Moving - what if no LOS?

[ncted]

Well, even with taking down the tree limbs and paying the $200 equipment fee for an HR24, D* only ends up being $142 more than Dish over 24 months, or $5.92/month, so that doesn't really help at all. I wish U-Verse had Mobile DVR. It might make things a lot easier. AT&T is really trying to make DirecTV hard to say no to if you are also a wireless customer.

 

[Jimbo]

Dish's Eastern Arc satellites are in view, but DirecTV's aren't due to a tall tree.

Gotcha...
Can't move around the lot to find an area,even if it requires a pole mount ?
I've actually run a pretty long run for friends to the end of thier woods looking over the neighbors lot.

 

[ncted]

Gotcha...
Can't move around the lot to find an area,even if it requires a pole mount ?
I've actually run a pretty long run for friends to the end of thier woods looking over the neighbors lot.

The spot where limbs could be removed to get LOS would be a pole mount away from the house. It is the only place I can find that wouldn't be near the peak of the roof. The spot with Dish LOS is closer to the house, more hidden from view. Also, I am probably not accurately calculating the Dish bill, so it the cost is probably even closer than I calculated.

It isn't that big a deal to get the limbs removed, especially as I am already going to have to have a tree service out to deal with a couple of other issues elsewhere on the lot. Really, I just wish D* wasn't going to charge me for the DVR.

The real question is going to be what my wife prefers. She dislikes changing providers, which we tend to do every couple of years, and she never enjoys it. She also dislikes seeing the dish itself. My current dish is not visible from the road or any of the normal places we spend time on the exterior of the house. She really likes the trees at the new house and may not want the limbs removed. She dislikes rain fade, but she really likes being able to download shows to watch on her phone while away from the house -- she pretty much does this every day. I may have to setup a matrix of pros/cons for each option and let her choose.

 

[Jimbo]

The spot where limbs could be removed to get LOS would be a pole mount away from the house. It is the only place I can find that wouldn't be near the peak of the roof. The spot with Dish LOS is closer to the house, more hidden from view. Also, I am probably not accurately calculating the Dish bill, so it the cost is probably even closer than I calculated.

It isn't that big a deal to get the limbs removed, especially as I am already going to have to have a tree service out to deal with a couple of other issues elsewhere on the lot. Really, I just wish D* wasn't going to charge me for the DVR.

The real question is going to be what my wife prefers. She dislikes changing providers, which we tend to do every couple of years, and she never enjoys it. She also dislikes seeing the dish itself. My current dish is not visible from the road or any of the normal places we spend time on the exterior of the house. She really likes the trees at the new house and may not want the limbs removed. She dislikes rain fade, but she really likes being able to download shows to watch on her phone while away from the house -- she pretty much does this every day. I may have to setup a matrix of pros/cons for each option and let her choose.

If your gonna be a New D* sub, they may work with you on equipment,I would call in and see what they have to offer...

If what they are offering doesn't suit you, tell them what YOU need and see if they can work something out.
AS for the dish and where it ends up being, thats between you and the wife and the LOS.

I personally don't bounce back and forth, if I find something I like and find nothing that is substantially better, I stay where I am.

 

[IcEWoLF]

Update: I have confirmed there is LOS for Dish, but probably not for DirecTV. I am on the fence about what to do. I could probably get some limbs removed from a tree and have LOS for D*, or I could get U-Verse and lose some functionality and pay more, or I could just get Dish and have what I want without limb removal but pay even more.

If I decide it is worth it to cut down the limbs to keep DirecTV, then I would also need to adjust my setup a tad. Right now, I have my HR54 in the family room, and that TV is also visible from the kitchen thanks to the open floor plan. In the new house, there is a wall that is in the way of that working, so I am going to need a TV in the kitchen to keep my wife happy. That means another STB from D*. My preference would be to get an HR24 (or maybe an H25) for the bedroom and move the C61K into the kitchen, but I am concerned D* is going to want a lot of money for that. If I am going to pay to get tree limbs removed and pay to add another DVR or receiver, am I really going to save any money vs. paying an ETF (if they require it) and getting U-verse or Dish?

