Time Warner vs Directv

[nuts4xu]

I have long preached the upside to Directv over Time Warner, and have repeatedly state my allegiance to the best dish service on the market. I recently purchased a new condo, have renovated a lot of it the past 6 weeks, and I am in the final stages of work before I move in this week (hopefully). Directv came out to install the dish and set me up with all the benefits of a new Directv customer. To my surprise, they explained the only way to connect a dish, is to place the dish in an area not owned by me. The patio of my condo (most logical place for a dish) faces the wrong way, and they are not able to point the dish towards the sattelite in the sky. They would have to install the dish on the roof, or on a pole out in the green space between buildings...and this would require written permission from my HOA and any resident it would affect.

Long story short, I am forced to go with Time Warner Cable for my TV service. I have enjoyed the NFL ticket for the past 12 years, and have enjoyed the fast acting, and pleasant customer service from Directv. My only complaint with DTV is the interruptions related to storms (both snow and rain). It is not a common thing, and the interruption is usually short lived, but it is my only issue. I have loved everything else about Directv.

Any advice or positive feedback for a new TWC customer? I think their internet will be superior to what I am used to through Cincinnati Bell. I just hope it doesn't negatively affect my sports watching habits too much.

[X-man]

We have Cincinnati Bell's fioptics for our TV services (bundled with internet and land line), and are generally pleased. Much more reliable than TWC, which we used to have.

[nuts4xu]

We have Cincinnati Bell's fioptics for our TV services (bundled with internet and land line), and are generally pleased. Much more reliable than TWC, which we used to have.

More reliable in what way? Customer service? Outages? I have heard negative reports for Fioptics from those who converted from Directv, but I am curious to hear some postives.

[xu2002]

Long story short, I am forced to go with Time Warner Cable for my TV service. I have enjoyed the NFL ticket for the past 12 years.

Starting last year, you're able to get the Sunday ticket, as a stand alone feature, if you live somewhere where you're unable to get Directv.

Here is the link https://nflst.directv.com/ . Also, as a note for any current Xavier students, they have a student option, which allows you to get the streaming option for, I believe, $99.

[X-man]

More reliable in what way? Customer service? Outages? I have heard negative reports for Fioptics from those who converted from Directv, but I am curious to hear some postives.

We used to have outages all the time with TWC. No more with Fioptics.

[RetireFiftyTu]

My internet would always go out with TWC. Switched to Fioptics and my internet now rarely goes out.

[BlueGuy]

My condolences.

[GoMuskies]

Sell the condo and move. Only logical solution here.

[xeus]

We used to have outages all the time with TWC. No more with Fioptics.


Same here. Love my Fioptics. High five X-Man!

[XUMIOH12]

I had TWC and the cable and internet services were pretty good and rarely gave me problems, but dealing with TWC itself is an absolute pain in the ass. I got rid of their cable service because I didnt want to put up with their BS anymore.

[X-man]

Same here. Love my Fioptics. High five X-Man!

Huzzahhhh! We agree on something (besides our love of the Muskies and all things Xavier).

[nuts4xu]

Sell the condo and move. Only logical solution here.

All kidding aside, this was the first thought that crossed my mind when I learned of my dilemma. I do not look forward to dealing with TWC customer service.

[X-band '01]

Don't forget that Time Warner is eventually going to be renamed Charter Spectrum - they took over Time Warner back in May this year.

[nuts4xu]

Don't forget that Time Warner is eventually going to be renamed Charter Spectrum - they took over Time Warner back in May this year.

Is this a good thing?

[Xville]

Not sure if it is available in your area, but I have ATT Uverse and for the most part I am pretty pleased with it. Their customer service is actually in this country which is nice when calling to get a reduction on costs etc. My only complaint really with them is that it is expensive after that first year promotion, and I have to haggle with them every year to keep a promotion going, but other than that, it has been a great service. It has maybe gone out once in the 4 years we have had it, and when it did go out, it was resolved within minutes.

