topic Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner in Community Chat

Direct TV vs Time Warner

qualityshopper — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 13:33:06 GMT

We currently are with TWC and have just been informed that they will be going all-digital on April 12. I knew they had been doing this everywhere and have been dreading it because once all the channels are encrypted, I will no longer be able to record on my DVR the way I have in the past. (Am able now to record a show on one channel while watching a different channel, plus able to do timed recordings. Will still be able to record, but after the change will have to stay on whatever channel set top box is on.)

Have been comparing prices on DirectTV with Genie versus what it would cost to either get one of TWC's enhanced DVRs or two of their regular DVR set top boxes and find Direct to be cheaper (at least for first year). Would love to hear what those of you who have Direct think about their picture quality and, particularly, about their customer service.

(Am also considering not having either service and just getting an antenna plus Roku and subscribing to Netflix and Hulu, but don' really know anything about Roku. Also don't know if I could connect my DVR to the antenna somehow and record shows as I do now. Decisions, decisions.)

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

jackthebear — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 13:46:11 GMT

Cable companies are a pain aren't they?

Did you see if TW offers a mutlt-room DVR, that way you can record many programs at once and watch what ever you want at the same time.

This is what I have with Cablevision,

lots of threads here about Roku as well, it has limitations. I have one but don't really use it much as I don't use Netflix and any of the streamers but it is easy to set up and you still need a broadband connection + wifi etc

I am sure everyone will add their thoughts

still costs too much

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

hellokitty — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:10:52 GMT

We are in the process of ditching Dish and putting up an antanna. We have friends who just did this..put up an antanna with a rotor. They get 30 channels that are clear as cable and they haven't even needed to turn their rotor. I can't wait to ditch dish!

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

birkin baby — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:12:09 GMT

I have TWC and it's all digital now. My box records fine...one show records and I can use other channels. Two shows record and I have to watch one of the two recording or watch something I have already on dvr. Maybe you just need to go get a newer cable box.There should be no charge for an upgraded box. I just took mine back myself and there was no issue at all.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

fthunt — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:16:07 GMT

Location of your house is a factor but my neighbor gave up the dish because bad weather - rain - snow - fuzzed the picture out. (I'm not in mountain country either - more normal flat land)

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

Nuttmeg — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:27:54 GMT

Who will you buy your internet service from with Direct TV? How much will a package cost with internet?

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

CelticCrafter — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:43:21 GMT

@Nuttmeg wrote:
Who will you buy your internet service from with Direct TV? How much will a package cost with internet?

Direct TV is or was expensive for internet.

When we had Cablevision and were thinking about switching back to satellite we weren't able to get internet from anyone - the neighborhood wasn't wired for anything other than dial-up!

In order to get internet from the cable company you had to have the television.

Now we have Fios, so at least we have options now should we decide to make another switch.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

ValuSkr — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:49:09 GMT

I was intending to do as you did - cut the cable and go with an antenna / Roku combination. I called the cable company (Verizon) to cancel service. They could tell I was serious and informed me of a "Basic" tier of channels that costs only $10 per month as part of Triple Play. I went with that because Double Play (phone + internet, no TV) actually cost more. The Basic tier includes only over-the-air channels -- the same ones you'd get with an antenna. And reception is better than with the antenna. The antenna wasn't terrible, but it had its moments.

All this to say - don't buy your HD antenna until you're sure you'll need it. I'd already bought mine, and it may be useful one day, though I'm not using it now.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

Mssnoopyz — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:52:37 GMT

There is a commercial for Time Warner that it now offers a dvr that you can record up to 4 or 6 shows at the sametime.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

Winifred — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 15:00:57 GMT

I had both Dish and went to Direct because of the huge jump in price. Then Direct did the same thing and have had Fios for some time now. I LOVE Fios TV but my prices went up and they will not let me re-sign at the lower price they offer others. I now pay $160 for TV, low speed Internet and a landline phone - Verizon. They sent me a new router some time back at my request so I could say who can and cannot use WiFi. No instructions on how to set it up and I called for help and was told bluntly to go online. Cannot figure it out. So am looking to again go elsewhere - I think Verizon is a rip off but must admit their Fios TV is the very best TV I have ever had. When I work up the energy will try and find something a lot cheaper - still need Internet, TV and a landline however. My only trouble with Direct and DISH - beside the huge escalation in prices - was trying to reset it if it went offline. Just could not figure it out. Fios is so easy - just hit menu and wait. That is my idea of fixing things. It does all the work. Have not had Cable since Cablevision and that was eons ago when it left this area.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

Lipstickdiva — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 16:57:08 GMT

I have TWC. We have a DVR and we can record 2 shows at once if we aren't watching tv or are watching something else that was taped. But if we are watching, we can only record 1 program or if we are recording 2, we have to be watching 1 of them.

