Somewhat OT: DirecTV + HD + the Suns

[scoutmasterdave]

I am moving Thursday night (draft night - the horror!), and in the new house I will be signing up for either cable or satellite HD service. Enough of this over-the-air HD crap. Should I go with Cox or DirecTV? I'm currently with DirecTV, and have been happy thus far.

If I go with DirecTV, do I have to buy the Sports Pack to get FSN Suns and DBacks games in HD? I know you do for non-HD, but I've heard rumors that the FSN HD stuff is included in the regular "HD Access" package. Can anyone confirm that?

Final question, for you Cox subscribers - does the Cox HD DVR suck as bad as the regular Cox DVR? That thing was so buggy, it prompted me to switch to DirecTV, and I won't switch back unless it's at least a little better.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Covert Rain]

I am moving Thursday night (draft night - the horror!), and in the new house I will be signing up for either cable or satellite HD service. Enough of this over-the-air HD crap. Should I go with Cox or DirecTV? I'm currently with DirecTV, and have been happy thus far.

If I go with DirecTV, do I have to buy the Sports Pack to get FSN Suns and DBacks games in HD? I know you do for non-HD, but I've heard rumors that the FSN HD stuff is included in the regular "HD Access" package. Can anyone confirm that?

Final question, for you Cox subscribers - does the Cox HD DVR suck as bad as the regular Cox DVR? That thing was so buggy, it prompted me to switch to DirecTV, and I won't switch back unless it's at least a little better.

Thanks in advance!

I say stick with DTV. They are adding a bunch of HD channels in September plus if your football fan you can get the NFL in HD. I would say in general you get more sports HD with DTV if your willing to pony up for it.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I am moving Thursday night (draft night - the horror!), and in the new house I will be signing up for either cable or satellite HD service. Enough of this over-the-air HD crap. Should I go with Cox or DirecTV? I'm currently with DirecTV, and have been happy thus far.

If I go with DirecTV, do I have to buy the Sports Pack to get FSN Suns and DBacks games in HD? I know you do for non-HD, but I've heard rumors that the FSN HD stuff is included in the regular "HD Access" package. Can anyone confirm that?

Final question, for you Cox subscribers - does the Cox HD DVR suck as bad as the regular Cox DVR? That thing was so buggy, it prompted me to switch to DirecTV, and I won't switch back unless it's at least a little better.

Thanks in advance!

I've heard nothing but bad things about COX's dvr's...any of them.

I'd stick with DTV as well.

 

[O]

I have Cox nad have no problem with it what so ever, including the HD-DVR. It isn't TIVO but I have no problems with it and it certainly isn't buggy.
I've had Dish, DTV and Cox and I think the HD picture quality of Cox is better then the others. There is no HD-Lite with Cox.

As far as adding new channels here is a C&P of a recent article;

News
Cox Eyes 50 HDTV Channels In 2007
The cable operator says customer demand for more high-def is growing.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (June 20, 2007) -- Cox Communications, which now carries less than 20 High-Definition channels, hopes to expand its HD lineup to 50 channels by year's end.

That's according to an article in Multichannel News.

Cox president Pat Esser told an industry conference today that the cable operator hopes to offer 100 HDTV channels by the end of 2009. He said that customers are demanding more high-def offerings.
“We’re seeing an explosion in interest and I think we have to get ready for that,” Esser said during a panel discussion at the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers conference, according to Multichannel News.

With satcaster DIRECTV vowing to provide 100 high-def channels by the end of this year, cable operators are under more pressure to expand their high-def lineups.

Mutlichannel News writes that Esser said Cox recently revised its high-def goals to keep pace. The cable operator will use a combination of dropping analog channels and new technologies to create more system capacity for high-def.

I don't need the NFL Ticket so that is not an issue for me.
Now if Cox does not step up and add new HD chammels at the end of the year to compete with DTV, I will seriously consider changing services.

For me it's all about the HD.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I have Cox nad have no problem with it what so ever, including the HD-DVR. It isn't TIVO but I have no problems with it and it certainly isn't buggy.
I've had Dish, DTV and Cox and I think the HD picture quality of Cox is better then the others. There is no HD-Lite with Cox.

As far as adding new channels here is a C&P of a recent article;

News
Cox Eyes 50 HDTV Channels In 2007
The cable operator says customer demand for more high-def is growing.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (June 20, 2007) -- Cox Communications, which now carries less than 20 High-Definition channels, hopes to expand its HD lineup to 50 channels by year's end.

That's according to an article in Multichannel News.

Cox president Pat Esser told an industry conference today that the cable operator hopes to offer 100 HDTV channels by the end of 2009. He said that customers are demanding more high-def offerings.
“We’re seeing an explosion in interest and I think we have to get ready for that,” Esser said during a panel discussion at the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers conference, according to Multichannel News.

With satcaster DIRECTV vowing to provide 100 high-def channels by the end of this year, cable operators are under more pressure to expand their high-def lineups.

Mutlichannel News writes that Esser said Cox recently revised its high-def goals to keep pace. The cable operator will use a combination of dropping analog channels and new technologies to create more system capacity for high-def.

I don't need the NFL Ticket so that is not an issue for me.
Now if Cox does not step up and add new HD chammels at the end of the year to compete with DTV, I will seriously consider changing services.

For me it's all about the HD.

It's all HD lite If you think Cox is giving you anything better than DTV, you're wrong...the resolution on DTV is just better.

But as far as the DVR, I hear all kinds of lame things about their dvr, like if you are watching a taped show, and the show ends in real time while you are watching it, the show stops and you have to start over and find your spot.

True?

