2006-12-12 06:20:10 · 4 answers · asked by renni1010 2 in Consumer Electronics ➔ TiVO & DVRs
buy one - they also offer for a small fee a monthly coverage should anything go wrong with it.. direct tv has that program. I had DTV for over 5 years and had a problem w/one of the receivers. they replaced it no charge.
2006-12-12 06:35:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you rent one, you are forever paying DirecTV for the box. If you keep that same box for a long time, you'll end up passing the break-even point and will just be throwing your money away. Also you can update the box (usually accompanied by a lease upgrade fee) later on when they come out with better stuff, like the HD PVR. Just to let you know, one of my DirecTV boxes is the same since I got the service in 1997 and it still works the same as it ever did.
I don't have problems with rain fade usually. It has to be raining very hard for it to cut out. Then again, I installed my own system and I get 100% signal strength on half the transponders with the lowest being 94%. If your dish is out of alignment or the tech who installs it doesn't care to take the time to aim it properly then sure a little bit of rain will make it cut out. The truth is with a properly installed system, you will have a perfect signal over 99% of the time. This was the result of an independent study. That's more than I can say for the cable service in our area. It would cut out at random times for no reason. Sometimes half the channels would say "no signal" in white at the top. Plus the picture quality was crap, the sound volume seemed to change on every channel and even the digital cable was really pixelated -- when it worked! Did you know that cable providers get their signals from satellites too?
The fee for equipment protection is $6/mo, by the way. Unless I had the HD PVR, I wouldn't bother since boxes are so cheap anyway. And for the guy who said buying the system was too expensive? If you can afford the $45/mo for the service, you can afford to buy the system!
2006-12-12 14:24:25 · answer #2 · answered by Geoff S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I currently have Direct TV and have had Dish Network in the past. I strongly recommend cable. The slightest bit of rain and you lose your signal. Here in Michigan we pay an enormously high rate for cable, but it's well worth it b/c of the constant change of weather. Just something to think about!
2006-12-12 14:30:54 · answer #3 · answered by BAJC 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you want to buy a satellite? you must be rich. where are you gonna store it? seriously, rent them. that way when the technology changes you arent stuck owning an outdated component that you will need to replace.
2006-12-12 14:24:15 · answer #4 · answered by fast98ws6 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