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Yespage

Pub Member / Supporter

Last reply Aug 18, 2025 · posted in Over the Air Television By RabbitEars.Info

OTA Recorder

My MIL is looking to drop Dish and was needing OTA DVR capabilities. I did a bunch of searching online. It seems there are three main players, Tablo, AirTV, and HDHomerun.

Tablo seems to have rave reviews for their older stuff, but not new stuff.
AirTV appears to stream well to devices, though doesn't seem to work with Apple (?), and with it connected to SlingTV, I'm a little nervous about this maybe disappearing in a couple years as Dish and Directv merge. Also, reviews seem a little mixed
HDHomerun seems to be the only device that is still quality. Need to provide an EHD, but that already exists with her recv'r. Seems more costly, and you need to pay for the guide, but it is 2024 and $100 doesn't buy what it used to.

Am I in the ball park here?

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HighlanderCFH

Jan 29, 2025

Yespage said:
My MIL is looking to drop Dish and was needing OTA DVR capabilities. I did a bunch of searching online. It seems there are three main players, Tablo, AirTV, and HDHomerun.

Tablo seems to have rave reviews for their older stuff, but not new stuff.
AirTV appears to stream well to devices, though doesn't seem to work with Apple (?), and with it connected to SlingTV, I'm a little nervous about this maybe disappearing in a couple years as Dish and Directv merge. Also, reviews seem a little mixed
HDHomerun seems to be the only device that is still quality. Need to provide an EHD, but that already exists with her recv'r. Seems more costly, and you need to pay for the guide, but it is 2024 and $100 doesn't buy what it used to.

Am I in the ball park here?

My only experience is with Tablo. My main issue was with the reliability of the hardware. First off, I'll say that the Tablo support people are fabulous. They respond to a client's problem & try to resolve it. Unfortunately, in my case, it did not help.

I bought my first Tablo dual tuner around 7 years ago, so it's been a while. I got the unit & found it pretty easy to set up when it arrived. But, after a short time, it stopped functioning. I contacted customer support & they had me put it on a remote setting so they could analyze the problem. I was then informed that the unit was defective & they sent me a replacement.

Unfortunately, some issue (I can't recall the details) eventually surfaced with the replacement unit and, again, they checked it remotely and -- once again -- I was advised that the unit had developed some sort of problem that could not be fixed.

I was interested in receiving another replacement, but was advised that the unit had already passed the warranty period. I was a bit disappointed since my initial investment in the unit was, if I recall, about $225. And now I was stuck with what amounted to a paperweight.

They offered to sell me a refurbished model, at a smaller price, but I was a bit unnerved both technologically & financially at a third attempt. I was not in good shape, money-wise, and frankly had run out of confidence with their machines.

So I just canceled my Tablo account & that was it. I suppose Tablo is a fine product/company, but my luck was simply that of a snowball passing through hell.

Today I simply use an OTA antenna & have a VCR and DVR (an old Panasonic DMR E80H recorder with a built-in hard drive). I use one of those to record any OTA content I'm interested in.

It's a bit more awkward to record in this manner (cannot schedule/change channels automatically, must be done manually), but I usually manage & have never looked into the other two services.

Good luck,
Chuck

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Peter Parker

Jan 30, 2025

HighlanderCFH said:
My only experience is with Tablo. My main issue was with the reliability of the hardware. First off, I'll say that the Tablo support people are fabulous. They respond to a client's problem & try to resolve it. Unfortunately, in my case, it did not help.

I bought my first Tablo dual tuner around 7 years ago, so it's been a while. I got the unit & found it pretty easy to set up when it arrived. But, after a short time, it stopped functioning. I contacted customer support & they had me put it on a remote setting so they could analyze the problem. I was then informed that the unit was defective & they sent me a replacement.

Unfortunately, some issue (I can't recall the details) eventually surfaced with the replacement unit and, again, they checked it remotely and -- once again -- I was advised that the unit had developed some sort of problem that could not be fixed.

