DirecTV Sucks

[Hards Alumni]

Chicos made that statement almost six years ago.  A lot has changed since then.

But IMO Direct TV even has a better HD picture than my cable company did.

DirecTV and Dish both broadcast at 1080p.  Most cable companies broadcast at a maximum of 720.  Pretty funny that most people who have cable don't know this, pay more money for the 1080 broadcast but are limited by the cable company.

[Spotcheck Billy]

DirecTV and Dish both broadcast at 1080p.  Most cable companies broadcast at a maximum of 720.  Pretty funny that most people who have cable don't know this, pay more money for the 1080 broadcast but are limited by the cable company.

1080p at a down-rezzed speed is NOT even close to say 1080p as seen on a blu-ray disk. It's not a fair comparison 720 vs. 1080 for any broadcast or streaming situation, no one is sending the complete signal, same for the surround sound via any provider. Netflix is another - any streamed movies do not include full 1080p or DTS-HD master audio

[Hards Alumni]

1080p at a down-rezzed speed is NOT even close to say 1080p as seen on a blu-ray disk. It's not a fair comparison 720 vs. 1080 for any broadcast or streaming situation, no one is sending the complete signal, same for the surround sound via any provider. Netflix is another - any streamed movies do not include full 1080p or DTS-HD master audio

Absolutely true.  Blu-rays blow away my television signal.

[Coleman]

Chicos made that statement almost six years ago.  A lot has changed since then.

But IMO Direct TV even has a better HD picture than my cable company did.

Whoops. Didn't realize this was an old hoopalooped thread. Carry on :-)

[mueron]

Haha I read this whole thread not knowing it's from 2008. Anyway direct tv's on demand selection is still bad and the interface for their guide is absolutely horrible.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Haha I read this whole thread not knowing it's from 2008. Anyway direct tv's on demand selection is still bad and the interface for their guide is absolutely horrible.

The interface won an Emmy as the best interface in television, beating out cable, Telco and DISH. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

he works odd hours, brah.

Truer words have never been spoken...had to work (from home, thankfully) on XMAS Eve, XMAS Day, etc.   I know some fire fighters and police here do as well, but we definitely aren't a 8 to 5 job.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I have Dish at the fire station.   It loses signal almost daily.   I will never have satellite at home.  Had U-verse, but their prices got jacked up too high.   Currently with Comcast.   Dislike the less simple way to get to HD channels, compared to U-Verse.   Like paying $75 a month less. 

That means someone did a very piss poor installation.  You shouldn't lose signal...I have video of people not losing signal during Katrina from satellite.  If it is setup properly, it shouldn't lose signal except in the rarest exceptions....every day...wow, that means something was very wrong.  I don't work for DISH, but someone screwed that up.

[4everwarriors]

Yo, I worked Xmas eve. At one time or another I've put out fires on every major holiday and goofy hours as well. When ya need me, a plumber ain't gonna help.

[ChicosBailBonds]

DirecTV wish customers a Merry Christmas… by hiking prices

Pay TV service providers are among a few groups of companies that customers love to hate, and sometimes they go out of their way to remind us why. As families across the country come together to celebrate the holidays, satellite TV giants Dish Network and DirecTV are wishing them a Merry Christmas by hiking the cost of their service plans.
http://news.yahoo.com/dish-directv-wish-customers-merry-christmas-hiking-prices-144525163.html

On January 1st, that's when the cost to carry ESPN goes up, HBO, Showtime, A&E, ABC, CBS, MTV, etc, etc, etc.   Like clockwork, new year means we write bigger checks to those companies and costs are passed down.  DISH does theirs in January, we don't take ours up until February.  Telco, cable, etc, all doing the same because they are all getting hit with cost of goods increases at the beginning of the year.

Just as our electricity rates were just announced they were going up....water rates going up, etc.  If human capital is involved in delivering those services, you can pretty much guarantee prices are going up.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Yo, I worked Xmas eve. At one time or another I've put out fires on every major holiday and goofy hours as well. When ya need me, a plumber ain't gonna help.

they film porn on christmas eve?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yo, I worked Xmas eve. At one time or another I've put out fires on every major holiday and goofy hours as well. When ya need me, a plumber ain't gonna help.

I have no doubt....glad you are there for people.  My dad would often say don't get injured or sick around Christmas, but you don't what kind of medical assistance you are going to get.

[4everwarriors]

they film porn on christmas eve?

Pretty sure, Casting Couch and Exploited College Girls film 24/7.

[GGGG]

That means someone did a very piss poor installation.  You shouldn't lose signal...I have video of people not losing signal during Katrina from satellite.  If it is setup properly, it shouldn't lose signal except in the rarest exceptions....every day...wow, that means something was very wrong.  I don't work for DISH, but someone screwed that up.

