New Member. Considering Direct TV.

[de8212]

I currently have Comcast but really want to try satellite. Main reason would be to lower my monthly cost. Just looking at rough numbers I think I would save a few $ over the first year but I'm not sure what the 2nd or future yearly rates are.

I have phone, internet, and cable with Comcast now. One DVR and a modem rental. No premium channels. I think my bill now is around $140 but that's with one of their "specials". I would probably have to keep comcast internet and I'm not sure what I would do about the phone. Maybe I could switch back to ATT for the phone???
Anyone here done the same recently and can help compare costs?

Also, I know Costco gives a $200 gift card if you join through them. And I just got a Direct TV offer in the mail with a $200 Visa card. Are those about the best deals around??

I still have to try and get the wife to give me the go ahead and that's not going to be easy. One thing she doesn't want is someone to drill holes in the roof to install a dish.

As far as packages, I wouldn't want the top tier. Probably the Xtra one. I have one HDTV in the living room and an older HDTV (but it's a samsung slim crt type, not LCD) in the master bedroom. I also have a very old tube tv in another room but I never use it. Both kids rooms have no tv's in them. So, that's a total of 5 rooms but it will be a few years before kids have tv's. So, would I need to get outlets in all the rooms (even the kids rooms) or wait until I have tv's in there???? Well, they have coax in there, I guess I mean service.

I have tons of other questions but I'll try not to bombard the thread yet.


Any other insight on Direct TV?

 

[Joe Diamond]

As a former installer & DTV customer I can tell you:

Installers won't drill your roof!
People seemed to never switch from anywhere to save money...it will be a wash. Programming faves are the force that produces monement.
Make your best deal for internet independently of C and take a look. Satellite internet is not faster or cheaper than what you have.
Study the Directv channel line up. There are many packages with piles of channels. Most folks watch about a dozen an ignore the rest. Sports packs wil be a little $$$ but superior to everything else offered anywhere. Include the fees for HD & a recorder. Add about twenty bucks.
Don't fire the cable man until you are sure the DirecTv rig will work at your address. The installer will let you know. If it won't work you are not obligated to anything.
The existing cable in your home can be used but will not save you money on the installation. You can expect some free premium (movie) channels for awhile....then add their current cost.
Depending on what you select you could be a Directv customer for #100.00 - $140.00 and have an internet bill....but much better programming.

My opinion,

Joe

 

[larry55]

Satellite picture is lot better.

 

[de8212]

Thanks Joe. My neighbor has Direct TV and her dish is 20 - 30 ft away from the side of my house that the comcast enters. So, i'm pretty sure I'm good as far as signal. I assume they would connect to the same box on the side of my house???
Also, you mentioned installation cost. I was under the impression it was free. Am I wrong?
If I choose the Xtra package, it shows 34.99 for the first 12 months on the website. And the flyer I got shows the Genie with up to 4 rooms free. Does that mean the genie is free forever or just a limited time?
I see in small print that the Xtra is normally 70.99/month. Is that right? So, what else would be added besides taxes?
I guess I'm just not understanding what fees are the second year and beyond.

 

[rlinman]

for pricing with the extra package is $71 plus HDDVR is $25 then each room is $6 after your first. So if you wanted just living room and master bedroom that would be 71+25+6 = 102 is full retail value

Now for discounts you get 10 off 2 years with auto bill pay and the natl rebate is 31 off for 1st year and 10 off second and third year. Then you if you sign up in a retail store you can get the retail specific discount the current best retail specific is Best Buy 150 gift card plus 5 adtl off your first year. I should know because I am the manager of the retail specific offers with directv. Adding all the discount and savings your monthly bill would be as follows

1st year = 56
2nd year = 77

If you have some further questions about how to get this offer PM me and I would be more than happy to assist you more!

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys de8212!

