DirectTV... 99% of the time, I love it.
Written: May 30 '00
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Pros: clear picture most of the time,
Cons: picture goes out during bad weather
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| mjbroo's Full Review: RCA DS5451RB DIRECTV System |
We have done a lot of switching back and forth from satellite dishes to
cable. We have stuck with Direct TV the longest, which is the service you get from the RCA dish. Most of the time, the quality is really well. The only time that it goes off is when the weather is bad (cloudy, rainy, snowy) because it doesn't get a clear signal. It will either totally go off or freeze up when this happens. This is understandable, but I usually
get a bit hysterical because it only seems to do this when I am sitting down watching my favorite show.
The dish is relatively small, and it's fairly easy to install. My husband and I did it ourselves, but they also sell installation kits and professional help is available. It depends on your location with how hard it is to lock in to your signal. Where we live in Northern Michigan, it took a while before we got a nice clear signal. Now that the dish is mounted, we rarely have to bother with it to keep the signal in.
I have tried another dish/company as well, and I must say that I do like the RCA/Direct TV service a lot better. They have a convenient built in guide, special functions that show you what's on by category (movies, sports, etc.), a feature that lets you search for a show you like and tells you when it's on, timers that change your channel for you, and much more. The other system I was using didn't have all these features, but did have a next button that was very handy. This is one thing that I miss, as I have to flip on the guide to see what's on next and then I miss part of my show. Then again, I can see the info about any show that is on with this system. You just hit the button that says "Info" and there it is, the summary of what you're watching.
Pay per view is easy with the Direct TV system, as well. There is a buy
button and you have to hit it, then confirm, and that is it. If you're
worried about your children getting in to it, there are all sorts of
locks and passwords to set for different things. Also, you can set it so that the kids have their own guide, the adults theirs. This way they cannot go to the adult channels that they're not supposed to be watching. I think I will be getting a lot of use out of this feature, since so many programs are objectional these days!
We bought our system on sale for $99, and we pay $21.99 a month for programming, and that's the smallest package. The prices aren't too bad, but then again they could be better. They were recently raised up. You can add packages on, too, such as the HBO package and those like it. They've also recently introduced a Family Pack, with a lot of new family channels that just came out. It's $5 extra a month and for the channels you get (includes PBS, PBS kids, Discovery Kids, etc) it is worth it. Another downfall I must include is that your local channels usually do not
come through. You have to order them extra, and many times you have to write the company for them.
I really like Direct Tv, most of the time. If you're looking for a nice picture, decent prices, and a good selection of channels, this is for you. Just make sure you know about it before you install it so that you're not disappointed!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 99
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Epinions.com ID:
mjbroo
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Member: Mari Brooks
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Reviews written: 169
Trusted by: 85 members
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