Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Mike]

I've never had DTV and it's been a couple years since I had Comcast but I liked it much better than my current Time Warner service. Comcast has NFL, MLB, and NHL networks. I only get MLB now despite buying the sports package and the Comcast DVR was 100% better than my current box. They don't have that stupid jump back feature when you're fast forwarding (at least as of 2 years ago). My TWC box always gives me problems if I'm watching a recording while another show is being recorded. The internet seems the same and I have no complaint on that end.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Take a real close look at your HOA regs on this. I'll bet it says no dishes attached to structures.

Depending on the azimuth and elevation you need, you might be able to put a dish that is easily concealable near some foliage in your yard with clear LOS to the Satelllites. You can mix a bag of concrete and set a two inch aluminum pipe into the ground and afix the dish to it. Previous owner of our house installed his DTV Dish that way in our yard. It was sort of behind some decorative bolders and not real obvious from the street.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Take a real close look at your HOA regs on this. I'll bet it says no dishes attached to structures.

Depending on the azimuth and elevation you need, you might be able to put a dish that is easily concealable near some foliage in your yard with clear LOS to the Satelllites. You can mix a bag of concrete and set a two inch aluminum pipe into the ground and afix the dish to it. Previous owner of our house installed his DTV Dish that way in our yard. It was sort of behind some decorative bolders and not real obvious from the street.

[Tony G]

My local company was bought out by Comcast and my experience was such a pain in the ass that I will never use their service again. This would mean passing on an otherwise ideal house if it meant I had to use Comcast. Their customer service was horrendous, the equipment had issues and they were slow to repair it.

[Mike]

As bad as some of your experiences have been with Comcast, they at least offer programming I wanted that I cant get with TWC. NHL Center Ice and MLB Extra Innings aren't even available in HD on my system. I get ONE HBO channel in HD. It's total crap.

[SeanB]

Take a real close look at your HOA regs on this. I'll bet it says no dishes attached to structures.

Depending on the azimuth and elevation you need, you might be able to put a dish that is easily concealable near some foliage in your yard with clear LOS to the Satelllites. You can mix a bag of concrete and set a two inch aluminum pipe into the ground and afix the dish to it. Previous owner of our house installed his DTV Dish that way in our yard. It was sort of behind some decorative bolders and not real obvious from the street.

Unfortunately, no free-standing antennae or dishes. I'll double check the wording again, though.

[SeanB]

Thanks, Mike and Tony, too.

Tony, that's one of the reasons I left Comcast to DirecTV in the first place, I agree with you. I'm still searching for an "out", though. Hopefully I can keep DirecTV somehow. It's a big neighborhood. I can't be the only one that wants DirecTV HD service!

[SeanB]

Dad, here's the statement verbatim:

"No exterior antennae receiving dishes, or satellite dishes of any kind or nature whether freestanding or mounted upon any Dwelling or other Structure shall be permitted, unless: (a) the device is a so-called "mini-dish" (not to exceed 18 inches in diamter) located in a location that is fully screened from view and approved by the Architectural Control Committee; or (b) the Architectural Control Committee determines in its sole discretion that the absence of an outside antenna causes substantial hardship with respect to a particular Site."

I kind of feel like telling them using Comcast IS a substantial hardship!!

I kind of think their wording is outdated and perhaps if I just submit the stupid paperwork they'll approve the Slimline HD dish. Can't decide if I feel like doing all of that, though! I have enough to worry about as it is.

[Mike]

Sean, remember that no matter how bad it gets, at least you're not stuck with TWC.

[SeanB]

That does make me feel better! My wife teaches online so we've had to keep Comcast highspeed internet, and we have never had a problem with it. However, their TV service was a different story. At least a few years ago it was.

[UMStan White]

I just switched back to Comcast from ATT Uverse. I had three dvrs fail, losing everything I had recorded. the customer service for ATT Uverse was so bad I can't believe Comcast could be worse. In the end all systems seem to have terrible customer service and breakdowns in their equipment

[lineygoblue]

One of the biggest arguments I got into with some of my former supervisors at AT&T was about how our company went from having the best products and SERVICE to a run-of-the-mill telemarketing company. When I told a group of supervisors in a grievance meeting that we needed to focus on great service instead of the customer's wallet, they almost fired me on the spot. They probably would have fired me if I hadn't had union protection.

But now ... alas ... from the customer's mouth, Stan says it all.

Its too bad that such a great company set such low expectations for itself.

[Tony G]

In the end all systems seem to have terrible customer service and breakdowns in their equipment

Actually WideOpenWest (WOW) has been great.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Sean, ask for permission. Take a picture of where you want to put it (I'd do the ground mount approach I described) showing how well hidden it will be.

Comcast has done nothing to improve there terrible service. I cringe at the thought of having one of the homers they send out to your house to install systems touch anything .... but then again you know how I can get on that sort of thing.

Anyway, I'd try to get permission and see what happens. Given a choice, I would try to keep DTV.

[entropy]

every president needs their jokes..

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/p/34721463/You-didnt-fark-that--Somebody-else-made-that-happen.aspx