I was interested in receiving another replacement, but was advised that the unit had already passed the warranty period. I was a bit disappointed since my initial investment in the unit was, if I recall, about $225. And now I was stuck with what amounted to a paperweight.

They offered to sell me a refurbished model, at a smaller price, but I was a bit unnerved both technologically & financially at a third attempt. I was not in good shape, money-wise, and frankly had run out of confidence with their machines.

So I just canceled my Tablo account & that was it. I suppose Tablo is a fine product/company, but my luck was simply that of a snowball passing through hell.

Today I simply use an OTA antenna & have a VCR and DVR (an old Panasonic DMR E80H recorder with a built-in hard drive). I use one of those to record any OTA content I'm interested in.

It's a bit more awkward to record in this manner (cannot schedule/change channels automatically, must be done manually), but I usually manage & have never looked into the other two services.

Good luck,
Chuck

Are there VCRs that work with digital signals?

dishdude

Jan 30, 2025

Peter Parker said:
Are there VCRs that work with digital signals?

JVC HM-DH3000U

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Comptech

Feb 7, 2025

A lot of people frown on the zapperbox but I love mine. My first M1 had some problems but was replaced hassle free, the and fast no charge. The second one worked fine, except Fox Caroling was showing encrypted and would not decode. Customer service was great and said they had a local on their team and would check it out. Next day got a message from the local guy and said they just went encrypted and sent out a update. All is good. $29 a year for guide and recordings are dead on. Also with the mini's you have in home network available to watch on any TV. Still no ability to watch remotely but promises of it coming. So far all is coming true. Put my SD 4K flex in storage as 3.0 DRM never happened with them and won't. Over all is a great little box with a excellent tuner. I still have a stellar labs VHF high antenna up and receive 86 channels and the lighthouse channels from the backside of it fine. As soon as the weather permits, two Televes are going up!

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Yespage

Aug 18, 2025

So after a bit of time and more rate hikes across the board, I got a HD Homerun Quatro as I prep to let go of Dish Network. Device is relatively small. Hook up is easy, and as you add the app on different devices, it goes straight to the HD Homerun unit, no logging in. So great for the older folks.

Seems like the Google iOS app is a bit wonky with my router (Willow acts the same way). But the FireStick App handles the router just fine. It costs more than Tablo, and it doesn't come with a hard drive, so, in theory, paying for a better device. Needed to add a thumb drive for storage, it did not like the powered external hard drives, which I already had a couple of. $35 annually for recording/guide, not free, but not pricey. 256 GB thumb drive, more than enough!

My biggest worry was about the quality of the tuner and managing the signal. The tuner is fine and receives/processes like the TV tuner can, a little better than the Hopper 3. The recording quality is very good. Recorded an EPL and NFL game, and while it didn't look uber super awesome, it definitely looked HD. The Toons channel recorded fine as well. Obviously the sub channel quality varies based on how compressed the sub-channels are. It loads the channels quickly and the DVR'ing pause, FF, RW is very quick.

What I found very useful is the Discover option, which includes Netflix like icon breakdown of everything that is currently showing. Makes it obvious what is on. DVR recordings are foldered up by program, which is as it should be. Being computer savvy, managing recordings on the computer is helpful as well. You can even download recordings! I don't think I"ll ever need to, but always nice to have the option. The TV interface itself requires getting used to, but it is sufficient.

Definitely recommend this device. It'll cost more, but you'll get what you paid for.

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cp2k

Aug 18, 2025

Yespage said:
So after a bit of time and more rate hikes across the board, I got a HD Homerun Quatro as I prep to let go of Dish Network. Device is relatively small. Hook up is easy, and as you add the app on different devices, it goes straight to the HD Homerun unit, no logging in. So great for the older folks.

Seems like the Google iOS app is a bit wonky with my router (Willow acts the same way). But the FireStick App handles the router just fine. It costs more than Tablo, and it doesn't come with a hard drive, so, in theory, paying for a better device. Needed to add a thumb drive for storage, it did not like the powered external hard drives, which I already had a couple of. $35 annually for recording/guide, not free, but not pricey. 256 GB thumb drive, more than enough!

