Switching to Comcast--better deal

[ilaudio]

I have been a loyal Dish Customer for 5 years. I've referred 4 poeple who have become Dish Subs. During that time, I've purchased 5 receivers. However when it came time for me to get MP4 technology and/or HD DVR---I had to shell out some serious $ for a production I wouldn't own and I had to commit. I realize Comcast's analog channels will not be as clear, but they offer some network HD channels that Dish doesn't like PBS, Starz HD, etc. I could care less about Voom. Plus with their upper packages, I get HBO, Showtime and a host of other channels ON Demand without paying addt'l fees. So I called to inquire on pricing. By registering at circuit city, I get $100 credit towards my bill. Plus because I am a subscriber to Dish, the gave me $25/mth off my bill for a whopping 16 mths! That's incredible. Their top tier programming plus 2 DVRs with tax costs me $90. Plus I can split the analog to as many tv's as I want.

$299 and an 18mth committment plus mthly fees for a bugged DVR from dish---they honestly pushed me away.

 

[rnesky]

Wow

Whats analog dip stick!

 

[teachsac]

Hi. Hope it works out for you. They do have a great deal in the beginning. I also would rather have STARZ!. Unfortunately, Comcast in my area does not have TNTHD. A must. It does have my regional sports in HD but I am not a Kings, Giants, or A's fan. Originally from SoCal.

 

[David Dietzel]

Don't be too smug and cancel Dish quite yet, bro.

Try out Comcast for a few weeks first.

For example, Charter in my area offered me what seemed to be a great deal as I was switching from satellite -- but only for a limited time, as is your deal. It turned out their HD-DVR was a buggy piece of junk -- slow, ugly programming guide, poor build quality, constant lockups. Three months after the new SA8300HD unit had been available, they said the units were unavailable indefinately -- yet when I cancelled the service they had one in the office -- so much for free equipment upgrades when you want them. The picture quality of their analog SD channels was HORRIBLE. The quality of their limited HD content was not as crisp as Dish. By the time I added up all the charges associated with their equivalent AT180 package with local and full HD offerings, their regular pricing was over more than $20/month more than Dish -- for a crappy DVR, lousy analog channels (so much for the lie of "digital" cable -- these people should work for the Bush administration), free equipment upgrades and vast HD content.

So, I was glad I kept Dish during the cable 30-day trial period -- boy, were they pissed when I dropped their crappy DVR back in their laps 10 minutes before my 30 days were up. It annoyed them to no end that I was sticking with Dish and that a room full of customers heard me rant about all the issues I had with Charter. You could just see the HATE in their eyes. They know that satellite has them over a barrel in my area.

Keep that Dish on your roof. You may be glad you did.

 

[garys]

$299 and an 18mth committment plus mthly fees for a bugged DVR from dish---they honestly pushed me away.

I've had the 622 for five weeks now, it is relatively bug-free.

 

[ilaudio]

rnesky--not sure what your problem is. Educate yourself before making statements.

As David Dietzel states, some are considered analog. Those are the same channels that do not need a digital box to watch on a tv. It's the same channels that you get when only ordering Comcast broadand. Even though you're not paying for the analog, they generally don't block those channels. I can have on 4 or more tv's that are in less viewed areas (kitchen, basement, etc) and not pay anything additional--unlike dish.

I am not dropping dish yet.....I will give them 1 month trial. I can cancel Comcast at any time. I truly appreciate a great picture. I just don't appreciate the fact that I need to pay $299 upfront to lease something and a monthly fee.

I fully expect to dislike some things about Comcast. But---I am saving $20-$30/mth getting more HD channels that I want to watch and getting 2 dvrs.

I will post my experience after 30 days.

 

[psumattDE]

Ilaudio-
It's all about being a "new customer". I just left Comcast for DISH - i'm now saving $30 per month - getting MORE channels - MORE HD, have a much better HD-DVR.

Doing a side by side comparison, DISH is killing Comcast is quality (both hardware and programming) - and more importantly, price.

 

[Weezknight]

It also comes down to where you live. I'm in Comcast's backyard and you'd think we'd get the best deal, but actually Dish offers me a better price point for a lot more than Comcast could offer me in my area.

