Finally Making The Switch From Charter

[jschmuck2]

Hey all - be nice - it's my first time.

After years of being a cable TV customer with Charter, I'm finally going to make the switch to Directv. A bunch of questions:

I'm having 1 HDDVR, 1 HD box and 1 SD box put in. All in different rooms. Anything I should know about that hardware or should ask the installer for when s/he gets here? Do I tip?

I think I'm going to get Choice Extra with the AAA discount, plus HD and DVR service. Will I be able to switch things around after the first 12 months? I've been pretty successful with cable when I call up and negotiate a new price after a promo is over, just not sure about DTV.

What am I forgetting??

 

[armchair]

Welcome to Directv sub

To take advantage of VOD, TVAPPS, MRV beta, and Directv2PC, you'll need ETHERNET cables connected to boxes that have an ETHERNET port. There's plenty of research and help you can find in this forum on setting up those options. You may to connect these yourself unless you're willing to pay what they ask. My last installer refused to wall-fish the ETHERNET cables despite me asking for an estimate and having the cables on hand to do it. I would not recommend power-line or wireless if you have any interest in MRV beta or Directv2PC. Directv will be offering a DECA (Directv ETHERNET Cable Adapter) upgrade later if they're not currently installing it in your area. So there may be an affordable opportunity later if not sooner.

Directv will come out with an order and fill it based on what they have on truck. Hopefully they will install a SWiM dish and SWiM switch for you to keep wiring future-proof and run less wires. You can ask about your setup to post in your C/P signature if future help is needed in the forum.

As far as changing programming and opting for discounts, you can upgrade programming but not downgrade during first 12 months. Negotiating after promo period is available but limited to what they're currently offering at time of call. Directv does not typically offer to renew same discounts beyond 12 months but they tend to be open and flexible to individual circumstances. And you do have the right as a Directv customer to call back until you're satisfied with result. (or tire of the same answers).

I can't complain of issues I've returned calls to customer service about. They keep notes on accounts and can recognize repeat calls but that hasn't had a negative impact on the resolution for me.

 

[aa9vi]

To take advantage of VOD, TVAPPS, MRV beta, and Directv2PC, you'll need ETHERNET cables connected to boxes that have an ETHERNET port. There's plenty of research and help you can find in this forum on setting up those options. You may to connect these yourself unless you're willing to pay what they ask. My last installer refused to wall-fish the ETHERNET cables despite me asking for an estimate and having the cables on hand to do it. I would not recommend power-line or wireless if you have any interest in MRV beta or Directv2PC. Directv will be offering a DECA (Directv ETHERNET Cable Adapter) upgrade later if they're not currently installing it in your area. So there may be an affordable opportunity later if not sooner.

Directv will come out with an order and fill it based on what they have on truck. Hopefully they will install a SWiM dish and SWiM switch for you to keep wiring future-proof and run less wires. You can ask about your setup to post in your C/P signature if future help is needed in the forum.

As long as you have wireless ethernet in your home, it's probably cleaner to just use the wireless gaming adapters instead of fishing ethernet cable through the wall. The Linksys WGA600N works just fine for this purpose. Good deals for it if you shop online.

 

[armchair]

As long as you have wireless ethernet in your home, it's probably cleaner to just use the wireless gaming adapters instead of fishing ethernet cable through the wall. The Linksys WGA600N works just fine for this purpose. Good deals for it if you shop online.

While I said I wouldn't recommend wireless, the Linksys WGA600N has a good reputation in the forums for wireless MRV when coupled with wireless N router.

The WET-610N adapter has some issues with bi-directional MRV which seems to be a recurring issue. It may stream MRV fine one direction but not as well the other direction in respect to server to client.

Wireless trickplay performance has been reported to be slower with wireless but improving. I recently read a post from another poster about SWiM/DECA bettering the wired ETHERNET connection for trickplay speed but I cannot say that myself since I've yet to test such hardware.

 

[Big Dawg 23]

Hey all - be nice - it's my first time.

After years of being a cable TV customer with Charter, I'm finally going to make the switch to Directv. A bunch of questions:

I'm having 1 HDDVR, 1 HD box and 1 SD box put in. All in different rooms. Anything I should know about that hardware or should ask the installer for when s/he gets here? Do I tip?

I think I'm going to get Choice Extra with the AAA discount, plus HD and DVR service. Will I be able to switch things around after the first 12 months? I've been pretty successful with cable when I call up and negotiate a new price after a promo is over, just not sure about DTV.

What am I forgetting??

As a current Charter and Directv Subscriber, I can tell you calling to lower you price generally isn't needed. Directv has low rates in my opinion. As an example I can get the Prem Package for $114 with Direct. At that price I will get me one move channel and DVR on Charter. Directv has many HD Prem. channels and not just the main channel as Charter does.

The HD-DVR's on Directv are allot better than Charter. Hopefully you get at least the HR-22 HDDVR. I have two DVR's in my home as the cost is cheap given you pay on $7 DVR fee and $5 for each additional box. You can have multi DVR's if you desire far less than Charter. You will enjoy the capacity and available option for an external Hard Drive for Endless space.


You will be happy with the switch and not look back.