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Can someone help me decipher this DirecTV deal?
I ran across this on DirecTV.com:
The link is http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/NewHar...P_CODE=unknown if it works for anyone but me... (or http://tinyurl.com/npno) -------------------------------- 3-Room DIRECTV® System with DIRECTV® DVR Includes one mini-dish, one DIRECTV(R) DVR, two standard receivers and three universal remote controls delivered by your installer. Standard professional installation is also included. Requires a 1-year commitment to any TOTAL CHOICE(R) package (starting at $33.99/month). DIRECTV(R) DVR with TiVo(R) service is $4.99 per month or FREE if you subscribe to TOTAL CHOICE(R) Premier programming. Add $4.99/mo. programming fee for second and each additional receiver. Unit Price Quantity 3-Room DIRECTV® System with DIRECTV® DVR $199.00 1 Handling and Delivery Fee $14.95 1 Installation Included $0.00 1 With an option for an Additional DirecTV Receiver @ $49.00 ea. ---------------------------------- Now, can anyone break that down into English for me? I see that I'm paying $215 up front, and that this includes 1 DVR receiver and 2 standard receivers. I also see that I would be paying at least $38.98/mo (the cheapest monthly package + $4.99/mo for the DVR service). What I'm not clear on is the "Add $4.99/mo. programming fee for second and each additional receiver." Does this include the 2 extra receivers that come as part of the deal? In other words, would I need to pay $48.96/mo just to get the "3 room" deal they are talking about? Or does the $4.99/mo fee refer to the ability to tune in a different channel simultaneously in different rooms? If this is the case, what's the point of having the DirecTV receiver in the other 2 rooms, as couldn't I just split the output from the DVR receiver and send it to my other TVs myself? I'm very confused... Anyway, I have Cable right now, and I pay $37.95/mo for that (I'm guessing that the channels I get are roughly comparable to the channels I would get on the $38.98/mo deal from DirecTV, without getting into specifics). So, at $38.98/mo, this seems like quite a deal. Unfortunately, I also have to consider that subscribing to cable TV is saving me $10/mo on my high speed Internet bill, so I'm essentially only paying $27.95/mo for cable (for the sake of comparing the price of a replacement service). So, $10/mo extra to get about the same channels sounds great considering I would be adding TiVo for only $200 in equipment costs. But another twist is local channels, which are $5/mo extra. So, $15/mo extra to get DirecTV with TiVo, plus $200 up front... This is seeming like A Good Thing (tm) to me... If only I knew what it meant that I had to pay $4.99/mo for each additional receiver... Now, if I only had a view of the Southern Sky........... ;) Oh, as a side note, does anyone know how much capacity these DirecTV DVRs have? -- Lenroc |
In article il.com,
Lenroc wrote: I ran across this on DirecTV.com: The link is http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/NewHar...OHO_ATTR_SERVI CE_ZIP_CODE=unknown if it works for anyone but me... (or http://tinyurl.com/npno) -------------------------------- 3-Room DIRECTV® System with DIRECTV® DVR Includes one mini-dish, one DIRECTV(R) DVR, two standard receivers and three universal remote controls delivered by your installer. Standard professional installation is also included. Requires a 1-year commitment to any TOTAL CHOICE(R) package (starting at $33.99/month). DIRECTV(R) DVR with TiVo(R) service is $4.99 per month or FREE if you subscribe to TOTAL CHOICE(R) Premier programming. Add $4.99/mo. programming fee for second and each additional receiver. Unit Price Quantity 3-Room DIRECTV® System with DIRECTV® DVR $199.00 1 Handling and Delivery Fee $14.95 1 Installation Included $0.00 1 With an option for an Additional DirecTV Receiver @ $49.00 ea. ---------------------------------- Now, can anyone break that down into English for me? I see that I'm paying $215 up front, and that this includes 1 DVR receiver and 2 standard receivers. I also see that I would be paying at least $38.98/mo (the cheapest monthly package + $4.99/mo for the DVR service). What I'm not clear on is the "Add $4.99/mo. programming fee for second and each additional receiver." Does this include the 2 extra receivers that come as part of the deal? In other words, would I need to pay $48.96/mo just to get the "3 room" deal they are talking about? YES Or does the $4.99/mo fee refer to the ability to tune in a different channel simultaneously in different rooms? If this is the case, what's the point of having the DirecTV receiver in the other 2 rooms, as couldn't I just split the output from the DVR receiver and send it to my other TVs myself? Yes, but then you'd have same program in all 3 rooms. I'm very confused... Anyway, I have Cable right now, and I pay $37.95/mo for that (I'm guessing that the channels I get are roughly comparable to the channels I would get You should carefully compare. Often folks find that one service or the other offers a few channels the other doesn't and that makes a big difference. on the $38.98/mo deal from DirecTV, without getting into specifics). So, at $38.98/mo, this seems like quite a deal. Unfortunately, I also have to consider that subscribing to cable TV is saving me $10/mo on my high speed Internet bill, so I'm essentially only paying $27.95/mo for cable (for the sake of comparing the price of a replacement service). So, $10/mo extra to get about the same channels sounds great considering I would be adding TiVo for only $200 in equipment costs. But another twist is local channels, which are $5/mo extra. So, $15/mo extra to get DirecTV with TiVo, plus $200 up front... This is seeming like A Good Thing (tm) to me... If only I knew what it meant that I had to pay $4.99/mo for each additional receiver... If you have 3 receivers you can watch 3 different programs, and pay $9.98/month for that priveledge. Most Cable Companies charge $6/month or more for a 2nd and subsequent digital tuner. Now, if I only had a view of the Southern Sky........... ;) Oh, as a side note, does anyone know how much capacity these DirecTV DVRs have? |
