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Where do they get the NFL season pass if they aren't subscribing to DirectTV?

You stream it on the interweb: https://nflst.directv.com/

If you have an area under your exclusive control (yard or balcony), you can install a dish https://www.fcc.gov/media/over.... If your condo is in a single building, then you might go to the HOA board to have access (not likely). In our case, our condo consists of small lots and the only restriction is to have the dish hidden from common areas, if possible). If you want to try, DirecTV has a program to allow multiple owners to share a disk. If you are brave enough to go to the board with a proposal you might start with https://support.directv.com/ap....

I lot of people pay more than $240-$300+ for the NFL from DirectTV:
http://www.directv.com/sports/...

Seems insane at first, but cheaper than going to a couple of games.

I have only ever set up DirecTV, but it was indeed trivial. there is a level built in to the top, you just make sure its level, set the angle using the built in protractor next to the adjustment bolt to whatever the website ( http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/... )says to for your zip code, then swing slowly in a circle till the TV works. Not rocket science. What math did you believe was involved?

Remember when it first started they mailed all the shit to you and you HAD to set it up yourself. Somehow all the hicks in the boonies managed to get it done.

https://static.googleuserconte...

for 84601 you should get

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/...

also they seem to be missing the BIG TEN overflow channels.

Veracity seemed to least have root sports.

http://residential.veracitynet...

DirecTV does not use the internet for transmission. It's a direct satellite link, dumbass.

DirecTV connects their DVR to your home network and it does use the internet to pull the "on-demand" content. Dumbass.

http://www.directv.com/technology/on_demand?lpos=Header:3

"Connect your HD DVR to the Internet with the DIRECTV CINEMA Connection Kit to get thousands of On DEMAND shows and movies."

What about DirecTV?

?
a) DirecTV is a satellite TV provider, not anything you can actually purchase content from, just rent it. And,
b) it's apparently not available in Canada, according to their own website.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/mdu/owners/installation?topnavtype=2

Pay per viewer is a real issue. Sports bars are supposed to purchase public performance licenses. Now the NFL can enforce that.

According to DirecTV that's entirely up to you. Since the HD DVR they currently have can only decode two channels at a time (still waiting for the new five tuner HR34 to drop) opposed to the four I was accustomed to with U-Verse I opted to get a second DVR. Since they are networked I can watch all recordings from any receiver in the house just like I did with U-Verse. I also like the fact the HD receivers are all DLNA clients as well. The interface isn't very polished but it works well enough.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/equipment/satgo

this may fall into the same trap or does the mirroring / outlet fee to tie it to your home account some how make it ok?

Don't some cable co's give free Internet to schools? I know that directv has free SCHOOL CHOICE programming. http://support.directv.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2466/~/how-much-does-school-choice-programming-cost%3F Prison cable tv is not free it's payed for with over priced prison commissary food and goods. Why not go all the way and rent out the cloakrooms to the prison system.

First Versus, and now this. Directv must feel like they can't win.

I guess when the time comes I'll cut the lines to my satellite dish and just accept my new cable company overlords.

The only reason cable companies could historically charge the ridiculous fees for TV service is because the only real alternative has been an expensive satellite dish.

Around here, Minneapolis/St Paul, satellite is cheaper than cable. I am paying more than $60 to ComCast for cable TV, for the basic package. DirecTV's basic family package is $30 a month with no equipment to buy or startup costs. Though more expensive than DirecTV Dishnetwork is cheaper than ComCast as well. For this reason I am thinking of switching from cable to satellite.

Falcon

Comcast is already playing hardball with DirecTV over Versus.

I'm glad to see lawsuits moving forward against the cable companies and I hope that someone takes on DirecTV for their new practice of forcing everyone to lease the equipment even after paying a $99 or $199 purchase fee and getting hit with $4.99 lease fee a month on top of other service charges.

Eight or nine years back when DirecTV was getting started I was happy to sign up without a contract and also to purchase my own Sony SAT-T60 series 1 DirecTivo receiver for a few hundred dollars and I didn't mind the one-time expense knowing that I'd own the equipment and I could upgrade it or hack it for more storage, which is what most folks ended up doing. Now that HDTV is out I looked at upgrading my DirecTV equipment and I found their new equipment lease policy in the contract which immediately ticked me off knowing that I'd be renting the equipment and I couldn't upgrade it or hack it and that I would be paying for this stuff in perpetuity. So I contacted DirecTV and asked them about the Lease and if I had the option of right-out buying out the equipment and they sent me their form letter responses.

