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Cancelling today after 9 years

8K views 80 replies 33 participants last post by  Steve 
#1 ·
Finally doing it.
I wanted NESN channel 628 - and to get in the choice package it costs me $113 a month with an hd dvr and 2 hd boxes.
Playstation vue just added NESN to their core package, which is $35 A MONTH!!!
 
#27 ·
Can't fault someone for trying to save money. If it works for you, great. If not, you can always pick something else or come back.
 
#28 ·
B. Shoe said:
Can't fault someone for trying to save money. If it works for you, great. If not, you can always pick something else or come back.
exactly. There is no contract involved with this. no boxes, none of that.
If I decide I don't like it, I'll get directv again some point for cheaper new customer prices. Or hopefully a cable provider gets into my town( supposed to be one in here by May).

I don't mind the 28 day limit on the DVR.
I usually on record live sporting events, and I watch them within a week.
All the other stuff I record can be watched anytime on on demand
 
#31 ·
I suspended a few weeks ago after 19+ years with D. Several factors, including the GenieGo and Mobile DVR / iPad app fiasco and changes since ATT in general caused me to look at my bill and my only alternative, local small cable company that I use for internet.

Buying a Tivo Bolt+ and mini currently gets us a $100+/mo reduction and faster internet speed. The Tivo iPad app works much better in home and OOH and has 30 skip!
 
#32 ·
bmetelsky said:
Why would he do that? He just indicated if he decided to come back he would want to take advantage of some of the new customer offers.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have to "sit out" a certain amount of time after cancelling service to qualify for new customer deals again?
 
#33 ·
B. Shoe said:
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have to "sit out" a certain amount of time after cancelling service to qualify for new customer deals again?
sure, the official time period to be consider a new customer is two years, this is not to say you won't get "come back" offers the next day after you cancel.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#34 ·
Clemsole said:
The money you save you will need to spend on Kleenex. Just one channel can't be that inportant.
NESN is if you're a Red Sox fan.
 
#36 ·
fleckrj said:
Why, then, does the footnote for SEC Network (along with Fox Sports Networks and Fox College Sports) state "Specific channels vary by market", even for the highest price package.

I agree that even at the Elite package, the price beats DirecTV hands down, but it seems I would also be giving up a lot - 28 day limit on "recorded" material, big 4 networks not live, no fast forwarding on some programs and networks, no "recording" of some programs and networks, only 720p, even for networks that are originally 1080i.

For the OP, who only wanted NEST in 720p, it makes a lot of sense, but it is not right for me.
Not sure I have it in Sioux falls.
Anyone with Sony TV's they just released app for Vue. Tried it out tonight just short period and seems to work good. Nice having the guide the Roku was missing.
 
#37 ·
B. Shoe said:
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have to "sit out" a certain amount of time after cancelling service to qualify for new customer deals again?
my wife could always put it in her name and she will get new customer pricing.
But as long as the Vue is working good like it has so far, and price stays cheap, I don't see myself giving it up
 
#38 ·
ejbvt said:
NESN is if you're a Red Sox fan.
I got it for Bruins games. And because there was no other way to watch the games in HD without NESN. If NESN releases a streaming app, I cancel Vue. Because I could sign in for free with the provider credentials from my work. It basically comes down to that Im paying $35 a month to watch Bruins hockey and a local news channel in HD now and again for $35. As I have access to all the other channels from work if I just add them on my TV, phone, chromecast, etc
 
#39 ·
mcl77 said:
my wife could always put it in her name and she will get new customer pricing.
But as long as the Vue is working good like it has so far, and price stays cheap, I don't see myself giving it up
How good is the HD quality of VUe? If Dish would upgrade their HD, I'd go with them in a heartbeat. But I can't take a chance on poor HD quality with a two year contract.
 
#40 ·
camo said:
Not sure I have it in Sioux falls.
Anyone with Sony TV's they just released app for Vue. Tried it out tonight just short period and seems to work good. Nice having the guide the Roku was missing.
Waiting for Sony to put it on my Blue Ray Player or for Samsung to add it to my Smart TV.
 
#41 ·
n3vino said:
How good is the HD quality of VUe? If Dish would upgrade their HD, I'd go with them in a heartbeat. But I can't take a chance on poor HD quality with a two year contract.
Its 720p, why not do the free trial and see for yourself. Its livable even looks better on some older shows being streamed at 720p compared to 720 on Directv (Tvland comes to mind) but not as good as Directs 1080i feeds IMO. You will need Playstation, Firetv or Roku for trial is the downfall. Don't use the stick versions, my understanding they only support 30fps so staying on safe side the later models of Firetv, Roku are preferred.
 
#42 ·
As far as HD quality for Dish its very close. Don't know if its the TV's I use for upscaling or what but locals actually look better out of Sioux Falls on Dish vs the LA feeds I get on Direct.
Don't get me wrong Directv is still better, I have HBO on both currently and if you look carefully you can see slightly more facial detail like lines, pimples etc. with Directv vs Dish.
But its dang close IMO. Just a guess but its possible Dish has been able to increase its resolution slightly because before it was obvious which service I was watching or maybe its just the Sony TV's.
 
