Dishing It Up

[David Meek]

I'm taking my first plunge into the wide world of satellite dish broadcasting. We don't have the option of cable out here on the Southwest tip of the island, so I signed up with Dish for one of their systems - one with a built-in DVR. I'm not going hi-def yet as I want to see just what my budget for "toys" is going to be in the new life. It'll be interesting to see how this compares to my previous experiences with cable. More later as things develop....

[H.Donald]

First,best wishes in your new life....not to mention getting rid of cable.Everyone I know who has switched over loves it.I would also,but I am so entwined with cable....internet,tv service,phone....that it seems like a it would be a big todo to get rid of them.Seems like satellite is a better value then cable also....

[George Bellefontaine]

I've been a cable guy for too long. Their prices just keep going up and up and the quality of their signal is oft times suspect. I've thought about satellite but haven't made that big decision to take the plunge. I'll be interested in Tex's experience with satellite.

[Shane Martin]

.Seems like satellite is a better value then cable also....

I've had both and I can say that Satellite is more expensive if you get a bundle from your cable company. I paid $25 a more month(with Sat and DSL) than what I am playing now and I get HD DVR(dual tuner), HDTV, Encore and their other encore networks, call waiting, and 4mb down instead of 768 thru DSL which I had.

If you cable company doesn't offer a bundle, then they become a wash. I had Directv for 6 years roughly and can't say I was dissapointed other than the rain fade which will be interesting for Tex since he lives in the NW now. Snow would be a problem I presume for George.

[George Bellefontaine]

Snow would be a problem I presume for George.

Oh, yeah. Big time.

[David Meek]

I had Directv for 6 years roughly and can't say I was dissapointed other than the rain fade which will be interesting for Tex since he lives in the NW now.

Yeah, I'm "very interested" in what happens during a heavy rain, although what passes for heavy rain up here is basically considered a good shower in Texas or Oklahoma. I'm as much or more concerned with the low elevation angle of the dish itself, as the satellite is trying to punch that signal through a lot more atmosphere up here than it would have been down South.

I can say after only one day that having 60 or so channels of decent quality TV is absolute nirvana compared to the three or four we were getting before!
:dancenana:

[Clive]

This as been the question for me for the longest while. Of course I am still on cable ops:........but I've heard the worst things with satelite signal fade or signal N/A in bad weather. I am not sure how to decide on whether the chance is worth it or not, how does one decide? How bad can it really get?

Please keep my location in mind. (If it matters)

[Leef DaLucky]

aww i wouldn't worry about it too much, Clive.
i've had sat for 3 years and only lost signal twice, in REALLY bad snow storms.
I DO have a new system that I can't comment on, yet.
Its the BEV6100 with smaller dish than i'm used to.
Looks pretty stable so far, but i've heard of folks losing the HD bird (sat82) once and awhile during storms.
I'll have to see how she does this winter.
I've never liked cable in the GTA though, ever since i discovered sat, i haven't looked back. (i'm sure the same could be said for the newer digital cable systems though.)
have a look at www.digitalhomecanada.com for some more opinions, if you haven't already discovered it.

cheers,
mikey

[Sonnie Parker]

I can't speak for up north but I can for down south in our area, we hardly ever lose signal. Only during hurricanes, etc, which power, cable, and everything else goes out as well and for everyone. Very seldom do we have any rain fade issues and we've had satellite since it came out. Maybe during a sho-nuff storm, but it has to be one of those monsoon type storms. I'll just say, very seldom is our TV viewing interrupted for any reason.

David, I think you'd like the HD. Not sure if any of your locals up that way offer HD yet, but if they do then the HD tuner would be there for you. We get several other HD stations as well... we stay around those stations most of the time simply because they are HD.

[Leef DaLucky]

Actually David, i'll echo Sonnie's opinion on this as well.
You'd like the HD satellite. You spent money on the reciever anyways right?
(not sure if you're renting the unit itself or not).
If you can buy, definitely spend the extra bucks and get a good receiver now:

PVR- nice but not entirely necessary (with satellite, there's so much timeshifting i don't have to record a lot).
DD5.1- out (awesome stuff-digital optical is a lot better than analogue.)
HD (DVI/HDMI or component).
another nice feature is Built in OTA HD. (haven't tried mine out yet but i hear its great. sounds like you're high altitude (?) it might even work better for you?)

cheers,
M.

[Shane Martin]

I'd be more worreid about rain than snow. Given the angle, I doubt you would ever have to brush snow off the dish.

That is my experience though. YMMV.