Cable's Worst Nightmare
Written: May 20 '00
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Pros: Great picture, more channels, good price
Cons: Equipment a hefty one-time fee, local channels cost (a bit) more, can't get local PBS
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| mcjester's Full Review: RCA DS2232ND Dual LNB DIRECTV System |
Since getting DirecTV, we've cancelled our cable, because there's no reason for us to hold onto it. We can get our four major network affiliates for a paltry $5 more per month, and all we lose is a few local independent channels we never watched anyways.
There are so many reasons for DirecTV. I haven't really checked out any other satellite networks, so I can't compare; however, I can't imagine one better than DirecTV. Here are the highlights:
Picture and Sound Quality is truly baffling. I never realized how poor AT&T Cable's signal was until getting the satellite. When for a while I had both the satellite and cable, I was amazed by comparing the picture qualities. My set has never shown such a good picture as the one from satellite. The audio channel is also much clearer, especially for sporting events.
More Channels: I didn't get ESPN2, Food Channel, Turner Classic Movies and CNNfn and many other channels through cable which I now get through DirecTV. Not that I need five news networks, but it's a good idea if you happen to find a new one that you like. Of course, more channels does mean more carp (sorry, Epinions won't let me use the more appropriate word, and I understand), but it does uncover some gems.
Program Guide: While keeping the current channel in the top left-hand corner and the sound on, you can scroll through the next hour and a half of all the channels. Think of the uses: plan your next half-hour during a commercial, no more waiting for the TV Guide Channel to cycle around, and more. You can even get a detailed (as in two-sentence) description of every program if the given title is insufficient. And if you're just channel-surfing up and down, whenever you reach a new station a profile will come up telling you the channel, rating, channel number and program name.
Search for programs instead of scrolling around, too. Using a not-too-hard lettering system, you can enter the first few letters of a program and it will try to find it and ones alphabetically around it within the next few hours. Very convenient.
Cost: At $35/month including local channels (which in the Bay Area come in at about a 8-second delay), it's exactly $1.04 more than my cable, with so many more stations, better quality, and friendlier service. It's true that the dish and other contraptions cost extra, but it's sure worth it to me. It's also possible, for another $5, to do what your were told was impossible, namely watch two different channels with two different televisions. You just need the converter boxes hooked up to the same cable line and telephone line (which I guess they use to verify your service somehow).
Anyway, find a friend who has DirecTV and check it out. You should be very satisfied.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): about $250 +$35/mo
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Epinions.com ID:
mcjester
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Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
I'm into cooking, travel, technology, languages, and writing.
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