 

[Joe Diamond]

Thanks Joe. My neighbor has Direct TV and her dish is 20 - 30 ft away from the side of my house that the comcast enters. So, i'm pretty sure I'm good as far as signal. I assume they would connect to the same box on the side of my house???
Also, you mentioned installation cost. I was under the impression it was free. Am I wrong?
If I choose the Xtra package, it shows 34.99 for the first 12 months on the website. And the flyer I got shows the Genie with up to 4 rooms free. Does that mean the genie is free forever or just a limited time?
I see in small print that the Xtra is normally 70.99/month. Is that right? So, what else would be added besides taxes?
I guess I'm just not understanding what fees are the second year and beyond.

Yes,
The basic installation is FREE. There are some custom features that do have costs....like hiding cable inside walls and mounting a dish on a steel pole. But if the dish can be located near the electric meter and point south without obstruction you are good to go. Like I said, they can use the existing cable but show the tech any splitters and make room for him to work near each TV location.

I am not a good source for pricing but the checklist of costs is.........FREE dish & 1 to four SD receivers installed. All costs reflect only the first SD receiver per month. Additional receivers $6.00 each. There is a HD cost per account and a specific dish is required at installation. There is a recorder cost per account. Movie packages (eg several HBO channels) per month. Sports Packages like the NFL ticket = extra.

That is about it. I am not familiar with the Genie & client costs..... pretty sure internet service is required. They will give some FREE premium movie packages for the first few months...then you pay.
The regular DirecTv phone number will give you a live person who can quote the most recent pricing. And there are folks on here who do retail sales all day.

Joe

 

[de8212]

for pricing with the extra package is $71 plus HDDVR is $25 then each room is $6 after your first. So if you wanted just living room and master bedroom that would be 71+25+6 = 102 is full retail value

Now for discounts you get 10 off 2 years with auto bill pay and the natl rebate is 31 off for 1st year and 10 off second and third year. Then you if you sign up in a retail store you can get the retail specific discount the current best retail specific is Best Buy 150 gift card plus 5 adtl off your first year. I should know because I am the manager of the retail specific offers with directv. Adding all the discount and savings your monthly bill would be as follows

1st year = 56
2nd year = 77

If you have some further questions about how to get this offer PM me and I would be more than happy to assist you more!

OK. I think I understand most of that. The HDDVR is the Genie, right? So, the offer I got says I get it for free. Does that mean just the fist year or the whole contract? Either way, that is the $25 extra/month afterwards?

You mention a Best Buy 150 offer. I know that costco is offering $200. Wouldn't that be better? Or am I missing some small print?
?

 

[Jimbo]

OK. I think I understand most of that. The HDDVR is the Genie, right? So, the offer I got says I get it for free. Does that mean just the fist year or the whole contract? Either way, that is the $25 extra/month afterwards?

You mention a Best Buy 150 offer. I know that costco is offering $200. Wouldn't that be better? Or am I missing some small print?
?

Do you go to Costco ?
If not, it wouldn't be much good to you ... Best Buy in not a pay store (membership wise), so it depends on your situation.

 

[de8212]

Yes, I am a costco member. I just want to get the best deal. But the costco one expires at the end of the month.

 

[whitewolf8214]

to Satelliteguys de8212!

 

[mdavej]

If you keep cable and switch to your own cable card DVR, you'll save the most in the long run. DirecTV is rather expensive, $25 in fees for just one DVR for example.

 

[raoul5788]

If you keep cable and switch to your own cable card DVR, you'll save the most in the long run. DirecTV is rather expensive, $25 in fees for just one DVR for example.

Absolutely not true! If you have a dvr with whole home connected and hd service, then it's $25/month. Just a dvr is $10. Many get the normal $10/month for hd waived by paying automatically and having paperless billing.

 

[ejb1980]

If you keep cable and switch to your own cable card DVR, you'll save the most in the long run. DirecTV is rather expensive, $25 in fees for just one DVR for example.

Nobody actually pays the $25 fee, especially their first year. With autopay and whining, you can pay $6 to $10 max.

Things to consider:
THE GOOD
-The picture quality with Directv is superior than any cable company I and many people have ever seen!
-I pay LESS for a large Directv package with Sunday Ticket AND Time Warner Cable Internet than I ever did bundling TWC Internet and TV. Not a lot less, mind you, but a few dollars.
-Sports (except Pac12) can't be beat with Directv. I am not aware of any RSN sports channels in GA that are not carried by Directv. In NC, we have most of the same channels as you.
-The guide can get some getting used to - so much clutter. Make a favorites list and it will be fantastic. Once you weed out all the PPV and pointless paid programming crap, there is a semi-logical channel flow and HD and SD have the same channel number.