My biggest worry was about the quality of the tuner and managing the signal. The tuner is fine and receives/processes like the TV tuner can, a little better than the Hopper 3. The recording quality is very good. Recorded an EPL and NFL game, and while it didn't look uber super awesome, it definitely looked HD. The Toons channel recorded fine as well. Obviously the sub channel quality varies based on how compressed the sub-channels are. It loads the channels quickly and the DVR'ing pause, FF, RW is very quick.

What I found very useful is the Discover option, which includes Netflix like icon breakdown of everything that is currently showing. Makes it obvious what is on. DVR recordings are foldered up by program, which is as it should be. Being computer savvy, managing recordings on the computer is helpful as well. You can even download recordings! I don't think I"ll ever need to, but always nice to have the option. The TV interface itself requires getting used to, but it is sufficient.

Definitely recommend this device. It'll cost more, but you'll get what you paid for.

Try Channels DVR out if you're using an HD Homerun unit. I think you will find it a lot better than their DVR setup if you have a device you can run the Channels server on.

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dweber

Aug 18, 2025

I have read that the zapper box M3 (client only) does not work with encrypted channels.

Playback of encrypted recordings and encrypted Live TV on connected devices (like the M3) is expected with the v4.0 software release, planned for December 2025.

However the consensus is that A3SA will not allow gateway products to decrypt broadcasts.

So you need a M1 or M2 zapper box for each TV. That can get expensive if you have multiple TVs.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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TWiT Tech Podcast Network

48 minutes ago · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

This Web Vulnerability Shook the Tech World

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2QtsO2mlXM

Direct YouTube Link - This Web Vulnerability Shook the Tech World
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed

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Scott Greczkowski

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge

Last reply Today at 2:43 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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Bobby

Yesterday at 10:30 AM

I Wish I Was Eighteen Again - George Burns

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harshness

Yesterday at 12:06 PM

I Wish - Stevie Wonder

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EatMyVolts

Yesterday at 1:47 PM

Lonesome Road -- The Wonder Who?

long_time_Dish

Yesterday at 3:14 PM

Lonesome Loser - Little River Band

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hwkn

Today at 2:43 AM

Long LONESOME Highway-Michael Parks

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JSheridan

Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Yesterday at 11:27 PM · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

All DMA's now Western Arc

I know HipKat said that they were working on conversions but we got the official news yesterday right from Dish that starting next month all DMA's will be on the western arc, and all customers will be assigned to that. That's gonna mean a lot of customers around here aren't gonna get Dish unless there are exceptions. Too many mountains and trees.

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Foxbat

Sep 25, 2026

Unless Dish acquires DirecTV and its mid-USA satellite slots, I may not have Dish Network to reach 40 years. Or, I guess we could buy a new house…

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slow_poke_pete

Yesterday at 8:37 PM

Foxbat said:
Unless Dish acquires DirecTV and its mid-USA satellite slots, I may not have Dish Network to reach 40 years. Or, I guess we could buy a new house…

have charlie buy you a new house :biggrin

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telstar_1

Yesterday at 8:46 PM

Well, I didn't immediately think of broadcast, where there are all kinds of digital "subchannels"- I remember back when digital broadcast began that supposedly the 6mhz channel would likely support just 1 HD program and that the added subchannels would likely have to remain SD. I don't watch enough broadcast to know. Are there a lot of the subchannels in SD-only, and how do they do that, like are they in 4:3 or some kind of low-res widescreen?

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Foxbat

Yesterday at 8:53 PM

slow_poke_pete said:
have charlie buy you a new house

Unfortunately, I don't think my social proximity to Charle Ergen provides any special perks. Maybe if Foxbat, Jr. were to marry his daughter…

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slow_poke_pete

Yesterday at 9:11 PM

Foxbat said:
Unfortunately, I don't think my social proximity to Charle Ergen provides any special perks. Maybe if Foxbat, Jr. were to marry his daughter…

that would be one hell of a convo :biggrin

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osu1991

Yesterday at 11:27 PM

telstar_1 said:
Well, I didn't immediately think of broadcast, where there are all kinds of digital "subchannels"- I remember back when digital broadcast began that supposedly the 6mhz channel would likely support just 1 HD program and that the added subchannels would likely have to remain SD. I don't watch enough broadcast to know. Are there a lot of the subchannels in SD-only, and how do they do that, like are they in 4:3 or some kind of low-res widescreen?

