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Before I ran this blog, I was involved in enthusiast forums. Before reddit, before Facebook groups, before YouTube, this was how people got critical tech support information for their hobbies. Often times you had a group of people who were pushing hardware to the limit and they wanted to know how to solve weird problems. I met lifelong friends in those user communities and I still participate in a few today.
That's why I was a little ticked off, pardon me for saying so, when a user forum for the satellite TV community featured a thread saying everyone was in a rush to leave DIRECTV and DISH. Is it really true? Is it all over for satellite TV? Or is it just more hype?
DIRECTV and DISH together account for more pay-TV subscribers than any other service. Certainly when you take out those Comcast and Spectrum customers who say they subscribe to pay-TV but are actually using captive streaming through their provider networks, that's got to be the case. Both companies have been actively pushing customers away from cable boxes and toward apps and custom streaming devices. When DIRECTV and DISH do that, the industry calls it "losing subscribers." When Comcast does it, apparently those people still count.
I'm not going to tell you that satellite TV's subscriber numbers are where they were in 2010, when about 40 million homes had satellite TV. That was about one quarter of the total number of homes in the country. Those days are over. Of course they are. Streaming video wasn't really possible in those days for most people. Today it's so common we don't even think about it.
But that doesn't stop me from saying that satellite TV is still huge. There's something over 25 million homes and businesses still using satellite TV. For businesses in particular, it's the only option in most cases. Cable TV isn't available for many commercial installations. Streaming is flat out illegal in public-facing businesses at this point. Fact is, satellite TV is here, and as they used to say, get used to it.
When I started using satellite TV, it was still very much an early adopter medium. You bought the parts at your local store, all in cash, and you were expected to put up the dish and aim it yourself. Even a decade later in the early 2000s, satellite TV was what they called a "disruptor." Folks were leaving cable because of what we then called "high prices" (usually about $60 a month) for DIRECTV's much lower priced packages and greater selection.
At that time, there was a very large and robust enthusiast community. And let's be honest, we all needed each other. A lot of satellite hardware, including early DVRs, didn't work the way we thought it should. We needed to swap stories and tips or none of us would be watching TV much at all. Those enthusiast forums were a lifesaver in those days.
Today, satellite TV is in a very stable place. Both DIRECTV and DISH have hardware that's been the same for 5 years or more. The software has been evolving for 20 years and honestly, it's pretty darn good. There's not the same need for peer support that there once was.
When you see someone asking a real legitimate question on a peer support forum, it's often for one of two reasons. Either they're trying to milk every last day out of some older but beloved equipment, or they're trying to do something the provider doesn't support. Both of those are noble goals but they're just not that common anymore. So, a lot of the talk you see on these forums has changed.
You see a lot of posts on these forums now where someone starts it with "I just logged on to say goodbye, I finally ditched satellite but you all have been great." It doesn't mean everyone is ditching satellite. It means that a lot of longtime users (who are getting older, just as we all are) have found other hobbies. A lot of us are in the mindset of finding new challenges and satellite TV isn't challenging any more. Some of us are already at the point where we're cutting expenses and downsizing. It happens sooner or later.
But in the end, it doesn't mean that "everyone" is canceling satellite TV service. These sites are great but they have always been places that didn't represent the mainstream. That's sort of the point of them. It's a place where people who want to do something special find other people who want the same. It doesn't represent what's going on in our culture at all.
Here's the way I see it. Satellite TV is a great value. It gives you a ton of content with incredible reliability. It's something you're familiar with and something you know how to use. You get local channels and there's always something to sit down and zone out to. Streaming is great but the stress of finding something to watch can be its own problem. Satellite TV is zen, and let's be honest we could all use some zen right now.
The post Is "Everybody in a rush to leave DIRECTV and DISH?" Really? Even on enthusiast forums? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
That's why I was a little ticked off, pardon me for saying so, when a user forum for the satellite TV community featured a thread saying everyone was in a rush to leave DIRECTV and DISH. Is it really true? Is it all over for satellite TV? Or is it just more hype?
Here's the fact: satellite TV is still huge
DIRECTV and DISH together account for more pay-TV subscribers than any other service. Certainly when you take out those Comcast and Spectrum customers who say they subscribe to pay-TV but are actually using captive streaming through their provider networks, that's got to be the case. Both companies have been actively pushing customers away from cable boxes and toward apps and custom streaming devices. When DIRECTV and DISH do that, the industry calls it "losing subscribers." When Comcast does it, apparently those people still count.
I'm not going to tell you that satellite TV's subscriber numbers are where they were in 2010, when about 40 million homes had satellite TV. That was about one quarter of the total number of homes in the country. Those days are over. Of course they are. Streaming video wasn't really possible in those days for most people. Today it's so common we don't even think about it.
