May 1st where will you be? Dish, Cable or DirecTV?

[mcdeeee]

I've pondered the same issue. It looks like between DirectTV & Dish are as follows:

DirectTV - $300 for the HD Receiver and about $10/mo extra for HD service.
DishNetwork - $0 for the HD Reciever and $10/mo extra for HD service.

Looks like Dish is a no-brainer because you basicly get the same HD Channels and a free reciever.

 

[ChrisDuncan]

You'll need a different dish to receive Dish Network.

Right now, there aren't any comparable alternatives. If you can get decent OTA reception, that's worth something. I believe you can get a free HD receiver from DIsh if you're a new customer, and most report that their PQ is very good (just not much too choose from).

WIth DirecTV the HD box is $299 even if you're a new customer. The PQ is far from perfect (then again, so was Voom's toward the end), and the selection isn't much, but it's better than nothing. And of course, it will also decode HD OTA channels.

What I hate is that even though I have one D* HD box, for me to get it in 3 rooms like I do with Voom I'd have to shell out another $600. So I guess it's back to watching SD in 2 rooms.

I'm ready to just forget about watching movies in HD for a while and stick with DVDs. At least I know there will be a reliable supply and I can watch what I want. And they still can look damn good on HDTVs and projectors. With the lackluster PQ on Voom and D* lately they're actually not even that much worse...

 

[vurbano]

My understanding on the D* commitment is that if you cancel the sevice before the end of the commitment you either pay a $150 charge or just return all the hardware. You might want to call D*, or even www.valueelectronics.com, and see what they say the story is.

No its about 12 bucks a month for every month you didnt fullfill. I know. I cancelled it for Voom a year ago.

 

[FIREBIRD81]

Well, I kept my Dish just in case, and I guess that was not a bad idea. I do have a question about their HD service though. I know it won't compare to Voom's, but I can't go from Voom to nothing. Even if it is closer to EDTV, it would be better that SD. So my question is this: Do I need a second dish to recieve Dish's HD feeds, and if so, could I use the Voom dish when it goes dark? I know that this sounds like sacrilege, but if they don't collect the dish, I'd rather save the $ than buy another one from Dish.

I just wish I would wake up to find this all a bad dream. Voom, we loved you well and far too briefly.

You do not need a 2nd dish to receive HD on Dishnetwork.

 

[mcdeeee]

Dish

Does Dish Network even have a website? I tryed to check them out but nothing shows up????

 

[JasonBourne]

http://www.dishnetwork.com/

 

[DucTape]

There should still be retailers or Dish offering 3 or 4 room's installed free or for 49.99 which will be taken off your first bill. Also as a new sub you should get HD free for 6 months I believe with connection of an HD reciever of course.

The 942 HD DVR has so far shown promise and goes for 699 or so.
Stay away from the 921 it's not for human consumption unless your DVR needs are small and you don't overtax it then it works fairly nice.

You couldn't get me to go with Direct if you threatened to take my teeth out.

 

[rad]

No its about 12 bucks a month for every month you didnt fullfill. I know. I cancelled it for Voom a year ago.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/learn/AnnualProgrammingAgreement_eng.dsp

The following terms and conditions describe the Annual Programming Agreement

Programming Agreement: Within 30 days of purchase of your DIRECTV System equipment, you agree to activate: any DIRECTV® TOTAL CHOICE® programming package (valued at $41.99 per mo. or above); or, any DIRECTV PARA TODOS® programming package (valued at $29.99 per mo. or above); or, any qualifying international services bundle, which bundle shall include either the DIRECTV® BASIC programming package (valued at $9.99 per mo.) or the DIRECTV® PREFERRED CHOICE™ programming package (valued at $29.99 per mo.) together with any WorldDirect™ international language service. In certain markets, programming and pricing may vary. DIRECTV PROGRAMMING AND PRICING SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME. The programming package(s) must be maintained for a period of twelve (12) consecutive months (without interruption) for each DIRECTV System purchased by you, including additional DIRECTV Receivers ($4.99 per month per additional receiver as long as all receivers are connected to the same phone line). After you have fulfilled your twelve (12) month agreement to the required programming package(s), you are not obligated to continue your subscription to DIRECTV programming for any specific duration. Existing DIRECTV customers may activate additional receivers with their existing DIRECTV programming package.


Consequences of Your Failure to Maintain Agreement: If you fail to maintain and pay for twelve (12) consecutive months of the required programming package, you agree that DIRECTV may charge you a prorated fee of up to one hundred fifty U.S. dollars ($150.00); within 14 days of downgrading or disconnecting your programming, you have an option to send all of your DIRECTV System equipment (receiver and remote control) to DIRECTV in lieu of this payment. The equipment, including the Access Card inserted into each DIRECTV System Receiver unit, must be returned to DIRECTV in good working order, normal wear and tear excepted. See DIRECTV.com or call 1-800-531-5000 for details.

Looks like the rules changed since you cancelled.

 

[Indy]

As the thread title asks where will I be on May 1. Personal I will be in my condo down in Florida. I do not have Voom there nor do I have internet service at the condo. Before (I leave here to go down to Florida I am going to unplug all my Voom stb's and the LNB's to try and salvage the OTA section of the STB's. This will be quite a suspense waiting to return home here to Indy. Only then will I see if anything worked out to save Voom. That is unless it makes the news on cable. I still have Dish with a phone call to ramp up my service from a maintenance state.

