DTV had already signed most to exclusives. IOW there was a duopoly that didn't serve the public all that well, and DBS dug its own grave in many ways as to limit an enduring appeal. For many now, the prospect of dropping DBS is as delicious as was that for ditching cable back before it had broadband.

Which of course brings to that sticking point for DBS- no broadband.

 

[Bruce]

DIRECTV and DISH together account for more pay-TV subscribers than any other service. Certainly when you take out those Comcast and Spectrum customers who say they subscribe to pay-TV but are actually using captive streaming through their provider networks, that’s got to be the case.

Why take away Comcast and Charter?

First either of them has almost the same amount of subscribers then Dish and DirecTV’s Satellite Services combined.

DirecTV-About 7-8 Million ( out of 10.5 Million, the rest subscribe to Stream, by internet and Uverse)

Dish 6.47 Million

Comcast 13.6 Million

Spectrum 13.1 Million

Both companies have been actively pushing customers away from cable boxes and toward apps and custom streaming devices. When DIRECTV and DISH do that, the industry calls it “losing subscribers.” When Comcast does it, apparently those people still count.

DirecTV include the internet subs in their total numbers, Dish separates them as Sling , but included in the total of their TV subscribers, but I would not do that, different service.

Also, there is no evidence that those leaving DirecTV/Dish are going to the TV streaming services of the same company.

I’m not going to tell you that satellite TV’s subscriber numbers are where they were in 2010, when about 40 million homes had satellite TV.

It hit 36 Million total, not 40.

That was about one quarter of the total number of homes in the country.

Nope, today we have 131 Million Households, in 2010, we had almost 117 Million (thank you google), so it was more then 25%.

Today, it is about 11%, really has fallen.

Those days are over. Of course they are. Streaming video wasn’t really possible in those days for most people. Today it’s so common we don’t even think about it.

And extremely thankful for it.

But that doesn’t stop me from saying that satellite TV is still huge. There’s something over 25 million homes and businesses still using satellite TV.

Way too high, you are saying about 11 Million Businesses then with Satellite TV.

There are only 17,000 Sports Bars in the US.

There are only 749,404 restaurants in the US, how many of them would have Sat.TV, specially since that list includes places like Denny’s, which definitely would not have DirecTV.

There are around 1,500 – 2,200 Casinos.

So, if every one of the above had Sat.TV, we are still not at a million, where does the other 10 Million come from (using your numbers).

For businesses in particular, it’s the only option in most cases. Cable TV isn’t available for many commercial installations. Streaming is flat out illegal in public-facing businesses at this point.

I thought Peacock for Businesses streamed via Ever Pass.

Fact is, satellite TV is here, and as they used to say, get used to it.

DirecTV already announced it will no longer be building new Satellites, also about 2-3 years from being unprofitable.

Dish is already there thanks to the spectrum build.

Why would someone in an enthusiast forum think “everyone” is jumping ship?​

More have left DirecTV then stayed, that continues everyday, when a average of 5500 leaves.

When I started using satellite TV, it was still very much an early adopter medium. You bought the parts at your local store, all in cash, and you were expected to put up the dish and aim it yourself. Even a decade later in the early 2000s, satellite TV was what they called a “disruptor.” Folks were leaving cable because of what we then called “high prices” (usually about $60 a month) for DIRECTV’s much lower priced packages and greater selection.

I purchased it and put my own Dish up on the roof, thought nothing can get better, times have changed.

At that time, there was a very large and robust enthusiast community. And let’s be honest, we all needed each other. A lot of satellite hardware, including early DVRs, didn’t work the way we thought it should. We needed to swap stories and tips or none of us would be watching TV much at all. Those enthusiast forums were a lifesaver in those days.

A total PITA sometimes, things are a lot easier today with streaming.

Today, satellite TV is in a very stable place.

Last year, Dish lost 1.2 Million ( including Sling), DirecTV lost 2 Million, not stable at all.

Both DIRECTV and DISH have hardware that’s been the same for 5 years or more. The software has been evolving for 20 years and honestly, it’s pretty darn good. There’s not the same need for peer support that there once was.

Concerning DirecTV Hardware, a lot of people on the forums complain it is extremely slow.

When will DirecTV release a new box for Satellite customers?

Here’s the way I see it. Satellite TV is a great value. It gives you a ton of content with incredible reliability.

What value, a average price of $130 for less and less new content, a bunch of reruns you can get for free on Pluto TV and sports ( except Football) that get extremely low ratings.

I get the vast majority of new (and old) content from Pay Live TV, movies, streaming shows, live feeds of certain channels (CNN for example), HBO, Showtime, Apple TV+, Netflix, all but one in the highest tier (no commercials, 4K) for around $70.

It’s something you’re familiar with and something you know how to use.

Most can figure out how to stream.

You get local channels and there’s always something to sit down and zone out to.

Same for streaming.

Streaming is great but the stress of finding something to watch can be its own problem.

I never have that issue, used to have it with Paid Live TV, because of the lack of new content.

Satellite TV is zen, and let’s be honest we could all use some zen right now.

I find streaming is Zen, especially with the better video/sound quality.

For example, would you have watched Shogun on FX in 720P, or on Hulu/Disney+ in 4K/Dolby Vision/Atmos.

 

[harshness]

It is hard to be an enthusiast when things aren't particularly flexible anymore and there are so many alternatives that are selling at "market building" pricing. What used to offer the potential for new hardware and programming to get excited about, now looks like little more than a money grab.

DIRECTV's one Genie model has very much stuck it to those who once filled their homes with DIRECTV connected TVs.

I suspect the 25 million subscriber number is high (even when it includes commercial customers) as so many have been forced to seek additional providers. The camel's head is well inside in the tent where it as just his nose a couple of years ago.