What do you have? Mediacom, Directv, Dish, other?

garn91 · 11-30-2007, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by ajjohnson

Another reason for the poll being skewed, in larger cities a higher percentage of people live in high rise buildings and in apartments/condos in general that can't have dishes, where in Iowa a higher percentage of people live in houses.

Landlords and HOA's cann't unreasonably restrict dishes, FCC rules and regulations will over ride any unreasonable restrictions. As long as you have an "exclusive use" area like a deck or patio, there's not much landlords and HOA's can do.

garn91 · 11-30-2007, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by dustinal

For those out there who are comfortable divulging it, I'd like to know what people are paying for their service. What packages do you have, and how much do you pay?

I'm kind of cheap, so we got Mediacom digital basic when we moved into our house last summer because it was cheapest option I could find at the time. The introductory price for digital basic was actually less than the regular price for expanded basic. About $30 a month when you combine it with internet for another $30. But that introductory price will expire for me next summer.

The other factor is that I have an HDTV, but the only HD channels I have are the locals via antenna. I badly want some more HD channels, but I don't want to pay Mediacom another $10 a month just to get the ESPNs and a couple of others. I keep seeing the ads for DirecTV and their millions of HD channels, but I just want to know how much more I'd be paying for them.

I bundle DirecTV together with Qwest (DSL & phone) and my total bill is around $140 a month. I have 3 receivers (1 being a DVR), sports package, and choice extra package (DIRECTV - Package Choices).

DirecTV's HD package is $9.99 a month.

lakeliving · 11-30-2007, 12:12 PM

I have DTV and am pleased with the offerings, but the customer service is truly the worst I have ever encountered. If there is a problem, be prepared for LONG wait times for service, they do not (in my experience) have enough service technicians to service their product. Product=good, Service= lot to be desired
That being said, I am thinking of trying out Dish at the lake to compare the 2 products personally. Then when contract is up on each, switching to the one that I liked the best.

wonkadog · 11-30-2007, 12:25 PM

I'd concur with the long wait times. I heard from our technician that with the amount of people ditching Mediacom here in central Iowa, they've had to call in technicians from surrounding regions to try and help meet the demand.

travman23 · 11-30-2007, 12:49 PM

Dish Network and I love it. I have top 250 package + locals, 4 room package where 2 run on DVR. I have the $27.99 qwest internet so between the 2 I'm paying about as much as I was with mediacom internet and basic extended. Not regretting the switch, I tried to get Mediacom to give me a price break multiple times when I saw new customer ads and they always told me they couldn't give me the same deal as a current customer so finally had enough of being ripped off. Mediacom will try that BS about how Dish signal is not reliable but the only times I've ever lost signal is in a really bad storm and it comes back in a couple minutes. I had day-long outages with Mediacom before so I don't see how they are any more reliable.

My GF has Directv and I really don't like their menu guides. I think Dish has a lot better DVR system that is easier to use. I've never had a problem calling into Dish about something too. Got right through and their automated menus take care of a lot of it without even having to speak to someone.

ISUFan22 · 11-30-2007, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by wonkadog

I'd concur with the long wait times. I heard from our technician that with the amount of people ditching Mediacom here in central Iowa, they've had to call in technicians from surrounding regions to try and help meet the demand.

Yup.

I also learned (from our CF fearless leader in fact) that DirecTV is doing so many installs in the DSM area, they've had to pull people in from surrounding areas to help. As of a few weeks ago, DirecTV was doing over 200 installs a day in the DSM area.

garn91 · 11-30-2007, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Yup.

I also learned (from our CF fearless leader in fact) that DirecTV is doing so many installs in the DSM area, they've had to pull people in from surrounding areas to help. As of a few weeks ago, DirecTV was doing over 200 installs a day in the DSM area.

Wow

I know that a co-worker of mine has a several week wait to upgrade to DirecTV's HD dish and receiver.

dustinal · 11-30-2007, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by wonkadog

I'd concur with the long wait times. I heard from our technician that with the amount of people ditching Mediacom here in central Iowa, they've had to call in technicians from surrounding regions to try and help meet the demand.

Does anybody know if there's a significant difference in service quality among the different methods of ordering Direct TV? In other words, would you recommend ordering online, through Best Buy, through a local shop, etc? Or are they all the same?

cycloneworld · 11-30-2007, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by SuperCy

SPAM or PAM?

I think the SPAM chunks would freeze to the dish.

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Yeah, really. Cycloneworld, what are you thinking???

What kind of moron puts Spam on their dish?

Whew, I just got done laughing at that.

Another problem with using SPAM is that it may attract the raccoons.

lakeliving · 11-30-2007, 01:37 PM

I ordered mine locally to help a local business. They were great on installation and to the best of my knowledge did the exact same thing that a big company would have done. However once you have the service hooked up, all service calls are direct with company (DTV) and you are at their mercy to get a technician out to help you. I have had very friendly and knowlegeable technicians, no complaints there..............but wow, what a delay from initial phone call to actual tech showing up!

TOMMYBOY · 11-30-2007, 01:49 PM

Dose anyone know if mediacom in eastern Iowa can get tonights game? I know the FSN Big 12 football games are played on Comcast.

Rogue52 · 11-30-2007, 02:49 PM

Another thing you have to remember is that in other parts of the country, the cable companies are actually somewhat decent unlike MediaCRAP. In most parts of the country there is no such thing as analog cable anymore. If you sign up for cable, you automatically get a digital gateway. Not so around these parts!!!

alaskaguy · 11-30-2007, 03:03 PM

I have Dish TV since it is the only option for where I live.

There isn't cable and the Direct TV signal can't be captured this far north.