# Switch to DTV from Dish?



## Keniff (Nov 25, 2013)

I'll try not to express my frustration too much with Dish here, but it's hard. I have been flamed here for doing so in technical discussions, and I get that. It seems there are aggravations with both Dish and DTV. I am not alone.

But here is the basis and why I am asking this question.

From what I have read, DTV customer service has taken a nose dive since the AT&T acquisition. I wouldn't know, I've never had DTV, primarily because the locals they offer are not local compared to Dish in my area. Problem is when I went to HD Dish, lo and behold...they don't provide me with HD locals! So I get 3 of 5 (and more very local stuff I cant get well on OTA) of them in HD OTA integrated with the Hopper. The other 2 major channels are not good enough signal to rely on, so I'm stuck with SD on those and the Dish feed.

In my experience, Dish customer service has been extremely variable. I admit, I've had some good customer service at times...it seemed, then the technician arrived and said "they told you what?". Right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. That's probably the case with DTV too, I would expect no better in today's world of customer service overall. Lately, the last few times I have called Dish customer service, I hung up, my blood pressure cant take it. They are simply not training the people well, at least at the front line. I don't know how they sell to anybody, honestly...anybody with a brain at least.

So here's the deal, my obligation is up with Dish here real soon, and they have ticked me off again with a $5 annual increase as they apparently are losing customers hand over fist to internet viewers. seems silly to me, but...well, I will restrain my Dish hatred here again. I am on the top 120 plan and watch maybe 10% of the channels. The most important things to me are the handful of channels we actually watch and DVR/multi-room capability.

From my experience and everything I read, both Dish and DTV do not give a whit about long term customers (I have been with Dish for 15 years) who have paid their bill on time for years...all the deals go to new customers. Seems like the general advice is simply switch every 2 years. But that comes with learning a new system, setting up, and all the hassle that comes with it.

Where we live there is no cable or DSL or ANY real internet service other than cell tech 4G which works well but is outrageously expensive for streaming, etc. so that is not an option. There are some Satellite services available but if I cant fully use the internet with streaming, etc. its a waste of time and money. I could shut the danged TV off for the most part at this point and watch "locals" OTA with a TIVO or something like that if available, combined with Netflix Blue Ray disc service.

I haven't contacted Dish yet,and I know they will offer some placating thing to try to get me to stay, but I seriously doubt it will be meaningful to me in the mood I am in with increasing financial stress as they continue to raise my bill. I am cutting bills everywhere in my life, and those that go up, get special scrutiny. If high speed internet becomes available here, Dish Television, either one is in the scrap bin and that money goes to internet services.

Any feedback on switching to DTV from Dish and what to expect is appreciated. It seems they have a wireless multi-system now that competes with Hopper. I have no decent internet like I said, so much of Hopper with Sling is completely useless to me. The only things I like about my Dish system is HD, and multi room DVR viewing capability. The OTA integration is great with locals but if DTV can give me those networks from the other nearby city like they have told me before in HD, I would be happy with that.

This is all about the money, vs. the handful of channels we actually watch, HD viewing and DVR capability with multiple TVs. It looks like DTV's basic or lower end package has most of the channels we watch which is not many. I am well seasoned with hassles with Dish, so the stress of switching doesn't bother me. It is stressful no matter what, whether my ever expanding bill or dealing with inept customer service and installers.

Thanks in advance for any feedback and advice.

Ken


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Type in your zip code to see your locals on DTV service:
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/packProg/localChannels.jsp?assetId=cms_local_channels&_requestid=327191

Everyone is going up on pricing all the time.
Most companies have good and so so and bad reps. When you get one of those you thank them and hang up, then call back and you will get another one that is probably smarter about the product or your problem.

I hear that the Hopper is very good and possibly better than DTVs Genie. I do not know since I do not have either.

If you have never been with DTV then you would probably get a heck of a deal to switch. A phone call or 2 could tell you that.
If you want wireless minis I think you have to pay for those, extra.

Good luck.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

DirecTV raises the prices once a year generally, but as Jimmie says, all providers do, their carriage costs go up etc. Of course some new customer deals can come with a price freeze or guarantee etc.

I personally wouldn't get the wireless clients if at all possible, there's too many variables for good wireless performance.