Lenroc ) wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:
Anyway, I have Cable right now, and I pay $37.95/mo for that (I'm guessing that the channels I get are roughly comparable to the channels I would get on the $38.98/mo deal from DirecTV, without getting into specifics). One of the hardest things to factor in is the ability to record two shows at once that the DirecTiVo gives you. What that is worth to you is...well, up to you. :) Oh, as a side note, does anyone know how much capacity these DirecTV DVRs have? About 30 hours for the unit they will ship you, but if you have ever installed hardware into your PC, you should be able to do an upgrade for the price of the larger hard drive. 120GB is the effective maximum drive size that TiVo can handle, and replacing the 40GB drive that comes with the unit will give you about 90 hours of recording time. -- Jeff Rife | 301-916-8131 | http://www.nabs.net/Cartoons/CloseTo...ePollution.gif |
In article il.com,
Lenroc wrote: Anyway, I have Cable right now, and I pay $37.95/mo for that (I'm guessing that the channels I get are roughly comparable to the channels I would get on the $38.98/mo deal from DirecTV, without getting into specifics). So, at $38.98/mo, this seems like quite a deal. Don't assume anything. When I started this process in 1999, I downloaded the channel lineups from my local cable company and from DirecTV, and then I put each lineup into an Excel column and sorted them alphabetically. I know this sounds almost too easy, but it gave me a fast and good comparison between the two. (My results: I lost a few inconsequential channels, but I gained Turner Classic Movies, the Cartoon Network, Court TV and the Food Channel, among many others. I also gained the east-west broadcast network feeds, because I live in the boondocks. I also got many more movie channels for the same money. That made the switch a no-brainer.) If your locals are on the satellite, the switch may be a no-brainer for you, too. I did see that you get a $10/mo discount on your hi-speed Internet bill. You have to decide whether the $10 is worth all the extra stuff you'll get from DirecTV. (I don't think a $10 discount is much of a deal, myself, and it shouldn't stop you from switching.) |
On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 15:09:45 -0400, Dr. Personality wrote:
Don't assume anything. When I started this process in 1999, I downloaded the channel lineups from my local cable company and from DirecTV, and then I put each lineup into an Excel column and sorted them alphabetically. I know this sounds almost too easy, but it gave me a fast and good comparison between the two. Good point. I'll likely try that. I know off hand I would be picking up TechTV, which is a plus (though I have seen TechTV, so I know it's not a huge plus). I did see that you get a $10/mo discount on your hi-speed Internet bill. You have to decide whether the $10 is worth all the extra stuff you'll get from DirecTV. (I don't think a $10 discount is much of a deal, myself, and it shouldn't stop you from switching.) Yup. Essentially, I would pay $15 more per month (neglecting tax differences) to go with DirecTV, and I would get a Tivo box for $200 (with the service fees being included in the $15/mo extra I'm already paying). Not a bad deal, but it hinges on my view of the souther sky (I live in an apartment...), and also on my reading of the advertise special. ;) Thanks for the response. -- Lenroc |
In article il.com,
Lenroc wrote: Not a bad deal, but it hinges on my view of the souther sky (I live in an apartment...), and also on my reading of the advertise special. ;) Lots of Apartments these days have farms of minidishes on the roof. |
On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 20:23:11 +0000, Phill. wrote:
Lots of Apartments these days have farms of minidishes on the roof. My apartment complex will not allow installation of dishes in any area that is considered to be a "common area", including outside of my patio "boundaries", or on the roof. I also am prohibited from drilling into an exterior wall for any reason. The FCC recently gave small dish users a lot of flexibility (namely by saying that leasors cannot prohibit leasees from placing dishes in "leased" or non-common areas), but it can still be hard to install a dish in some cases. Then, there's that tree outside my window... I tried previously to have Dish Network installed, and the installer stepped onto my patio and instantly told me it would never work. It ended up I would have to have the dish hanging about 5' off of my patio wall to see the satellite. Since I live on the ground floor, this would clearly interfere with a "common area". DirecTV, I understand, has it's satellites parked at a slightly different angle than Dish Network, which essentially means that I would have to point the dish further to the left. I see some people on the same side of the apartment building as me have success with DirecTV, but I'm not sure if I would or not... Oh well... cable works great ;) -- Lenroc |