New more efficient encoders. I think there's around 60 channels/sub channels now in the Tulsa dma. 480 widescreen for most of the sub channels, but some have 2 HD channels and a couple of SD sub channels while others have 1 HD and 5 or more SD sub channels. If they moved to mp4 or hevc encoding they could do higher bitrates for SD or more HD or even 4K in that 6Mhz channel. That could render some early digital tvs unable to tune though as they may not have the codecs for that. Considering 4K tvs have been on sale for years, I think it would be a very small minority of TVs with the problem. I'd rather see that happen and keep ATSC 1 than continue the move to a DRM enforced ATSC 3 world.

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SatZach

Last reply Yesterday at 10:51 PM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Is Roku the new Legacy Cable?

The title was to catch everyone's eye lol! But it is a thought I've been having as I dev a Roku app for a client. You see many MAAANY years ago I got really interested in cable TV channels and even chatted with a regional carrier, Insight about what it took to get a channel number. It was surprisingly easy although prohibitively expensive.

You could petition, reserve a high channel number, they monitored performance and if they liked you, you'd get lower channel number overtime and cut into ad overlays.

Roku has a similar setup. Make an app, if it has a strong, original linear component you could get channel assignment on The Roku Channel.

As mixed as my feelings are on the current media landscape, I can't help but feel a little excited interest when I scope out the apps in the Roku store.

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navychop

Yesterday at 9:53 PM

Hmmm. I think Roku will last. But will Firestick? With their backing, I guess so. Apple TV STB? Of Course. Walmart? Seems someone ought to go, but with their backing?….

Off brands have, as probably expected, very short lives.

SatZach

Yesterday at 10:51 PM

navychop said:
Hmmm. I think Roku will last. But will Firestick? With their backing, I guess so. Apple TV STB? Of Course. Walmart? Seems someone ought to go, but with their backing?….

Off brands have, as probably expected, very short lives.

All of those services have FAST Channels. FAST is a linear online broadcast stndrd. You notice how their linear channels all have some overlap? They are gettting paid for every second those streams are up without really having to do their own accounting. Best part is they don't even facilitate any of the stream bandwidth. Over glorified app stores on some android hardware. No reason NOT to stay in the game.

klang

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Yesterday at 9:52 PM · posted in TV Shows

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy - Paramount+

Season 2 order already in hand:

'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' Renewed for Season 2, Tatiana Maslany to Guest Star in Season 1

I've not been optimistic about this show based on what I've read so far. Seems to be aimed at a younger audience. Interesting though that Tatiana Maslany will have some sort of role.

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harshness

Yesterday at 11:53 AM

Females wearing any clothing is unthinkable on Ferenginar.

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long_time_Dish

Yesterday at 3:35 PM

harshness said:
Females wearing any clothing is unthinkable on Ferenginar.

Was never a huge of the Ferengi-centric episodes in Trek...

Jimbo

Yesterday at 8:14 PM

long_time_Dish said:
Was never a huge of the Ferengi-centric episodes in Trek...

Me either ...
They turned out to be a Poor adversary ....

Foxbat

Yesterday at 9:02 PM

They got their proper due on "Deep Space Nine"

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long_time_Dish

Yesterday at 9:52 PM

Foxbat said:
They got their proper due on "Deep Space Nine"

And too many episodes centering on/around them as well...

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SuperDish_Fan23

Last reply Yesterday at 8:43 PM · 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!

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Strega

Wednesday at 6:21 PM

I looked for wrecked trains on ebay and those are hard to find too!

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Almighty1

Thursday at 8:53 PM

I remember this in the news too...

