Hey Dave,<br>I just had DirectTV installed last week, I also dumped Comcast ($$$). So far it's been good, time will tell. It does have better sound and picture quality than cable. They're having a special now, free equipment and installation for 2 rooms. My wife spends most of the time watching all the horse training shows on RFD-TV! (Hoping she doesn't get any new ideas about expanding... : Good luck!<br>Dan

 

I have Directv. Cable here is more $$$ for similar package.<br>There service staff is readily available to answer questions and resolve any problems. The biggest pain occurs if you wish to see the networks and live in an area where local channels are not yet available. You have to go through a waiver process which is a big PITA. The local stations are not very cooperative about this. To receive local stations in my area is almost impossible without a very large antennae placed high on a mast. The local ABC affiliate feels I should be able to receive a suitable signal without this expense and therefore will not give me the waiver. I simply decided to do without ABC and have been quite happy for several years.<br>I know there is probably some way to fight this but I am not that ambitious. I figure it is ABC's loss not mine.<br><br>In reference to fading due to bad weather......This can be minimized by properly aiming your dish. It still may occur from time to time but certainly no more often than our local cable system has failed. <br><br>my .02

 

With expieriance from both &quot;worlds&quot; as a proffesional installer (yep, I am a cableguy!), I can tell you that it's all about the same with plenty of pros and cons of both types of services. I tend to lean towards cable though, be'n that they are always closer. You may have to talk to someone in a diffrent time zone, but if it's out they should be there pretty quickly. When you have problems with a dish you have to wait for a seperate contractor be contacted, then, when he is ready, he will come from wherever he's from sometimes over a couple hundred miles. Anyway, what it all boils down to is that everyone hates the other, and most don't realize the benifits of the other. Then there are areas that just have a bad name. Where I live the cable co. is great, but in other areas where the prices are still low, the reception/service suffer, catch the pattern? Just my smoke

 

[quote author=Push Rod link=board=10;threadid=13312;start=0#125444 date=1049787726]<br>Hmmmmm, cool. I wonder the DirecTV works up here? I was seriously looking at DirecWay dish for internet, but the $200 Cdn/month for equipment lease and service was making me sweat a bit. If I can lose the ExpressVu dish at the same time, it'll save me some bucks.<br>[/quote]<br><br>It'll work, but you won't be able to get the service being in Canada.<br>If you can use an adress a bit furthur south, you'll be watchin' in no time.<br>They only give service to those in the lower 48.<br><br>Unless they've changed their policies, or started a service up there.<br><br>phox

 

Well, I went with Dish Network. One of the local installers just left the house with one of those sweetheart deals. Equipment free, 2 rooms, everything in the world plus more than I can possibly watch, but hey, it's definitely better than the kissless relationship I just had with ComCast. Tomorrow, I'm going to call them to pick up their equipment and disconnect this cable.<br><br>Thanks for all the advice. Appreciate the responses.<br><br>~Dave