Is there a cheaper alternative?

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oczad

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Original poster
May 11, 2007
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Hi,

I just canceled my cable service due to a huge change in lifestyle where i can no longer afford TV. $30 for satellite would be barely doable for me at best, and thats only for a certain period then it goes to $40. So that is out of the question. So is there a cheaper alternative besides trying to make my computer into a reciever? Any smaller little known satellite companies or anything? I only watch sci-fi, discovery, travel, and the learning channel. So paying so much is even more crazy for me. Thanks
 
oczad said:
Hi,

I just canceled my cable service due to a huge change in lifestyle where i can no longer afford TV. $30 for satellite would be barely doable for me at best, and thats only for a certain period then it goes to $40. So that is out of the question. So is there a cheaper alternative besides trying to make my computer into a reciever? Any smaller little known satellite companies or anything? I only watch sci-fi, discovery, travel, and the learning channel. So paying so much is even more crazy for me. Thanks
Click to expand...

Dish Network's America's Top 100 pack is $29.99 at the regular rate, but I believe that for 10 months you can get it for $19.99 a month with the Dish $10 for 10 months rebate.
 
CapeFish said:
Dish Network's America's Top 100 pack is $29.99 at the regular rate, but I believe that for 10 months you can get it for $19.99 a month with the Dish $10 for 10 months rebate.
Click to expand...

I called them about the top 100 and i asked what the actual price would be AFTER any special promotions are up and they told me $40. In fact, they didn't even offer me the $20 deal, but even if they had it still i'm sure would have gone to $40 after the 10 month period or whatever it is. They SAY $29.99 is the regular price, but they add things on and it ends up $40. They're a tricky bunch, trust me. I was hoping there was another small company besides the 2 big ones that was cheaper, but i guess not. Well, it's back to snowy pictures, rabbit ear tweaking and 7 channels. :(
 
how are you getting on the internet?

there is essentially no price competition between cable, dtv and dish...however, dish's top 100 package, which includes your specified channels, plus several others, is standard-priced at $30 ($29.99)...but this does not include local channels (broadcast network affiliates), which are available in most areas for an additional $5...if your rabbit ears work good, you can just use those for locals and not pay the $5....if you get just a basic one-tuner receiver, or a basic 2-tuner unit and keep it plugged into a phone line, there is no extension fee...

thus $30 does indeed mean $30....a current available 'deal' is $100 in rebates off the bill over 10 billing cycles (starting with the third, as the first bill is for 2 months service, and you send in the rebate form after that)...dvr is nice to have, but adds $6...there is no dish tax in IL; you'll need to find out about your own state...

credit/debit card required to be approved for a provided system and installation...$50 activation fee payable at install, redeemable as a credit on that first (double) bill if you agree to an 18 month service commitment...
 
Well, the thing is i need the regular channels (2-13) as much if not more than sattelite. And thats another $5. Then theres the $6 a month for warranty as they're calling it which i suppose covers the disc itself if it was to have problems. But also cover theft, which i couldn't take a chance on, so i'd have to pay that. Granted with the rebates it's cheaper for a while. But i had cable 20 years, so i'm looking at long term. And long term the cost with the regular channels and warranty is $41 a month. Just too much money for the 4-5 channels i watch.
As for using rabbit ears, thats a real pain which i am doing NOW since all i have is air. So if i pay for satellite i'm surely not going to pay monthly and still have to tweak the antenna every time i change channels on 2-13. That antenna tweaking ritual is a big part of going to a pay service, so that $5 is a absolute necessity. But that and the $6 warranty puts it over the line by $11. So i guess i have my answer..........find another form of entertainment....
 
depending where you live house vs apt you could put up an exterior antenna, I myself use rabbit ears but I have a pair of amplified (variable amplification) that I got at walmart for $20 and they make a huge difference...you might try the amplified ears if your not already. heck that and netflix is all I need and I'm a happy pappy. Good luck what ever you do.
 
right, as i noted also, you can do locals for free with an antenna...upgrade your antenna...also, you need NOT take that $6 'dhpp' protection plan (racket)...if you sign up with an 18 mo. commitment, it's 'free' during the commitment period, and then they start putting it on the bill, but you can opt out...if you get a provided system (have a credit card), it's indefinitely covered for component failure, and theft would not be covered anyway, that's under your homeowner's or renter's insurance......but theft is a low risk with these systems...

if you might elect to just buy cheap used gear off of ebay, then simply self-insure- buy a cheap backup box and put it in the closet....
 