Basically I have no choice but to lease and now I feel like we're back to the old AT&T days when you would rent their telephone receiver for decades overpaying for it hundreds times over. They also charge you a $199 first time fee that is not the purchase price of the item and then you still get charged $4.99 a month on top of a 2-year contract.

Additionally they broke their relationship with Tivo so their current DirecTV receivers do not come with the Tivo software and there are a few complaints about their current HD DVR receivers. They recently started working again with Tivo to build a new DirecTivo HD DVR receiver that might be available sometime in 2009.

After finding out all of this I lost interest in upgrading my DirecTV for HD content and after realizing the simple fact that I do not ever watch regular TV programming anymore, I did the only sane thing and cancelled my entire DirecTV service after being a 9-year customer.

Lately most of my entertainment comes from the computer and I subscribe to the serial shows that I like to watch (Californication, Entourage, Weeds, Stargate Atlantis, etc.) which is basically what the DirecTivo was doing for me previously.

PS: I wish that someone would also go after these companies and other service providers like mobile phone carriers for the 1 to 2 year lock-in contracts.

DirecTV Receivers

Questions

Why is there a $4.99 lease fee on the DirecTV HD DVR equipment where there is also a $199 purchase charge?

What is the REAL purchase price of this equipment without the lease fee and can this receiver be purchased for this price?

If there is no alternative to avoid paying a monthly Lease Fee how do you expect to keep my business when I switch to HD TV this fall and my cable company offers HD DVR without Lease or FiOS becomes available in my area?

Subject

Why the Lease Fee?

Discussion Thread

Response - 08/05/2008
Dear Mr. Frost,

Thanks for writing. Many customers find leasing a receiver to be an easy, affordable alternative to purchasing one. We subsidize the cost of our HD-DVRs so the lease price of $199 is significantly lower than the $749 you'd pay to buy the same receiver elsewhere. In addition, leasing a new HD DVR gives you access to the newest HD channels that you can't get with older receivers.

To learn more about our HD DVR, visit our web site at www.directv.com/hd.

In addition, customers who are setting up their DIRECTV service for the first time, or current customers who upgrade or add a DIRECTV receiver will lease that equipment from DIRECTV instead of buying it.

You continue to own your current DIRECTV equipment and any Additional Receiver Fees you pay to mirror your monthly programming to

DIRECTV Customers Count On Mix Channel For Election Night Coverage

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=3640094

Sports bars that have satellite TV or cable TV (most do) pay extra for public viewing service, so they've indirectly already chipped in to the NFL AND are counted in the ratings. (As accurately as the ratings count anything anyway.)

DirectTV's commercial use rates start out at just around double the home rates (for 1-50 people in your bar) and scale up. http://www.directv.com/images/Directv%20For%20Business/Bars_And_Restaurants/Bars_and_Restaurants_Public_Viewing_Packages.pdf Getting local channels (like your local FOX affiliate) costs extra.

Churches, as a non-profit, can subscribe to cheaper home services.

You also can't underestimate how much more effective advertising is on drunk people.

DirecTV's product page has a picture that strikes me as depressing and conflicting; two happy kids, running towards the sea on a beautiful day with a nerf football ready to play catch, a beautiful "wife", all dragging dad in tow who just can't part with his boob tube. Put the gadget down and play with your kids, dude! And how are you going to see that LCD in the bright sun anyway? Just the same, I signed up. I'm thinking one of these would be great to have when I'm on the road..

People who can't get service from the traditional sources are often putting up sattelite systems

If you're including satellite systems, then yeah, broadband access is pretty much everywhere. But if you're including satellite systems, then it's pretty much everywhere in the United States, too, since everyone has access to DirecTv or Dish Network.

But I wouldn't count that, because it destroys any valid comparison to be made, and because I don't consider the multisecond ping times of satellite internet as being 'broadband.' I know the bandwidth's there, but if you can't play Counterstrike or WoW, I don't think it should count.

Oh, you wouldn't believe the free* content I've downloaded and watched in the past month. Good grief there's probably enough to put me behind bars for years.

The amazing thing is that it's just so easy, and I even got a free* box to do it on! There's this website..I think it's okay to link it here that will give you the box that downloads literally tens of thousands of shows every month. It will store them so you can watch them over and over again. They'll even come to your house and set it up for you - in multiple rooms! They use wireless broadband (broadcast, whatever) to send you the files continuously, and you just tell it what you want to record. Unfuckingbelievable, I tell you, and it's all FREE*. Just $48 a month for all the normal free* stuff. Heck for a few bucks more a month you can get soft porn for free*, too (something called skinamax or some such).

