I apologize for repeating a post (a thorough one at that) from a few months ago, but I am moving out of state and now must plan to get the horn games over satellite, if possible. At the time of the prior post, I was satisfied with cable and Fox Sports Southwest. Which is the better digital satellite service for getting college sports games, particularly the horns and other Big 12 games? I'm leaning towards the Dish Network because they are running a very good rebate ($199), but do not want to regret the decision.
I asked the same question on here about a yr. ago before buying my system. And I recieved alot of good feedback. I ended up with the "dish" system. And between subscribing to "ESPN Gameplan" and the "FOX" network package I have been able to see all the Longhorn games that have been on the tube this yr. I fear however this Sat. I will be out of luck. Is'nt the Fox network or station who is carrying the game vs. Baylor, different than Fox SW ? ? ? Atcually , I did'nt see the U-la-la game. Was it televised ? ? And last yr. I saw alot of the Horns playing hoops via the BB-gameplan equvalent. To answer your question, I went with dish and have been happy. I live in Idaho, and seen more of the longhorns. I can't really give a good comparison to Direct TV however because I have never owned it. I know when I was looking into mine, some of the posters on here had been a costomer of one or the other , and switched. They will be able to give you a better comparison. HOOK 'EM
avoiding work. Go to cbssportsline.com. They have a deal on direct tv for free equipment and installation. You sign up for 3 months of the total package (the big one) and you are all set for the remiander of football season.
Go with Dish Network and get the Dish player. You get a receiver with a disk drive so you can record the games in full digital quality. You can also pause live TV and do your own instant replays. If you care more about NFL than college, DirecTV is the way to go. For college, I'd go Dish.
I have Dish only because it offers an international package (albeit with an additional dish and $25/mo). The problem with Dish is the Dish Fox Sports package includes all but one of the Fox Sports channels. The one not included is Fox West 2. This is the one that carried the ULALA game and now the Baylor game. This puts me at the mercy of my local sports bar her in Big-10 country where (thank's to Rob) I see there are three Big-10 games at the same time as the Baylor game. I would, therefore, recommend DirectTV which DOES include Fox West 2 in the sports package, which, incidently, costs only $4.95/mo on Dish and probably the same on Direct. The one advantage to going to a sports bar is I'll be able to watch the UNL-OU game.
Direct's customer service is the pits. Go with Dish. _______________________ "It's because I chatter that I do nothing. Or perhaps it is that I chatter because I do nothing." -- CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky
This is very surprising, because the last time this was discussed here a few months ago, almost everyone who had Dish was thoroughly pissed about the pathetic service they were getting. The general consensus at that time was to go with DirecTV. Edited by Orange90 on 10/24/00 02:53 PM.
If you're a Texas fan, you have to go with DirecTV: DirecTV gets Fox Sports West 2, and I understand that the Dish doesn't. All of the weekly 11:30am Big 12 Syndication games (like TX-ULa-La, TX-Baylor, etc . . .) are on Fox Sports West 2 -- so you gotta go with DirecTV Warning: DirecTV had a monumental screwup in Southern California during the TX-OU game on ESPN Gameplan and blacked out the game down here. I was incredibily pissed for a while. But I'm over it (they haven't screwed up anything else).
I have Direct and have seen every game this year except for CU and Mizzou -- No one saw those unless they were at the stadium or got luck on C-band. Also, I'd recommend against ESPN game plan if you're only interested in the Horns. When UT plays on ABC, I pick it up a la carte for $11.95. In the long run, it's cheaper that way.
I have also read that when you subscribe to DirecTV, you can give them a Houston/Austin/Dallas address. Get direct pay so they never send you a bill (or have it sent to a friend). I have heard of people living in Cali and getting local Houston channels because of the address they gave on sign up. I warn you that I haven't tried it, just read on another bbs that it can be done. This would be cool too if you like the Rockets, Cowboys etc. Good Luck.
dot con:BAD IDEA. The problem is that if you give a Houston address, they black out games shown on broadcast TV in Houston. Thus, because UT-Okie State was shown on ABC in Houston, they would black it out on your ESPN Gameplan selection (becuase they think you live in Houston and can pick it up on ABC). DO NOT list your address as Houston if you want to see Big 12 games on DirecTV.
dot.con is right! Trust me on this one. It works. You have to get the Houston or Dallas local channels to avoid the black out problem. They are less than $5/month. And you get FoxSW without any blackouts. BM "You appear intelligent but when you open your mouth the effect is spoiled" Edited by Blue Moon on 10/24/00 07:47 PM.
I have dish network and recommend you go with direct tv. I cannot get fox syndicated games on dish network and you can get it with direct tv. Another thing to consider is that after the first of the year, you can get what is called direct pc or direct duo. This is a connection to the internet through your satelite. Speeds will peak at 1 meg and average 800k. It will be full two way communication. You can also recieve direct tv with the same satelite. Dish network does not offer anything like this. Many of you may have a cable modem or dsl and have high speed access to the internet. I live in a rural area and do not. So direct duo will be a welcomed product. I hope it is as good as advertised.
The people I've talked to who sell the things have ALL told me to go with Dish Network. They said that the service, etc att DirectTV is HORRIBLE. From what I've read here, it sounds like it's a toss up!
UT Longhorn: You were misinformed. You can't get the Big 12 Syndication games on the Dish Network -- you can on DirecTV. If you're a Texas or Big 12 fan, you have to go DirecTV.