I really wish I could cut the cord just because of the cost savings, and when I have a chance to really check out Playstation Vue, it may just happen. The day I cord cut would probably be in the top ten of greatest moments in my life.

[Muskie]

Not sure if it is available in your area, but I have ATT Uverse and for the most part I am pretty pleased with it. Their customer service is actually in this country which is nice when calling to get a reduction on costs etc. My only complaint really with them is that it is expensive after that first year promotion, and I have to haggle with them every year to keep a promotion going, but other than that, it has been a great service. It has maybe gone out once in the 4 years we have had it, and when it did go out, it was resolved within minutes.

I really wish I could cut the cord just because of the cost savings, and when I have a chance to really check out Playstation Vue, it may just happen. The day I cord cut would probably be in the top ten of greatest moments in my life.

That may not solve his problem. I believe UVERSE is in the process of being phased out for Direct TV in some markets.

[paulxu]

Is this a good thing?

No.

[X-band '01]

Is this a good thing?


No.

Anytime a merger of 2 big cable companies are involved, I'm inclined to agree with Paul. We were lucky that the proposed merger of Time Warner and Comcast (now Xfinity) never took place.

[paulxu]

It would be great if I could move back to my old hometown and get one gig of service. I think Chattanooga is doing it right.

http://www.consumerreports.org/telecom-services/cable-tv-subscribers-still-unhappy-consumer-reports-new-survey-shows/?loginMethod=auto


Some of the country's largest cable TV companies—including Comcast, as well as Time Warner Cable and Charter, which recently merged—are among the bottom dwellers in overall customer satisfaction

[MuskieCinci]

For the people that have cut the cord, how do you watch most of your sports (Xavier especially)?

[Muskied]

For the people that have cut the cord, how do you watch most of your sports (Xavier especially)?

I love not having cable-Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Apple TV, Firestick can get you access to programming.

Sports is the #1 hangup. I solve it through accessing the FS1 and ESPN Apps among others. You can't subscribe to those independently yet, but I don't think that's far off. Until then, it definitely takes some creativity and resources. But if you're able to it's liberating.

[DART87]

XVILLE: I Just recently "Cut the Cord"! I have an antenna with a Tablo DVR (optional $5 month for schedule data) and Playstation Vue Core Slim subscription ($34.99 per month). HD Sports coverage includes local Fox sports (Red's games), FS1 FS2, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNNews, ESPNU, NBCsn and NFL network and includes their web access logins. CBS Sports Network is not included so that may cost me a couple of X games, hopefully home games.

I do have a 30Mbs fiber line from Cincinnati Bell and use Amazon Fire TV as the streaming device.

It was a great day to get rid of Fioptics. Their picture and channel options are good (although they did not offer FS2) but the user interface and equipment are shit. They did a system upgrade recently which caused incessant problems just trying to view a channel from the guide. And the DVR interface is terrible. The fiber Internet connection is great though.

[muskiefan82]

I cut the cord three years ago. I have an OTA Antenna and use my PC as a DVR for those channels. I have Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu Plus for streaming. I sometimes purchase Sling TV during basketball season to get ESPN and ESPN2, but most of the time I can find the X game streaming either legally or illegally.

[nuts4xu]

XVILLE: I Just recently "Cut the Cord"! I have an antenna with a Tablo DVR (optional $5 month for schedule data) and Playstation Vue Core Slim subscription ($34.99 per month). HD Sports coverage includes local Fox sports (Red's games), FS1 FS2, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNNews, ESPNU, NBCsn and NFL network and includes their web access logins. CBS Sports Network is not included so that may cost me a couple of X games, hopefully home games.

I do have a 30Mbs fiber line from Cincinnati Bell and use Amazon Fire TV as the streaming device.