Now, they also have some pay services - you can see the "newest" movies for $3-$5, and there's other porn for fee as well, but all the free* stuff. Wow. I hope the authorities don't find these guys out or I'm in big trouble.

*Free, as defined here, just as free goo-tube videos on Verizon phones, or as in monthly audio services. A bit of a stretch of the use of the word, but I'm certainly not paying per program or view as the industry would prefer.

There's info about it here. You should've received it by now, although there is a list of models that couldn't/didn't get the update.

In order to make it "seem" like they are making things better for us they have stopped all software updates for the DirecTV versions of the TiVo that add new features.

I have two DirecTivos and couldn't be happier.

Their current advertising campaign is called Somebody Up There Loves You. Find it creepy when I first heard of the jingle now it is fitting.

Correct! Though apparently DirecTV owns not only http://www.directv.com/ but http://www.directtv.com/ as well in case you didn't figure out their oh so clever name!

Think about it, both SciFi and Food channel were once part of the basic Direct TV satellite package years ago until the little phone cord attached to the back of every box tattled to the marketing guru's that they were getting lots of viewer time, so they got bumped up into premium packages.

When DirecTV starts offering their own DVRs, I'll probably start using it instead.

Perhaps I didn't understand, but did you mean like this? DirecTV DVR

How about a Tivo with 2 tuners for $99 and a $99 rebate? http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/TIVO.jsp Even if you're an existing customer they will sell you 1 a year for $100.

1. Overcompression causes ugly pixelization and destroys the HDTV experience. Compression is the snake in the garden of HD-Eden.

2. On the 65" screen, non-HDTV programs have pixels the size of your thumb, and you have to take off your glasses to avoid nausea. Even that won't help with widescreen DVDs that look like Leisure-Suit Larry.

3. Bad lipsynch. You can either watch the beautiful opera muted, or listen to it with eyes closed.

I'm with DirecTV.

DirectTV sells a dual tuner dish now. It's pretty much the same price as a single dish, at least where I am. ($5 extra per month I think).
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/TIVOQA.dsp

As is usual for geomon,

I've got a FAN!!!

Goody!

There are NOT newer and less expensive methods..

Really?

Ask the folks over at DirecTV.

If you read the press release it said nothing about using NASA for the launch.

Yes and yes. http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/HDDVR.dsp Of course, this is the receiver that will be obsolete when the MPEG4 sats come on line. But it does work now.

As DirectTV is moving forward on changing to Advanced Video Codecs (AVCs) such as H.264 the current HD Tivos will become obsolete as they can only recieve the current encoding of MPEG-2. Sorry, but tis true. I also doubt that Tivo will make an update to the MPEG-2 HDs to recieve the new codec. Also, I have heard that DirectTV is moving to the DVB-S2 transmission standard from their current DVB-S. Extra information and/or signal strength, their choice.

Or you can try this.

I call FUD. Tivo has an HD recorder, and best of all, it's integrated with DirecTV.

It's a recent addition to their line, so you might have a point with the "too late" bit, but it's definitely not "too little."

So, when DirecTV releases information like this about them releasing their own DVR later this year, TiVo proper stands to lose a lot of its market share. There was also the issue between TiVo and Comcast where TiVo pulled itself from a deal with the cable company. Lots of folks believe this was a bad move as well.

The only good news on the DirecTV side is that DTV is currently rolling out a new software update for those who own the present DirecTiVo machines. What impact they feel this will have on the forthcoming DirecTV branded machines is uncertain. (i.e. Is this the first of a string of new updates to DirecTiVo... or is this the final nod to the collaboration?)

...From a new state-of-the-art DVR, to award-winning customer satisfaction, to unique customer programs designed to enhance your overall experience, DIRECTV's spirit of innovation is all about rethinking the possibilities and rethinking what's next.

New 100-hour DVR with more interactive capabilities, available mid-2005

You can even get DirecTV on your boat.

Tivo is already partnered with DirecTV.

Realize one thing: The Hughes HDTiVo has a built-in OTA decoder. So you can hock your existing HD STB. ;) http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/HDDVR.dsp

No need to wait. DirecTV has been offering it for a while now. http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/HDTV_ppv.dsp

I believe $11 gets you the HDTV channels - there aren't a lot of them. I think you'll need another subscription to get everything else. The DirecTV page for their HDTV package is here.