$14,000 spent on rented rotary phone

A widow rented a rotary dial telephone for 42 years, paying what her family calculates as more than $14,000 for a now- outdated phone.

www.nbcnews.com

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Bobby

Thursday at 9:21 PM

Almighty1 said:
I remember this in the news too...

$14,000 spent on rented rotary phone

A widow rented a rotary dial telephone for 42 years, paying what her family calculates as more than $14,000 for a now- outdated phone.

www.nbcnews.com

That is a misnomer. In the old days you subscribed to telephone service. That included the telephone line and one telephone. An extension cost $1 a month extra. So that $14,000 over 42 years was for the service not the leased telephone. There is no way they paid $28 a month for 42 years for a leased telephone.

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SuperDish_Fan23

Friday at 4:24 PM

SuperDish_Fan23 said:
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!

Whoever still has their 922, please let me know i just wanna see photos of the ui and other stuff

Reactions: MikeD-C05 and charlesrshell

slow_poke_pete

Friday at 5:51 PM

SuperDish_Fan23 said:
Whoever still has their 922, please let me know i just wanna see photos of the ui and other stuff

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wL6dsORmXg

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telstar_1

Friday at 5:58 PM

Slicker guides never did much for me

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Almighty1

Friday at 10:33 PM

Bobby said:
That is a misnomer. In the old days you subscribed to telephone service. That included the telephone line and one telephone. An extension cost $1 a month extra. So that $14,000 over 42 years was for the service not the leased telephone. There is no way they paid $28 a month for 42 years for a leased telephone.

Good point as part of that time mentioned was before I was even alive.

While reports from the family's case focused entirely on the equipment rental charges, media records show that Ester Strogen originally started by paying $29.95 per quarter ($9.98 per month) in the 1960s for her combined telephone connection.
The actual base cost for standard residential telephone service over a 42-year period (spanning roughly 1964 to 2006) reveals how basic connection costs evolved compared to the equipment rental fees:

Historical Phone Service Rates

1960s – 1970s Base Rate: Standard local phone service was heavily subsidized and tightly regulated under the Bell System monopoly. A basic landline package with unlimited local calling typically cost between $5.00 and $10.00 per month.
1980s – 2000s Post-Deregulation Rate: Following the AT&T divestiture in 1984, base line service rates steadily climbed due to the introduction of subscriber line charges, touch-tone fees, and local infrastructure adjustments. By 2006, basic flat-rate local residential phone service hovered around $15.00 to $25.00 per month (excluding long-distance packages and taxes).

The True Lifetime Service Bill

Assuming an average baseline connection fee of roughly $12.00 a month over that 42-year span, the line connectivity itself would have realistically accumulated to approximately $6,000 in raw cash payouts.
When you bundle the actual service costs together with the escalating equipment rental fees, the total cumulative out-of-pocket phone expenses over those four decades easily crossed $12,000 to $14,000. Long-distance phone calls—which were billed entirely by the minute back then and could cost up to 15 to 30 cents per minute—would add significantly more to that historical total depending on usage.

The widely publicized calculation stems from a viral news story from 2006 involving a widow named Ester Strogen. Her family discovered she had been continuously leasing two rotary dial telephones from AT&T for 42 years.
The total cost—which actually came out to more than $14,000 by the time the lease was canceled—was calculated based on the following legacy telecom structure:

The Monthly Fee: At the time her granddaughters discovered the charges, the ongoing leasing fee was $29.10 per month for the two outdated phones.
The Math: Over 42 years (504 months), paying roughly $24 to $30 a month accumulates to between $12,000 and $14,600 ($29.10 × 504 months = $14,666.40).

Why did this happen?
Prior to the landmark breakup of AT&T ("Ma Bell") in 1984, consumers were legally not allowed to own their phones; they were required to lease them directly from the phone company.
When the laws changed and phone ownership became legal, AT&T spun off its rental division into a company called QLT Consumer Lease Services. Millions of customers, particularly elderly individuals who were used to seeing a single unified phone bill, simply never realized that the small recurring "equipment lease" line-item could be canceled by buying a cheap phone at a retail store.

