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gocanes719

Last reply Aug 8, 2007 · posted in DIRECTV General Forum

prospective New Customer, help me understand.

I am thinking of making the switch from comcast to directv mainly for sports but also for the RFDTV channel which relates to my line of work. I am in the process of buying an hdtv so I think the HDTV programming will be a necessity. That will cost me $9.99 a month. Does that $9.99 include HD local channels? My question is about the current NFL promotion and the HD DVR and reciever question. Right now, we need 3 receivers, 1 HD DVR receiver, 1 DVR receiver, and a regular receiver. I am fixing to put a tv in my daughters room in the next month or two. If I understand the website correctly, I have to buy an HD DVR receiver for $299 but I can get a $100 rebate? The other receiver the DVR one can I rent it or do I have to buy it as well? Can people buy there own receivers from classifieds or ebay or is that a no-no?

The current promotion is 4 months of Sunday Ticket? Isn't the 4 months going to be up before the football season is over? Do I need to make sure I write down a date and make changes to my account or will I be warned that my 4 months is over.

Is there any special equipment a person needs to request or make sure they are going to get before the installer comes out? My wife is adamant that our TV signal will be lost everytime it rains. I have been trying to get me wife to let me switch over to directv for a while. Now is probably the best time to do it, agreed?

Sorry for so many questions, I need to make sure I know everything involved before I make a 2 year commitment.

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LonghornXP

Jul 24, 2007

First any Total Choice package "including" the Total Choice Premier package in the promo comes with your local channels (HD versions included) at no extra cost. Now onto the boxes you will need.

You can get the HD DVR for 200 bucks total upfront.
You can get the SD DVR for 100 bucks upfront.
The basic box is free.

You would need to add the HD Access fee which is required for two reasons below.

1. You must activate the HD Access fee to get the above 100 buck instant rebate on the HD DVR box.

2. You need the HD Access service to get any and I mean any HD channels beyond your local HD channels.

Beyond the above you will need to order NFL Sunday Ticket at the normal price which right now costs 280 bucks for the season. This "doesn't" include any NFL games in HDTV.

To get NFL games in HDTV you must order NFL Sunday Ticket "Superfan" package which will cost an extra 100 bucks.

So to get NFL Sunday Ticket "with" all the HD games you must spend 380 bucks for the NFL games.

So because of all of this above this is my suggestion and its something I have done a few days ago and have in writing now when I sign up next month.

You would call the main DirecTV toll free number and ask to speak to customer rentention. Honestly don't bother with normal sales reps as my experience says they can't do jack. Once your with a customer retention rep tell him/or right away your "not" an existing customer but need "specific" help that sales couldn't handle. This gets you in the door.

So go ahead and ask the rep if he/she can give you the SD DVR box for free and also see what he can do on the HD DVR but I doubt he /she can go lower than 199 for the HD DVR. You key here is to try and get the HD DVR, SD DVR and normal digital box for a total of 200 bucks upfront.

While your on the phone also tell the rep you want NFL Sunday Ticket SuperFan free or better. Make sure you add Superfan because you don't want to by mistake to say you want NFL Sunday Ticket free. Again they may even be able to give you a better deal. But for now don't settle for anything less than free NFL SuperFan "and" an HD DVR, SD DVR and digital box for 200 bucks "max".

Also the promo states that if you buy NFL Sunday Ticket you will get "four" free months of their Total Choice Premier package. That package includes all channels (including premium channels like HBO etc). The Premier package also includes the DVR service fee as well. The premier package however "doesn't" include the HD Access fee so you must pay that extra 10 bucks a month but they could give you that free as well you just never know.

I hope I've helped you out and again I'd highly suggest you call DirecTV and speak to somebody in customer retention okay.

Jimbo

Jul 24, 2007

LonghornXP said:
First any Total Choice package "including" the Total Choice Premier package in the promo comes with your local channels (HD versions included) at no extra cost. Now onto the boxes you will need.

You can get the HD DVR for 200 bucks total upfront.
You can get the SD DVR for 100 bucks upfront.
The basic box is free.

You would need to add the HD Access fee which is required for two reasons below.

1. You must activate the HD Access fee to get the above 100 buck instant rebate on the HD DVR box.

2. You need the HD Access service to get any and I mean any HD channels beyond your local HD channels.

Beyond the above you will need to order NFL Sunday Ticket at the normal price which right now costs 280 bucks for the season. This "doesn't" include any NFL games in HDTV.

To get NFL games in HDTV you must order NFL Sunday Ticket "Superfan" package which will cost an extra 100 bucks.