You mentioned that DVD was the fastest-adopted consumer electronics ever... but then, what's the slowest? HDTV may be a good contender (second only to the videophone??)

HDTV sellers are currently focusing on the sports-fan market, because those viewers are least bothered by inability to time-shift (no HD VCR or TD PVR)...

Sure there is.

Let's /. them until they fix the annoying little stuff! Hold them accountable! Make their servers smoke like a Scorched 3d game!

Taken from news.com story: DirecTV sells its TiVo stake "There are about 1.6 million TiVo subscribers in total. About a million of those are DirecTV subscribers signed up for the TiVo service. TiVo has a contract with DirecTV for DVRs that runs through February 2007, according to TiVo's annual report for the period ending Jan. 31, 2004."

and from: DirecTV exec quits TiVo board "TiVo in late May reported strong subscriber growth, adding about 264,000 subscribers in its first quarter. The majority of those came from DirecTV customers. There are about 1.6 million TiVo subscribers in total."

TiVo owes a good chunk of its current subscriber population to it's relationship with DirecTV. Unfortunately, in my experience, DirecTV has had it's head up it's ass. I've had consistent hardware issues (2 bad hard drives) I've not seen reflected in TiVo forums as well as horrendous experience with their customer service. And I've never opened the unit. (Is that the problem?)

I sincerely hope Tivo has built enough of a name for itself to stand without continued DirecTV support. I've refrained from buying the new HD DVR for fear of complete lack of future support.

With satellite or cable you will get dozens of absolutely pure channels - and you can't get them into your PVR.

Cable is regulated because it is a licensed monopoly (it least it used to be). With the advent of "overbuilders" such as RCN and satellite TV such as DirecTV and Dish Network, perhaps cable should be deregulated. You do make the very valid point that cable is far from a critical service, so let the free market work its magic.

I'm always frustrated that somehow these existing laws somehow don't apply to the cell phone companies as well.

The problem is that these are often considered to be national services, putting them out of reach in some ways for state PUC/PSC. This is a similar argument made in support of VOIP. The FCC, obviously, has jurisdiction. Let's say I live in one state, on the state line, so my mobile service is coming from another state. Who has jurisdiction?

With that said, the PUC is applying many things to mobile carriers. They have been required to support 911 (they didn't used to be). Mobile carriers are looking more and more like traditional carriers, and they can expect to get the same regulatory treatment in the future.

If I go to a regular store to purchase anything, the store is required to disclose fees up front

Thats not entirely accurate. As someone who travels alot, let me tell you, taxes and what they apply to are not clear until you check out. Take the example of a newspaper: in some places its taxed, others not; if it is, the tax rates are different. I can usually just pull out a dollar for a WSJ, but not always. Taxes, fees, and surcharges are generally not disclosed in any industry until time or sale or invoicing (also see: buying a car, closing a mortgage, buying a plane ticket).

And when you're done, sell the DirectWay on eBay!

The FCC won't bow to broadcasters, but if there is interference, enough customer complaints might spark some change. Otherwise they can just get DirecTV or Dish Network. Somehow, I don't think that people in "rural" areas who depend on broadcast TV (trailer parks?) will go for the satellite option.

Satellite Dish

Comcast is a sanctioned monopoly here in Baltimore. I finally got completely fed up a few years ago after the tried to (in my opinion) scam me twice in two months, First, they tried slamming tactics to get me to sign up for cable moden (the typical one where the salesperson says one thing and the recording you say 'yes' to says another). The next time someone called and the first thing they said was, "Do you have a computer ?" My wife being the savy character that she is asked, "Who the hell are you and why are you asking me about the contents of my home!" She told the idiot telemarketer from Comcast that it was an inappropriate question and the sucker hung up on her (bad mistake). One complaint to the FCC, and a letter to the local Comcast PHBs copied to our county rep later, and they agreed to never call us again (on paper).

I signed up for DirectTV, then, rather than spend an hour on hold just to wait between '8am and 4pm' for a tech one day, I climbed the side of my house and with a pair of side cutters, and cut the cord (literally and figuratively) with the Evil Empire that is Comcast.

Questionable sales techniques, monopoly deals that overide local govt. (they are fed regulated BTW), higher prices, horrible customer service, receive-only "Internet connections", policies that are anti-customer and dare I say, anti-American ! - why would anyone give these rats a red cent ! At least if they bought Disney I could have focused my distain on one entity for a while ;)

I can only hope we see the return of TechTV on DirectTV one day... Access provider monopolies mixed with content giants is a recipe for disaster.