Yes, leasing absolutely cost that much in reality, and the math is entirely accurate. However, the calculations performed by the family did contain one major historical nuance: they multiplied the final 2006 rate across all 42 years, which means the actual total cash paid out was likely a bit lower.
The original viral story focused on 82-year-old widow Ester Strogen from Canton, Ohio, who paid $29.10 a month for two black rotary phones until her family intervened in July 2006.
The reality behind how the cost reached that staggering total breaks down into two distinct phases:

Phase 1: The Historical Base Rate (1960s – 1984)

When Strogen first got the phones in the 1960s, renting was a legal mandate and cost a fraction of the 2006 price—usually just a few dollars a month.

The "Insurance" Mirage: In exchange for that fee, Ma Bell promised free, lifetime maintenance. If the phone broke, they replaced it instantly at no extra cost.
The Cost-Plus Reality: Because these solid-state phones were built like tanks out of heavy plastic and steel, they almost never broke. Consumers paid a continuous premium for decades for a repair service they rarely used.

Phase 2: The Deregulation Rate Hikes (1984 – 2006)

After AT&T was forced to break up its monopoly in 1984, the rental side of the business was shifted to Lucent Technologies and later a legacy holding company. To maximize profit off a shrinking customer base, they steadily increased the monthly rental fees over the next 20 years.

By 2006, the rental cost had quietly ballooned to roughly $14.55 per phone per month.
When the family discovered the $29.10 monthly charge, they looked back at the 42-year span and estimated the collective loss at over $14,000.

Even adjusted for historical inflation—where $2 a month in 1964 had the purchasing power of roughly $20 today—Ester Strogen and hundreds of thousands of other elderly Americans realistically paid thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for standard desk phones they could have purchased at retail for $10.

The exact out-of-pocket dollar amount Ester Strogen paid over those 42 years was never publicly determined, as neither AT&T nor the family had access to monthly billing records stretching all the way back to the 1960s.
The figures reported in the media are entirely mathematical estimates based on the 2006 rate. The two primary numbers used to define the "cost" are:

The Stated Media Total: More than $14,000.
The Exact Family Formula: $14,666.40. This was derived by taking her final recorded bill of $29.10 per month and multiplying it across the full 42 years (504 months).

What the True Cash Cost Likely Was

Because AT&T did not charge $29.10 a month back in 1964, the true historical cash sum she handed over was lower than $14,000. In the 1960s and 1970s, basic phone lease fees were generally bundled into standard service or itemized at just $1.00 to $2.00 a month per phone.
If we realistically assume she paid lower base rates for the first 20 years before the post-1984 deregulation price hikes took effect, a realistic estimate of the actual cash paid is between $5,000 and $7,000.

The Real Cost When Adjusted for Inflation

While the family's $14,000 calculation overestimates the raw cash paid, it actually underestimates the true economic damage when factoring in the time value of money.
Paying $2.00 a month for equipment in 1964 sounds minor, but due to severe inflation during the 1970s, those early single dollars had the purchasing power of roughly $20.00 each in 2006 terms. If you adjust every historical lower monthly payment upward to account for inflation, Ester Strogen realistically lost the equivalent of well over $15,000 in modern purchasing power by renting instead of buying.

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slow_poke_pete

Yesterday at 8:28 PM

telstar_1 said:
Slicker guides never did much for me

me either. sometimes it seems like things disappear when they start changing sh*t around :biggrin

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slow_poke_pete

Yesterday at 8:43 PM

Strega said:
I looked for wrecked trains on ebay and those are hard to find too!

you would be better off looking in ca for a train wreck to nowhere :biggrin

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jcrandall

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU!

Last reply Yesterday at 8:42 PM · posted in DIRECTV Programming Forum

Channels on DIRECTV Satellite and not on Stream/Internet

So...DirecTV advertises the Choice package with 95+ bonus channels for Satellite customers. You don't want 90+ of the 95...