So to get NFL Sunday Ticket "with" all the HD games you must spend 380 bucks for the NFL games.

So because of all of this above this is my suggestion and its something I have done a few days ago and have in writing now when I sign up next month.

You would call the main DirecTV toll free number and ask to speak to customer rentention. Honestly don't bother with normal sales reps as my experience says they can't do jack. Once your with a customer retention rep tell him/or right away your "not" an existing customer but need "specific" help that sales couldn't handle. This gets you in the door.

So go ahead and ask the rep if he/she can give you the SD DVR box for free and also see what he can do on the HD DVR but I doubt he /she can go lower than 199 for the HD DVR. You key here is to try and get the HD DVR, SD DVR and normal digital box for a total of 200 bucks upfront.

While your on the phone also tell the rep you want NFL Sunday Ticket SuperFan free or better. Make sure you add Superfan because you don't want to by mistake to say you want NFL Sunday Ticket free. Again they may even be able to give you a better deal. But for now don't settle for anything less than free NFL SuperFan "and" an HD DVR, SD DVR and digital box for 200 bucks "max".

Also the promo states that if you buy NFL Sunday Ticket you will get "four" free months of their Total Choice Premier package. That package includes all channels (including premium channels like HBO etc). The Premier package also includes the DVR service fee as well. The premier package however "doesn't" include the HD Access fee so you must pay that extra 10 bucks a month but they could give you that free as well you just never know.

I hope I've helped you out and again I'd highly suggest you call DirecTV and speak to somebody in customer retention okay.

Longhorn,
You expect a new sub to get ALL of this for under $200 including ST and SF ?

You may be able to pull this off, (I wish I could) I highly doubt a new sub will get all of this.
Parts yes, but not all.

Good luck gocanes719 :up

Jimbo

LonghornXP

Jul 25, 2007

Jimbos said:
Longhorn,
You expect a new sub to get ALL of this for under $200 including ST and SF ?

You may be able to pull this off, (I wish I could) I highly doubt a new sub will get all of this.
Parts yes, but not all.

Good luck gocanes719 :up

Jimbo

No I said he could get all the hardware for under 200 bucks "and" get free NFL Sunday Ticket SuperFan which almost anybody can get nowadays.

Customer would still most likely have to pay the following fees listed below.

1. HD DVR for 199.99 upfront.
2. SD DVR for free upfront.
3. Digital box for free.

Of the above charges DirecTV is only reducing the costs by 100 bucks total if they give him those prices. I consider this as really doable for DirecTV even for a new customer.

Customer would also have to pay the four payments of about 70 bucks for the base NFL Sunday Ticket package but he would get free Superfan which again isn't out of the question.

So if the customer can get the deal I said and yes I think he will this would be exactly what he would pay and what discounts he would get.

300.00 - HD DVR upfront cost.
100.00 - HD DVR instant rebate.

200.00 - Net HD DVR upfront cost.

100.00 - SD DVR upfront cost.
100.00 - Customer Retention credit.

Free - Net SD DVR upfront cost.

Free - Basic digital box is always free now.

280.00 - Upfront cost for NFL Sunday Ticket "base" package (4 monthly payments of 70 bucks).

100.00 - NFL Sunday Ticket "superfan" upfront cost.
100.00 - Customer Retention credit.

Free = Net cost for NFL Sunday Ticket "superfan.

If the customer can get those "two" 100.00 Customer retention credits as listed above it would leave his net overall cost for the hardware at 200.00. It would also leave his net cost of the Sunday Ticket package "with" Superfan of 280.00.

Beyond everything above the customer would also get most likely the new customer offer which is "four" free months of the Total Choice Premier package with local channels. This package is priced at 100.00/month.

I don't believe that anything listed above would be something that should be a hard time getting from DirecTV. DirecTV will work much hardware to get HDTV and NFL Sunday Ticket subs compared to anytime before. Also HDTV is what they are banking their future on so again they are much more likely to give an extra 200 bucks in credits to not take the chance of never getting that customer back again. Also if DirecTV (I think they do think this way) considers the Superfan for free credit a normal part of doing business than it would only be in DirecTVs view just an extra 100.00 credit which is nothing at all for that return on investment for DirecTV.

gocanes719

Aug 8, 2007

LonghornXP said:
No I said he could get all the hardware for under 200 bucks "and" get free NFL Sunday Ticket SuperFan which almost anybody can get nowadays.

Customer would still most likely have to pay the following fees listed below.