You would get an HR44 at a minimum, the free install includes a Genie and 3 regular clients. Each client uses a tuner from the genie when watching live TV. They do not use one when playing back a recording from the Genie. The Genie itself has 5 tuners.

I don't deal with Customer Service very often, many times general technical issues can be resolved on the forum by some very knowledgeable posters.

With installers it's the luck of the draw unfortunately. I've had good installers and one where I had to walk him through the steps on what he needed to do to get something set up. A customer shouldn't have to provide a lesson to the installer!


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

How many tvs do you actually have and use?


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## Keniff (Nov 25, 2013)

Jimmi,

Thanks, the locals are still the same. Richmond VA, vs. Charlottesville which is closer. Getting them in HD would be a worthy change since Dish cannot give me Richmond and cannot give me HD Charlottesville. Rumor has it the owner of EchoStar's daughter went to UVA and complained to daddy there were no dish locals and somehow it was made to happen. Still SD for me though.

I have done that with reps. When I get the telltale accent of a foreigner I used to hang up and re-dial until I got a U.S. person speaking American English I could stand to deal with.

I have no problems with the hopper, it would be great if I actually had real internet to use. My Joey locations have a terrible lag though. I think it's because the installer used the existing wiring, some of which I ran myself, rather than all new pulls. but I could be wrong. I just know at the Joey locations I have to click something, then count "one Mississippi, two Mississippi" before a reaction happens on screen. I just deal with it because its easier than dealing with Dish customer service.

Dish's costs may be going up, but my income isn't. They and I will have to decide if our relationship is worth it at some point. Are the handful of channels I watch worth $100 a month? That is to be determined. They have invested in the install and equipment here, you would think they would want to keep me as a customer. I have things I can do with $1,200 a year elsewhere.

Thanks DP,

I don't mind wired service. I don't have deep knowledge of what they have, I just saw the wireless commercials.

Sounds like the Genie has more tuners than the Hopper. My hopper has three tuners and I think the OTA dongle/interface makes 4. Does the Genie have an OTA interface that works with the guide and everything like the Hopper? Wouldn't matter too much except I already have the OTA antenna and could hook it right up. I would still use the not so local locals from DTV though too.

And yes, teaching the installer. Been there done that. Set up lights for him outside and everything..but at least he was willing to work past dark to get the job done for me. I had to explain the OTA dongle to him...he had never seen such a thing!

And the 3 client set up would work well for me...which leads me to:

Ink,

I have one primary family viewing location and three bedrooms upstairs from that. I have a digital HD transmitter than can transmit from any of those to another remote TV anywhere I move it, like the garage or back deck if I want. It works well.

I at least plan to drop a tier to almost the bottom of Dish's offerings if I stay with them to save $15 a month, plus after this month I am through with my obligation on the Hopper/Joeys and using that transmitter I can drop one of the Joeys at $7 a month and transmit one of the remaining Joeys to the room I dropped...and like I said, also anywhere I want around the house within range of the Nyrius. That would save me $22 a month.

My third Joey or 4th location is my home business office. I don't use it a lot but it's nice to have because it's also a guest room and if there is breaking news I can have it on in the background while I'm working.

Thanks to all!


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

The Genie does have more discrete tuners, though no "primetime anytime". So it's one channel per tuner.

There is a piece of hardware called an AM21 that can be used with a Genie for OTA. However you'd need to get on on eBay etc as DirecTV has discontinued them. You cannot scan for channels, so any channel needs to be in the database. Also, no channel with an ID over 65535 is included due to a limitation on the AM21. I believe this mainly affects subchannels.


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## Keniff (Nov 25, 2013)

Thanks DP,

I don't use prime time anytime, so no big loss for me. We dont really care for most network prime time stuff!

I have duly noted the AM21, thanks. It looks like direcTV has the locals I'm looking for. We dont really watch the "really" local stuff like the news very much because we don't live in the City of Charlottesville, so the feed from Richmond would be fine for whatever network viewing we do. At least it would be in HD...Dish cant do that for me.

I have been really busy and not able to deal with it lately but I am definitely going to look in to it. I am smart enough to get DTV out here first though. We are in the trees so I would make sure it's up and running before pulling the plug on Dish. I need to set a half a day or more aside to deal with both companies and compare, etc. It's pretty stressful, at least with Dish in my 15 years of experience with them. Stupidity make me very angry...to hear a rep sound like they are referring to the same FAQs I can refer to while trying to help me makes me want to scream. They seem to first assume I'm like all the other people that call who have no clue...its' like trying to run underwater...know what I mean?

