Looking for advice (on SC or BEV in Atlanta)...

[mhking]

I've been interested in getting a Canadian system to supplement my D* system for quite a while now.

I'm looking for more programming choices, plus additional time-shifting on my present programming.

Cost is an issue (obviously), with quality as a secondary concern. Which system is going to give me the most bang for the buck, but with a limited amount of hassles and headaches. I don't have any relatives or friends up there to provide me with an address, so I'd have to use a broker (or would a "Mailboxes ETC" type store with mail forwarding work?), plus I'd prefer to pay the company directly as opposed to using a charge card (I cut mine up several years ago, and haven't looked back).

With those caveats, am I barking up the wrong tree? Or is there a means for me to get what I want?

Thanks in advance for your advice and help...

 

[Mr Tony]

mhking
check out this thread http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=35225

I have (had) both EVu & SC (EVu sub ran out Saturday...so I might have a box for sale)

If you go through a broker, you WILL need some type of a credit card (just has to have a Visa or MC logo). Its the easiest way to do it, they charge your CC in CAD $$, and the CC company converts that to US $$.

 

[Derwin0]

could just use a debit card with a visa/mastercard logo

 

[snidely]

Late at replying. I don't think you can set this up w.o. a credit card. Even if you went to the expense and got mail forwarded to you, you wouldn't have a Canadian bank account. All of us in the states have our c. card debited automatically.
If you want HD, BEV is your only real choice.

...mike
P.S. How do you rent a car or buy an airline ticket w.o. a credit card?

I've been interested in getting a Canadian system to supplement my D* system for quite a while now.

I'm looking for more programming choices, plus additional time-shifting on my present programming.

Cost is an issue (obviously), with quality as a secondary concern. Which system is going to give me the most bang for the buck, but with a limited amount of hassles and headaches. I don't have any relatives or friends up there to provide me with an address, so I'd have to use a broker (or would a "Mailboxes ETC" type store with mail forwarding work?), plus I'd prefer to pay the company directly as opposed to using a charge card (I cut mine up several years ago, and haven't looked back).

With those caveats, am I barking up the wrong tree? Or is there a means for me to get what I want?

Thanks in advance for your advice and help...

 

[localnet]

Derwin,

Yes, you can use a debit Visa card. Check out www.kusat.com for providers and equipment. Once you purchase a system, kusat will hook you up with a broker. I bought my Starchice DSR500 system from them, and they hooked me up with "Nancy", my broker. She is great, and has some of the best pricing out there. Stay away from Freeway Support, they are terrible. I had them for 3 years before finding Nancy, who is a breath of fresh air. Another place for info is www.satforums.com register and go to the "Canadian Corner", good info there.

Mike

 

[Derwin0]

Mike,

I know. I was offering a solution to someone who didn't want to use a credit card.

I used to use a debit card to pay for Bell, but switched to billpay through my wife's Royal Bank account (prefer to have control over when payments are made, instead of auto debits, I wish Bell would allow credit card payments on their webpage, ala Dish).
No need for a broker as my in-laws gave my wife their old house up in Northern Ontario when they bought a new one, and Vonage offers Canadian phone numbers

I do agree that Kusat is great for buying your hardware.

 

[mhking]

Yeah - I'm looking at getting an account with the VISA check card. My bank doesn't offer it, but the local RBC Centura (Yep, they're owned by Royal Bank of Canada) branch, which isn't far from my home, I'm pretty sure offers one.

Once I solve that obstacle, then I'll jump back in -- right now, I'm most likely leaning toward SC, simply because of the hassles and headaches that folks have mentioned regarding BEV. I just wish SC offered CoolTV (since D* doesn't offer BET Jazz, I've gotta get my jazz fix somewhere... )

Hey, Iceberg -

I realize that BEV has more HD, is SC going to play catchup on that, or is dealing with BEV's headaches the best way to go?

 

[Fgsilva]

Yeah - I'm looking at getting an account with the VISA check card. My bank doesn't offer it, but the local RBC Centura (Yep, they're owned by Royal Bank of Canada) branch, which isn't far from my home, I'm pretty sure offers one.

Once I solve that obstacle, then I'll jump back in -- right now, I'm most likely leaning toward SC, simply because of the hassles and headaches that folks have mentioned regarding BEV. I just wish SC offered CoolTV (since D* doesn't offer BET Jazz, I've gotta get my jazz fix somewhere... )

Hey, Iceberg -

I realize that BEV has more HD, is SC going to play catchup on that, or is dealing with BEV's headaches the best way to go?

Howdy,

my 2 cents. I just got Evu. Purchased the system from kusat and using TVM for a broker. Other than UPS messing up delivery (took them 2 weeks!) all was good. Great to be able to have all the US networks in HD. Some of them (for example ABC seatlle) even has the news in HD. The reason why I went with Evu as opposed to Sc was that they had the actual network feeds. Sc has 9 or so dedicated channels showing only the same HD shows over and over...

 

[Mr Tony]

ExpressVu has a dedicated channel for the Networks for HD
CBS E HD
CBS W HD
ABC E HD
And so on…..if its not HD, its upconverted

Starchoice does it different. Since Cancom (their company) supplies the HD for Shaw cable too, they just use that.

So HD4 would have the primetime schedule for CBS E and then for CBS W as an example.

So instead of having 10 channels for HD, SC uses 5 (one for each Network)

 

[Satellite Expert]

Having had both HD systems, I'll throw in my 2 cents worth.

The Omnibus HD channels on SC are certainly not as user friendly as Expressvu's dedicated channels. However the SC HD IPG indicates true HD programs.

Bell's HD channels are not available on SC/Cancom due to contract disputes. But CTV offers nothing than is not from US networks and TSN/DiscoveryHD offer next to nothing.

The HD PQ is better on SC - sharper more detailed picture. This is even more pronounced using DSR500 receiver as opposed to 4XX/HDD20X setups.

SD PQ is way better on most channels on SC - especially with the DSR500. PQ on the low loading transponders (such as TSN and Sportsnet) is almost as good as 4DTV. It is the best PQ of any DTH/DBS supplier in North America.

 

[Mr Tony]

I just switched from EvU to SC and I do notice a better picture on SC (mainly due to not loading the TP's with 12 channels per)