1. HD DVR for 199.99 upfront.
2. SD DVR for free upfront.
3. Digital box for free.

Of the above charges DirecTV is only reducing the costs by 100 bucks total if they give him those prices. I consider this as really doable for DirecTV even for a new customer.

Customer would also have to pay the four payments of about 70 bucks for the base NFL Sunday Ticket package but he would get free Superfan which again isn't out of the question.

So if the customer can get the deal I said and yes I think he will this would be exactly what he would pay and what discounts he would get.

300.00 - HD DVR upfront cost.
100.00 - HD DVR instant rebate.

200.00 - Net HD DVR upfront cost.

100.00 - SD DVR upfront cost.
100.00 - Customer Retention credit.

Free - Net SD DVR upfront cost.

Free - Basic digital box is always free now.

280.00 - Upfront cost for NFL Sunday Ticket "base" package (4 monthly payments of 70 bucks).

100.00 - NFL Sunday Ticket "superfan" upfront cost.
100.00 - Customer Retention credit.

Free = Net cost for NFL Sunday Ticket "superfan.

If the customer can get those "two" 100.00 Customer retention credits as listed above it would leave his net overall cost for the hardware at 200.00. It would also leave his net cost of the Sunday Ticket package "with" Superfan of 280.00.

Beyond everything above the customer would also get most likely the new customer offer which is "four" free months of the Total Choice Premier package with local channels. This package is priced at 100.00/month.

I don't believe that anything listed above would be something that should be a hard time getting from DirecTV. DirecTV will work much hardware to get HDTV and NFL Sunday Ticket subs compared to anytime before. Also HDTV is what they are banking their future on so again they are much more likely to give an extra 200 bucks in credits to not take the chance of never getting that customer back again. Also if DirecTV (I think they do think this way) considers the Superfan for free credit a normal part of doing business than it would only be in DirecTVs view just an extra 100.00 credit which is nothing at all for that return on investment for DirecTV.

We called tonight and got what is listed here. Paid $200 for the HD DVR got a $10 off credit for the year which paid for the second DVR and got $50 referral credit. I ordered the ESPN gameplan to but they wouldn't cut me a deal on that. THE bad part is they can't install the system until August 25th. I was shocked there is a 3 week delay in installing equipment. That is bad especially considering I live in Houston,TX.

mikew

Aug 8, 2007

Some locations are worse off than others. Took me 2 weeks from time of order until I went live. At least you'll be installed before Week 1!

Don't worry about not having the HD set when you are installed. The HR20 does a good job of "downconverting" the HD signal to a regular SD set. You'll be very impressed by the picture quality of HD even on an SD set.

ahearst

Aug 8, 2007

Go Canes, I live in San Antonio, Texas. I signed up with Directv on Monday, the 6th. The rep I spoke with set up an installation appointment for the following week, the 14th. I decided the next day to upgrade my hardware (from HD receiver to HD-DVR), called back, talked to another rep who cancelled the original order, created a new order ticket with the hardware upgrade, gave me a discount, and moved my installation date to the 9th, tomorrow morning between 8-12.

Call back to see if a rep can set up an earlier installation appointment for you. The rep who set my original installation date suggested I do so. Folks ahead of us cancel out sometimes which creates an open opportunity for those of us who can't or don't want to wait weeks for their installations. Calling back definitely worked for me :up

gocanes719

Aug 8, 2007

ahearst, thanks for the advice. We will try that.

Jimbo

Aug 8, 2007

gocanes719 said:
We called tonight and got what is listed here. Paid $200 for the HD DVR got a $10 off credit for the year which paid for the second DVR and got $50 referral credit. I ordered the ESPN gameplan to but they wouldn't cut me a deal on that. THE bad part is they can't install the system until August 25th. I was shocked there is a 3 week delay in installing equipment. That is bad especially considering I live in Houston,TX.

I figured that the install dates would be out aways seeing we are getting close to the new HD channels coming on board, I would imagine it will stay that way for awhile, but it all depends on what area you live in.
Also tha fact that the NFL season is about to start will also affect this time frame.

Jimbo

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reubenray

Last reply 1 minute ago · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Dish vs Streaming Apps?

Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.

Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.

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Bruce

Yesterday at 1:17 PM

reubenray said:
Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.

Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.

USA and SyFy content is on Peacock, you can receive the rest of those channels via Philo, only $25 a month.

Philo - Stream Live and On-Demand TV

Why pay more for TV? Start your Philo free trial and enjoy live TV plus on-demand content starting at just $25/month. Stream hit shows, movies, and more.

www.philo.com

Reactions: Bobby, osu1991, reubenray and 1 other person

Almighty1

Yesterday at 6:55 PM

reubenray said:
Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.

Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.

This is what Google Search AI says, let's see how good AI can really solve problems.

To perfectly cover your specific channel checklist while saving significantly on your $118 Dish Network bill, you can leverage your existing HDHomerun setup alongside a live TV streaming service or app combination.
Since you require USA and Syfy, budget entertainment-only streaming apps like Philo ($28/mo) or Frndly TV ($7–$11/mo) will not work as standalone solutions because they exclude NBCUniversal networks. [1, 2]
Here are the best ways to get all your channels, optimized for high picture and audio quality:

Option 1: Hulu + Live TV (The All-In-One Match)
Hulu + Live TV ($89.99–$99.99/mo) is the most seamless replacement because its base tier natively carries every single channel on your list: [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. [1]
Quality & Audio: Hulu + Live TV is widely praised by cord-cutters for its excellent high-bitrate 1080p video quality at 60 frames per second (fps) on compatible streaming hardware. It supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound on most live channels and compatible home theater systems.
Bonus Value: The price automatically bundles the entire on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, which gives you a massive amount of additional content. [1, 2]

Option 2: YouTube TV (The Premium Interface Alternative)
YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) is highly regarded for its robust streaming stability, unlimited DVR, and highly polished user interface. [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: It includes Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, and Lifetime.
The Catch: Great American Family is not in the base lineup and requires the Sports Plus or Entertainment Plus add-on package, which increases the monthly cost.
Quality & Audio: It streams in 1080p/60fps with an advanced compression codec that minimizes buffering. It features native 5.1 surround sound audio across major streaming hardware platforms.

Option 3: The Maximum Savings "App Stack" Combination
If you want to maximize your financial savings by skipping a massive live TV guide, you can split your checklist across a few dedicated streaming apps. Because you already pay for Peacock, you can cross USA and Syfy content off your list, as Peacock hosts most of those networks' premium shows next-day or live.
By adding the following, you can build a highly customized tier:

Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo): This affordable live app brings you all 3 Hallmark channels, Great American Family, and the Lifetime networks with a classic cloud DVR.
Discovery+ ($4.99–$8.99/mo): This gives you the full, deep on-demand libraries and live feeds for Food Network and HGTV. [1]

Total Estimated Stack Cost: Around $12 to $20/mo combined on top of what you already pay.

Quality Note: Frndly TV maxes out at 720p/1080p high-definition with stereo audio, while Discovery+ supports highly optimized crisp 1080p and selective 4K video playback with strong digital audio depth on high-end streaming sticks. [1]

Cord-Cutting Tips for Peak Quality

Streaming Hardware Matters: To get the best possible image processing and audio passthrough, use dedicated streaming hardware like an Apple TV 4K or a high-end Roku Ultra rather than relying on the built-in smart TV operating systems.
Check Your Bandwidth: Ensure your home network has a stable downstream speed of at least 25–50 Mbps dedicated to your main television device to ensure the streaming apps auto-negotiate to their highest available bitrate and frame rates without dropping down to lower resolutions.

Reactions: dishstaller and charlesrshell

reubenray

Yesterday at 7:54 PM

Almighty1 said:
This is what Google Search AI says, let's see how good AI can really solve problems.

To perfectly cover your specific channel checklist while saving significantly on your $118 Dish Network bill, you can leverage your existing HDHomerun setup alongside a live TV streaming service or app combination.
Since you require USA and Syfy, budget entertainment-only streaming apps like Philo ($28/mo) or Frndly TV ($7–$11/mo) will not work as standalone solutions because they exclude NBCUniversal networks. [1, 2]
Here are the best ways to get all your channels, optimized for high picture and audio quality:

Option 1: Hulu + Live TV (The All-In-One Match)
Hulu + Live TV ($89.99–$99.99/mo) is the most seamless replacement because its base tier natively carries every single channel on your list: [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. [1]

Quality & Audio: Hulu + Live TV is widely praised by cord-cutters for its excellent high-bitrate 1080p video quality at 60 frames per second (fps) on compatible streaming hardware. It supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound on most live channels and compatible home theater systems.

Bonus Value: The price automatically bundles the entire on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, which gives you a massive amount of additional content. [1, 2]

Option 2: YouTube TV (The Premium Interface Alternative)
YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) is highly regarded for its robust streaming stability, unlimited DVR, and highly polished user interface. [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: It includes Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, and Lifetime.