I really appreciate everyone's help


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I know exactly what you mean. When I call with a technical issue, it's when I know it needs replaced. I'd have called after exhausting my own knowledge and that of the hive mind here.

I know they have to go through their steps, but even after I explain what I did and the result, they almost always go to the "did you try restarting it?"


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## camo (Apr 15, 2010)

Adding 1 local channel in HD, is it worth another 2 year commitment ? Have you looked at programming with the Dish SMART Pack? I'm completely satisfied with it until football season when I'll go to 120+ and add the sports package with SEC, Pac12 & Redzone. The Smart Pack is amazingly good. IMO for $37. I've also added the HBO special $10 & Movie Pack $10, so total programming $57 but channels I watch so pleased and don't feel I'm being ripped off. 


Smart Pack: Whats in HD, 

Sports: CBS Sports, Outdoor Channel, 
News: FOX, HLN, Bloomberg, TWC, 
Kids and Family: Animal Planet, Discovery Family, Hallmark, Hallmark Movies, Nick, 
Others: DIY, Cooking, Food, Science, ID America, RFDTV, BBC American HD, BIO


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## Keniff (Nov 25, 2013)

Godfather,

You didn't understand my post well enough. Dish will not/can not give me ANY HD locals. The only way I get HD locals is OTA with the dongle. But, even with that I can only count on NBC, FOX and ABC...the OTA is unreliable on ABC and PBS. Going with DTV, providing they can beam in to my spot, can give me all the HD locals through a satellite feed, but from a city a little farther away...I'm OK with that city's channels because I don't really give a rip about local news. I get that from terrestrial radio and the internet if I need it. We don't have kids anymore, so we don't need to be that connected locally.

The other side of it is, in a time when the economy is bad, people are not making as much money and they are cancelling Dish and cable service right and left, they have the gall to jack my bill up $5 every year essentially. There comes a point when I really don't need those channels that much. If not for my wife I would have cancelled a while back...just for the mere point of it.

Granted, I do generally like my Dish service, Hooper and joeys; but I cant get good internet to really use it. I get about 20% of the potential cool benefits. And, of course Dish cant give me internet by satellite here...not that it would allow streaming for a reasonable dollar...but they love to boast that they can give me wired internet...riding on the backbone of someone else's infrastructure who could already give me internet if it was available anyway. It's laughable. They must have a ton of really stupid customers...so it works for them...somehow. If I had that good of internet, I would probably cancel Dish and go Netflix and Hulu anyway and wouldn't need Dish unless they came back down to a reasonable fee.

I can jump to DTV if I decide to, and get a great deal. Albiet with a commitment, but calculating that over time still saves money. Then Jump back to Dish again if I have to. They seem to offer new customers all the deals and turn the bill sideways and cram it up customers like me who have paid bills for 15 years. That ticks me off too. I shouldn't have to threaten to leave them to get them to give a 15 year good paying customer the sweetest of deals. It is stupid business practice...but then again, I am not their average sheeple.

So, thanks for the feedback and suggestions. I have looked at the other channel packs and I might as well have nothing if I'm going to the smart pack. The smart pack has maybe 8 channels I would even grace with my eyes with and maybe 5 we would actually watch more than a few times a week. I mean no disrespect to you.

The Dish America pack is closer to being actually something useful with maybe 2 more channels I find interesting. Both are really pathetic and I don't mean to insult you because you are happy with the Smart Pack, but it is FAR from impressive for us. My viewing time is focused and limited, I'm not going to be just watching "whatever is on". In fact I DVR nearly everything, but both of those packs barely have anything I even want to DVR.

Premium channels are a waste because we have seen most of what's on there that we care to watch already with Netflix except the series...most of which are either not really that good and or filled with gay and other awful content. I don't hate gay people, but watching them is NOT entertainment for me.

I do not hardly ever watch a movie twice. I have too much going on in life to do that. I don't while away hours watching movies over and over again. I will never get HBO again, they are immoral, ripping at the very fabric of society with awful content laden with homosexuality and debauchery and progressive crappola. I'm not religious, but I know when things are wrong and HBO has been wrong for a long time. I used to watch it 30 years ago, I know what the difference is today.

