DirecTV, gotcha

[Lex]

Today, I get a letter in the mail, stating hey, we no longer offer the select package, you have been getting, but you can continue to have it. Oh btw, we are going to have to charge you 3.00 more per month for it.

What started as 19.99 a month 2 years ago, is now 25.00 a month after this increase. The next higher plan did not go up, and that's the 31.99 plan. That was 29.99 2 years ago I am pretty sure.

So, basically, they are saying we are going to penalize you for selecting a plan that we offered 2 years ago, because, well we decided we no longer wanted to offer it.

Things like this cut right against my grain. It's not the 3.00. Hell, I got the 3.00. It's the principle that they are gouging me, because I am on a now obsolete plan. Yeah, a plan 2 years ago, they sure didn't mind selling me.

Tempted to call them up and say, just flip the switch off, my Cable still works-

Lex

[David Meek]

Yeah Lex,

If they are being hit with a surcharge of some type from the studios and are passing it on to you, that's one thing. Hey just tell you about it! But to pop you with a lame statement like that after years of subscribing is bad business. You should be pi##d. :evil:

I feel your pain, bro. We're stuck with "Joe-Bob's" cable (Charter Communications) out here. They don't even offer hi-def, ala Time-Warner and have no plans to do so in the forseable future. But, they charge rates higher than T-W! :evil:




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[Lex]

Yeah, I hear you David. No high def here, just digital cable in addition to standard cable.

One of the reasons I got DTV was to get away from higher cable rates and pick up a few different included channels. I did keep the minimum package to keep cable active and get my local channels, like 8 bucks a month, and I had my 19.99 fee. So, 28 bucks for a well rounded viewing package. Now that's back to 33, more than cable was to begin with and going higher every day now it seems. Where is the end, 150-200 a month? 300 a month?

We continute to pay more for these things, and in some cases, get less and less.

The above is all about billing costs. They decided hey, for 20 bucks a month, we don't even want you. I sure hope a lot of folks oblige them.

Lex

[Kevin P]

Cable's ridiculously overpriced. It costs twice as much for basic cable as it did 15 years ago, and the service isn't as good. There are more and more commercials on, and less and less quality programming, and we have to pay more and more to receive them!

It's getting to the point where a big antenny on da roof is becoming fashionable again! Even for HDTV, no cable, you need a roof antenna... 8O

And the "digital" cable is a joke too. Most of the channels are still analog, the box says "Dolby Digital" but offers only stereo RCA jacks, no digital output, and it doesn't even have a S-video jack, com-crap-posite only!

I only keep cable for the broadband internet access. I have that and the lowest tier of cable TV.

KJP




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[GregoriusM]

My cable box has Dolby Digital with the appropriate outputs, and S-Video, but a lot of good that does me since my cable company offers neither. Don't even ask about HDTV, or any PVR's in the future, etc. etc.

And, I can't see why anyone would want a TV larger than my 27" to watch cable on. Some of the digital channels are quite good, but the analog are absolutely garbage. I actually can't remember them being that bad. But then again, maybe it's because I've gotten a fairly good TV.

The only reason I'm sticking to digital cable right now is that the bulk of it is paid for by my landlord.

But, the day is getting closer and closer to going to satellite. I hope there is an improvement.

But I do like the on-screen guide! :roll:

[Lex]

yeah, the analog channels here are crap too on cable. I don't have digital cable, so for me all cable channels are analog. I only have cable for the local channels.

Lex