The Catch: Great American Family is not in the base lineup and requires the Sports Plus or Entertainment Plus add-on package, which increases the monthly cost.

Quality & Audio: It streams in 1080p/60fps with an advanced compression codec that minimizes buffering. It features native 5.1 surround sound audio across major streaming hardware platforms.

Option 3: The Maximum Savings "App Stack" Combination
If you want to maximize your financial savings by skipping a massive live TV guide, you can split your checklist across a few dedicated streaming apps. Because you already pay for Peacock, you can cross USA and Syfy content off your list, as Peacock hosts most of those networks' premium shows next-day or live.
By adding the following, you can build a highly customized tier:

Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo): This affordable live app brings you all 3 Hallmark channels, Great American Family, and the Lifetime networks with a classic cloud DVR.

Discovery+ ($4.99–$8.99/mo): This gives you the full, deep on-demand libraries and live feeds for Food Network and HGTV. [1]

Total Estimated Stack Cost: Around $12 to $20/mo combined on top of what you already pay.

Quality Note: Frndly TV maxes out at 720p/1080p high-definition with stereo audio, while Discovery+ supports highly optimized crisp 1080p and selective 4K video playback with strong digital audio depth on high-end streaming sticks. [1]

Cord-Cutting Tips for Peak Quality

Streaming Hardware Matters: To get the best possible image processing and audio passthrough, use dedicated streaming hardware like an Apple TV 4K or a high-end Roku Ultra rather than relying on the built-in smart TV operating systems.

Check Your Bandwidth: Ensure your home network has a stable downstream speed of at least 25–50 Mbps dedicated to your main television device to ensure the streaming apps auto-negotiate to their highest available bitrate and frame rates without dropping down to lower resolutions.

WOW! Thanks for this info. I have Roku Ultra and I have a 300mbps internet plan.

Reactions: Foxbat, Almighty1 and charlesrshell

dishstaller

Yesterday at 10:13 PM

reubenray said:
WOW! Thanks for this info. I have Roku Ultra and I have a 300mbps internet plan.

You'll see the Friendly TV app on your Roku....it's preloaded. If you pay by the year it is under $100 for the entire year. Nice mix of channels.

Reactions: charlesrshell

HipKat

1 minute ago

Almighty1 said:
This is what Google Search AI says, let's see how good AI can really solve problems.

To perfectly cover your specific channel checklist while saving significantly on your $118 Dish Network bill, you can leverage your existing HDHomerun setup alongside a live TV streaming service or app combination.
Since you require USA and Syfy, budget entertainment-only streaming apps like Philo ($28/mo) or Frndly TV ($7–$11/mo) will not work as standalone solutions because they exclude NBCUniversal networks. [1, 2]
Here are the best ways to get all your channels, optimized for high picture and audio quality:

Option 1: Hulu + Live TV (The All-In-One Match)
Hulu + Live TV ($89.99–$99.99/mo) is the most seamless replacement because its base tier natively carries every single channel on your list: [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. [1]

Quality & Audio: Hulu + Live TV is widely praised by cord-cutters for its excellent high-bitrate 1080p video quality at 60 frames per second (fps) on compatible streaming hardware. It supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound on most live channels and compatible home theater systems.

Bonus Value: The price automatically bundles the entire on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, which gives you a massive amount of additional content. [1, 2]

Option 2: YouTube TV (The Premium Interface Alternative)
YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) is highly regarded for its robust streaming stability, unlimited DVR, and highly polished user interface. [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: It includes Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, and Lifetime.

The Catch: Great American Family is not in the base lineup and requires the Sports Plus or Entertainment Plus add-on package, which increases the monthly cost.

Quality & Audio: It streams in 1080p/60fps with an advanced compression codec that minimizes buffering. It features native 5.1 surround sound audio across major streaming hardware platforms.

Option 3: The Maximum Savings "App Stack" Combination
If you want to maximize your financial savings by skipping a massive live TV guide, you can split your checklist across a few dedicated streaming apps. Because you already pay for Peacock, you can cross USA and Syfy content off your list, as Peacock hosts most of those networks' premium shows next-day or live.
By adding the following, you can build a highly customized tier:

Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo): This affordable live app brings you all 3 Hallmark channels, Great American Family, and the Lifetime networks with a classic cloud DVR.

Discovery+ ($4.99–$8.99/mo): This gives you the full, deep on-demand libraries and live feeds for Food Network and HGTV. [1]

Total Estimated Stack Cost: Around $12 to $20/mo combined on top of what you already pay.