We are pretty much satisfied with Netflix blue ray with snail mail, one disc at a time for newer movies and series that have run on the other channels already. We could have two discs a week if we wanted, but still they usually sit on the counter till the weekend. That's because we have DVR stuff from dish on the 120 pack that keeps us well "viewed" otherwise. For about the value of dropping back to the Dish America pack we could jack up Netflix to three discs at a time and nearly have a disc to watch every day of the week...of stuff WE CHOSE. See what I'm saying?

So, I'm not unhappy with the Dish service we get. I am unhappy with them continually jacking my price up. There is a point where that will simply not fly. They better get real because options for people are going to put them out of business eventually, and otherwise, the price of the service will simply not be affordable for what we get from it. It is a luxury now; if we take any more financial hits in our household, that will be the first luxury to go.

You probably get more out of Dish than we do with your love of sports. I could not care less about college sports and barely care about the NFL. I don't have time to watch a sports pack full of games. Most of the TV watching we do is the wife and I together in the evening. I simply don't have all day on weekends to watch TV...I am usually doing something productive with my time. I don't mean that as an insult or anything, I know sports are a big deal to some, but sports are close to meaningless to me.

Thanks again for the suggestion.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

From my several dealings with DIRECTV CSRs since AT&T bought them, I haven't noticed any degradation in that area. But dealing with the CSRs is usually hit-or-miss when it comes to knowledge. I come here when I need to know something. And I've had several installers that didn't understand some of the new equipment.

But if you don't get a CSR that can answer your question(s), I've called back later to talk to someone else. 

And as already discussed, DIRECTV has been raising their rates each year, so DISH isn't the only one.

Good luck.

EDIT: Couple of other points. 

Look at their website and see choose the minimum package containing the channels you watch to save money on your monthly bill. 

New customers get NFL Sunday Ticket for free. Since you're not interested in that, see if they can offer you something else (they'll probably give you HBO/Showtime/et. at. for free for three months; see if you can get more since you're not getting Sunday Ticket). And there are situations where they can't give you an upgrade you might be interested in without charging you, but they can give you credits that match/exceed the amount of the upgrade.


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## camo (Apr 15, 2010)

Keniff said:


> So, thanks for the feedback and suggestions. I have looked at the other channel packs and I might as well have nothing if I'm going to the smart pack. The smart pack has maybe 8 channels I would even grace with my eyes with and maybe 5 we would actually watch more than a few times a week. I mean no disrespect to you.
> 
> The Dish America pack is closer to being actually something useful with maybe 2 more channels I find interesting. Both are really pathetic and I don't mean to insult you because you are happy with the Smart Pack, but it is FAR from impressive for us. My viewing time is focused and limited, I'm not going to be just watching "whatever is on". In fact I DVR nearly everything, but both of those packs barely have anything I even want to DVR.
> 
> ...


No offense taken everyone has different viewing habits. The only channels I would add to Smart Pack are History,Smithsonian, Travel if I could. 
But for the price very happy. I do understand the HBO issue, I have similar feelings about much of the programming, but figured for $10 I would stick with it at least through the GOT series coming up.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

From someone who's switched between Dish and DirecTV a couple of times, I can tell you that staying with either more than 2 years will cost you. DirecTV is also very good at jacking up prices. To keep costs down, you must switch when your discounts run out. For me, DirecTV's regular prices ran about $10 more than Dish for the same equipment and content. DirecTV used to give me a few bucks off when I did my annual call to beg for mercy, but no longer, so I'm now looking at cable with Tivo for that account.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

And yet some give 30 to 40 a month off to people who call in. I think the key is letting a little time pass between when the discounts end and when you call.


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

dpeters11 said:


> I know exactly what you mean. When I call with a technical issue, it's when I know it needs replaced. I'd have called after exhausting my own knowledge and that of the hive mind here.
> 
> I know they have to go through their steps, but even after I explain what I did and the result, they almost always go to the "did you try restarting it?"


The first tier csrs are required to go through a menu of questions. They have no option.


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## Keniff (Nov 25, 2013)

Thanks to all, It's "therapeutic" to know I'm not the only one out here and it's very education when you folks chime in and tell me your ideas, experience and strategies.