But that doesn't stop me from saying that satellite TV is still huge. There's something over 25 million homes and businesses still using satellite TV. For businesses in particular, it's the only option in most cases. Cable TV isn't available for many commercial installations. Streaming is flat out illegal in public-facing businesses at this point. Fact is, satellite TV is here, and as they used to say, get used to it.
Why would someone in an enthusiast forum think "everyone" is jumping ship?
When I started using satellite TV, it was still very much an early adopter medium. You bought the parts at your local store, all in cash, and you were expected to put up the dish and aim it yourself. Even a decade later in the early 2000s, satellite TV was what they called a "disruptor." Folks were leaving cable because of what we then called "high prices" (usually about $60 a month) for DIRECTV's much lower priced packages and greater selection.
At that time, there was a very large and robust enthusiast community. And let's be honest, we all needed each other. A lot of satellite hardware, including early DVRs, didn't work the way we thought it should. We needed to swap stories and tips or none of us would be watching TV much at all. Those enthusiast forums were a lifesaver in those days.
Today, satellite TV is in a very stable place. Both DIRECTV and DISH have hardware that's been the same for 5 years or more. The software has been evolving for 20 years and honestly, it's pretty darn good. There's not the same need for peer support that there once was.
When you see someone asking a real legitimate question on a peer support forum, it's often for one of two reasons. Either they're trying to milk every last day out of some older but beloved equipment, or they're trying to do something the provider doesn't support. Both of those are noble goals but they're just not that common anymore. So, a lot of the talk you see on these forums has changed.
I just logged on to say…
You see a lot of posts on these forums now where someone starts it with "I just logged on to say goodbye, I finally ditched satellite but you all have been great." It doesn't mean everyone is ditching satellite. It means that a lot of longtime users (who are getting older, just as we all are) have found other hobbies. A lot of us are in the mindset of finding new challenges and satellite TV isn't challenging any more. Some of us are already at the point where we're cutting expenses and downsizing. It happens sooner or later.
But in the end, it doesn't mean that "everyone" is canceling satellite TV service. These sites are great but they have always been places that didn't represent the mainstream. That's sort of the point of them. It's a place where people who want to do something special find other people who want the same. It doesn't represent what's going on in our culture at all.
Love satellite TV? Stay!
Here's the way I see it. Satellite TV is a great value. It gives you a ton of content with incredible reliability. It's something you're familiar with and something you know how to use. You get local channels and there's always something to sit down and zone out to. Streaming is great but the stress of finding something to watch can be its own problem. Satellite TV is zen, and let's be honest we could all use some zen right now.
The post Is "Everybody in a rush to leave DIRECTV and DISH?" Really? Even on enthusiast forums? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
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573 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n43A0sNukCg
Direct YouTube Link - SpaceX Seeks to Conduct 450 Starship Launches a Year in Texas!
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n43A0sNukCg
Direct YouTube Link - SpaceX Seeks to Conduct 450 Starship Launches a Year in Texas!
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
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2 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
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....
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....
68506 Replies
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2671289 views
Marques Brownlee
Time for another AWESOME video from Marques Brownlee!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scwlR0QHGOk
Direct YouTube Link - The NEW Tesla Roadster: My Honest Reaction
The official MKBHD Website!
The MKBHD Store
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scwlR0QHGOk
Direct YouTube Link - The NEW Tesla Roadster: My Honest Reaction
The official MKBHD Website!
The MKBHD Store
0 Replies
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5 views
iJustine
Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m44iKsdN1-Q
Direct YouTube Link - NVIDIA RTX Spark launch party!!!
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m44iKsdN1-Q
Direct YouTube Link - NVIDIA RTX Spark launch party!!!
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!
0 Replies
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14 views
For quite a while now, people with a VIP211k have been losing their recordings on their activated external HDDs... even when there's nothing physically wrong with HDD. I believe this is an intentional and underhanded tactic that Dish is pulling in an attempt to force users away from the VIP211k.
They are obviously regretting that they ever let users have a "non-dvr" dvr in the first place. You would think they would be happy charging you a $40 one time fee... and then be happy letting the customer be the one responsible for HDD failures.
Dish clearly hates the 211k bitter-clingers. This recording deletion problem is intentional (IMO), and I think it is just one more tool that they are using. Hopper and a 2-year agreement... that's what they want you to have. Think about that... a 2-year agreement... with a company $30 Billion in debt (that's with a B). What happens when all that debt causes them to drop the channel that may have been your whole reason for having Dish in the first place? Guess who's stuck with a service that no longer suits their needs... for the remainder of the 2-year agreement.