#43 ·
n3vino said:
How good is the HD quality of VUe? If Dish would upgrade their HD, I'd go with them in a heartbeat. But I can't take a chance on poor HD quality with a two year contract.
Its pretty damn good. My internet is only 10 mbps, so it takes like 5-10 seconds before it gets into full HD mode.
Id imagine people with normal fast internet speeds you wouldn't really notice a different in the quality.

That's another thing I love about Vue. no contract. So If/when a cable provider comes into my town, with normal internet speeds, I have the option to just cancel it, and go with another option.
 
#44 ·
camo said:
Its 720p, why not do the free trial and see for yourself. Its livable even looks better on some older shows being streamed at 720p compared to 720 on Directv (Tvland comes to mind) but not as good as Directs 1080i feeds IMO. You will need Playstation, Firetv or Roku for trial is the downfall. Don't use the stick versions, my understanding they only support 30fps so staying on safe side the later models of Firetv, Roku are preferred.
yes. I use the fire sticks for my two upstairs Tvs. The guide is laggy. shows seem to run just as good as on my ps4 tho.
 
#45 ·
Yeah, I called to CANCEL, prices never go down. I did review of my plan to see what I watch on a routine bases and found that of the hundreds of channels I get I was watching or interesting in I was only using about 15 or 20 percent of them. My solution for me: Apple TV(I have three of them/outside antenna for locals) and the PlayStation Vue subscription (has cloud DVR). No monthly box cost, no unknown fees, cancel when I want, no one coming to my home to install stuff. After six years with DTV I foundly was able to reduce my bill, now paying $65.99 per month
 
#46 ·
Lenard said:
Yeah, I called to CANCEL, prices never go down. I did review of my plan to see what I watch on a routine bases and found that of the hundreds of channels I get I was watching or interesting in I was only using about 15 or 20 percent of them. My solution for me: Apple TV(I have three of them/outside antenna for locals) and the PlayStation Vue subscription (has cloud DVR). No monthly box cost, no unknown fees, cancel when I want, no one coming to my home to install stuff. After six years with DTV I foundly was able to reduce my bill, now paying $65.99 per month
By the on the Apple TV, the resolution is in 1080....
 
#47 ·
I have been a DirecTV subscriber since before they were DIRECTV. In the current environment they are simply over priced. And frankly the extra fees they continue to charge (HD fee?) is insulting. Can I call and beg them for discounts every 6 to 12 months...sure, but why should I have to jump thru hoops to get a reasonable price. I already have FireTV's and the PSVue service is excellent. I only have 4 TV's so the max 5 simultaneous streams has me covered. The only time I need 1080 is when I'm watching movies and I can do that using apps on my FireTV at up to 4K if I need it. Will the prices equalize over time? Maybe, maybe not...I think the relatively lower price points are here to stay. If not, so what, I'll take the savings now and worry about it later. Competition is a beautiful thing!
 
#49 ·
Yep, the original system I installed was a Hughes/USSB system. You had to by the dish and receiver(s) and do the install yourself. It wasn't until later that the whole thing was spun off by Hughes as DirecTV.
 
#51 ·
Ahh the memories!!....My billing in a rural county in Colorado was this....Movie channels went to USSB, the other channels went to Pegasus. At the time contracts for certain counties in the US were available to other distributors, not Directv "directly", hence the 2 payment method. Eventually DTV absorbed all those smaller distributors.
My billing to Directv happened in the early 2000s, but I've had their service since 1996.
 
#50 ·
FWIW... I am currently subscribed to the DirecTV Select package which is the cheapest package that DirecTV supplies and is actually advertised. It is the only package that does not include E$PN and the Regional $ports Networks. The $ports channels tend to be the most expensive of all the non-premium, but I am simply no more than an extremely casual fan, so why should I pay for them? I don't watch any of the news channels (they are all biased), Disney, Nick, the music channels. or Comedy Clueless. Conversely, why should someone who doesn't care for old movies pay for Turner Classic Movies? Yet, because of contractual agreements, the carriers end up having to carry minor channels that people aren't interested in as part of the contract to carry the channel that people are interested in. The contract disputes between the local station ownership group and the carriers that we saw at the beginning of the year doesn't help.

I understand the original poster's feeling. The only reason why I am a DirecTV subscriber is that I pay for it as part of the rental agreement with my mother which also includes local phone service, cell phone service, Internet access, driving service, and, of course, the cash payment each month. (If there is a house repair, such as replacing the roof, I pay HALF). I am ready to drop pay TV service and subscribe to... nothing.
 
#52 · (Edited)
Same here. Canceled last week. Could not be happier! Customer since 1996. Self install of a Sony SAT A-1 receiver with dual LNB dish. Having to deal with AT&T customer No-service since there purchase and current pricing, it was time to go. I have several Apple TV Gen 4's, 2 Nvidia Shield Tv boxes and a HDHomeRun Extend for recording OTA to a cheap NSA box. I also subscribe to Hulu, Netflix, Prime, HBO Now and pay roughly $46 a month. I am trying out DirectvNow and SlingTv but it's really just cable over the internet with commercials forced on you. Hulu does have something coming out soon that includes a DVR I will probably try. So no more paying for outdated equipment and being locked into a contract if I want to upgrade.
 
#53 ·
You should give PSVue a try. The cloud DVR functionality is really pretty good and allows you to FF thru commercials. It runs on Apple TV, not sure about the Nvidia Shield.
 
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