I'm going to do a 2-year projection to see what is the better option in the long run, but I fear it will just be a wash no matter which one I choose.

Dude, why not simply cancel due to no LOS then get DTV under your wife name and get a two year new customer deal if you have att wireless...just a suggestion.

Honestly just sign up under your wife name and get a local authorized DTV retailer to do the job.

 

[ncted]

Dude, why not simply cancel due to no LOS then get DTV under your wife name and get a two year new customer deal if you have att wireless...just a suggestion.

Honestly just sign up under your wife name and get a local authorized DTV retailer to do the job.

When I get AT&T Fiber, my current D* deal apparently gets extended for 2-years because I will be "bundling", so it is like I would be a new customer anyway. It doesn't really change anything to get a local retailer to do the work, especially as I will be having to get AT&T out to do the Fiber install anyway. We don't want a dish on the top of our house.

 

[ibanez_ax]

How are you able to get DISH los but not D* ?

Dish's Eastern Arc satellites are in view, but DirecTV's aren't due to a tall tree.

I was in a similar situation in my apartment years ago, except that a wall blocked the DTV satellite.

 

[ncted]

Well, the wife is not in favor of cutting back the trees, so it looks like Dish or U-Verse. Cost-wise it is a wash if I have to pay an ETF as the tree work would costs about as much. Hopefully I can avoid it though.

 

[Blackloz]

Go with Dish.

 

[Jimbo]

Well, the wife is not in favor of cutting back the trees, so it looks like Dish or U-Verse. Cost-wise it is a wash if I have to pay an ETF as the tree work would costs about as much. Hopefully I can avoid it though.

Thought you said you were getting trees trimmed regardless ?

Find out how far you are from the att v-rad before making a choice.
if you are well with in the v rad range, U-Verse is a very good choice.
Now your talking U Verse internet or TV or both ?

 

[ncted]

Thought you said you were getting trees trimmed regardless ?

Find out how far you are from the att v-rad before making a choice.
if you are well with in the v rad range, U-Verse is a very good choice.
Now your talking U Verse internet or TV or both ?

I am getting some diseased/dying trees removed. These are unfortunately not the trees in the way of D* sats. Those trees provide shade to the deck and house, so my wife is opposed to trimming them back enough to get signal.

I will get AT&T Internet for sure, but I am on the fence about the TV service. The neighborhood has AT&T Fiber (formerly Gigapower). Not sure if distance matters with Fiber the way it does with the old VDSL2. I am actually having trouble finding good information on the TV service that comes with Fiber. Most of the information I can find is about the VDSL2-based service. I have read, anecdotally, that the Fiber service gets a 6 "tuner" DVR for instance, but there is nothing I can find in the official documentation that supports that assertion. There are a number of factors that seem to favor U-Verse, including:

1. The $25 discount with my AT&T wireless service
2. Free HBO with my AT&T wireless service
3. Bundle discount with AT&T Internet
4. Unlimited AT&T Internet when bundled with TV service (vs. 1TB data cap)
5. Wife dislikes having dishes on the exterior of the house/yard

On the con side of things:

1. No Mobile DVR/Dish Anywhere functionality (would have to get Slingbox and stream, no download option)
2. DVR Platform is supposedly based on Windows CE and can apparently have some data consistency issues
3. Possible AT&T billing issues (never had this with any other AT&T services, but many complain about it)
4. If I bundle, I cannot change TV/Internet/Wireless providers independently as easily
5. DVR supposedly only has IR remote

Cost-wise I could make Dish and U-Verse cost about the same thing, but not without giving up Unlimited data with the Dish option. If I keep Unlimited data with Dish, it would cost me roughly $1100 more over 24 months. I really hate that you cannot try these services out before committing to 2 years of paying for them. With DirecTV and Dish, I pretty much know what I would get thanks to sites like SatelliteGuys. With U-Verse, it is much less clear.

