comcast vs. dish tv
I like television. I spend a few hours every day watching it. Nothing fancy, just your basic ol’ television programming.
I currently have Comcast basic cable service (e.g. not digital). I used to have that bundled with their internet service – but switched to DSL after four months of connectivity issues.
Now I am dealing with similar issues with the television – poor picture quality, service disruptions, etc. – and after four months of this and an endless number of service calls, I am tired of paying for what I consider crappy service.
I’m thinking about switching to Dish TV. Are any of you using this service in the Arlington area; specifically the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor? Do you like it?
How about the rest of you? Do you have problems with Comcast too?
Thank you in advance for your comments… I think we can all learn a little more about the monopolies this way.
We have problem with reception every time it rains—whether it’s a big storm or a slight sprinkle. Sometimes it takes days for Comcast to fix whatever is causing it.
But we can’t complain because the landlord pays for it….
If it were up to me, Comcast would be wiped, lock stock and barrel, from the earth by an avenging angel of corporate neglect. My interactions with them have been nothing short of infuriating, but they have the best bandwidth in my neck fo the world.
I want FiOS so bad I can taste it. But for now, I’m stuck w/ DirecTV
Got three letters for you after two years of switching through multiple providers: R.C.N.
It is something better.
I had Dish TV at my last place. It’s good if you like to just have basic cable because they offer 60 channels for about $30 a month. It’s also nice when everyone else’s cable goes out and you’re still sitting pretty.
However, I really disliked that when I moved out I had to climb up on the roof and take part of the dish off and ship that, the cable box and the remotes back to Dish Network (they did provide a postage-paid UPS box for doing this, but it was still a pain). Other than that, it was cool.
I have yet to get cable since I moved into my new place. I used to have RCN, which I can vouch for as a good choice. Unfortunately, they do not service my condo building. My only choice is Comcast, which I refuse to deal with. Cox is almost as bad. I’ll have to look into DirecTV, since on my side of the building many people use it (instead of mounting anything, the dishes are just set on stands out on the balcony).
I moved into this house in Bethesda on May 1. I had called Comcast to hook me up in April. They showed up May 1 and said they couldn’t do it as they didn’t have the proper equipment. Since that time, their contractors have repeatedly shown up here, about once a month, with the wrong equipment. I have called and called—but I guess they don’t listen. The last one that was here was on Sept. 11. He didn’t have the right equipment. He said they would call me that week and he would make sure that they had the right equipment to hook me up. I have not heard another word and quite frankly, I don’t think I will ever call them again. This house has never had a cable run to it and that is the big problem. However, the pole is at the end of my driveway. It has been 5 months–that is what I call ludicrous. I have one small glitch and that is that I signed up with DirectTV and then bought a HighDef TV. DirectTV told me that they cannot connect me to HiDef because there are two trees in the way. So, the only way I can get it is to have Comcast.
Guess I will live without it. Although—-good news!!! I heard that Verizon is going to get permission to offer FIOS (fiber optic) TV. I already have FIOS for my phones and internet. So, the monopoly of Comcast may finally be broken in Montgomery County. YEA!!!!!!!!!!
I wouldn’t trust a dish on a stand to stay aimed the right direction. What I used to do as an apartment dweller was get two pieces of 2×4, about 2-3 feet each, and put them on opposite sides of the bars. I’d then put a nut and bolt through them in two places and screw it down. Just the pressure of pulling the two pieces of wood together clamps them to the bars, a la a vice, and I could then mount a dish or antenna to the wood.