satellite t.v. survey

moonwolf · #1 05/20/06, 10:34 PM

For only those having satellite dish for t.v. reception (and audio) ...NOT internet. What service do you have?
How much per month do you pay for what you get?
Do you like what you get for that money?
Where are you located getting the satellite dish service.
Anyone got Bell Expressvue, specifically? (Canada)

comfortablynumb · #2 05/21/06, 12:10 AM

I have directv, with 4 recivers, and all channles but the "movies".
the service comes to ONE address on ONE hunk of property.

with two homes and 3 users. we split the price 3 ways, comes to about $18 each.

reception is fine. no complaints. any problems are from my own doing, bad cables, crooked dish ect.

I'm not happy directv stopped carring CBC news channels..... I liked canadian news more than US news... they actually report the news like professionals and not like excited frat kids watching a car wreck [like US broadcasters]

End of the Road · #3 05/21/06, 07:01 AM

Dish Network
$15.98
Yes
Western N.C.

blazingguns · #4 05/21/06, 07:06 AM

Direct TV, one receiver, one TV, cost is $52.95 month, this includes Starz channel, and most of all the others and local channels. The only thing I don't like is that when its raining alot of times we lose the connection because of the weather, but not to often.

ET1 SS · #5 05/21/06, 07:20 AM

Anyone still use a B.U.D. ??

morrowsmowers · #6 05/21/06, 07:43 AM

We had dish network for one year -- told them to take it out or we would throw it out. We paid $70 for 2 TV's (one with a recorder in the sat. box) and got good reception in good weather but lost signal in any storm. A few times we came home on weekends to have only a few channels working -- we would call and ask --- and they said payment was due on Monday (this would be Sat. night) and since mail wouldn't deliver on Sun. it was now overdue and they shut down channels -- a few strong words to a manager later and it all came back on but it shouldn't have to be like that. Even when we returned all of their equipment they deducted over $300.00 directly from our bank account without authorization -- they keep the info. from the checks you pay with -- saying we had to pay for equipment we kept. Funny, later that day their manager "found" that equipment after my bank told them it was a federal offense to take my funds electronically without my signature on an authorization form. We got the money back the next day. We've been told direct tv is better but after treatment like that I will never find out.

Ken in Glassboro, NJ

moonwolf · #7 05/21/06, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morrowsmowers

We had dish network for one year -- told them to take it out or we would throw it out. ......... We've been told direct tv is better but after treatment like that I will never find out.

Ken in Glassboro, NJ

so, which was the name of the dish network you told to remove?

arabian knight · #8 05/21/06, 09:28 AM

I had Direct TV at the start, But went over to The Dish Network as more channels for the money. I have the top 180 which includes 8 movie channels and my Locals channels for $62 a month. Which also includes a 5 dollar a month lease on the High Definition Satellite Receiver. One receiver, One TV. And been now with The Dish Network now for over 8 years Good Company great service. I have upgraded several times times and have been treated just fine and very friendly service people.

Pink_Carnation · #9 05/21/06, 10:18 AM

Well I had Dish Network and never again. They sold equipment that didn't do what they said it would and then offered to let us upgrade for a "mere" $200. That policy and equipment did result in a class action law suit worth a whopping $5. We were also starting to have problems with reception due to trees growing taller. Now we don't have any tv service.

Qwispea · #10 05/21/06, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morrowsmowers

We had dish network for one year -- ..A few times we came home on weekends to have only a few channels working -- we would call and ask --- and they said payment was due on Monday (this would be Sat. night) and since mail wouldn't deliver on Sun. it was now overdue and they shut down channels --

WOW! They actually shut down some of your channels BEFORE the due date? That is just plain WEIRD! Are you sure you weren't already past due? Did you make it a habit to not make timely payments? It just seems so ODD that they would turn off some of your channels BEFORE the due date. It doesn't make sense!

Quote:

Originally Posted by morrowsmowers

..Even when we returned all of their equipment they deducted over $300.00 directly from our bank account without authorization -- they keep the info. from the checks you pay with -- saying we had to pay for equipment we kept. Funny, later that day their manager "found" that equipment after my bank told them it was a federal offense to take my funds electronically without my signature on an authorization form. We got the money back the next day.d

WOW again!! Seems WEIRD that they would do something like that..unless perhaps they hadn't received their equipment back in a timely manner! Usually when you sign up for a service like Dish Network..you sign a contract stating that you will pay for the equipment if you cancel their service. The contract usually asks for either a credit/debit card number or a bank account number..and usually..the contract that YOU SIGN does authorize the company to deduct the agreed upon monies as soon as you cancel. Then..when they finally receive their equipment back (via snail mail)..they will put the money back into your account.

Are you sure you understood the contract that you signed?

