Signed up for Directv again

[iTurbo6]

Had dtv for years and then grew tired of the lack of improvements, crappy guide, box fees, and the Apple TV streaming app being exclusive for the Stream sub.

Switched to antenna for locals and YTTV. YTTV didn’t get Laker games so eventually I canceled and signed up for Spectrum cable. Quality was AWFUL. I’m shocked they have subscribers that are okay with cable looking worse than streaming.

Thursday night I decided to see what’s new with directv and saw the Gemini and that the streaming apps work for Satellite now too. Signed up for a Gemini with just 1 box since I only watch in 1 room most of the time. Have the app on my Apple TV.

Install happened a few hours later early in the morning. Installer said they were shocked since nobody signs up for satellite anymore. Got an HS17, Gemini, and Deca. I pulled out the wireless antennas in the 17 right away since I don’t want causing any interference, paired the gemini with deca and then switched to Ethernet.

All in - very happy with this new and improved directv. Picture quality is outstanding. Just hope they can update the gemini to turn off HDR or even allow a native mode. I only want HDR on for an actual HDR program.

Who would have thought - all they needed was for ATT to step aside. I’m glad they lost Sunday Ticket - hated paying for the whole thing just to get RedZone. Now we can get redzone for cheap without the Sunday ticket max cost.

 

[DirecTVFanSince2016]

How ironic, a friend of mine I talk to online (who isn't on this forum BTW) has DirecTV and also has a home where you are (Newport Beach).

 

[robjlevin]

I canceled and signed up for Spectrum cable. Quality was AWFUL. I’m shocked they have subscribers that are okay with cable looking worse than streaming.

I'm glad you're happy, but there is not one provider out there, including Directv that provides a picture better than then most streamers.

 

[iTurbo6]

I'm glad you're happy, but there is not one provider out there, including Directv that provides a picture better than then most streamers.

Idk what you tell you. Streaming quality is not good and highly compressed in comparison. My OTA antenna is the best quality, especially my 3 ATSC 3.0 channels and directv satellite comes very close.

 

[John2021]

Idk what you tell you. Streaming quality is not good and highly compressed in comparison. My OTA antenna is the best quality, especially my 3 ATSC 3.0 channels and directv satellite comes very close.

cable is the worst way to watch tv!!! they have to compress the sh*t out of the bandwith to make room for things like the internets and home phone..
OTA will always be the best way to watch tv programming
then bluray
then a sat or some streaming services
dtv has always had better pq and audio quality than any cable co

 

[DirecTVFanSince2016]

dtv has always had better pq and audio quality than any cable co

100% agree! I haven't had cable since 2011!

 

[John2021]

100% agree! I haven't had cable since 2011!

i remember getting my first sony dish in 96 and i was blown away LOL. we dropped our service at that time media one i think down to basic broadcast for 5.00 a month

 

[sealrock]

Had dtv for years and then grew tired of the lack of improvements, crappy guide, box fees, and the Apple TV streaming app being exclusive for the Stream sub.

Switched to antenna for locals and YTTV. YTTV didn’t get Laker games so eventually I canceled and signed up for Spectrum cable. Quality was AWFUL. I’m shocked they have subscribers that are okay with cable looking worse than streaming.

Thursday night I decided to see what’s new with directv and saw the Gemini and that the streaming apps work for Satellite now too. Signed up for a Gemini with just 1 box since I only watch in 1 room most of the time. Have the app on my Apple TV.

Install happened a few hours later early in the morning. Installer said they were shocked since nobody signs up for satellite anymore. Got an HS17, Gemini, and Deca. I pulled out the wireless antennas in the 17 right away since I don’t want causing any interference, paired the gemini with deca and then switched to Ethernet.

All in - very happy with this new and improved directv. Picture quality is outstanding. Just hope they can update the gemini to turn off HDR or even allow a native mode. I only want HDR on for an actual HDR program.

Who would have thought - all they needed was for ATT to step aside. I’m glad they lost Sunday Ticket - hated paying for the whole thing just to get RedZone. Now we can get redzone for cheap without the Sunday ticket max cost.

Just went through a similar journey. We had Xfinity cable (Spectrum isn't a provider here) around a decade ago. Were with YTTV for 5-6 years, but I was never satisfied with the PQ for sports (have talked about it on this forum). Finally put in the work and got DTV set up and am really pretty happy. I had a brief detour back to Xfinity in the process of trying to set DTV up and the PQ was *so* bad - worse than YTTV - returned equipment in 30 day window and got out of that. DTV isn't perfect but I'm really happy with it.

 

[John2021]

100% agree! I haven't had cable since 2011!

Well i always thought cable would lose there ass to sat and streaming services the PQ sucks as well as the audio. now it's gonna be interesting to see how well they keep up with there internet offerings since there upload speeds are in the stone age. we have fiber so we have no use for cable and direct came out cheaper than spectrum did and spectrum will not renew promo's they rather you walk away.

 

[Jimbo]

Well i always thought cable would lose there ass to sat and streaming services the PQ sucks as well as the audio. now it's gonna be interesting to see how well they keep up with there internet offerings since there upload speeds are in the stone age. we have fiber so we have no use for cable and direct came out cheaper than spectrum did and spectrum will not renew promo's they rather you walk away.

