OT: Direct TV / DVR / DVD/ Home Theater Thread

[DChaps]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Very helpful. I ended up comparing the Apple TV and the Roku 3, and I think I am going to go with the Roku 3, mainly due to more channel options and more app options for the sharing/streaming of photos/videos. I do not like iTunes very much, so having several media sharing options/apps like Picasa, which we use alot, and Dropbox is appealing. I will just have to figure out what will work best for our home setup. We are mostly PC/Android in our house with the kids on 4th generation iTouch. The Roku 3 also has a microSD card slot for additional game and channel storage. I do like the Apple TV interface better. They are both $99 so I may end up picking up both and returning one of them after trying them out. Thanks again for the help. Now I just need to figure out which TV to get.

http://www.roku.com/channels/#!browse/p ... by-popular

[pigpen81]

My folks got me a Roku 3 for Christmas. I found on the unofficial Justin TV app someone has an F1 Legends feed running. Has anyone checked it out? It is terrific!

[dbdynsty25]

I believe it's going to go to about $125 after next month, so we will probably move down to the next channel package and get close to $100 or so a month.

That's about what mine is after all of the pricing shenanigans.

If I add Fios TV to my internet and phone I'll be paying $110 for all three. Yeah, I'm an idiot.

Finally...and I mean Finally...dumped DirecTV after all of my threatening. I just can't get over the fact I'm paying $115 for Internet/Phone and $130 for DirecTV separately when I can pay $150 (once I get everything I need with FIOS for all three.

Now that they have the NFL package available to stream (just find someone with a CC billing address that is eligible) I couldn't dump DirecTV fast enough. Service is good, Genie DVR is crappy and price is crappy. So yeah...too much crappy.

FIOS Quantum TV has been impressive so far. Significantly faster overall, especially from the remote rooms (which all connect to the main Media Center hub). They were pretty good over COAX, but I went ahead and re-wired my house with Cat 6 network cables (easy attic access) and now they fly. The performance is significantly faster than DirecTV's whole home service which is just dog slow.

Anyway...now was the time and I couldn't be happier. Now I can buy more technology products! 1200+ dollars a year savings is no joke.

[Aristo]

I do think DirecTV is too expensive, but I really like the Genie DVR. What do you not like about it?

[dbdynsty25]

I do think DirecTV is too expensive, but I really like the Genie DVR. What do you not like about it?

Extremely slow, compared to the competitions whole home solutions.

If you're recording multiple streams, it's painfully slow to navigate the interface. The latency between the smaller non-dvr boxes watching stuff from the Genie is also extremely problematic. Fast forward/rewinding, opening and closing tv programs, etc...all is way slower than it should be. I lived with it and assumed it was normal until I went to my buddies house who just got the new Quantum FIOS gear and they do it correctly. Everything is as responsive as it should be.

It's probably just me nit-picking, but I still have DirecTV in one of my rooms activated so I can get through the DVR stuff I need to watch and going back and forth between them, it makes it more and more obvious how slow the Genie is. I realize that no one really gets to do that (have both at the same time to compare), but I always knew the Genie was underpowered for what it's being asked to do.

Note: I have had my Genie for 2+ years...so there certainly has been hardware revisions since then so it has probably sped up a bit. But given the rate at which DirecTV upgrades hardware, it probably has only been upped once.

[DivotMaker]

I do think DirecTV is too expensive, but I really like the Genie DVR. What do you not like about it?

Extremely slow, compared to the competitions whole home solutions.

If you're recording multiple streams, it's painfully slow to navigate the interface. The latency between the smaller non-dvr boxes watching stuff from the Genie is also extremely problematic. Fast forward/rewinding, opening and closing tv programs, etc...all is way slower than it should be. I lived with it and assumed it was normal until I went to my buddies house who just got the new Quantum FIOS gear and they do it correctly. Everything is as responsive as it should be.

It's probably just me nit-picking, but I still have DirecTV in one of my rooms activated so I can get through the DVR stuff I need to watch and going back and forth between them, it makes it more and more obvious how slow the Genie is. I realize that no one really gets to do that (have both at the same time to compare), but I always knew the Genie was underpowered for what it's being asked to do.

Note: I have had my Genie for 2+ years...so there certainly has been hardware revisions since then so it has probably sped up a bit. But given the rate at which DirecTV upgrades hardware, it probably has only been upped once.

I agree with you completely on how slow DirecTV is, especially in the remote rooms. They DO have a new Genie and all wireless remote room boxes as I almost pulled the trigger on an upgrade last week. I have had DTV since December 2012 when I switched from Crapcast and have had minimal issues with the service and yes, after their new subscriber package savings wears off, it gets costly. I am holding off on an upgrade until I see if DirecTV gets the SEC Network package or not. I am also reconsidering getting my cable back with Crapcast as I still have phone and internet with the internet being rock solid and very fast. I have heard the new X1 is pretty cool, all wireless, etc and they have confirmed they will have the SEC Network. I am going to call them to see what kind of deal I can get if I come back. Not sure if FIOS is available in my area, but will check it out before making any decisions. Nice to hear there are other options available if one of the Big 3 don't work out well in specific areas.