The only times I lose signal is when there is A LOT of rain just to my southwest.  It could be dry here and pouring just a couple miles away and I won't get a signal....or pouring here and dry a couple miles away and I'll be fine.

Also, those sticky snow storms sometimes require me to wipe off the dish. 

[tower912]

That means someone did a very piss poor installation.  You shouldn't lose signal...I have video of people not losing signal during Katrina from satellite.  If it is setup properly, it shouldn't lose signal except in the rarest exceptions....every day...wow, that means something was very wrong.  I don't work for DISH, but someone screwed that up.

We took down a tree late last summer thinking that it was interfering.   We had a tech out in November who re-wired the whole thing.   The problems have not abated.  If it were just a bad-weather issue, I could forgive that.   

[Hards Alumni]

The only times I lose signal is when there is A LOT of rain just to my southwest.  It could be dry here and pouring just a couple miles away and I won't get a signal....or pouring here and dry a couple miles away and I'll be fine.

Also, those sticky snow storms sometimes require me to wipe off the dish. 

coat your dish in teflon!

[ChicosBailBonds]

The only times I lose signal is when there is A LOT of rain just to my southwest.  It could be dry here and pouring just a couple miles away and I won't get a signal....or pouring here and dry a couple miles away and I'll be fine.

Also, those sticky snow storms sometimes require me to wipe off the dish. 

I suspect when you do lose it, probably HD and not SD, right?  HD uses Ka band frequency while SD uses Ku frequency, at least that's how we have ours set up.  Ka is more susceptible than Ku.  In the coming years as 4K launches (next year) and SD goes away, you will see a migration more to Ku which will make any outages even less of an issue.  Reverse band will also play a role as that uses an entirely different frequency.

All that said, check your readings, if they aren't in the low 90's, you should have it tweaked.  A signal in the 90's is going to withstand most of what mother nature delivers if not all.  If you're in the 80's or 70's, the dish needs to be repointed as that will definitely suffer, no question, from weather events as the signal is not peaking properly on your dish.

[ChicosBailBonds]

We took down a tree late last summer thinking that it was interfering.   We had a tech out in November who re-wired the whole thing.   The problems have not abated.  If it were just a bad-weather issue, I could forgive that.   

Maybe it's a DISH issue, there is just no way that should happen.  Absolutely none....something isn't right. They should be giving you service that rates on connectivity above 99.9%. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

coat your dish in teflon!

I know you are joking, but we have customers that do this, or spray with PAM or silicone spray.  Don't do it.  They end up causing more problems than helping....the chemical can degrade the reflector, cause dust and dirt buildup, attract birds, etc.  There is such a thing as a dish heater that I've heard of people using with some success where they get 100+ inches of snow a year. 

http://www.satpro.tv/dish-heaters.aspx

[GGGG]

I suspect when you do lose it, probably HD and not SD, right?  HD uses Ka band frequency while SD uses Ku frequency, at least that's how we have ours set up.  Ka is more susceptible than Ku.  In the coming years as 4K launches (next year) and SD goes away, you will see a migration more to Ku which will make any outages even less of an issue.  Reverse band will also play a role as that uses an entirely different frequency.

All that said, check your readings, if they aren't in the low 90's, you should have it tweaked.  A signal in the 90's is going to withstand most of what mother nature delivers if not all.  If you're in the 80's or 70's, the dish needs to be repointed as that will definitely suffer, no question, from weather events as the signal is not peaking properly on your dish.

I have lost signal three times in about 14 months.  Not a problem at all.  Wonderful product.

[4everwarriors]

Sildenafil works wonders, hey?

[keefe]

Truer words have never been spoken...had to work (from home, thankfully) on XMAS Eve, XMAS Day, etc.   I know some fire fighters and police here do as well, but we definitely aren't a 8 to 5 job.

Christmas Dinner, x 4

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I know you are joking, but we have customers that do this, or spray with PAM or silicone spray.  Don't do it.  They end up causing more problems than helping....the chemical can degrade the reflector, cause dust and dirt buildup, attract birds, etc.  There is such a thing as a dish heater that I've heard of people using with some success where they get 100+ inches of snow a year. 

http://www.satpro.tv/dish-heaters.aspx

Where they get 100" of snow is the UP.  The UP still believes in the big 80's dishes.  Nothing but big 80's dishes.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Christmas Dinner, x 4

Yummy. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Where they get 100" of snow is the UP.  The UP still believes in the big 80's dishes.  Nothing but big 80's dishes.

We call them BUDs...Big Ugly Dishes.  Tend to be about 6 feet to 8 feet.   Alaska for even a service like ours or DISH uses a 3 meter dish, but has less to do with the snow then it does the azimuth angle to the birds in space delivering the signal.  They need a larger collection area to receive the signal.