For locals use the rabbit ears, for the other channels get a 4dtv 905 off of ebay cheap, look around for a 90cm dish and then I am sure you can sub to the ku-band channels here http://www.programming-center.net/WebForm1.aspx?AD=D

The DISC_SUITE_KU07 will work, you will not get the offical Discovery but wil get the others, you can add sci fi a la carte to that, and forget about travel for now, you will have no programming guide though, if you have a freind with c-band it would help if the channels are remapped and the 905 needs a update.
 
tdti1 said:
For locals use the rabbit ears, for the other channels get a 4dtv 905 off of ebay cheap, look around for a 90cm dish and then I am sure you can sub to the ku-band channels here http://www.programming-center.net/WebForm1.aspx?AD=D

The DISC_SUITE_KU07 will work, you will not get the offical Discovery but wil get the others, you can add sci fi a la carte to that, and forget about travel for now, you will have no programming guide though, if you have a freind with c-band it would help if the channels are remapped and the 905 needs a update.
Click to expand...

Thats all over my head. I know nothing about this stuff and that page was beyond my comprehension. Never had anything but cable for the last 20 years.
 
SatelliteGAL said:
doesn't your cable company offer the very basic cable service? I know here there is a very basic cable service and it is something like $10
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I guess it's the same with cable in California as it is with gas. When gas is $2.50 everywhere else in the country it's $3.50 here. The $58 cable was costing me WAS their cheapest package ! Of course there are taxes so it wasn't quite that much, but thats what came out of my pocket every month. total and complete highway robbery. they could easily afford to give the same package to me for 1/2 that easily i'm sure. But there is one reason they won't.......they know most will pay the $60 and if they gave it to anyone for $30 they'd have to give it to everyone for that. If they knew for certain i'd never tell anyone, they'd probably be happy to give it to me for $20. The public needs to speak up with their wallets, but not enough people are willing to inconvenience themselves a little to do that. I am willing and i'm doing it.
 
oczad said:
I guess it's the same with cable in California as it is with gas. When gas is $2.50 everywhere else in the country it's $3.50 here. The $58 cable was costing me WAS their cheapest package ! Of course there are taxes so it wasn't quite that much, but thats what came out of my pocket every month. total and complete highway robbery. they could easily afford to give the same package to me for 1/2 that easily i'm sure. But there is one reason they won't.......they know most will pay the $60 and if they gave it to anyone for $30 they'd have to give it to everyone for that. If they knew for certain i'd never tell anyone, they'd probably be happy to give it to me for $20. The public needs to speak up with their wallets, but not enough people are willing to inconvenience themselves a little to do that. I am willing and i'm doing it.
Click to expand...

There is a sub basic package that is not advertised by the cable companies but you can get it ( I did in the recent past ) that has your local channels and public access channels and nothing else. All of the prices that I have seen range from $6 - $12 so call them up and ask them about getting the locals only wich will not involve a set top box. I believe that by law they have to provide the locals as a basic package but dont quote me on that, anyone here able to verify this?
 
On this page http://www.programming-center.net/WebForm1.aspx?AD=D look at the below packages
DISC_SUITE_KU07
SCIFI-DIG_2007


With a used 905 and a 90cm dish you can sub to small packages or to a la carte, no basic pack or anything like that, but since you don't have a 10' dish you will have no programming guide, and you will only be able to sub to the Ku-band channels, stuff listed in the packages as being on X4 (X4 is the Ku-band side of Galaxy-16 on a 4dtv)
 

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