I applaud those who have cut the cord, but it sounds like waaayy too much work for me. I like to pick up a remote, press a few buttons, and make a TV come alive. It also seems like there is still a cost for most of those services, so I wonder how much savings there really is. The trade off is a lack of access to a great deal of programming, for a lot of work to watch what you want on a TV. If you pay $40 per month for a PS Vue subscription, and $30-$40 (just a guess) for the internet, why not just get Time Warner? They have TV/Internet bundle for about the same price (or less depending on the programming you want) as what you shell out to stream everything.

Help me understand that logic? I understand not every residence is suitable for Directv or a dish, but cable TV still sounds like a better option.

[muskiefan82]

Netflix and Hulu Plus cost me less than $20. The internet cost is something I would pay no matter what so it isn't extra to me. The OTA Antenna is now free and the DVR capability comes with the PC that I would have regardless. Amazon Prime I pay for just for the free shipping of items so it's an expense I would incur anyway. Essentially, I pay less than $20/month for extra streaming services and about $30 for the Internet. DirectV cost me way more than $50 a month so I am happy with the decision. Sling costs about $20/month so I only use it when X will be on ESPN multiple times away from the Cintas. I then cancel it after the season. I use my Blu-ray player, Laptop, or Smart TV for access to the different streaming sites. It works.

[Tu 4 MVP]

I recently got Sling TV and love it. About 30 channels from CNN, Comedy Central, to HGTV. Basically took the 30 channels I used to ever watch and got rid of all the fillers. Also includes FS1, FS2, and Fox Sports Cincinnati, so no issue with Xavier Basketball. And its only 20 bucks a month!

[DART87]

I applaud those who have cut the cord, but it sounds like waaayy too much work for me. I like to pick up a remote, press a few buttons, and make a TV come alive. It also seems like there is still a cost for most of those services, so I wonder how much savings there really is. The trade off is a lack of access to a great deal of programming, for a lot of work to watch what you want on a TV. If you pay $40 per month for a PS Vue subscription, and $30-$40 (just a guess) for the internet, why not just get Time Warner? They have TV/Internet bundle for about the same price (or less depending on the programming you want) as what you shell out to stream everything.

Help me understand that logic? I understand not every residence is suitable for Directv or a dish, but cable TV still sounds like a better option.

Nuts, I have 3 TVs with whole home DVR so the best comparable price to Time Warner for a new customer including 70+ channels of TV + 30Mbs Internet and phone is $140 + Tax. My current setup is just under $100 per month with no commitment or "promotional pricing" that you have to fight for every year.

The only channel missing is CBS sports network. The others my family does not watch anyway. The Playstation Vue has an unlimited capacity "DVR" with the caveat that it only holds shows for 28 days.

The Internet connection is key and I would have it with or without TV. Since Cincinnati Bell Fioptics delivers fiber to my home I have an adequate connection now with the option of increasing capacity up to a gigabit if necessary (not available from Time Warner).

It is a bit of work to get it setup unless you already have compatible streaming devices. But I do save over $40 per month vs new Time Warner pricing on what I consider television expenditures while (and this is important) keeping my wife and kids happy with their entertainment options.

[DART87]

I recently got Sling TV and love it. About 30 channels from CNN, Comedy Central, to HGTV. Basically took the 30 channels I used to ever watch and got rid of all the fillers. Also includes FS1, FS2, and Fox Sports Cincinnati, so no issue with Xavier Basketball. And its only 20 bucks a month!

Sling TV is a great option too! Number of devices, channel selection, and DVR capability
were the determining factors for me going with Vue.

[LA Muskie]

That may not solve his problem. I believe UVERSE is in the process of being phased out for Direct TV in some markets.
UVerse TV is being phased out in favor of DirecTV. It will become a data-only service.

[THRILLHOUSE]

UVerse TV is being phased out in favor of DirecTV. It will become a data-only service.

Yup. I recently switched from UVerse TV to DirecTV since they offered me a bunch of promos to do so.