 

[vurbano]

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/learn/AnnualProgrammingAgreement_eng.dsp

The following terms and conditions describe the Annual Programming Agreement

Programming Agreement: Within 30 days of purchase of your DIRECTV System equipment, you agree to activate: any DIRECTV® TOTAL CHOICE® programming package (valued at $41.99 per mo. or above); or, any DIRECTV PARA TODOS® programming package (valued at $29.99 per mo. or above); or, any qualifying international services bundle, which bundle shall include either the DIRECTV® BASIC programming package (valued at $9.99 per mo.) or the DIRECTV® PREFERRED CHOICE™ programming package (valued at $29.99 per mo.) together with any WorldDirect™ international language service. In certain markets, programming and pricing may vary. DIRECTV PROGRAMMING AND PRICING SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME. The programming package(s) must be maintained for a period of twelve (12) consecutive months (without interruption) for each DIRECTV System purchased by you, including additional DIRECTV Receivers ($4.99 per month per additional receiver as long as all receivers are connected to the same phone line). After you have fulfilled your twelve (12) month agreement to the required programming package(s), you are not obligated to continue your subscription to DIRECTV programming for any specific duration. Existing DIRECTV customers may activate additional receivers with their existing DIRECTV programming package.


Consequences of Your Failure to Maintain Agreement: If you fail to maintain and pay for twelve (12) consecutive months of the required programming package, you agree that DIRECTV may charge you a prorated fee of up to one hundred fifty U.S. dollars ($150.00); within 14 days of downgrading or disconnecting your programming, you have an option to send all of your DIRECTV System equipment (receiver and remote control) to DIRECTV in lieu of this payment. The equipment, including the Access Card inserted into each DIRECTV System Receiver unit, must be returned to DIRECTV in good working order, normal wear and tear excepted. See DIRECTV.com or call 1-800-531-5000 for details.

Looks like the rules changed since you cancelled.

Nope read closer. Its Prorated Einstein 150/12 = 12.50 a month. I cancelled about 5 months early and paid about 60 bucks. Only a fool would have mailed back a 400 dollar reciever

 

[Ilya]

Threads merged

 

[rad]

Nope read closer. Its Prorated Einstein 150/12 = 12.50 a month. I cancelled about 5 months early and paid about 60 bucks. Only a fool would have mailed back a 400 dollar reciever

I didn't say if someone was a fool or not, all I said is that if you send back the hardware you pay nothing! BIOYA

 

[vurbano]

I didn't say if someone was a fool or not, all I said is that if you send back the hardware you pay nothing! BIOYA

You are financially much better off to keep it or sell it. If you keep it you have it in case you go back sometime. You can only be a new customer once and get an introductory deal. In any case you said the agreement had changed. It hasnt.

 

[Walter L.]

NBA playoffs tip-off on April 24th. I can't live without TNT-HD. There is a rumor at AVSForum about TNT-HD being added to Comcast by that date. That plus the HD-DVR leasing they offer would seal deal for me. And the best thing about cable is that there is no commitment and no upfront cost. So I can cancel and go HDLite later if I want.

 

[techweb]

I already signed up with cable for the HD DVR and will stick with that until something better comes along. They don't have nearly as many HD channels as VOOM, but at least the PQ is top-notch and suffers from none of the compression artifacts that have plaqued VOOM since the new encoders were installed.

 

[bookwalk]

You'll need a different dish to receive Dish Network.

Right now, there aren't any comparable alternatives. If you can get decent OTA reception, that's worth something. I believe you can get a free HD receiver from DIsh if you're a new customer, and most report that their PQ is very good (just not much too choose from).

WIth DirecTV the HD box is $299 even if you're a new customer. The PQ is far from perfect (then again, so was Voom's toward the end), and the selection isn't much, but it's better than nothing. And of course, it will also decode HD OTA channels.

What I hate is that even though I have one D* HD box, for me to get it in 3 rooms like I do with Voom I'd have to shell out another $600. So I guess it's back to watching SD in 2 rooms.

I'm ready to just forget about watching movies in HD for a while and stick with DVDs. At least I know there will be a reliable supply and I can watch what I want. And they still can look damn good on HDTVs and projectors. With the lackluster PQ on Voom and D* lately they're actually not even that much worse...

Which Direct TV HD box is $299 and do you have to buy it from Direct TV? Ultimate Electronics is going out of business and having a liquidator sale Apr 20 and they sell Direct TV HD boxes--but not sure which to pick from if they have a great deal.

 

[timjf]

Cable plus whatever OTA I can get - hoping the Voom STB still works. Then wait and see what happens.
At least I'll be saving 50 bucks/month.

 

[softwiz]

If Dish picks up the Voom 21, I would switch to Dish.

 

[folthrun]

I've looked at D, E and Comcast. No one has a receiver with an HD/DVR that I'm willing to pay for. Not to mention the skimpy HD selection of D and E. While Comcast's HD is not much better at least the set top box is a rental not a purchase.

So the current plans are to stick with Voom. If it fails, Comcast until something better comes along.

 

[K4LK]

C-band, baby! Who wants to watch overcompressed SD channels and only east-coast feeds.