I am under no illusion that DTV isnt as bad or worse at raising prices. Like I said earlier, one of the things that aggravates me the most is that long term customers like me get the shaft while new customers get the deals. In my business I go above and beyond for long term customers who have helped pay my bills for years. New customers have not proven themselves to be reliable.

Switching is a PTA I'm sure. Tha'ts why I would not cancel Dish until DTV is up and running.

The biggest change for me would possibly be Hopper Joey and how it works from one room to another. Can anyone tell me more about DTV's multi room DVR stuff? Can the folders of recordings be accesses from any other TV and can I pause a recorded show and resume it easily in another room like I can with Dish?



studechip said:


> The first tier csrs are required to go through a menu of questions. They have no option.


That's been another aggravation. But I'm sure they deal with A LOT of really stupid people who actually haven't thought of re-setting or unplugging the unit before calling. There are some really...umm, not exactly sharp people out there.

I try to be as polite as possible when I talk to a CSR, because I don't blame them for their lack of training. Dish and DTV are the fault there. Bottom line is, my sense is that both companies would prefer people do like me who...get disgusted with the pathetic front line CSR, shut up, go away, deal with what you have and not call back or complain. They want me to just shut up and pay the bill.

The really don't care how I feel about the Dish service in general or the customer service. They are only dealing with me because at some point they have to. Astonishingly disconnected from the customers as they are, for years now they send me this pathetic offer to get $50 when I refer a customer. $50...that's half of one of my current bills...to run the risk of leading a friend or relative in to the Dish nightmare? I'ts not worth the potential damage to a relationship for me to refer anybody...but maybe someone I don't like...that would be a chuckle.



camo said:


> No offense taken everyone has different viewing habits. The only channels I would add to Smart Pack are History,Smithsonian, Travel if I could.
> But for the price very happy. I do understand the HBO issue, I have similar feelings about much of the programming, but figured for $10 I would stick with it at least through the GOT series coming up.


Good, Last thing I'm trying to do is tick anyone here off.

So I went in to my DVR folders as part of my decision making research and took a quick scan of the channels most of our recordings are on. Currently we have a total of 443 recordings and some of that is music performances from AXS and Palladia that I have kept and go back and play like any stored music...but with the benefit of seeing the performers. I usually play this stuff while cooking, etc..

Also, some movies we have yet to get around to watching. I keep an eye on free viewing times and just record the snot out of anything that looks remotely entertaining. Like I said, most other movies on the premium channels, we have either already seen, were not going to burn a Netflix. DVD.com selection on. or otherwise didn't find any strong interest in. When we are between Netflix discs and feel like a movie we will watch one for those old saved movies. Funny thing is, the last time we tried to do that with we both agreed to turn it off 20 minutes in to it...there is a reason we have not already seen it!

So, based on our recording habits, not including the alphabet broadcast networks, or any premiums which I will not pay for at any price, this is how it looks if we drop down to the lowest tiers:

Smart Pack:
There are only three channels we watch enough to want to ever record anything.
1-Fox News=I can take it or leave it at this point, they have proven to be only a bit better than all the others. I find myself not even being able to stand it during the election process. They are as "Faux" as all the others except they pretend to be "conservative". At the core, Roger Ailes would flood the U.S. with cheap foreign labor and keep 95 million Americans out of the work force like we have now...plus more. So, FOX is no more *for* native born legacy Americans than any other corporation.
2-Food Channel=I love to cook and learn about it. We record and watch several shows on this channel.
3-TV Land-We used to record maybe one show or two...sitcoms...on this channel, but it's not even HD so it's like going retro for sure. I could do without it generally.

Hey there is a bright side to the smart pack; we would get the Cooking Channel, but that is kind of redundant since we already watch Food Channel. And the wife would get Hallmark, which she would love, but she would not be willing to lose HGTV for that.

The Dish America would be more like our viewing: It has about 10 of the channels we record from (we watch almost exclusively DVR'd content so this is a good gauge) a few of those channels we only record one show on or just on occasion. It's easier to list what we would lose.

We would *lose*:
1-FOX News= as I stated before, it would be a loss, I record a few shows and usually fast forward through a lot of it, so losing it would not be like losing a limb by any measure.
2-Fox Business=I actually record three shows on this one>Stossel, Kennedy and the one the wife and I both like is Strange inheritance. With that said, it would be a loss, but one I could deal with
3-TV Land=Not a devastating loss by a long shot.