[Brando70]

The Genie DVR is a little sluggish, but I don't think it is a dealbreaker. I have the second-generation one and it's acceptable.

If I could get FIOS, I would consider ditching DTV, but even with the cost I'd rather have DTV than XFinity.

[Aristo]

I wondered if it was the Whole Home stuff, which I don't use.I just think the Genie has a ton of really cool features that makes recording and watching TV a ton better than Tivo. I had a previous DirecTV DVR, and it had made me just want to go back to Tivo. I think they nailed the Genie, as far as watching on one TV.

[Brando70]

I do like how DTV has added features to the Genie, like the prompt to watch some shows from the beginning. The two areas I find the most lacking are the speed and that the list sorting for recordings isn't better or more intuitive.

DB, how does the picture quality for FIOS compare to Direct?

[dbdynsty25]

DB, how does the picture quality for FIOS compare to Direct?

To be completely honest...I'm not a picture quality fanatic, so I can't tell the difference. I looked closely and I thought that the FIOS picture looked a little better, but slightly more artificial (kind of like the soap opera effect you read about), but maybe its just because it's different than the DirecTV feed I'm used to. Both are perfectly acceptable to me.

Hell, I'm running it on a 55" Vizio LCD I bought right when they came out around 6 years ago. So I'm a horrible person to ask in that regard.

[Aristo]

I should mention thatI have the very newest version of the Genie, which means its thinner than a Wii U, and it is supposedly much quicker than previous models.

I do like how DTV has added features to the Genie, like the prompt to watch some shows from the beginning.

I like that, and that you can set it to record a season pass of a certain team's games, and it will find them on whatever channel they appear on. Also, when recording a game on ESPN that was also aired locally, it realized it was recording a blacked out game, and then found the local version to record.

I like that the return button will toggle between live TV and your taped recording, picking it up where yo u left off whenever you toggle.

The one time I actually had more than five things recording, it put up a menu and asked me which one I wanted to cancel instead of just defaulting to one like the Tivo used to do.

The 12 hour advance on the guide makes it a lot easier to scroll for prime time TV shows that might be premiering over the next two weeks.

When you get info on a show it gives you the Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Basically, it has been a big value add beyond getting five recording slots and it working nicer with the XB1.

[wco81]

I switched from DTV to Comcast last year after over a decade with DTV.

No chice other than Comcast to get decent Internet speeds around here.

So my 2-year package price is a lot less than what I was paying for DTV and Internet but I bought a two room tivo setup with Lifetime subscriptions so it was $1200 up front.

Only thing I miss about DTV are the multiple channels so shows are aired at both EST and PST time zones. Comcast only shows the PST airings.

They do keep sending offers to come back including paying off early termination fees.

[dbdynsty25]

Only thing I miss about DTV are the multiple channels so shows are aired at both EST and PST time zones. Comcast only shows the PST airings.

Yeah...def miss the East Coast feeds. That's pretty much the only thing I'm struggling with so far.

[sportdan30]

I too am thinking of ditching DTV after 15 plus years with them. I'm tired of losing satellite during rain storms and sitting for several seconds at times waiting for the channel to change. Also, I've endured
4 bad DVR boxes over the last year. It seems their quality is getting worse. More importantly, I want to save money, but I don't know if that is possible with three HDTVs. Having to pay for each box almost adds up to what I'm currently paying so I don't know if the hassle is worth it.

I'd have to choose between AT&T and Charter...

[Brando70]

Internet speed may be what gets me to switch once my DTV obligation is done -- I have it bundled with my UVerse service, and cable is just a lot faster. By that time, I hope there will be some concrete direction on cable and DTV offering 4k broadcasts.

[wco81]

Internet speed may be what gets me to switch once my DTV obligation is done -- I have it bundled with my UVerse service, and cable is just a lot faster. By that time, I hope there will be some concrete direction on cable and DTV offering 4k broadcasts.

While I'd like to see that happen, it's very unlikely. Market has repeatedly chosen convenience over quality -- MP3, streaming media, JPGs from cell phones, etc.

People who really care about picture quality are about as big as the Laser Disc market.

There is apparently an ATSC 2.0 or 3.0 standard for 4K but you're going to see few stations implement it. Mobile data is taking away spectrum from TV stations because that is where the money is. That's assuming the stations would invest in 4K equipment. Lot of local Sports Nets are still using early HD equipment, not even putting out good quality 1080i/720p.