[gladdenguy]

I decided to switch to Direct Tv because we are finishing our basement so I went from 4 Tvs to 7Tvs. Time Warner was quoting $210 a month so I wanted to give Direct Tv a try.

Installation took 7 and a half hours because the technician was a moron. He was at my house from 8:30 to 3:30. One TV had to switched to wireless because he lost the hard wire cord behind the wall (his fault). He kept going up and down my stairs doing God only knows what. By this time I wanted to punch him because we had to get ready for a wedding and my main genie was up in my bedroom. Finally gets it finished.

First bill comes and because he changed the TV to wireless there was a $99 charge on the bill (which he said was going to be $1).

Then to top it off my TV goes out twice over the weekend because of a little rain.

One more thing. Everytime I go to the on demand station I have to type in my wireless internet password (what the F$%k!!!!)
9 days in and I have filed a claim to be released from my contract and waived from paying the $470 in cancellation fees. They better waive them. DirectTV sucks. I will gladly pay Time Warner the $210 if my On Demands work correctly and my TV doesn't go out. DirectTV is a f$%ken nightmare.

[xu82]

UVerse TV is being phased out in favor of DirecTV. It will become a data-only service.

I have both (need DirecTV for Sunday Ticket) and it seems like AT&T has just given up. They know the remotes are hot garbage that fail regularly, and they just keep bringing replacements that will also fail. Why bother providing a version that isn't crap? Just keep bringing the same old crap. (My wife says I killed them with overuse...) Since they joined forces the service is remarkabley improved, however, so there's hope. Now a real person answers the phone when I call my special number. I think I may be some type of royalty (aka "fool") for spending so much damn money with them!

[xu82]

DirecTV going out in bad weather is a real pain. It always seems to happen at the worst possible moment! How do they know???

[LadyMuskie]

For the people that have cut the cord, how do you watch most of your sports (Xavier especially)?

The Sling TV App. It has FS1, ESPN, and ESPN2. We pay $25 a month for the subscription I think (it might be $30, but either way it's a hell of a lot cheaper than what we were paying with Directv and what Time Warner wants to charge us.)

[PM Thor]

Time Warner is the only cable offer in our new place, Directv doesn't even service our area. Still trying to figure out how to get X games/NFL up there. Anybody heard of Kodi?

[nuts4xu]

I decided to switch to Direct Tv because we are finishing our basement so I went from 4 Tvs to 7Tvs. Time Warner was quoting $210 a month so I wanted to give Direct Tv a try.

Installation took 7 and a half hours because the technician was a moron. He was at my house from 8:30 to 3:30. One TV had to switched to wireless because he lost the hard wire cord behind the wall (his fault). He kept going up and down my stairs doing God only knows what. By this time I wanted to punch him because we had to get ready for a wedding and my main genie was up in my bedroom. Finally gets it finished.

First bill comes and because he changed the TV to wireless there was a $99 charge on the bill (which he said was going to be $1).

Then to top it off my TV goes out twice over the weekend because of a little rain.

One more thing. Everytime I go to the on demand station I have to type in my wireless internet password (what the F$%k!!!!)
9 days in and I have filed a claim to be released from my contract and waived from paying the $470 in cancellation fees. They better waive them. DirectTV sucks. I will gladly pay Time Warner the $210 if my On Demands work correctly and my TV doesn't go out. DirectTV is a f$%ken nightmare.

You had it for 9 days, give it a year or two...including a season with the NFL ticket. The storm on Sunday qualified for a 100 year storm, and fortunately we don't get this much rain on the reg. The interruptions in service due to weather is my only complaint with Directv, and I don't know if that will ever be fixed. I promise you it won't go out as often as it has in the 9 days you had service.

I know you well enough to know you don't have a ton of patience for BS like this, and the devil you know is better than the one you don't. I hate the fact I am stuck with cable, and would gladly switch with you. But in the long run, where I live, I will probably be just fine with TWC.

