Purchased a Sony 55 inch 4k TV and have to move from ATTUverse to Direct TV.........

northGAcock

For anyone who has made this change.....what have been the upsides and downsides (other than the 4K quality of the stations broadcast). Have there been issues with the dish / picture impact from weather conditions? Price up or down?

Also any general thoughts on the 4k? Right stoked about it myself.

Thanks in advance.

pgprescott

I like Directv.  You will loose signal in heavy storms. Good luck. 

HofstraJet

Have you signed up for DirecTV service yet?

northGAcock

HofstraJet said:

Have you signed up for DirecTV service yet?

I am just about to. 

SoCalTim

I know the NFL season is all but over, but the NFL package comes FREE in the first year, if can ask, (and they will do it) they'll give it for the next season. Ask now, if you wait them they'll tell you 'sorry' ... 

HofstraJet

OK - here are my thoughts as a DirecTV customer for 18 years. If I can explain anything further, just let me know - I could go on forever so I will try to be brief and simplistic about things.

First, get everything you possibly can in the initial order, meaning the 4K capable Genie DVR, DVRs for every other room (if you can avoid the Genie minis, do so), etc.  Once you become a customer and are bound to the two year agreement, everything is nickel and dime - they have no incentive to give you anything for free. Look around the internet to see what the best offers are - AAA and many other organizations have deals as well. Decide what programming you want long term - if less than everything, be sure to keep track of any free trials they give you and cancel right before the free period ends - they try to get you with that.

I don't recall if they have a wifi option yet, but try to avoid it if they do - always best to have a hardline connection for your internet to your DirecTV network. If you have your internet router/wifi access point near a cable outlet, it shouldn't be a problem. All of the receivers work on their own network over the coaxial cable, so you just need to connect the internet at one point to the receiver network.

Be aware that the free installation includes running wires along the outside of your house and punching through wherever you need an outlet in the house (assuming they don't use the existing cabling from your cable TV). If you want wires run properly through the attic/behind walls, be prepared to pay for it. Discuss all of this with your installer when they arrive and walk through the installation in each room and where the dish will be located before they start work. Do you have a good spot for the dish with clear SW exposure (satellites are over Texas - assuming this is going to be installed in SC)? Keep in mind bare trees will have leaves in summer so plan accordingly.

How many receivers will you have in total? Depending on how complicated this will be, some additional advice may be needed.

If you don't have anyone referring you, I'd be glad to - we both get an incentive. Just PM me.

If you have AT&T for home internet and/or cell service, you get unlimited data once you become a DirecTV customer - be sure they combine your billing to take advantage of this.

If I think of more, will post it.

Good luck!

Hotch

Here's my thoughts on Direct TV.
Don't do it!!

kl8ton

HofstraJet said:

Be aware that the free installation includes running wires along the outside of your house and punching through wherever you need an outlet in the house 

A previous neighbor did this and must have signed up for the 6 room package.  It looked like an octopus was holding on to his house.  Wires all over the exterior.  

I have done both sat and cable.  All companies really are terrible.  Comcast has a monopoly here, not sure about other areas.  No competition for the cable company.  

I stick to cable.  I prefer being hardwired.

If cable is available - I would get that instead.  

northGAcock

kl8ton said:

HofstraJet said:

Be aware that the free installation includes running wires along the outside of your house and punching through wherever you need an outlet in the house 

A previous neighbor did this and must have signed up for the 6 room package.  It looked like an octopus was holding on to his house.  Wires all over the exterior.  

I have done both sat and cable.  All companies really are terrible.  Comcast has a monopoly here, not sure about other areas.  No competition for the cable company.  

I stick to cable.  I prefer being hardwired.

If cable is available - I would get that instead.  

I feel the same way.....but it is my understanding that it is the only option to get 4K broadcasting. My house has the infrastructure to support this. I have central closet / panel all the rooms point to.

northGAcock

Hotch said:

Here's my thoughts on Direct TV.
Don't do it!!

I have been a happy ATT Uverse customer...this is painful to switch.

