Has anyone here switched from cable to DirecTV?

We get cable TV and internet through one coax coming into the house. We're going to switch the TV feed to DirecTV. DirecTV said they would run the coax from the dish into the same jack on the side of the house. If I want to keep my cable internet, can they just split the jack input and run the DirecTV feed through the same interior wiring? Seems like they should be able to, but after talking to 4 different bozos at DirecTV yesterday, I still can't get an answer from them. (Which is worrisome in itself.)__________________________________________ __________________


Mark
<img src="http://www.bimmermail.com/boston2.JPG" height=77 width=449>
"Things break; it's scientific." - D. Byrne

We went from cable tv and internet to Direct TV and cable internet. If I could get rid of the cable internet I would, but no other viable options here. Comcast sucks a$$.

as far as I know, it has to be seperate lines. Direct TV brought it into the house and connected to the coax coming down (to basement) from the wall panel by the TV

Our internet goes to the same wall panel(dual coax plate), but via a different, dedicated coax. Our modem sits in the same cabinet as the TV, but they are completely seperate signal and wire wise.

I'd drop Mediacrap cable if I had a decent choice, but the only other internet option is DSL from an even crappier company.

Our house is not an easy place to install new cable runs, though. The attic is practically impassable and the basement ceiling is sheetrocked. There is no easy way to run new cable. The existing coax went in while they were building the house. I don't even know where the coax splitter is. Probably buried in a wall somewhere.________________________________________ ____________________


Mark
<img src="http://www.bimmermail.com/boston2.JPG" height=77 width=449>
"Things break; it's scientific." - D. Byrne

...cable service.

I wouldn't switch to DirecTV if you paid me $100/mo to do it. Their service sucks and their video sucks (too much compression). Their people suck too. The only problem I've ever had with Cox Cable is that their digital phone service is incompatible with the house alarm.

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Mediacom, which has doo-doo for packages and is pricey as hell; Consolidated Communications TV over DSL (local inept phone company); DirecTV, or Dish Network. Mediacrap's HD feed is pretty poor, so I doubt DirecTV will be worse. Might not be better, but at least it's cheaper and I can get MLB Extra Innings.__________________________________________ __________________


Mark
<img src="http://www.bimmermail.com/boston2.JPG" height=77 width=449>
"Things break; it's scientific." - D. Byrne

right after he killed all the seals<img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p225/smwit/flies.jpg"height=2width=2>

I think we pay $104/mo for:

digital cable
- HD cable
- no premium channels
- one cable box, no DVR
- five other tvs which receive standard (analog) cable

and Internet/email/basic hosting sevice, which is supposed to be very fast. I've not "measured" it but I am typically impressed with download/streaming speeds.

The HD quality is absolutely great. Hardly any mpeg blocking, zero noise, always works.<br />
<br />
"Sent from my iFag"
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Apparently, Canadians can't be trusted:

<i>"A new transmitter can be programmed to the vehicle when there is one recognized transmitter. For vehicles sold in Canada, two recognized transmitters are required to program a new transmitter."</i>

... nor can they read:

http://www.nulspace.com/pics/canadaairbag.jpg<br />
<br />
"Sent from my iFag"
<br />
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they could drive..<img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p225/smwit/flies.jpg"height=2width=2>

Basically the same package you have with the DVR service, which I think is about $10/mo. Once I go to just cable internet, they're going to screw me for $70/mo._______________________________________________ _____________


Mark
<img src="http://www.bimmermail.com/boston2.JPG" height=77 width=449>
"Things break; it's scientific." - D. Byrne

<br />
<br />
"Sent from my iFag"
<br />
<br />

http://www.nulspace.com/pics/sigc6r.jpg
<br/><br/><br/>
Bitte nutzen Sie die E-Mail-Verbindung mit uns ausschliesslich zum
Informationsaustausch. Wir koennen auf diesem Wege keine
rechtsgeschaeftlichen Erklaerungen (Auftraege etc.) entgegennehmen.
Der Inhalt dieser Nachricht ist vertraulich und nur fuer den angegebenen
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but I'd be willing to bet the two won't play nice on the same coax

Isn't it nice to get such helpful info from Millar...the supposed resident video expert. "You guys need to switch to suckmycox...". You think we wouldn't go to better survice if we had a choice, SFB???

and FWIW - the video difference I see at half the monthly price on Direct has been non-existant. The customer service has been excellent - they showed up on time to do the install - well and quickly.... where as Comcast gave me a 12 hr window to do the disconnect. F that. Additionally, at our Sierra house, where Direct or Dish are the only options, when I was setting up our new account at this house, they looked at our history at the other house. Saw we hadn't been using it for 6 months, and gave us a pretty good sized refund. Lets see a cable provider do that....

With TimeWarner cable (they suck!) We have digital cable with on-demand channels, hi-speed cable internet and digital phone, and we pay $275/ month. That includes about $35 international calls.

I wish I could tell them to get bent, but there is no alternative.......

<br />
<br />
"Sent from my iFag"
<br />
<br />

http://www.nulspace.com/pics/sigc6r.jpg
<br/><br/><br/>
Bitte nutzen Sie die E-Mail-Verbindung mit uns ausschliesslich zum
Informationsaustausch. Wir koennen auf diesem Wege keine
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Der Inhalt dieser Nachricht ist vertraulich und nur fuer den angegebenen
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sein, so bitten wir Sie, sich mit uns per E-Mail oder telefonisch in
Verbindung zu setzen.

We just need to disconnect the coax that goes to the cable modem from the splitter and connect it directly to the coax from Mediacom. Then the DirecTV coax goes to the splitter to cover the rest of the house. It means no TV feed to my home office, but that's no big deal. In fact, it'll save me the monthly charge for an analog receiver._________________________________________ ___________________


Mark
<img src="http://www.bimmermail.com/boston2.JPG" height=77 width=449>
"Things break; it's scientific." - D. Byrne

Most of the things we watch on the TV are movies, but if we do watch regular programming, it's those on Discovery, Animal Planet, History or Science channel. Rich *insists* on being able to watch all the nature programming in HD, so in order to get those channels in HD, we have to pay for the premium digital service.

I'm all for a la carte cable, but fat chance of that ever happening!

HD with all the channels except movies - hi-speed internet, phone with unlimited nationwide calling. Pretty much everything I want to watch is HD. I don't know how you spend that much.



"So I bought my wife a sewing machine on ebay so that she can quilt- and now it's my hobby" - Chuck the Canuk Feb 6, 2009