Sandman
02-22-2009, 09:41 PM
I've been a very satisfied directv customer for several years. The other day I got an hd tv and had them upgrade my service. Here are some of my initial thoughts:
Pros:
+They gave me all the new equipment and installed for free.
+Initially they said it would be 5 weeks before they could do the install, so they gave me the hd access free for the first 6 months.
+After logging onto my account, I realized I could see the order and reschedule it. I kept checking back and got it scheduled for a week after my initial call, and I got to keep the free 6 month hd access :)
+They installed a SWM system. This allowed for one cable to be ran to the dvr and would support both tuners.
+HD looks really good.
+The "Active" channel is pretty neat.
+The guide is easier to sort and it is easier to find shows and manage season passes.
+The remote scheduling is really neat and easy to use!
Cons:
-Had to sign a 2 year contract.
-Locals thru directv do not have all the other hd side channels.
-My old dvr was a directv tivo that I owned, not leased.
-The tivo software is so much more intuitive. This directv software sucks.
-The directv tivo had a 30 minute buffer on each tuner and I could swap between tuners effortlessly. I just assumed it would be a feature of the new dvr. I hunted for an hour before I realized it wasn't there. WTH? What idiot thought that wasn't a necessary feature!?:mad:
-PPV.. this stuff expires in 24 hours now:mad:. WTH is that all about!?!?!? My old dvr I could buy and record, then watch it whenever and as often as I like. Not anymore. Directv blames the movie studios and DRM. If I buy a song off iTunes, I don't have to buy it again in 24 hours.
-OnDemand is neat, but not much to watch of interest on there.
-The HD Extra pack should be part of the premier package.
Good news is that tivo and directv are supposed to be working on a new dvr together. (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P4900010#)
I'm going to give this a little more time. I may cancel all this hd stuff and go back to my old directv tivo.
Pros:
+They gave me all the new equipment and installed for free.
+Initially they said it would be 5 weeks before they could do the install, so they gave me the hd access free for the first 6 months.
+After logging onto my account, I realized I could see the order and reschedule it. I kept checking back and got it scheduled for a week after my initial call, and I got to keep the free 6 month hd access :)
+They installed a SWM system. This allowed for one cable to be ran to the dvr and would support both tuners.
+HD looks really good.
+The "Active" channel is pretty neat.
+The guide is easier to sort and it is easier to find shows and manage season passes.
+The remote scheduling is really neat and easy to use!
Cons:
-Had to sign a 2 year contract.
-Locals thru directv do not have all the other hd side channels.
-My old dvr was a directv tivo that I owned, not leased.
-The tivo software is so much more intuitive. This directv software sucks.
-The directv tivo had a 30 minute buffer on each tuner and I could swap between tuners effortlessly. I just assumed it would be a feature of the new dvr. I hunted for an hour before I realized it wasn't there. WTH? What idiot thought that wasn't a necessary feature!?:mad:
-PPV.. this stuff expires in 24 hours now:mad:. WTH is that all about!?!?!? My old dvr I could buy and record, then watch it whenever and as often as I like. Not anymore. Directv blames the movie studios and DRM. If I buy a song off iTunes, I don't have to buy it again in 24 hours.
-OnDemand is neat, but not much to watch of interest on there.
-The HD Extra pack should be part of the premier package.
Good news is that tivo and directv are supposed to be working on a new dvr together. (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P4900010#)
I'm going to give this a little more time. I may cancel all this hd stuff and go back to my old directv tivo.