HofstraJet

Oh - one thought on rain/snow fade - if you dish is very well aligned (high 90s on all transponders), you won't experience much rain fade. You will notice it two times: when a storm is brewing high in the sky - weather may be fine but signal will fade as the signal is being scattered high in the sky. And when there is a really heavy rainstorm. Nature of the beast and can't do anything about it. Consider how often you get a really heavy rainstorm - we get much more in SE Florida and it isn't that bad. But it is all dependent on how well your dish is aligned - many installers will do the bare minimum to get past the verification and leave it at that. If your signal strength on the 101 satellite is below 95 on average, it needs to be fixed.

As for snow fade, that comes from snow accumulating on the dish itself. I have read that some people spray cooking spray on the dish to allow snow to slide off. Read up on it and see what suggested fixes there are - I don't have any first hand experience with snow fade.

Many people joke about losing signal in every rain storm, but that's because many dishes are poorly aligned. And consider this - after hurricanes, people are without cable for weeks - I have a spare dish and am up as soon as the storm passes.

northGAcock

HofstraJet said:

OK - here are my thoughts as a DirecTV customer for 18 years. If I can explain anything further, just let me know - I could go on forever so I will try to be brief and simplistic about things.

First, get everything you possibly can in the initial order, meaning the 4K capable Genie DVR, DVRs for every other room (if you can avoid the Genie minis, do so), etc.  Once you become a customer and are bound to the two year agreement, everything is nickel and dime - they have no incentive to give you anything for free. Look around the internet to see what the best offers are - AAA and many other organizations have deals as well. Decide what programming you want long term - if less than everything, be sure to keep track of any free trials they give you and cancel right before the free period ends - they try to get you with that.

I don't recall if they have a wifi option yet, but try to avoid it if they do - always best to have a hardline connection for your internet to your DirecTV network. If you have your internet router/wifi access point near a cable outlet, it shouldn't be a problem. All of the receivers work on their own network over the coaxial cable, so you just need to connect the internet at one point to the receiver network.

Be aware that the free installation includes running wires along the outside of your house and punching through wherever you need an outlet in the house (assuming they don't use the existing cabling from your cable TV). If you want wires run properly through the attic/behind walls, be prepared to pay for it. Discuss all of this with your installer when they arrive and walk through the installation in each room and where the dish will be located before they start work. Do you have a good spot for the dish with clear SW exposure (satellites are over Texas - assuming this is going to be installed in SC)? Keep in mind bare trees will have leaves in summer so plan accordingly.

How many receivers will you have in total? Depending on how complicated this will be, some additional advice may be needed.

If you don't have anyone referring you, I'd be glad to - we both get an incentive. Just PM me.

If you have AT&T for home internet and/or cell service, you get unlimited data once you become a DirecTV customer - be sure they combine your billing to take advantage of this.

If I think of more, will post it.

Good luck!

Thanks @HofstraJet    Currently I have an ATT U verse system. One of my terminals is wireless meaning I can place a TV anywhere inside the house....and outside. I assume this option goes away with Direct TV?

HofstraJet

northGAcock said:

HofstraJet said:

OK - here are my thoughts as a DirecTV customer for 18 years. If I can explain anything further, just let me know - I could go on forever so I will try to be brief and simplistic about things.

First, get everything you possibly can in the initial order, meaning the 4K capable Genie DVR, DVRs for every other room (if you can avoid the Genie minis, do so), etc.  Once you become a customer and are bound to the two year agreement, everything is nickel and dime - they have no incentive to give you anything for free. Look around the internet to see what the best offers are - AAA and many other organizations have deals as well. Decide what programming you want long term - if less than everything, be sure to keep track of any free trials they give you and cancel right before the free period ends - they try to get you with that.

I don't recall if they have a wifi option yet, but try to avoid it if they do - always best to have a hardline connection for your internet to your DirecTV network. If you have your internet router/wifi access point near a cable outlet, it shouldn't be a problem. All of the receivers work on their own network over the coaxial cable, so you just need to connect the internet at one point to the receiver network.