Quality Note: Frndly TV maxes out at 720p/1080p high-definition with stereo audio, while Discovery+ supports highly optimized crisp 1080p and selective 4K video playback with strong digital audio depth on high-end streaming sticks. [1]

Cord-Cutting Tips for Peak Quality

Streaming Hardware Matters: To get the best possible image processing and audio passthrough, use dedicated streaming hardware like an Apple TV 4K or a high-end Roku Ultra rather than relying on the built-in smart TV operating systems.

Check Your Bandwidth: Ensure your home network has a stable downstream speed of at least 25–50 Mbps dedicated to your main television device to ensure the streaming apps auto-negotiate to their highest available bitrate and frame rates without dropping down to lower resolutions.

I ran it by Chat, out of curiosity

There are actually some pretty good options here, especially since this person already has an HDHomeRun handling OTA channels and DVR recording. That eliminates one of the biggest reasons people pay for expensive live-TV streaming packages.

I'd narrow it down to three options: Philo, Sling Blue + Frndly TV, or DIRECTV MyEntertainment + Frndly TV.

The best options as of October 2026

Service	Monthly price	What's covered
Philo Essential	$25	Food Network, HGTV, all three Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime and LMN. Missing USA and Syfy.
Sling TV Blue	From $45.99	Food Network, HGTV, USA, Syfy and Lifetime. Missing some of the family/movie channels without add-ons.
Frndly TV Classic	$10.99	Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime, LMN and other family-oriented channels. HD and unlimited cloud DVR included.
DIRECTV MyEntertainment	$42.99	Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, Lifetime and many entertainment channels. Includes Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max ad-supported access.

Prices may vary by location and applicable taxes.

Notice that Philo covers almost everything for just $25, but USA and Syfy are the problem. Naturally, two channels manage to complicate an otherwise beautiful budget.

My recommendation

For the absolute lowest cost, Philo Essential at $25/month is hard to beat, provided they can live without live USA and Syfy. It even includes unlimited cloud DVR with recordings retained for one year.

If every channel matters, I'd compare these two combinations:

Sling Blue + Frndly Classic: Approximately $57–$66/month depending on Sling's local pricing, before taxes. Covers the entire requested channel list.
DIRECTV MyEntertainment + Frndly Classic: Approximately $54/month at the $42.99 DIRECTV price. Covers everything except USA, which is not on the currently published MyEntertainment lineup.

Picture and audio quality

This is where I'd offer one caution. Streaming isn't automatically better than DISH.

Sling generally delivers live TV in 720p, often with stereo audio, although some on-demand programming supports Dolby 5.1. Frndly's Classic plan offers HD, but not necessarily 1080p on every channel.

If picture and sound are major priorities, compare the actual services on the same television and streaming device during their trial periods. A dedicated on-demand app may deliver a better encode or surround soundtrack than the corresponding live channel, but availability varies by show and device.

The bottom line: I'd recommend trying Philo first. Their current $25 Essential package covers nearly the entire wish list and saves $93/month, or $1,116/year, compared with the $118 DISH bill. If USA and Syfy are must-haves as live channels, Sling Blue plus Frndly would be my next choice.

And one final distinction worth making on that message board: HDHomeRun recordings won't replace the cloud DVR for subscription channels. Those recordings stay within the streaming services' respective apps.

TWiT Tech Podcast Network

Today at 3:12 AM · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

Project Helix Price Rumor: Could the Next Xbox Cost $1,800? #shorts

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/x3Zbzo-tk-s

Direct YouTube Link - Project Helix Price Rumor: Could the Next Xbox Cost $1,800? #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed

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Scott Greczkowski

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge

Last reply Today at 2:45 AM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Song Name Game Part 3!

Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!

So let the game continue!

The last song was added by Bobby who posted...

One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters

CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!

Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game

Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.

Example:

Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio

Another example:

Ride the Lightning -- Metallica

Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne

Get it?

An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....

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dishstaller

Yesterday at 11:42 AM

Little Miss Dangerous - Ted Nugent

RaiderPower

Yesterday at 1:24 PM

Little Miss Can't Be Wrong - Spin Doctors

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sdfntx

Yesterday at 3:01 PM

Jump Down, Spin Around - Harry Belafonte

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long_time_Dish

Yesterday at 4:27 PM

Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks

Reactions: FTA4PA, gms49ers and dishstaller

hwkn

Today at 2:45 AM

This Old HEART Of Mine(Is Weak For You)-The Isley Brothers

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iJustine

Last reply Today at 2:38 AM · posted in iJustine

iPhone Duo Crease?

Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YxfvCOQv5uE

Direct YouTube Link - iPhone Duo Crease?
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!

1 Replies · 9 views

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telstar_1

Today at 2:38 AM

It's not even where it folds!

iJustine

Today at 2:12 AM · posted in iJustine

Reading on the iPhone Duo!

Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2KkkNffbY40

Direct YouTube Link - Reading on the iPhone Duo!
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!

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iJustine

Today at 2:12 AM · posted in iJustine

Playing Xbox on the iPhone Duo!

Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6t2FDCK5y40

Direct YouTube Link - Playing Xbox on the iPhone Duo!
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!

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iJustine

Today at 2:12 AM · posted in iJustine

iPhone Duo Fold Animation

Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_9uczoPSEaI

Direct YouTube Link - iPhone Duo Fold Animation
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!

0 Replies · 7 views

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SuperDish_Fan23

Last reply Today at 12:04 AM · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Its crazy how the ViP922 is so rare for no reason.

Why are ViP922s So rare? like its crazy how ebay has none, i checked everywhere, also, i got a ViP222k now, which is actually activated!

20 Replies · 505 views

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Strega

Yesterday at 2:34 PM

That's not really unusual. Cable companies like to the provide the box too. The phone company provided the phones in until the government forced them to allow third-party phones.

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Almighty1

Yesterday at 7:02 PM

Strega said:
That's not really unusual. Cable companies like to the provide the box too. The phone company provided the phones in until the government forced them to allow third-party phones.

Yes, the Western Electric phones that says "Bell System Property, NOT FOR SALE, Western Electric".

Reactions: AZ., Bobby and charlesrshell

AZ.

Yesterday at 9:10 PM

Almighty1 said:
Yes, the Western Electric phones that says "Bell System Property, NOT FOR SALE, Western Electric".

someone is showing their age

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Almighty1

Yesterday at 9:38 PM

AZ. said:
someone is showing their age

LOL. It depends if the person saw it during the years when they were actually still available which is 1968 to 1983 meaning the person could be 43-58 years old or they can even be a few years old if they learned to read and write at a young age and actually saw a telephone with that label somewhere recently just like even here in San Francisco, payphone still exist physically in public places but whether they can be used or not is a different issue. It still looks like this even today:

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dishstaller

Yesterday at 10:03 PM

I opened my Radio Shack in Sept 1984 and right about that time they did the whole deregulation thing with the phone companies. I bought TONS of those phones that had been refurbished with a new outer shell. You could throw one of those out of a 3 story high window and it would still work.
That was an interesting time in history. I would have older customers come in and ask about phones.....they were terrified that they were going to get into trouble hooking up a second phone without the phone company knowing about it. One of the funniest episodes of WKRP was the one where Johnny thought the cops were showing up because they had an unregistered phone. I guess younger folks can't conceive of a time when you were limited to the number of phones you could have in your house....and limited to the length of the cord

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navychop

Yesterday at 11:01 PM

AZ. said:
someone is showing their age

You should hear his stories about when rocks were soft and pterodactyls were the new kid on the block!

Reactions: Foxbat, charlesrshell and Bobby

dishstaller

Today at 12:04 AM

dishstaller said:
One of the funniest episodes of WKRP was the one where Johnny thought the cops were showing up because they had an unregistered phone.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA0yZ1nrm6M&pp=ygUPd2tycCBwaG9uZSBjb3Bz

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dishstaller

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 12:02 AM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Country singer John Anderson died today

He was 71 yrs old. One of my favorite songs is Seminole Wind....the violin is killer.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8sh9P3X33w

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FTA4PA

Yesterday at 10:53 PM

Rest In Peace

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mikew

Yesterday at 11:01 PM

I Wish I Could Have Been There is an amazing song. Rest in peace Mr Anderson.

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Bobby

Yesterday at 11:03 PM

Rest in peace.

Reactions: dishstaller

comfortably_numb

Yesterday at 11:04 PM

Hope you're out there Swingin', John.

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dishstaller

Today at 12:02 AM

mikew said:
I Wish I Could Have Been There is an amazing song.

That's one of those songs that hits a little too close to home for me. I like the song but just can't listen to it. It's kinda like that song "Daddy never was the Cadillac kind".....reminds me too much of my Grandfather who died Feb 18, 1995.

niembre

Last reply Yesterday at 11:21 PM · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

OTA no working after Update

My OTA is not working anymore. This started after the latest update. I have the OTA dongle with a OTA antenna that I've been using for years. My hopper does not recognize the dongle anymore and when I go to the OTA setting, it has a screen that says to plug a dongle into the USB. I tried unplugging and plugging back, in the same usb port and other ports. The Hopper does not recognize it. Anyone have same issue?

