Local DMA for 64772?

[CowboyDren]

On behalf of my 75-year-old grandmother, I spent some time playing with her D12, setting up a favorites list that only shows Family Pack, getting it optimized for her Panasonic TC-P50X1 plasma, etc.

The problem is that up until a few months ago, she was getting locals from Joplin, MO from her home in Nevada, MO. After an electrical storm knocked out most of her electronics (all DirecTV equipment was replaced), and she also removed a ton of stuff from her subscription, apparently she doesn't qualify for Joplin locals anymore. This really sucks, because after the DTV transition, she can't get VHF OTA signals from 50 miles away anymore, either.

Is there a way to lookup a DMA footprint, or some way to argue with DirecTV to get her back into the local service area? She's also applied for and been approved for distant networks (ABC, CW, NBC, and PBS, so far; Fox and CBS have initially rejected her application), but this is costing twice as much money, and doesn't really help her get weather and local news.

She also has properties in Jasper and Carthage, MO, so she may be able to lie about her service address, but I'd rather get DirecTV to do the right thing themselves.

 

[raoul5788]

Directv doesn't offer locals in any of the three towns you mentioned. Some of the dma's have changed recently. Perhaps hers was one of them.

 

[CowboyDren]

So we have to move her service address to Joplin?

 

[raoul5788]

Nope, Joplin doesn't have locals either. How about your town, Kansas City MO?

 

[CowboyDren]

Well, the weather patterns and news are completely different, but it's a thought. Cheaper than paying for distant networks. What's the most aggravating is that we both seem to remember Joplin via satellite.

 

[CowboyDren]

I just got off the phone with Dish. Her zip code qualifies her for all five Joplin networks, four of which are high-def, and she can pick up Superstation feeds if she wants. The slightly cheaper Dish Family package is balanced with adding locals to come up to what D* Family Pack costs, and there are a few more channels to boot.

I guess she's going to be ordering Dish soon...

 

[Jimbo]

On behalf of my 75-year-old grandmother, I spent some time playing with her D12, setting up a favorites list that only shows Family Pack, getting it optimized for her Panasonic TC-P50X1 plasma, etc.

The problem is that up until a few months ago, she was getting locals from Joplin, MO from her home in Nevada, MO. After an electrical storm knocked out most of her electronics (all DirecTV equipment was replaced), and she also removed a ton of stuff from her subscription, apparently she doesn't qualify for Joplin locals anymore. This really sucks, because after the DTV transition, she can't get VHF OTA signals from 50 miles away anymore, either.

Is there a way to lookup a DMA footprint, or some way to argue with DirecTV to get her back into the local service area? She's also applied for and been approved for distant networks (ABC, CW, NBC, and PBS, so far; Fox and CBS have initially rejected her application), but this is costing twice as much money, and doesn't really help her get weather and local news.

She also has properties in Jasper and Carthage, MO, so she may be able to lie about her service address, but I'd rather get DirecTV to do the right thing themselves.

Throw up an Outdoor antenna and you'll have the locals in NO time.
Your only 50 miles away and the D* revr will integrate the OTA chsnnels with the sat guide and you'll be done with it, also, IF she loses her D* signal in bad weather (not saying she will) she can then go to the local channels to keep up on the weather conditions.

 

[CowboyDren]

No. The search for a working OTA solution is what brought us to this point. Also, her D12 doesn't integrate OTA, just passthrough. As I understand it, she'd need an H series box with the AM20 addon. For that much headache and hardware investment, she'd rather just go to Dish.

 

[Jimbo]

No. The search for a working OTA solution is what brought us to this point. Also, her D12 doesn't integrate OTA, just passthrough. As I understand it, she'd need an H series box with the AM20 addon. For that much headache and hardware investment, she'd rather just go to Dish.

Now , my parents are about the same age and they would rather have a new box than have to learn 200 channel numbers again.

Yes, I forgot, she would need a H series box, if your talking NO DVR then a H20 would do fine and that would be inexpensive, ( $50 , maybe) get it for her for Christmas !

 

[yorktown]

The H21 is $99 at Best Buy.

 

[raoul5788]

The H21 is $99 at Best Buy.

The H21 has no ota tuner and IIRC, won't integrate the AM21 ota tuner.