On top of that, they don't want you to install it yourself. I purchased and installed all my equipment myself. That used to be common. Now, they lie to me and tell me that my dish must be updated to use a Hopper. Funny thing is... they don't even know what dish I have because they didn't install it, and I didn't tell them. If you ask what type of dish/LNBs the hopper needs... good luck getting an answer. All they know is that whatever you have needs to be upgraded by an installer.
It is quite apparent to me that they care much more about staying in their box, than they do working with the customer. That's too bad, because it hasn't always been that way. It's like they are totally unaware of the current business environment that they are trying to compete in.
I have been a customer since 2010. I will be cancelling my service before the next period. Yeah, I know, my $1,200 a year won't make a difference to them. It just seems like they have forgotten who needs who, especially when you consider the competition in today's streaming world. But hey, they will have succeed in forcing me off the 211k.
They are obviously regretting that they ever let users have a "non-dvr" dvr in the first place. You would think they would be happy charging you a $40 one time fee... and then be happy letting the customer be the one responsible for HDD failures.
Dish clearly hates the 211k bitter-clingers. This recording deletion problem is intentional (IMO), and I think it is just one more tool that they are using. Hopper and a 2-year agreement... that's what they want you to have. Think about that... a 2-year agreement... with a company $30 Billion in debt (that's with a B). What happens when all that debt causes them to drop the channel that may have been your whole reason for having Dish in the first place? Guess who's stuck with a service that no longer suits their needs... for the remainder of the 2-year agreement.
On top of that, they don't want you to install it yourself. I purchased and installed all my equipment myself. That used to be common. Now, they lie to me and tell me that my dish must be updated to use a Hopper. Funny thing is... they don't even know what dish I have because they didn't install it, and I didn't tell them. If you ask what type of dish/LNBs the hopper needs... good luck getting an answer. All they know is that whatever you have needs to be upgraded by an installer.
It is quite apparent to me that they care much more about staying in their box, than they do working with the customer. That's too bad, because it hasn't always been that way. It's like they are totally unaware of the current business environment that they are trying to compete in.
I have been a customer since 2010. I will be cancelling my service before the next period. Yeah, I know, my $1,200 a year won't make a difference to them. It just seems like they have forgotten who needs who, especially when you consider the competition in today's streaming world. But hey, they will have succeed in forcing me off the 211k.
168 Replies
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7494 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Has anyone subscribed to NBA League Pass for 2026-27 and try to link their account to NBA.com to stream League Pass? I purchased it for 2026-27, and when I linked, I got a message saying success, but then I receive an error that my linked subscription does not include the preseason games for NBA League Pass. Is that how it has always been? I know satellite doesn't have the preseason games on the NBA League Pass channels, but I thought that I was able to stream the preseason once I linked my account on NBA.com?
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85 views
Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
143 Replies
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1465 views
Nah, you just don't understand how ignore works, which is why you made your own NFL thread thinking there wasn't one
For some reason, the satelliteguys.us site is loading a lot slower than usual on both Chrome on my Asus laptop and Safari on my iPhone.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
530 Replies
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18123 views
Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat. 
WTF… …What the Foxbat!Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat.
S
wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming youWTF… …What the Foxbat!
I know. Here's what Scott has in store for me if I get out of line:wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming you
S
OMG to freaking funny
You're no fun.
I thought I would come here and find lots of complaints about the update to the dish anywhere mobile app, but am not seeing any. It used to look just like the desktop webpage. Now you can no longer filter by sports channels or movie channels. Plus that they made it look like a big button telephone and you see fewer channels in the screen which requires more scrolling. Yes I realize you can look at sports then select which sport you want to look at, I just liked being able to see all sporting events in the guide with all other channels being filtered out. Am I alone in the wilderness on this?
7 Replies
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156 views
Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Apple has finally released their Apple TV 4K with built-in Siri and a microphone so it can respond to your queries even if you don't have the remote. It also increases in price, to $299. I had been planning on updating my current Apple TV 4K streamers, but that's $600 for the two of them, and that's a pass at this point.
At $299, it had better come with 256 GB of Storage, Gigabit (or better) Ethernet, the latest HDMI tech and standards, and one year of free Apple One. But it probably won't…
At $299, it had better come with 256 GB of Storage, Gigabit (or better) Ethernet, the latest HDMI tech and standards, and one year of free Apple One. But it probably won't…
Apple TV 4K
Apple TV 4K. New Siri AI and hands-free control. Stunning picture and immersive HomePod surround sound. Works with your Apple and smart home devices.
www.apple.com
20 Replies
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330 views
S
. apple's been making money off of software and not hardware for a while
they all do that anyways.. ever notice your cell phone slows down when you come up for an upgrade..
. apple's been making money off of software and not hardware for a while
You should have looked in the APP STORE instead.