Excluding PPV, premium networks, infomercial, shopping, religion, and non-English programming, there are 7 channels on satellite that are not on streaming:
NFL Network, MavTV, FE TV, Free Speech, NASA, INSP, and Pursuit. I'm pretty sure a couple of those are public interest that they have to carry to meet an FCC quota on satellite.

I hope they get called out for this advertising because that is ridiculous. One big network, NFL, will probably get added to streaming when their next agreement comes up, and the rest are likely very low viewership.

What about streaming, what do you get extra with the Choice package that isn't on Satellite:
Two stations - one of which is an internet TV - Fox Weather, and Heros & Icons (a diginet). Nothing special here to look at either.

If they cleaned up a couple of their agreements, added a few public interest stations to streaming, they could probably have their lineups match. It's close now, if you take out all the garbage on satellite that they earn money on. If they can sell infomercials on satellite, why can't they on streaming, seems like a miss. A bigger miss, including those stations in the "bonus channels just for satellite customers." Pretty sad marketing right there.

Attached is a comparison sheet of satellite vs streaming for the three main packages if anyone is interested.

MOD EDIT: See Post #3 for an up to date list of what channels are available on sat but not on streaming/internet, see Post #21 for an up to date list of what's available in the app for streaming customers, but not for sat customers.

DirecTV Sat vs Stream.pdf 46 KB

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KyL416

Aug 3, 2026

WNPX/28 Nashville (The new home of the Predators) and WMYD/20 Detroit (the new home of the Pistons) are testing on the stream server.

Reactions: darren_s, mario315, Former member 209992 and 2 others

harshness

Oct 15, 2026

One might get the impression that what DIRECTV does, or doesn't, is becoming far less consequential than it used to be.

mario315

Friday at 11:55 PM

harshness said:
One might get the impression that what DIRECTV does, or doesn't, is becoming far less consequential than it used to be.

KyL416

Saturday at 12:00 AM

WPLG/10 Miami is now available to stream customers

The CW stations WCWW/25 South Bend and WBKP/5 Marquette are testing on the stream server

Last week they also added a bunch of CW stations that are still not available to sat customers:
WETM-DT/19 Elmira
WJET-DT/25 Erie
KLFY-DT/11 Lafayette LA
KARD-DT/15 Monroe
WVBT-DT/44 Norfolk
WTWO-DT/3 Terre Haute
WFXV-DT/34 Utica
KFDX-DT/4 Wichita Falls

Reactions: Mr Tony and mario315

mario315

Saturday at 12:07 AM

Well, that was fast ! DTV Stream brought back WTCN's HD signal today.

I have to assume the station signing up a week ago as the Miami Heat affiliate here (to carry their games) did the trick. NBA magic !!!

Or the station engineer took care of the problem after hearing about it.

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darren_s

Yesterday at 8:29 PM

KyL416 said:
WNPX/28 Nashville (The new home of the Predators) and WMYD/20 Detroit (the new home of the Pistons) are testing on the stream server.

Channel 28 Nashville hasn't been added so far, correct?

KyL416

Yesterday at 8:42 PM

WNPX Nashville and WMYD Detroit were added to stream about 2 months ago.

They also now have PRDTRS/651 for those in Predators territory outside of the Nashville DMA and PISTONS/663-2 for those in Pistons territory outside of the Detroit DMA.

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TheForce

Supporting Founder Pub Member / Supporter

Last reply Yesterday at 8:32 PM · posted in The Phone & Tablet Zone

Apple Event September 2026

Apple Fall Hardware Event takes place today, September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. It marks the debut of new CEO John Ternus and the expected reveal of Apple's first foldable phone.

132 Replies · 1475 views

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comfortably_numb

Oct 10, 2026

Can't remember if I've posted this yet..

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfL5seXJyWU

Reactions: slow_poke_pete

Foxbat

Saturday at 11:47 AM

If you ponied up for an iPhone Duo, keep it away from anything other than your soft, fleshy fingertips. No fingernails, no dust, sand, dirt, or other particulate matter. And don't bend it more than it needs to. Zack has destroyed $2,000 of Apple hardware to get those views, which should cover his expenses.