[THRILLHOUSE]

Time Warner is the only cable offer in our new place, Directv doesn't even service our area. Still trying to figure out how to get X games/NFL up there. Anybody heard of Kodi?

A majority of X games are on FS1/FS2, and an ocassional ESPN game (holiday tourney, uc game). So if you went with Time Warner you would be fine there.

NFL wise you are pretty much limited to Sunday Ticket, or finding online feeds.

[PM Thor]

Yeah, even the Directv online feed won't work. You have to punch in your address and even that won't work. On a slightly different note, we have SiriusXM all access radio, does FS1/FS2 have a channel on there?

[xeus]

Yeah, even the Directv online feed won't work. You have to punch in your address and even that won't work. On a slightly different note, we have SiriusXM all access radio, does FS1/FS2 have a channel on there?


You should be able to get the broadcasts on iHeart Radio.

[Lamont Sanford]

Cincy Bell Fioptics is offering free HBO and Cinemax is weekend (10/7 - 10/10). Now I can see if all the hype about Westworld is valid.

[bjf123]

Cincy Bell Fioptics is offering free HBO and Cinemax is weekend (10/7 - 10/10). Now I can see if all the hype about Westworld is valid.

Thanks for the heads up. I hadn't heard about this. Did a quick look at the movies being shown and the list isn't that impressive. They should have picked a better weekend.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lamont Sanford]

Watched the first two episodes of Westworld on HBO...pretty good show. Lotta boobs.

Saw some decent Cinemax soft porn on Friday night about a women's prison...absolutely love me some "caged heat". Lotta scissoring.

Also watched the original "Dumb & Dumber" on Sunday morning...hilarious!

Caught the end of "Fifty Shades of Gray" this morning before work...Dakota Johnson naked = very nice. Then they had some "Spring Break Confidential" soft porn on after...not too shabby way to start the work week.

Thank you Fioptics!

[D-West & PO-Z]

I have long preached the upside to Directv over Time Warner, and have repeatedly state my allegiance to the best dish service on the market. I recently purchased a new condo, have renovated a lot of it the past 6 weeks, and I am in the final stages of work before I move in this week (hopefully). Directv came out to install the dish and set me up with all the benefits of a new Directv customer. To my surprise, they explained the only way to connect a dish, is to place the dish in an area not owned by me. The patio of my condo (most logical place for a dish) faces the wrong way, and they are not able to point the dish towards the sattelite in the sky. They would have to install the dish on the roof, or on a pole out in the green space between buildings...and this would require written permission from my HOA and any resident it would affect.

Long story short, I am forced to go with Time Warner Cable for my TV service. I have enjoyed the NFL ticket for the past 12 years, and have enjoyed the fast acting, and pleasant customer service from Directv. My only complaint with DTV is the interruptions related to storms (both snow and rain). It is not a common thing, and the interruption is usually short lived, but it is my only issue. I have loved everything else about Directv.

Any advice or positive feedback for a new TWC customer? I think their internet will be superior to what I am used to through Cincinnati Bell. I just hope it doesn't negatively affect my sports watching habits too much.

I am so sorry for your loss, how frustrating, the DirecTV experience is so far superior to TWC its crazy.

Hope it is going ok.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Sell the condo and move. Only logical solution here.

Ha, perfect!

[D-West & PO-Z]

Watched the first two episodes of Westworld on HBO...pretty good show. Lotta boobs.

Saw some decent Cinemax soft porn on Friday night about a women's prison...absolutely love me some "caged heat". Lotta scissoring.

Also watched the original "Dumb & Dumber" on Sunday morning...hilarious!

Caught the end of "Fifty Shades of Gray" this morning before work...Dakota Johnson naked = very nice. Then they had some "Spring Break Confidential" soft porn on after...not too shabby way to start the work week.

Thank you Fioptics!

Made me laugh out loud!