Aaarr, Lenroc
What ye be sayin'? On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 20:23:11 +0000, Phill. wrote: Lots of Apartments these days have farms of minidishes on the roof. My apartment complex will not allow installation of dishes in any area that is considered to be a "common area", including outside of my patio "boundaries", or on the roof. I also am prohibited from drilling into an exterior wall for any reason. The FCC recently gave small dish users a lot of flexibility (namely by saying that leasors cannot prohibit leasees from placing dishes in "leased" or non-common areas), but it can still be hard to install a dish in some cases. Then, there's that tree outside my window... I tried previously to have Dish Network installed, and the installer stepped onto my patio and instantly told me it would never work. It ended up I would have to have the dish hanging about 5' off of my patio wall to see the satellite. Since I live on the ground floor, this would clearly interfere with a "common area". DirecTV, I understand, has it's satellites parked at a slightly different angle than Dish Network, which essentially means that I would have to point the dish further to the left. I see some people on the same side of the apartment building as me have success with DirecTV, but I'm not sure if I would or not... Oh well... cable works great ;) Do any of your immediate neighbors already have DirecTV? If so, you might be able to just spring for a switch and use their dish, if they'll let you, running some cables through an adjoining wall. -- Ted Rathkopf |
On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 20:37:15 +0000, Seises de Corazones wrote:
Do any of your immediate neighbors already have DirecTV? If so, you might be able to just spring for a switch and use their dish, if they'll let you, running some cables through an adjoining wall. No, unforunately ;( The closest one is 6 apartments (and one building) away... -- Lenroc |
In article ,
Phill. wrote: If you have 3 receivers you can watch 3 different programs, and pay Just to nitpick one point -- with this deal he was talking about, he could watch/record *4* things at once -- 2 on the DirecTivo, and one each on the regular DirecTV boxes. Those "3 room DirecTV deal free" ads sure are widespread.. (I guess I'm seeing them in the newspaper mostly.) This is the first time I've seen someone mention a "3 room" deal that has a Tivo in it. (obviously much more expensive though.) |
Matt Ackeret wrote:
In article , Phill. wrote: If you have 3 receivers you can watch 3 different programs, and pay Just to nitpick one point -- with this deal he was talking about, he could watch/record *4* things at once -- 2 on the DirecTivo, and one each on the regular DirecTV boxes. Actually, Matt, that's *five* things--record two on the DirecTivo, watch one recording on the DirecTivo, and watch one on each of the standard receivers. Those "3 room DirecTV deal free" ads sure are widespread.. (I guess I'm seeing them in the newspaper mostly.) This is the first time I've seen someone mention a "3 room" deal that has a Tivo in it. (obviously much more expensive though.) -- tooloud Remove nothing to reply... |
In article ,
tooloud wrote: Matt Ackeret wrote: In article , Phill. wrote: If you have 3 receivers you can watch 3 different programs, and pay Just to nitpick one point -- with this deal he was talking about, he could watch/record *4* things at once -- 2 on the DirecTivo, and one each on the regular DirecTV boxes. Actually, Matt, that's *five* things--record two on the DirecTivo, watch one recording on the DirecTivo, and watch one on each of the standard receivers. I meant 4 different things live.. I'm not really counting the ability to watch something *else* on the Tivo that was already recorded. (Not that I'm discounting that possibility, I do it all the time on my Tivo of course..) I just actually care about # of things at a time.. and argh, trying to sample some of the new shows, I'm ending up Tivoing 1, videotaping 1, and watching another live. (I only have 1 VCR reliable enough for unattended operation.. and don't really intend on buying more.. I'll have a DMR-E80 at some point to hopefully virtually retire the VCRs.. Hmm, when does that PS2 + DVR come out?? I've still got a bunch of unused Sony credit card points.) |
* Lenroc Wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo, on Mon, 29 Sep 2003 13:35:00 -0700:
On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 20:23:11 +0000, Phill. wrote: Lots of Apartments these days have farms of minidishes on the roof. My apartment complex will not allow installation of dishes in any area that is considered to be a "common area", including outside of my patio "boundaries", or on the roof. I also am prohibited from drilling into an exterior wall for any reason. The FCC recently gave small dish users a lot of flexibility (namely by saying that leasors cannot prohibit leasees from placing dishes in "leased" or non-common areas), but it can still be hard to install a dish in some cases. I had the same problem, I built a small plank that stuck out my bedroom window and mounted the dish on it. Worked like a champ for over a year till I moved. -- David | AGM Favorite Games - http://tinyurl.com/loec I know you believe you understand what you think this fortune says, but I'm not sure you realize that what you are reading is not what it means. |
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