 

[dodie53]

I am moving Thursday night (draft night - the horror!), and in the new house I will be signing up for either cable or satellite HD service. Enough of this over-the-air HD crap. Should I go with Cox or DirecTV? I'm currently with DirecTV, and have been happy thus far.

If I go with DirecTV, do I have to buy the Sports Pack to get FSN Suns and DBacks games in HD? I know you do for non-HD, but I've heard rumors that the FSN HD stuff is included in the regular "HD Access" package. Can anyone confirm that?

Final question, for you Cox subscribers - does the Cox HD DVR suck as bad as the regular Cox DVR? That thing was so buggy, it prompted me to switch to DirecTV, and I won't switch back unless it's at least a little better.

Thanks in advance!

i hope you can watch the draft..

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Why Satellite is better quality than Cable:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Satellite-TV-is-better-than-Cable-TV&id=37297

Mike

 

[Covert Rain]

It's all HD lite If you think Cox is giving you anything better than DTV, you're wrong...the resolution on DTV is just better.

But as far as the DVR, I hear all kinds of lame things about their dvr, like if you are watching a taped show, and the show ends in real time while you are watching it, the show stops and you have to start over and find your spot.

True?

Like any DVR there are some buggy things. However, DTV DVR's are not that bad. They have made many new improvements as of late. My 2 HD DVR's are DTV ones. I also have 2 DTV standard definition TIVO units which IMO are head and shoulders above any DVR on the market.

 

[O]

It's all HD lite If you think Cox is giving you anything better than DTV, you're wrong...the resolution on DTV is just better.

But as far as the DVR, I hear all kinds of lame things about their dvr, like if you are watching a taped show, and the show ends in real time while you are watching it, the show stops and you have to start over and find your spot.

True?

False!
Once upon a time it was true, but about eight months eight months ago that was corrected with a software update.

It is my understanding that Cox does not compress the signal that is given to them from an individual network. They broadcast the source they receive. I could be wrong but I don't think so.

Below is a link to an interview with a Vice President and Chief Technology Officer discussing HD-Lite;
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/11/the-engadget-hd-interview-directvs-cto-re-hd-lite/

Don't get me wrong DTV is a fine product and as I stated earlier if they do in fact take over the HD market I will become a subscriber.
As a matter of fact I have worked their annual shareholders meeting for the past two years.

The fact is Cox is also a fine product that I use and enjoy. I think they get a bad rap because of past issues. Take into account their bundling of internet and phone and it's a good deal.

Don't get me started on Dish, I hate that company.

 

[Wally]

If you want info on HD Sports, see WWW.HDSPORTSGUIDE.COM

I don't believe FSNAZ is HD as a rule. They may broadcast HD at times the same as NBA TV. FOX Sports HD Channels are FOXS (South), FOXMW (MidWest), FOXW (West), FOXSW (SouthWest), & FOXRM (RockyMnt).

DTV has had a delay in their HD Sat channel increase (I believe they offer about 16 - 20?? and I'm not sure when they will get the bird(s) activated The other guys, DishNetwork, have always had more than anyone. I just filpped thru all the "available" chanels on DISH and counted 64. It's somewhat of a game with the number, but the end result is that DISH has more and they also provide a free HDDVR which is available (I have heard DTV HDDVR is on backorder and they are selling on EBay for about $300).

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Like any DVR there are some buggy things. However, DTV DVR's are not that bad. They have made many new improvements as of late. My 2 HD DVR's are DTV ones. I also have 2 DTV standard definition TIVO units which IMO are head and shoulders above any DVR on the market.

I was talking the Cox DVR, not DTV

 

[Mike Olbinski]

False!
Once upon a time it was true, but about eight months eight months ago that was corrected with a software update.

It is my understanding that Cox does not compress the signal that is given to them from an individual network. They broadcast the source they receive. I could be wrong but I don't think so.

Below is a link to an interview with a Vice President and Chief Technology Officer discussing HD-Lite;
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/01/11/the-engadget-hd-interview-directvs-cto-re-hd-lite/

Don't get me wrong DTV is a fine product and as I stated earlier if they do in fact take over the HD market I will become a subscriber.
As a matter of fact I have worked their annual shareholders meeting for the past two years.

The fact is Cox is also a fine product that I use and enjoy. I think they get a bad rap because of past issues. Take into account their bundling of internet and phone and it's a good deal.

Don't get me started on Dish, I hate that company.

I still think you are wrong...for Cox to send out internet, phone and TV on one cable line, and to not compress their HD is crazy

 

[CardsFan88]

Well funny thing, just today I decided to see if I could scoop what new hd channels cox was testing, or if there were any at all on the horizon. (It involves manually selecting the channels in the 900's)

If you enter channels 996,997, and either 995 or 998 you'll see there is 3 channels they are testing and last time I did this, 2 days later we had the channels, so I don't know when they will implement them. The 3 channels are kutp hd, golftv, and something called venem. Going to google venem right now as I've never heard of it. So probably 23 cox hd channels in the near future

So yeah, check it out. Otherwise since channel 3 went hd most of the d-backs games on it have been hd. Before this the only hd d-back games were shown on inhd1 which is now mojo and it was a fox sports az hd broadcast...yeah lol kinda confusing.

NFL network was in hd during the season but they cut it out when the playoffs started.

You still get espn and espn2 hd without paying for the sports package

 

[scoutmasterdave]

Wow - thanks for the help, guys. I'm likely going to stick with DirecTV, since I'm under contract for another year anyway. I just signed up for Cox's new 15Mbps internet service - can't wait for that.

And BTW - I figured out how to watch the draft. We're moving the TV last.