Be aware that the free installation includes running wires along the outside of your house and punching through wherever you need an outlet in the house (assuming they don't use the existing cabling from your cable TV). If you want wires run properly through the attic/behind walls, be prepared to pay for it. Discuss all of this with your installer when they arrive and walk through the installation in each room and where the dish will be located before they start work. Do you have a good spot for the dish with clear SW exposure (satellites are over Texas - assuming this is going to be installed in SC)? Keep in mind bare trees will have leaves in summer so plan accordingly.

How many receivers will you have in total? Depending on how complicated this will be, some additional advice may be needed.

If you don't have anyone referring you, I'd be glad to - we both get an incentive. Just PM me.

If you have AT&T for home internet and/or cell service, you get unlimited data once you become a DirecTV customer - be sure they combine your billing to take advantage of this.

If I think of more, will post it.

Good luck!

Thanks @HofstraJet    Currently I have an ATT U verse system. One of my terminals is wireless meaning I can place a TV anywhere inside the house....and outside. I assume this option goes away with Direct TV?

DirecTV has a wireless Genie mini, but I have no first hand experience with it. This message board will answer all of your questions:

http://www.dbstalk.com/community/index.php?forums/directv-hd-dvr-receiver-discussion.53/

DoubleEgger

If you do sign up, I'll give you my acct number before you call. You'll get $100 off and I will too. 

HofstraJet

kl8ton said:

HofstraJet said:

Be aware that the free installation includes running wires along the outside of your house and punching through wherever you need an outlet in the house 

A previous neighbor did this and must have signed up for the 6 room package.  It looked like an octopus was holding on to his house.  Wires all over the exterior.  

I have done both sat and cable.  All companies really are terrible.  Comcast has a monopoly here, not sure about other areas.  No competition for the cable company.  

I stick to cable.  I prefer being hardwired.

If cable is available - I would get that instead.  

I have 15 receivers in my house - no wires showing anywhere. Dish wires enter the attic right there and everything else is behind walls. But I did much of it myself and paid for the rest. One time expense that is well worth it.

HofstraJet

DoubleEgger said:

If you do sign up, I'll give you my acct number before you call. You'll get $100 off and I will too. 

I asked first.

DoubleEgger

HofstraJet said:

DoubleEgger said:

If you do sign up, I'll give you my acct number before you call. You'll get $100 off and I will too. 

I asked first.

Dang I must have missed that! 

Gulfcoastguy

When I held my previous price negotiation with AT&T Uverse they told me that in order to have 4K I would have to get Direct TV. Maybe it only goes out during heavy rainstorms but I live in a subtropical Katrina Zone. My eyes that are closer to 60 than 50 probably couldn't appreciate the difference between 1080P and 4K. Add to that the fact that my 70 pound dog would probably pee the dish post in half and I'll be a dish head about the time they strew my ashes.

bhedges1987

Google Fiber  

Hotch

bhedges1987 said:

Google Fiber  

I wish we had it here!

HofstraJet

If possible, get the earliest appointment window of the day. The installers generally run late and for a new install, there is a fair amount of work to do so you don't want them showing up at 4:30.

SmokeyPitt

I could be mistaken, but I think with direct TV only 3 of the channels are in 4K format and one of those is pay per view.  The other channels are just going to be in plain ol' HD. 

https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/directv/KM1040584

Watch DIRECTV 4K Ultra HD channels

DIRECTV offers 4K channels broadcasting 4K programming around the clock. Currently, our 4K lineup consists of three channels: 104, 105, and 106. Only channels 104 and 105 are full-time 4K channels.

• Channel 104 features a mix of 4K content, including nature documentaries and original content from AUDIENCE®.
• Channel 105 is a Pay Per View movie channel playing full-length feature movies and short-form documentaries.
• Channel 106 is an event channel featuring free 4K live events such as Amen Corner from the Masters and Pay Per View events.

SmokeyPitt

I switched from Xfinity to Direct TV and the service has been fine but I really dislike the interface on the set top boxes.  They are really slow and laggy and it is hard to find anything.  If you are just flipping through the channels it is no big deal but finding something to watch on demand is a chore.  