The whole house DVR wasn't what we thought it was when we called TWC so definitely check into that because it turned out to not be what we wanted.

We had TWC, switched to DirectTV and went back to TWC. I loved DirectTV but the price kept going up and up and up and we had phone with a phone company, internet with the phone company and our DirectTV. We bundled with TWC. We have to keep our home phone because if we don't have a bundled package, we have to pay full retail for cable and internet so the price actually goes up $100.00 per month to drop our phone. LOL

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

RazorSharp — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 17:04:33 GMT

I had TWC for 10 years while living in NYC. The service was unreliable, and the customer service was dreadful. When I moved, I had Comcast Cable, and they were just as bad as TWC, so I switched to DirectTV, and I absolutely love it. My DVR always works perfectly fine, the picutre is crystal clear, and the customer service is fantastic. I've been with them now for almost 10 years, and I would never choose any other service.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

Dusty1 — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 21:29:02 GMT

I had TWC cable & internet for years & the CS was wonderful, but about 3 years ago, my cable boxes were all glitchy & they swapped them. Still all glitchy. Cost way to much for glitchy tv & to have to keep calling them. So in Jan I was in Sams & the DirectTV rep started talking to me. I asked every question I could think of & talked & talked. Finally signed the contract. $64.99 a month for the first year. $105 a month for the 2nd year. The service was wonderful. Easy to use. Wonderful. Loved being able to record 5 shows if I wanted & watch them on any of my 3 tvs.The 2nd month the price was $80.26. I called & they said that's what it is now. I lost it, told them to cancel & to never contact me, again. $450 to get out of my contract. Now I am with an antenna. Hulu & Netflix. The antenna is magic. Gorgeous picture. But, it only pulls in tv from the past. Mork & MIndy. Gilligan's Island, MASH. TV stations I have never heard of. Bounce, Laff, Grit, Antenna. Yes, there is one called Antenna. And, the commercials are odd. I have no recording ability. No on air TV guide. No rewinding to see something, again. My internet is $14.99+4.99 for home wifi. So I hated paying so much for tv, but it was easy & convenient. I'm really mad at DirectTV for messing up a good thing, for me. LOL

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

lilac lover — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 22:16:10 GMT

@Dusty1 wrote:
I had TWC cable & internet for years & the CS was wonderful, but about 3 years ago, my cable boxes were all glitchy & they swapped them. Still all glitchy. Cost way to much for glitchy tv & to have to keep calling them. So in Jan I was in Sams & the DirectTV rep started talking to me. I asked every question I could think of & talked & talked. Finally signed the contract. $64.99 a month for the first year. $105 a month for the 2nd year. The service was wonderful. Easy to use. Wonderful. Loved being able to record 5 shows if I wanted & watch them on any of my 3 tvs.The 2nd month the price was $80.26. I called & they said that's what it is now. I lost it, told them to cancel & to never contact me, again. $450 to get out of my contract. Now I am with an antenna. Hulu & Netflix. The antenna is magic. Gorgeous picture. But, it only pulls in tv from the past. Mork & MIndy. Gilligan's Island, MASH. TV stations I have never heard of. Bounce, Laff, Grit, Antenna. Yes, there is one called Antenna. And, the commercials are odd. I have no recording ability. No on air TV guide. No rewinding to see something, again. My internet is $14.99+4.99 for home wifi. So I hated paying so much for tv, but it was easy & convenient. I'm really mad at DirectTV for messing up a good thing, for me. LOL