Reactions: comfortably_numb

comfortably_numb

Saturday at 11:56 AM

Foxbat said:
No fingernails, no dust, sand, dirt, or other particulate matter

And definitely no medieval chain armor!

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harshness

Yesterday at 12:18 PM

comfortably_numb said:
medieval chain armor

Aka "mail" or "maille".

Reactions: Foxbat and comfortably_numb

Foxbat

Yesterday at 7:05 PM

IFixIt has published their Teardown and they had some positive things to say about the iPhone Duo. It still showed some dust ingress into the hinge assembly but seemed otherwise well-sealed.

But with a considerable number of reports of the main screen dying with similar failures, AppleCare+ should be a no-brainer for this phone.

slow_poke_pete

Yesterday at 8:31 PM

comfortably_numb said:
Can't remember if I've posted this yet..

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfL5seXJyWU

most carriers do. that's why they send updates that slow phones down!! i buy unlocked phones no effect to me

slow_poke_pete

Yesterday at 8:32 PM

Foxbat said:
IFixIt has published their Teardown and they had some positive things to say about the iPhone Duo. It still showed some dust ingress into the hinge assembly but seemed otherwise well-sealed.

But with a considerable number of reports of the main screen dying with similar failures, AppleCare+ should be a no-brainer for this phone.

hope you have apple care a screen job is 1000.00

. can we say over priced garbage!!!

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meStevo

Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Yesterday at 8:17 PM · posted in The Sports Section

NFL 2026-2027 Season

Schedule drops tomorrow. Mandatory mini camps in June. Hall of Fame game August 6th.

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rvvaquero

Tuesday at 11:33 AM

Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson had an argument about who was responsible for the dynasty building of the early 90's Cowboys.

The rest of us figured it out in about 3 years, Jerry has had over 30 years but still can't admit it. It's all he lives for, to show everyone he can put together a winner. I don't think he can. His kids only know what he taught them.

Reactions: Mike0616, dfergie and b4pjoe

Yespage

Thursday at 9:15 AM

rvvaquero said:
Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson had an argument about who was responsible for the dynasty building of the early 90's Cowboys.

The rest of us figured it out in about 3 years, Jerry has had over 30 years but still can't admit it. It's all he lives for, to show everyone he can put together a winner. I don't think he can. His kids only know what he taught them.

Johnson built it, but without the Herschel Walker trade, it never happens.

Reactions: b4pjoe

b4pjoe

Thursday at 9:53 AM

Yespage said:
Johnson built it, but without the Herschel Walker trade, it never happens.

Jerry made himself General Manager after he bought the team but make no mistake Jimmy engineered that trade. As well as a lot of others at the time.

Reactions: rvvaquero, osu1991 and Yespage

rvvaquero

Thursday at 11:50 AM

Jimmy Johnson is a football guy. Jerry Jones is a marketer (hustler).

When I see a football player get a 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct (like taunting) in a close game, I often wonder what he was thinking. Was he thinking, I'm doing everything I can to make this a better team and help win a championship? Or, was he saying to himself, I want everyone to notice how great I am?

Johnson inspires one, Jones the other.

Reactions: b4pjoe and Mike0616

meStevo

Thursday at 10:53 PM

View: https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2113438192913588676?s=20

Reactions: Mike0616 and osu1991

meStevo

Yesterday at 8:17 PM

Got to unfurl and hold the flag at Allegiant for the anthem today - amazing experience.

Reactions: Mike0616 and Foxbat

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TWiT Tech Podcast Network

Yesterday at 5:52 PM · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

This Week in Tech 1107

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

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

Direct YouTube Link - This Week in Tech 1107
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed

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OTA Recorder

This Web Vulnerability Shook the Tech World

Song Name Game Part 3!

All DMA's now Western Arc

Is Roku the new Legacy Cable?

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy - Paramount+

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

$14,000 spent on rented rotary phone

$14,000 spent on rented rotary phone

Channels on DIRECTV Satellite and not on Stream/Internet

Apple Event September 2026

NFL 2026-2027 Season

This Week in Tech 1107