HofstraJet

SmokeyPitt said:

I switched from Xfinity to Direct TV and the service has been fine but I really dislike the interface on the set top boxes.  They are really slow and laggy and it is hard to find anything.  If you are just flipping through the channels it is no big deal but finding something to watch on demand is a chore.  

Which box do you have? Some are slower than others.

I agree their on-demand interface is slow, but I don't really use it so doesn't concern me. The website is faster - you can just tell the receiver to record an on demand show. I almost never watch live TV (not even sports - I tape delay and start watching after it starts so I can ff commercials).  My interaction with the box is finding shows to record and then watching them. For that, they work fine.

EggNorth

Some impressive setups here ... I have to ask, what is on TV worth the cost?  We cancelled everything years ago, got Netflix and ok with that.  

Botch

Gulfcoastguy said:

My eyes that are closer to 60 than 50 probably couldn't appreciate the difference between 1080P and 4K. 

My eyes are in the same demographic.  I could see a better picture on a 4K set at Best Buy if I was two or three feet from the screen, but further back I couldn't see the difference.
 
Now, the difference between a top LED 4K from Samsung/Sony/etc, and LG's OLED screen, I can see, easily, from across the damn store!  Love those OLEDs, will pop for one of them if/when my 6-year-old LG LED (w/local dimming) dies.  

HofstraJet

Here's a chart showing the distance where resolution differences become noticeable based on screen size .

stv8r

Directv was the worst thing I ever tried.  As others have said the install was atrocious.  My crew showed up at 10:30pm on a weeknight and were installing until 2:00 am using flashlights.  My neighbors weren't happy.  Wires were poorly ran on the exterior as they refused to get in my attic (single floor rancher...very easy).  They messed up the actual dish mount and caused a roof leak partially collapsing the ceiling in my son's room after a heavy rain.  Horrible decision.  I'm a happy Fios customer now.

HofstraJet

The installers are the wild card - get a good one and you are in great shape. Get a poor one, and you end up with an experience like @stv8r ....or worse. Installing on a wooden post, tree, or anything mounted in dirt is a no-no, as is installing anything on the roof (eaves are OK, but not through the roof). It's terrible what some of these installers do.

Here's a thread of some horrible dish installations (may want to go towards the end of thread for more recent pics): http://www.dbstalk.com/community/index.php?threads/the-shame-thread-just-how-bad-can-it-get.146704/

SmokeyPitt

HofstraJet said:

SmokeyPitt said:

I switched from Xfinity to Direct TV and the service has been fine but I really dislike the interface on the set top boxes.  They are really slow and laggy and it is hard to find anything.  If you are just flipping through the channels it is no big deal but finding something to watch on demand is a chore.  

Which box do you have? Some are slower than others.

I agree their on-demand interface is slow, but I don't really use it so doesn't concern me. The website is faster - you can just tell the receiver to record an on demand show. I almost never watch live TV (not even sports - I tape delay and start watching after it starts so I can ff commercials).  My interaction with the box is finding shows to record and then watching them. For that, they work fine.

I have the HD44. I agree the web site and their apps work well for finding items to record.  If you don't watch a lot of on demand then it wouldn't be a big deal. 

EggNorth said:

Some impressive setups here ... I have to ask, what is on TV worth the cost?  We cancelled everything years ago, got Netflix and ok with that.  

Honestly I ask myself all the time why I am still paying for cable.  I watch Netflix or Amazon prime 90% of the time.  I guess I just kept cable for sports. 

Lit

I have been fairly happy with them overall. You will lose signal during storms and their customer service is non existent after you are under contract. I did the refer a friend thing when I signed up and the guy whose account I gave them never got anything and after multiple calls and several months of talking to people they said they would give me $40. Recently my cable stopped working all together so I called them and they said it would be $50 to send someone out. I told them they were crazy and I finally figured it out the cable they installed at the splitter into the house had come loose. They wanted to charge me to send someone out to fix their mistake. When it's working the picture is good though.