If you signed a contract for $64.99 each month for a year, I don't think they can legally raise the price until the year is up. I would have talked to more than one person about this before cancelling. We have been with Direct Tv for over 10 years and love it. We live in a wooded area so once in a while we do lose the signal if there is a big storm and high winds. It doesn't seem to stay off long and totally re-sets itself. When our bill goes up I give customer service a call and tell them I am thinking of switching and they are always willing to work with us to get the price down. You need to stay with them for a full year after this adjustment or you do have to pay a penalty and it's pretty steep. A few of our neighbors switched to TWC because it was less and now they are very unhappy and say they are going back to Dir TV when their contract is up.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

brandiwine — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 22:32:29 GMT

We've had Dish & Direct. Direct is awsome. We've had great service and they have helped if we had any problems.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

Kachina624 — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 01:45:51 GMT

With all the carriers, supplemental devices and plans, watching TV has certainly gotten expensive and complicated.

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

qualityshopper — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 03:21:08 GMT

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts with me about this issue. I've been on the phone quite a bit today and last week to both DirectTV and TWC with numerous questions.

DirectTV's offer for the package I'd want with 3 TVs and the Genie is about $60/mo plus taxes, etc., for the first year and about $88/mo the second year, plus a $100 Visa reward card. The rep there also said I could call back at the end of the first year to see if I could get another promotion at that time. Installation and activation fees waived--just a delivery charge of about $22 for the dish.

TWC's promotional offer with their standard DVR and the same service we currently have is $57.18 total a month for a year (certain fees for the DVR being waived). I had originally asked about their enhanced DVR, but it costs more than we want to pay.

Am leaning towards staying with TWC, but have to think it over. Been with them for about 35 years! One advantage for me is that I can hook up the equipment myself whereas with DirectTV, have to have them set up the dish. No big deal and no charge for, but I like not having to have anyone come out. Also, I asked my neighbor about her experience with DirectTV, and she wasn't happy with them when she had them. Am going to take a few more days to do some further research and weigh my options, but will probably stay with TWC. Thanks again everyone for sharing.

(Birkinbaby--You mentioned about exchanging my DVR. I probably didn't make it clear in my original post, but the DVR I have is not one of TWC's. It's a Magnavox HDD/DVD recorder/player. I appreciate your advice though.)

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

Nuttmeg — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 04:38:48 GMT

@RazorSharp wrote:
I had TWC for 10 years while living in NYC. The service was unreliable, and the customer service was dreadful. When I moved, I had Comcast Cable, and they were just as bad as TWC, so I switched to DirectTV, and I absolutely love it. My DVR always works perfectly fine, the picutre is crystal clear, and the customer service is fantastic. I've been with them now for almost 10 years, and I would never choose any other service.

What internet service are you using with Direct TV?

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

Tuffcookie — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 05:56:29 GMT

I don't have any experience with Direct TV. I have been with Time Warner for 35+ years. Cable TV has certainly gotten expensive over the years! My Feb. bill was close to $200 and that is for 1 HDTV, 1 DVR box and service, the variety pass, standard internet, modem lease, and phone line. I called TWC customer service and started eliminating things off my bill. Sure it's nice to be able to record shows but not at $12.99 per month! Then, I went on-line and bought my own internet modem...That took another $10.00 a month on my bill! I looked at my phone line I have thru TWC, they were charging me $2.50 per month for voice mail even though the phone I purchased already had voice mail.

By the time I got done eliminating things off my bill, the TWC customer service rep put me on hold. When she came back on the line she was offering me a new package deal for 1 year! I am keeping all the services I had before and my new bill is (I just got it a few days ago) $ 132.00! I'm hoping that within this year the FCC will rule that customers can purchase their own cable boxes so the cable companies can't charge us a leasing fee for them. I am tired of being nickel and dimed by cable companies!

Re: Direct TV vs Time Warner

qualityshopper — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 10:56:37 GMT

Nutmeg3--I currently have Uverse internet, so the price I was given for DirectTV was bundled with my Uverse. If I go ahead and take TWC's offer, I will consider going with Time Warner's internet later on in order to get reduced pricing for the two. Right now I have a promotion going on with Uverse just for their internet. When that promotion ends and if I'm with TWC at that time, I will change my internet to Time Warner. Have no use for phone service with either. We have ATT's regular landline and wish to stay with that due to all of us having medical problems. (If the power goes out, you lose service with both Uverse phone and Time Warner's. They have battery backup, but we feel safer with the old-fashioned landline--especially since once we lost power for 10 days!)