Around here, our Cable company just finished running Fiber in the yards, so were good for the internet side of things with the Cable company.

 

[iTurbo6]

Around here, our Cable company just finished running Fiber in the yards, so were good for the internet side of things with the Cable company.

I think all the cable companies are supposed to be fiber by 2025. Internet speeds should get a lot better.

It would be great if they could improve their video quality though with fiber - surely has the bandwidth to handle 4k.

 

[KyL416]

There is no requirement for all cable companies to go all fiber by 2025.

As for picture quality improvements, don't hold your breath for Comcast. As part of their move to a unified MPEG-4 platform they are converting all 1080i channels to 720p, they claim no one will notice a difference, but just browsing their forums there are a ton of complaints each time the "upgrade" rolls out to a new system.

 

[DirecTVFanSince2016]

As for picture quality improvements, don't hold your breath for Comcast. As part of their move to a unified MPEG-4 platform they are converting all 1080i channels to 720p, they claim no one will notice a difference, but just browsing their forums there are a ton of complaints each time the "upgrade" rolls out to a new system.

They're also very greedy as well. Like Cartoon Network is in their most expensive package now, TCM is in their Sports package which honestly makes no sense whatsoever, NewsNation is in a "genre pack", etc.
And it seems like they did do that so-called "upgrade" of theirs on their system here (I go to a hotel a lot that has Comcast as their provider and all of the channels on there report as 720p in the TVs UI. I'm not sure if Spectrum has done similar compression, will have to see when I get to Myrtle Beach as the resort I'm going to there has Spectrum as their provider)

 

[Jimbo]

I think all the cable companies are supposed to be fiber by 2025. Internet speeds should get a lot better.

It would be great if they could improve their video quality though with fiber - surely has the bandwidth to handle 4k.

It would be nice if they could keep the prices low, but we know that won't happen.

 

[iTurbo6]

It would be nice if they could keep the prices low, but we know that won't happen.

they'll likely be competitive if your neighborhood has other fiber options. example: my old house had att fiber and cox fiber. nobody signed up for cox at first because their prices were way higher than att. eventually they matched att prices and people signed on. each have their own benefits - att has ipv6 working but forces you to use their gateway (which you can bypass) while Cox/cable co's let you use your own equipment but, at that time, no ipv6 support for fiber.

 

[Jimbo]

they'll likely be competitive if your neighborhood has other fiber options. example: my old house had att fiber and cox fiber. nobody signed up for cox at first because their prices were way higher than att. eventually they matched att prices and people signed on. each have their own benefits - att has ipv6 working but forces you to use their gateway (which you can bypass) while Cox/cable co's let you use your own equipment but, at that time, no ipv6 support for fiber.

Here, we have the option of the Cable company with thier New Fiber, or I think Frontier is back there still, NON Fiber.

 

[John2021]

Around here, our Cable company just finished running Fiber in the yards, so were good for the internet side of things with the Cable company.

out here we have so may internet providers it's insane

 

[John2021]

I think all the cable companies are supposed to be fiber by 2025. Internet speeds should get a lot better.

It would be great if they could improve their video quality though with fiber - surely has the bandwidth to handle 4k.

At one of out addresses we had spectrum with a fiber connection and it was still Bullsh!t. with upload speeds from 1906. i wonder at what cost the plans are going to be when docsis 4.0 get's released. FIOS is alot better and alot cheaper to than big cable!!!

 

[John2021]

Had dtv for years and then grew tired of the lack of improvements, crappy guide, box fees, and the Apple TV streaming app being exclusive for the Stream sub.

Switched to antenna for locals and YTTV. YTTV didn’t get Laker games so eventually I canceled and signed up for Spectrum cable. Quality was AWFUL. I’m shocked they have subscribers that are okay with cable looking worse than streaming.

Thursday night I decided to see what’s new with directv and saw the Gemini and that the streaming apps work for Satellite now too. Signed up for a Gemini with just 1 box since I only watch in 1 room most of the time. Have the app on my Apple TV.

Install happened a few hours later early in the morning. Installer said they were shocked since nobody signs up for satellite anymore. Got an HS17, Gemini, and Deca. I pulled out the wireless antennas in the 17 right away since I don’t want causing any interference, paired the gemini with deca and then switched to Ethernet.

All in - very happy with this new and improved directv. Picture quality is outstanding. Just hope they can update the gemini to turn off HDR or even allow a native mode. I only want HDR on for an actual HDR program.

Who would have thought - all they needed was for ATT to step aside. I’m glad they lost Sunday Ticket - hated paying for the whole thing just to get RedZone. Now we can get redzone for cheap without the Sunday ticket max cost.

Does charter have fiber in your area it sounds like it's still coax. we have fiber in our area and the PQ is as good as direct!!! shocking... though i wasn't about to pay 135.00 for 87 channels minius the music choice and the duplicates with one DVR box. with no whole home DVR.

 

[DirecTVFanSince2016]

A friend of mine lives where iTurbo6 lives, he's told me before they are serviced by COX.