 

[Jimbo]

I am getting some diseased/dying trees removed. These are unfortunately not the trees in the way of D* sats. Those trees provide shade to the deck and house, so my wife is opposed to trimming them back enough to get signal.

I will get AT&T Internet for sure, but I am on the fence about the TV service. The neighborhood has AT&T Fiber (formerly Gigapower). Not sure if distance matters with Fiber the way it does with the old VDSL2. I am actually having trouble finding good information on the TV service that comes with Fiber. Most of the information I can find is about the VDSL2-based service. I have read, anecdotally, that the Fiber service gets a 6 "tuner" DVR for instance, but there is nothing I can find in the official documentation that supports that assertion. There are a number of factors that seem to favor U-Verse, including:

1. The $25 discount with my AT&T wireless service
2. Free HBO with my AT&T wireless service
3. Bundle discount with AT&T Internet
4. Unlimited AT&T Internet when bundled with TV service (vs. 1TB data cap)
5. Wife dislikes having dishes on the exterior of the house/yard

On the con side of things:

1. No Mobile DVR/Dish Anywhere functionality (would have to get Slingbox and stream, no download option)
2. DVR Platform is supposedly based on Windows CE and can apparently have some data consistency issues
3. Possible AT&T billing issues (never had this with any other AT&T services, but many complain about it)
4. If I bundle, I cannot change TV/Internet/Wireless providers independently as easily
5. DVR supposedly only has IR remote

Cost-wise I could make Dish and U-Verse cost about the same thing, but not without giving up Unlimited data with the Dish option. If I keep Unlimited data with Dish, it would cost me roughly $1100 more over 24 months. I really hate that you cannot try these services out before committing to 2 years of paying for them. With DirecTV and Dish, I pretty much know what I would get thanks to sites like SatelliteGuys. With U-Verse, it is much less clear.

I agree with what your saying ..... as far as moving providers when bundling .... I never bundle if I can help it. I like the flexibility.

You said with the U Verse option you get Free HBO and have unlimited internet, that has to swing you toward the U Verse somewhat unless you Really want Dish.

 

[ncted]

I agree with what your saying ..... as far as moving providers when bundling .... I never bundle if I can help it. I like the flexibility.

You said with the U Verse option you get Free HBO and have unlimited internet, that has to swing you toward the U Verse somewhat unless you Really want Dish.

Yeah, all the financial incentives point to U Verse. It is the intangibles that I am considering.

 

[ncted]

Also worth noting, Showtime, Starz, and Encore are available effectively for $5/month. I was looking at the U200 package on U-Verse. The U300 is only $5 more and it adds those premium channels.

 

[ncted]

On the other hand, this is the kind of crap that scares me:

Lost DVR recordings due to power failure

This kind of message is posted way too often for my tastes.

 

[raoul5788]

That's what a UPS is for.

 

[ncted]

That's what a UPS is for.

Sure, but it still shouldn't lose existing recordings just due to a power loss. That is some hinky crap if you ask me.

 

[Jimbo]

Sure, but it still shouldn't lose existing recordings just due to a power loss. That is some hinky crap if you ask me.

I agree.

 

[dishrich]

Yeah, all the financial incentives point to U Verse. It is the intangibles that I am considering.

According to DSLR, their IS a 30-day money back guarantee on (at least) AT&T fiber services. So with that in mind, why don't you give the U-verse TV a try first & see if it works for you guys, before committing yourself to DISH... which I understand has NO such out clause.

(this clause is under OTHER offers under the Fiber offers)
AT&T Offer Details

 

[david_jr]

I have used U-Verse at my MIL house and was very underwhelmed by it. The DVR seems light years behind my HWS and the channels don't seem to be arranged with any kind of rhyme or reason. I would have to be saving a ton of money to be forced to live with that on a daily basis.