Then you got studios which are not going to release content in 4K until they're good and ready.

The TV manufacturers desperately want it but they don't have a lot of money. It's not like the old days where RCA and Zenith underwrote the first TV broadcasts, color broadcasts and HD.

The Japanese network NHK is experimenting with 8k broadcasts and may have done some tests from the WC. Perhaps some European broadcasters did the same with 4k IIRC.

TV makers are going to have to underwrite some broadcasts from the next Olympics, maybe Superbowl.

Meanwhile the Chinese are said to be buying up a lot of cheap 4K displays, under $2000 or even under $1000, which have lousy scalers and isn't going to deliver the resolution or the color space improvements.

[Brando70]

All that is true, but the advantage for 4k is that it can be delivered if you have the TV and a broadband connection that can handle the streaming demands -- about 20-25 megs to get Netflix 4k right now. Broadband speeds will continue to go up, and 4k TVs will probably replace 1080p sets in the coming years.

The other advantage is that 4k looks pretty damn impressive when you're watching it in the showroom. That's usually closer than most people are sitting at home, and they probably couldn't tell the difference between 1080p and 4K at standard viewing distances, but there is still the wow factor in the showroom. And unlike the shift from DVD to Blu-Ray, you don't have to rebuy content or equipment beyond a TV to enjoy it.

I don't know if it will catch on, but I don't think it has same hurdles that things like 3D had.

[Aristo]

I too am thinking of ditching DTV after 15 plus years with them. I'm tired of losing satellite during rain storms and sitting for several seconds at times waiting for the channel to change. Also, I've endured
4 bad DVR boxes over the last year. It seems their quality is getting worse. More importantly, I want to save money, but I don't know if that is possible with three HDTVs. Having to pay for each box almost adds up to what I'm currently paying so I don't know if the hassle is worth it.

I'd have to choose between AT&T and Charter...

Do you really have outages? I think I get them for a few minutes every few months. And 90% of whatI watch is DVR'd. So if a show does get interrupted, I can usually find the on demand version for free, or maybe spend $2 or $3 to get it online. Weather outage is not even a blip on my radar for reasons to ditch DirecTV. Same goes with changing channels. I'd have to check to see if it is really taking several seconds to change a channel, but I use the guide and search for what I want and the go straight to it. And again, I usually use the guide to just set a recording and then watch it later.

My only problem with direcTV is that it is expensive. I'd drop down two tiers, but I would lose enough sports channels that I might as well just cut the cord altogether. I might look at Charter again, but after the initial offering, they are as expensive as DirecTV. I use Charter for internet, as I was getting 30mbps, but that just jumped to 100mbps. I will never go back to AT&T for internet. Even the slower speeds they had were a pain because the fluctuated so much. It makes me really wary of their TV service.

[icvu42]

DirecTV has gotten expensive. However they have NFL Sunday Ticket, which keeps me with them. If it wasn't for that, i would probably switch to Fios which has my phone and internet.

Rick

[dbdynsty25]

DirecTV has gotten expensive. However they have NFL Sunday Ticket, which keeps me with them. If it wasn't for that, i would probably switch to Fios which has my phone and internet.

Rick

NFL Sunday Ticket can be streamed to your PC/Consoles/Tablets/Etc. now. Hence the reason I dumped DirecTV for Fios TV. Was just waiting until that was available to non-DirecTV users so I could save the monthly gouging by them. The only trick is finding someone that isn't allowed to get DirecTV so that they can setup the account for you. If you have DirecTV at your address, you can't do it yourself. Jerks.

[icvu42]

DirecTV has gotten expensive. However they have NFL Sunday Ticket, which keeps me with them. If it wasn't for that, i would probably switch to Fios which has my phone and internet.

Rick

NFL Sunday Ticket can be streamed to your PC/Consoles/Tablets/Etc. now. Hence the reason I dumped DirecTV for Fios TV. Was just waiting until that was available to non-DirecTV users so I could save the monthly gouging by them. The only trick is finding someone that isn't allowed to get DirecTV so that they can setup the account for you. If you have DirecTV at your address, you can't do it yourself. Jerks.

True, but besides trying to find an address, I often have to DVR several games because of my kids activities. There isn't a way to do it on your PC/tablet that I'm aware of.

Also I had the Sunday Ticket Max for a couple of years which allowed me to stream and the quality wasn't that great. The games are on even more of a delay. And probably once a quarter the connection would either freeze up or kick me off and I would have to log back in.

Rick

[DivotMaker]

I believe it's going to go to about $125 after next month, so we will probably move down to the next channel package and get close to $100 or so a month.

That's about what mine is after all of the pricing shenanigans.

If I add Fios TV to my internet and phone I'll be paying $110 for all three. Yeah, I'm an idiot.