THE BAD
-Locals. You will get your main local channels only. If you watch subchannels, you'll need an AM21 tuner and antenna. If a certain subchannel is not in the Directv database, you won't be able to get it. (For those who say that the Genie will scan for all channels, the scanning is going away in the Genies. The latest NR doesn't have it. I lost mine. There is another thread about that on this site.)
-Look carefully at the packages... there are a few missing channels. There are probably many, however, that Comcast doesn't have.
-If you like On-demand, the Directv On-Demand is not as "on-demand" as cable. It is extensive and well-organized though, all is available on one channel, channel 1000. Or you can add a 1 infront of the channel for its on demand: TBS is 247, TBS VOD is 1247. I don't know how Comcast is, but TWC has disconnected my Directv VOD TWICE when they've come to fix my modem.
-Rain fade. Yes, this will happen. Make sure you have 90s (or 100!) on all needed transponders needed before the installer leaves. That probably doesn't mean much to you now, but it will to the installer. Have them show you.

THE UGLY
The dish! That's really the only thing, if you think the dish is ugly. I think they kinda look cool and it tells me "there's a house that cares about PQ."

Get Directv. You probably won't regret it. You have already found the greatest resource to help you - this site.

 

[Jimbo]

Also, keep in mind that the HD Fee is for the account, as is the DVR fee, so if you have 1 DVR and are paying the dvr fee, you may as well have them all that way as you don't pay the fee for each device like some companies do.

 

[mdavej]

Absolutely not true! If you have a dvr with whole home connected and hd service, then it's $25/month. Just a dvr is $10. Many get the normal $10/month for hd waived by paying automatically and having paperless billing.

All those are combined into the $25 advanced receiver fee for new customers. And the auto-pay discount ends after 2 years, assuming you can still even get it. Luckily, my parents have DirecTV and, like you, are nowhere near the $25 yet, but the clock is ticking. If they signed up today, it's $25 minus a $10-$15 discount for the first year or so. Then they stick it to you.

Nobody actually pays the $25 fee, especially their first year. With autopay and whining, you can pay $6 to $10 max.

No doubt, but in the long run, new customers will eventually get stuck with most if not all of the $25 fee versus $2 or so for a cable card. That's all I'm saying. The key to the savings I'm talking about is cable card, not overpriced, ancient cable DVRs.

 

[ejb1980]

No receiver or combination thereof is worth $25/month just to use. It could be made of gold and rub your feet and it's still not worth it.

 

[harshness]

Absolutely not true! If you have a dvr with whole home connected and hd service, then it's $25/month. Just a dvr is $10. Many get the normal $10/month for hd waived by paying automatically and having paperless billing.

Are you absolutely sure about that?

If you sign up using the DIRECTV sign-up application with a Plus HD DVR, you'll be assessed the Advanced Receiver Fee of $25. There are promotional credits if you qualify, but you can't choose not to get WHDS even if you have just the lone HD DVR. The situation for long-term subscribers is decidedly different, but we're talking about a new add.

 

[Ely]

I absolutely recommend Ooma for your home phone line, had them for two years and I won't ever go back, I currently use DirecTV for TV, Comcast for Internet and Ooma for home phone

 

[rlinman]

The reason I said the best buy deal was better is because 150 gift card PLUS $5/12 = 60 which equals 210 savings 5 bucks off your bill and the 150 gift card .... There is a way to get WHDVR for 10 a month you will have no HD channels though all channels will be SD quality. not a genie either its the older HDDVR HR24 that does 2 shows at the same time.. If I order you system based on your location I would order a DVR and X standard boxes but your area is a forced HD market. That means if a cx orders standard equipment they actually get HD equipment. So all your boxes are HD boxes. HDDVR and HD ...that would save you 5 more dollars than the 25 ARS fee (15 with ABP)