There are a few other channels we would lose dropping from the 120 pack, but those are ones we only watch on occasion...if ever.

The biggest loss would be the music channels, but with our smart phones, on board MP3's and such...and terrestrial radio we could survive this.

So dropping to Dish America would save $15 a month and dropping a Joey I would save $7. no big deal, I have an HD mirror TV device that easily works in another room, garage or back deck even using my Dish remote through walls. They lie to you and tell you they are line of sight remotes...they are not. I can change channels from two rooms over and down as well as from under the bed covers. Plus the Nyrius device also extends the remote signal.

So if I don't switch to DTV. I will at least save about 22% of my core Dish bill or $22 a month or $264 a year.

The question that must be answered is: Is $22 a month worth the convenience of that extra Joey and the few other channels and music?

DTV's web site is unclear to me on a couple channels but it looks like on the *Select* package we would lose Travel Channel, that would suck because I have a few regulars on that channel. Also I didn't see FOX business. Also Paladia, but not a huge loss. BUT...the wife would gain Hallmark...something she would like.

The select package is $52 so even at regular pricing right now that would be $13 less than the 120 I have now

I would talk with them quite a bit before switching if I do.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Yes, the playlists can be accessed from anything within your system. And there are some options to block specific DVRs (we had a DVR for 'kids' use and to keep the clutter down, we turned the sharing off on that DVR).

Pausing in one room and picking up in the next room isn't exactly like the TV commercial shows. You can Stop/Exit a show in one room, then go to another TV, go to your Playlist and hit Resume. Picks up right where you left off. 

Good luck with your decision.


The biggest change for me would possibly be Hopper Joey and how it works from one room to another. Can anyone tell me more about DTV's multi room DVR stuff? Can the folders of recordings be accesses from any other TV and can I pause a recorded show and resume it easily in another room like I can with Dish?


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## ground_pounder (Aug 15, 2014)

there's no sense in switching both companies have good reps and they also have reps that will make you pull your hair out :rolling: .


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## Keniff (Nov 25, 2013)

Thanks TRH, Much appreciated.


Pounder,

I have no illusion that DTV will have the same customer support issues. It boils down to a couple things:

1-Money: Over a two year span I could save some money, then re-evaluate.
2-programming: DTV can give me HD locals from a city 45 min away, while Dish only gives me SD locals 15 miles in the other direction.
*All the whistles and bells with the Hopper/Joey Dish system doesn't work for me because Dish rides on the backbone of other people's internet vs. providing services they and they alone have the backbone for and they cant offer me dish internet...and if they did I could not afford to use their hopper services on the very internet they provide because it stinks and is expensive to ACTUALLY use data. Nobody can give me good internet here so far.
*I have to weigh the hassle of switching providers or dropping down a tier on Dish to save some money. Both come with downsides and upsides. It's a tough one.


I have been so busy lately I haven't had time to deal with finishing my research on everything. I will hopefully come back here and report what I did. I really appreciate all the feedback from everyone.


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## Keniff (Nov 25, 2013)

Thanks everyone for talking/typing me through this. I've been too busy to consider the stress and hassle of dealing with it.

It's really a Yin/Yang thing and my biggest problem is the great rural property in the forest I live on.

At some point I may have DIRECTV come out, but the problem is they dont "evaluate" the last time I looked in to it. You have to actually order it, then refuse it when the tech shows up and says "they told you what?"...just like Dish from my experience.

Dish did call me and say they detected some signal problems and sent a tech out. Good guy who helped me get a current snapshot of my situation.

Dish STILL cant provide HD locals for me after almost three years of having the hopper, and it turns out the SD dish I get the couple locals on that I cant get OTA...was installed 200 feet further away from the house than he would be allowed to (sub contractors Dish used). Trees block that path, and now trees across the street are beginning to block the path of that low hanging satellite. The new dish that feeds my regular HD dish service could handle the HD locals just fine, its just either Dish hasn't gotten off its rear to tee that up, or they cant because of some stupid network/FCC/Contract situation. I could get HD locals from another nearby city, if my zip code was just one east of me...but no, as usual, I must learn to "embrace the suck".

Fortunately...there is alcohol...


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