Qwispea · #11 05/21/06, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonwolf

For only those having satellite dish for t.v. reception (and audio) ...NOT internet.
What service do you have?
DirecTV
How much per month do you pay for what you get?
We pay about $40 a month.
Do you like what you get for that money?
Its OK
Where are you located getting the satellite dish service.
Located in West Michigan..a few miles east of the Lake Michigan lakeshore.
Anyone got Bell Expressvue, specifically?
We don't have Bell Expressvue.

I almost switched to Dish..until I decided their offers sheets and their website was just too confusing. They had a base price..then scattered everywhere they had prices for additional services. Seems like a lot of deception in advertising (IMHO) to get people to sign up for their service.

Janon · #12 05/21/06, 11:40 AM

Since you're in Canada, why not just use a FTA (free-to-air) system and get all the U.S. Dishnetwork programming for free.

I'm in southern Ontario - have been using Dishnetwork for years, and aside from hardware costs (currently under $250 Cdn for an entire setup), I pay $0 per month. Aprox. 600 channels, 200 music channels, pay-per-view, events, etc... all free.

cheers,

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonwolf

For only those having satellite dish for t.v. reception (and audio) ...NOT internet. What service do you have?
How much per month do you pay for what you get?
Do you like what you get for that money?
Where are you located getting the satellite dish service.
Anyone got Bell Expressvue, specifically? (Canada)

Lawbag · #13 05/21/06, 04:02 PM

We have currently have Dish - top 120. That includes the networks, HGTV, scifi, regular discovery channel, foodnetwork, etc. It's about $62 a month, with the taxes. That's for 2 receivers, 1 is the 99 hour DVR. It's set up for 4 tvs in the house. It does go out during bad storms, but so does our electric. We haven't had any problems with billing or the service, other than the storm problem. We're in rural north Florida.

We really like the channels we get, but will be having it turned off at the end of July as we waste too much time watching tv.

Alice In TX/MO · #14 05/21/06, 05:36 PM

We had dish network, the basic service. We pay it annually, so I don't know what it costs.

We have never had any problems whatsoever.

My best friend has all the movie channels, and I think it's a money pit and time suck.

**fordson major** · #15 05/21/06, 05:48 PM

we have bell experss view ! too quote mr. springsteen There was fifty-seven channels and nothin' on! hard too change your programing and if it were not for rug rats here there would be no one eyed monster.

BillyGoat · #16 05/21/06, 11:29 PM

Dish Network..Central Tx. Godd service...blinks off and on in storms, but so does everything else.

comfortablynumb · #17 05/22/06, 12:06 AM

I still have a Big Ugly Dish.... nothing hooked to it, its jut like a dinosaur in the side yard.

under a tree... its been there a while.

Esteban29304 · #18 05/22/06, 06:22 AM

Dish Nework, for many years, & I am very pleased! If I only had an outside antenna, I would just get 2-3 channels.If a storm does come up directly inline with where the dish is aimed, service will be interrupted, but not for long.

DixyDoodle · #19 05/22/06, 06:43 AM

ford major, yep, same here! The kids like their TeleToon and Treehouse tv. Well, at least it beats some of the 'regular' tv channel garbage they have on. Plus of course with the dish you can block the higher rated channels. The only bummer is that we can't get our local channel yet nor local weather on the the Weather Channel (but we can get 'almost' local....predictions for the city about an hour hour from us).

I also have ExpressVu through Bell. About $40 a month---this includes many of the movies channels that we hardly ever watch, but it's convenient for putting one to sleep at night! LOL Actually, I tape some of them to watch while exercising.

We have had pretty good luck with Vu. I found the reception is better where we are now though, hardly any interruptions. Our old place was very windy and I don't think it was tightened properly the first time. They did come out and re-do it and it was better. The only time I find reception 'blips' is when it is raining very hard---still a better reception history than using cable, which snowed out way too much for my taste.

Not sure if Vu offers internet service yet or not, I would love to try it if they do. We get a bundle from Bell (home phones, cells, business phones, and dish) so the cost is a bit lower overall; hopefully there would be a deal for the net as well.

The only beef I have now is that the only way you can get the tv guide for Vu is through mailings. I much preferred to buy it through the convenience stores. Fortunately they do send out a movie guide at least.

DD

gilberte · #20 05/22/06, 06:55 AM

We've got an aging 10' Unimesh TVRO hooked to a General Instrument 920 4dtv. We get our pay programming through NPS. We only subscribe (a la carte) to basic channels like Discovery, The Learning Channel, TBS, CNN and a few others, it changes from month-to-month or quarter-to-quarter depending on our whim.

The upside is that we can buy programming we want on an a la carte basis without paying hook-up and disconnect fees and we don't have to pay for free channels that the small dish people put in a package and charge you for.

Downside is that we own the equipment and have to foot the bill for maintenance and repair (90% of which I do). Got to take the dish down this summer and replace some mesh panels for instance.