Finally...and I mean Finally...dumped DirecTV after all of my threatening. I just can't get over the fact I'm paying $115 for Internet/Phone and $130 for DirecTV separately when I can pay $150 (once I get everything I need with FIOS for all three.

Now that they have the NFL package available to stream (just find someone with a CC billing address that is eligible) I couldn't dump DirecTV fast enough. Service is good, Genie DVR is crappy and price is crappy. So yeah...too much crappy.

FIOS Quantum TV has been impressive so far. Significantly faster overall, especially from the remote rooms (which all connect to the main Media Center hub). They were pretty good over COAX, but I went ahead and re-wired my house with Cat 6 network cables (easy attic access) and now they fly. The performance is significantly faster than DirecTV's whole home service which is just dog slow.

Anyway...now was the time and I couldn't be happier. Now I can buy more technology products! 1200+ dollars a year savings is no joke.

Do the remote TV boxes connect to the main wirelessly or with coax or Cat 6 network cables? I am hoping for a wireless remote TV solution which I know Comcast has with the X1, but their package is not as good as the Quantum Fios package Verizon is running. What did they charge you for installation and the equipment?

I am in the process of making a move to either Verizon or back to Comcast which has my Internet and Voice still. Currently paying $100/month Voice & Internet to Comcast and $183/month for DirecTV Premium. The Quantum Fios deal would upgrade my internet speed from 25mbps and I believe the 390 channels (120 in HD) would trump DirecTV, plus Verizon and Comcast both have the SEC package. DirecTV will at some point, but I am ready to make a change as I am sick of paying 3 bills per month for this. I have 4 months left on my DirecTV initial deal and I am going to call them to see what the cost is for ditching them now. Also going to see what kind of deal Comcast will offer me to come back with their cable TV......such fun....should be able to save around $120/month by making a switch.

[dbdynsty25]

Do the remote TV boxes connect to the main wirelessly or with coax or Cat 6 network cables? I am hoping for a wireless remote TV solution which I know Comcast has with the X1, but their package is not as good as the Quantum Fios package Verizon is running. What did they charge you for installation and the equipment?

I am in the process of making a move to either Verizon or back to Comcast which has my Internet and Voice still. Currently paying $100/month Voice & Internet to Comcast and $183/month for DirecTV Premium. The Quantum Fios deal would upgrade my internet speed from 25mbps and I believe the 390 channels (120 in HD) would trump DirecTV, plus Verizon and Comcast both have the SEC package. DirecTV will at some point, but I am ready to make a change as I am sick of paying 3 bills per month for this. I have 4 months left on my DirecTV initial deal and I am going to call them to see what the cost is for ditching them now. Also going to see what kind of deal Comcast will offer me to come back with their cable TV......such fun....should be able to save around $120/month by making a switch.

I wasn't charged anything for installation as I did it myself. I had FIOS internet and phone so it was simply finding the right lines in the attic to pull the Cat6 to the remote rooms.

They currently are testing the wifi versions of the remote tv boxes. So it's not out yet on FIOS (claimed they were about a year away). However, the tech guy I spoke with said they aren't even in the same ballpark as far as performance goes so far, compared to Cat 6...which is expected. So he recommended wiring if possible. I'll end up getting a wireless box when they are released for my outside viewing (moving it from garage to patio etc.) but for the near future, Cat 6 works for me. Obviously you can also run over your existing COAX but performance will slightly suffer I guess.

As for your savings...that's the entire reason I did it. 300+ is insane for all three. Your numbers are quite similar to mine. Makes me cringe thinking about 3600 dollars for entertainment. Eeesh.

[sportdan30]

Well, it looks like my 15 years of having Directv are coming to a close sadly. Tomorrow, I'm switching over to Charter, for better or worse. The lowest Directv will charge me is $111 a month, and this is after speaking to someone in the retention center. With Charter, I can pay $130 (not including tax I'm guessing) with cable, phone, and internet. I'd consider bundling with AT&T, but their internet from what I'm told is slow. Can anyone confirm that?

I'm nervous about not having the ability to record a show and watch it in a different room. I've really gotten used to that. Also, I'm a little concerned about the customer service and how responsive they will be. I'm hopeful that that the picture quality will be compareable, but am expecting to be a little disappointed.

[Aristo]

I made this exact switch, here in St. Louis, just a few months ago, for the exact same reasons. I had even swapped from AT&T to Charter for Internet two years ago, because AT&T was awful.

Charter has been great, but their DVR was abysmal. I ended up going back to Tivo and paying for their service over what Charter is using. They are supposed to have a new one coming at some point. But I love the Tivo Roamio, and it will do the whole home, too.

Picture quality has been a bit better, if anything.

Don't miss DirecTV, at all.