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Scott Greczkowski

Sep 24, 2026

Did you people having this issue contact Brittany yet? Shes trying to keep track of things and it would be good for you to contact her as maybe she can get this somewhere and get fixed.

Now while unofficial, I am hearing this issue wasn't caused by DISH's software team, but was caused by a chipset driver update that seemes to have hosed some older USB devices. If this is indeed the case I can see why DISH didn't know and why they are slow in fixing it as they need the chipset company to fix its drivers and release them to DISH so they can be pushed out to all.

DISH does not hate you guys nor do they want you to buy new USB dongles. I am rather sure they didn't even know this was an issue until they saw it posted.

Again contact Brittany if you are having this issue, so she has your info and hopefully she can do something for you to keep you happy.

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bookworm370

Sep 25, 2026

Scott Greczkowski said:
Did you people having this issue contact Brittany yet? Shes trying to keep track of things and it would be good for you to contact her as maybe she can get this somewhere and get fixed.

Now while unofficial, I am hearing this issue wasn't caused by DISH's software team, but was caused by a chipset driver update that seemes to have hosed some older USB devices. If this is indeed the case I can see why DISH didn't know and why they are slow in fixing it as they need the chipset company to fix its drivers and release them to DISH so they can be pushed out to all.

DISH does not hate you guys nor do they want you to buy new USB dongles. I am rather sure they didn't even know this was an issue until they saw it posted.

Again contact Brittany if you are having this issue, so she has your info and hopefully she can do something for you to keep you happy.

Thanks, but until they do, can't Dish just revert to the old driver that worked? Then test the new driver when delivered,d before pushing it again.

But then what does an old CIO know! I've only reamed quite a few buttholes from my people that didn't do that!

Reactions: ppappas, Almighty1 and charlesrshell

slow_poke_pete

Sep 27, 2026

bookworm370 said:
Thanks, but until they do, can't Dish just revert to the old driver that worked? Then test the new driver when delivered,d before pushing it again.

But then what does an old CIO know! I've only reamed quite a few buttholes from my people that didn't do that!

dish can't revert back to older drivers or updates. although just one reason not to buy the ota dongle!!!

Reactions: charlesrshell

ppappas

Sep 30, 2026

slow_poke_pete said:
dish can't revert back to older drivers or updates. although just one reason not to buy the ota dongle!!!

They can absolutely put the old driver back if they wanted. This is an embedded software environment in which they have total control. All they have to do if build a new version of firmware with the old OTA driver and test it of course. They just don't want to spend the resources doing so. If they are not going to continue supporting the single tuner adapter, then they have to say so.

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Almighty1

Oct 1, 2026

ppappas said:
They can absolutely put the old driver back if they wanted. This is an embedded software environment in which they have total control. All they have to do if build a new version of firmware with the old OTA driver and test it of course. They just don't want to spend the resources doing so. If they are not going to continue supporting the single tuner adapter, then they have to say so.

Unless of course they didn't keep a copy of the old drivers and can no longer get it. Then there is always the their support for the product is EOL after a x amount of time so it will make the consumer have to buy the current product offering.

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Briant73

Yesterday at 9:19 PM

Anyone heard any updates on this, I'm still having the issue so thought I'd check in.

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Almighty1

Yesterday at 9:48 PM

Briant73 said:
Anyone heard any updates on this, I'm still having the issue so thought I'd check in.

No updates but if you can get DISH Technical Operations to roll you back to H710 or earlier even though H708 would be best because it also eliminates another problem like in this comment, you will also no longer have the problem as long as you don't update manually or forced to any new version until the problem is fixed as the problem started in H711 and still exist in H712 and H713.

https://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/th...ftware-version-713-is-out.423921/post-5108817

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dishstaller

Yesterday at 9:57 PM

Installed an off-air antenna a couple days ago for a customer who had just cancelled his Dish service. He had a dual off-air adapter and gave it to me. Cool. I'll keep it on the truck....might come in handy. Got to admit I don't watch anything as far as live tv goes anymore. Even if we have severe weather, our local channels will have a live feed on Youtube.

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navychop

Yesterday at 11:21 PM

In other news, it was announced that the software fix for the two tin cans and a string will not be forthcoming. A hardware fix is required. However, that fix will let you receive stations from a gazillion miles away.

Truck roll charges may apply. Two year commitment required.

Reactions: Bobby, dishstaller and charlesrshell

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