 

[Chris Freeland]

I switched to Comcast less then 1 year ago because I can no longer get a line of site to the E* satellite where I currently live. Even with the Internet bundle I have now I could save money if switching back to E* was an option. I currently have Comcast Digital Basic which includes Preferred Basic (Limited Basic, Expanded Basic and Value Pack) and Digital Plus with 1 DVR and 1 standard STB. Digital Basic is $63.45/mo and 1 standard STB and remote is included in the price, however extra digital outlets are $6.95/mo each which includes the extra std STB and remotes and DVR's are an extra $9.95/mo each, I pay a total of $80.35/mo, a 3rd TV will have a analog only outlet in the near future for $0/mo extra. I would love to have another DVR for my daughters TV but that would be an another $9.95/mo and I can not justify that, I am already paying too much. If E*were still an option I could get AT180w/locals for $54.99/mo, add a 2nd 2 tuner receiver for just $5/mo and upgrade both of those to a DVR625 at another $5.98/mo each, that would still only add up to a total of $71.96/mo and even if I kept Limited Basic cable at $7.70/mo for the cheaper Internet rate, the grand total would only be $80.66/mo, but that is with 2 DVR's that could feed all 3 of my TV's plus my DVD-R box. If I were to upgrade my 2nd STB to a DVR with Comcast my Grand Total would be $90.30/mo, making E* approximately $10/mo cheaper for similar programing and equipment. Plus I like the E* epg, browse and menu features better then Comcast, not much difference in pq however.

 

[jb1945]

My $.02 on Comcast

I had Directv for over 4 years. Switched to Comcast (Sacramento). Received 1 year of HBO free. My one year is up, they want $18.00 for HBO. On Demand function is not worth much to me. Played with it the first month it became available. About 50% of the time it simply did not work. Have HD DVR in one room SD in another. Cost is about $82.00. I do like the Kings home games in HD, road games are sd unless it's a national telecast. Channels 1 through 99 are noticeably inferior quality. HD looks great. I expect to switch to Dish after the current flurry of changes settles down. I do not like the long commitment and the fee for rented equipment. It seems the only way to get a good price deal is to switch suppliers which may explain the 18 month commitment.

 

[riffjim4069]

The local cable company is like a box of chocolates...you know the rest. I actually signed up with Adelphia post VOOM DBS and received 12 months of programming discounts, with other bundled discounts and 3 HD DVRs, that E* couldn't come close to matching. However, my local Adelphia sucks both quantitatively and qualitatively: few HD channels, horrible analog PQ, the SA8300HD DVR was less than lovable, etc. Needless to say, I signed up with E* and had service less than 3 weeks later.

Good luck! I can certainly understand your frustration...there is only so much I am willing to spend to watch TV. If Comcast can do it better, cheaper, and offer programming that works for you, then go for it! Right now Dish Network provides us with the most bang for our buck (HD, 942/962) but hopefully Comcast and Verizon FiOS will roll into my neck of the woods and make me an offer I can't refuse.
$$$

 

[verytan]

Switched to Comcast last Dec.

Used the $400.00 credit dish trade and couldn't be happier.

Local tech support who speak english, no charges for changing premium channels.

Locals in HD.

Standard def channels, including analog look better than Dish Newtwork on my
57" Sony crt projection hdtv.

Don't plan on giving E* any money to buy equipment I'll never own for the honor of subscribing to a service I can get from cable + great internet service.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

I tried the cable route, Mediacom, even with the $25 dish credit, I got about 8 HD stations, no local NBC/ABC/CBS HD, and with 6 TV's, 4 SD digital boxes and 2 Buggy Motorola DVR's, my bill per month was $175.00.

With the Dish AEP and Superstations, an 18 month committment, I have 1 HD DVR, 4 HD 211's and 1 SD DVR, I am paying $127 a month. I get OTA HD locals built in, a ton more HD, and much better HD quality, and cables picture quality was so bad on my 5 LCD TV's, at times, it looked like a cartoon.

I paid $399 for the DVR and 2 211's and $1000 bucks for the other 3 boxes, but it's worth it to us.