It's Dish no question - no wait my Dish has been out for 2 or is it 3 months now. But that's because I don't mail in the broken box - as there is no replacement for it in the Houston area... but I pay my monthly bill anyway --- because if i don't, the contract adds up to more than the remaining monthly payments...............what a bargain! So go Direct - - - or go Dish - who cares. Get an old b&w 13" battery tv and you'll never be disappointed. Lowered expectations = a happier life.
spunk -- I just signed up with Dish and they said they discontinued the digital receivers w/ recordable disk, too unreliable. The up front money (or lack of) is nice on Dish, but they don't seem to have the flexibility that DirecTV does for sports fans.
Good posts guys! This is one of the more interesting threads I've read. I have direct tv but haven't needed it for the Horns since I've attended all the home games+Stanford and OU. I hadn't heard about the internet connect feature...sounds really cool. I'm also impressed with the creativity expressed here--out-of staters can subscribe with a Houston address and take the local channel package--brilliant! rpongett, you were blessed that directv blacked out the OU game!
Has anyone been able to find the deal on Sportsline for a DirecTV system? I went there and saw nothing. Thanks.
I'm in the Austin area and I thought the commercials for Dish Network were offering two free satelites, free hookup and three months free movie chanels with the 150 channel purchase ($39.95/month). I haven't heard these commercials the last week, does anyone know if this offer is still good for the Ausin area?
Its been a long time since I had Direct, but I remember the service as being downright ******. Equivalent to SWBell. I have Dish now and I suppose I am getting all the games, but some on here are making a deal about the FoxSW channel. Of course, I go to all the games anyway, so I don't really know if I'm missing anything. I think, that even with Dish that you can order the additional channels that Direct has in one of there Spotrs packages and it still works out less than Direct. <i>"It's because I chatter that I do nothing. Or perhaps it is that I chatter because I do nothing."</i> -- CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Ripper:The Dish Network does offer the same regional sports channels as DirecTV, except one biggie: FOX SPORTS WEST 2 I checked The Dish Network's web site yesterday and confirmed that they don't carry Fox Sports West 2. While it sounds insignificant, its the only Fox Sports channel that shows all of the 11:30am Big 12 Syndiciation games -- like Texas-ULa-La, Texas-Baylor and probably Texas-Kansas. FOXSW does not show these games. Note: the 6pm Fox Sports Net games you can get on either DirecTV or The Dish Network -- they're on all Fox Sports Regional channels, including FOXSW. Thus, if you care about getting UT games, you have to go with DirecTV (unless the Dish Newtork adds Fox Sports West 2).
Oh yeah, what about a Cable Descrambler TX Box? Often called black boxes. Contrary to what people think, these things are actually legal in Texas and you can actually order one from a bona fide store. Basically, it works like this. You get basic cable from Austin Time Warner. It's like $8.95. Then, you buy a cable descrambler box. I think they run from about $100 - $200. The descarmbler box allows you to receive every single channel that you could've possibly ordered through you're cable company. So basically you pay your $8.95 basic cable fee and use the descrambler box to receive like 100 other channels. I had a friend who had one once and I swear he was getting like Playboy, HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, you name it! <i>"It's because I chatter that I do nothing. Or perhaps it is that I chatter because I do nothing."</i> -- CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky
A lot of electronics stores used to carry them before the advent of satellite TVs. I even remember Radio Shack having their own brand. I think it was made by Scientific Atlanta and remarked as Radio Shack. Anyway, this guy told me that due to FCC laws or something that Radio Shack could carry the descramblers, but not advertise them. I think they discontinued it though. Just go to Yahoo and type in "cable descramblers" and you will find a ton of stores that sell them. My friend bought on online and the salesperson was able to answer all his questions concerning state laws, static, etc. He had a Scientific Atlanta. The good brands are Scientific America, Jerrod, Pioneer, and Zenith (believe it or not, I heard these are good). <i>"It's because I chatter that I do nothing. Or perhaps it is that I chatter because I do nothing."</i> -- CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Oh, and another advantage that Cable Descramblers have over Satellite TV is that in addition to Playboy, HBO, Cinemax, etc you also get all, yes ALL of the Pay-per-view channels too. People often confuse cable descrambler boxes as illegal and getting free cable, but it isn't. Remember you still have to pay the basic cable fee to Austin Time Warner. But hell, I think it's like $8.95 and that sure beats the crap outta paying $79 for all the goodies on satellite. The cable descrambler box will pay for back in, oh about 2 minutes back to back Mike Tyson Pay-per-view fights that you would receive without having to pay the rippoff $40 per fight! If you are going for the sheer magnitude of channels you can get, go with cable. If you want to save money and get some good sports with some more Adult entertainment go with the descrabler box. I mean, who's going to say no to the Playboy channel? <i>"It's because I chatter that I do nothing. Or perhaps it is that I chatter because I do nothing."</i> -- CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Oh I was mistaken, what I meant to say was that if you are going to go for the most number of channels go can get then you gotta go with satellite (not cable), but if you want to save money and get most of the sports channels with all the other movie channels, adult channels, AND free Pay-per-view channels then go pay Austin Time Warner for the local cable fee and get a cable descrambler box. Just make sure you get a box that is compatible with Austin Time Warner's scrambling hardware. Ask the salespeople wherever you get it. Or just type in cable scramblers into the Yahoo box. Cheers! <i>"It's because I chatter that I do nothing. Or perhaps it is that I chatter because I do nothing."</i> -- CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky
I have DirectTV and have no complaints about the service. Two pints: (1) Any internet service provided through the satellite will be high-speed access only on incoming info. Outgoing info will have to go through whatever technology you have hooked up for local access though the phones. Your satellite system cannot transmit. (2) If you are interested in that digital recorder box, try TIVO from Phillips. I have had it since last Christmas and I absolutely love it. The box costs $200-$300, lifetime service about the same or you can pay soemthing like $9 per month. The Orange Conspiracy--from the outside, you can't see it, from the inside you can't talk about it.
