View Full Version : Question About Satellite TV; Please Help.
Newfie John
9-19-05, 4:36 PM
I'm pondering getting satellite TV. Currently I have digital cable and its costing me about 92 dollars a month. That is about 300 channels. I'm thinking of switching to satellite which with the channels I want will cost me 55 bucks. Here is where my question comes in. I hear that with satellites you have to get these receivers. In my house I'd need 6 receivers. How much are those receivers going to cost extra. I seen on a website that they come at 2.50 a month. That seems too good to be true, because I've also heard they can run you up to 100 bucks when you buy them straight up. This 2.50 a month thing seems to be a way better option. My parents are paying for this by the way. My question is, is this 2.50 a month for each receiver true? I've tried looking at the websites but it confuses me more. Hopefully someone on this board who has satellite can help me.
The reason I'm trying to convince my parents to get this is so I can get Leafs TV and NHL Center Ice(which I'll be paying for myself, not included in the numbers above).
Satellite sucks, when it's raining or snowing you lose the signal. Believe me that'll piss you off.
Cable rules.
Newfie John
9-19-05, 4:39 PM
Satellite sucks, when it's raining or snowing you lose the signal. Believe me that'll piss you off.
Cable rules.
There are ways around that. Putting a bag over the dish or something like that?
There are ways around that. Putting a bag over the dish or something like that?
Hmmm maybe you're right I've never tried that but I forced my dad to get cable cause satellite was pissing me off.
Max Power
9-19-05, 5:00 PM
I?m curious on how your cable can cost you 90 but your dish can cost you 50
Here in Ottawa the price difference is negligible. I probably get around 200 ?300 (almost all useless) channels and pay around 60 a month. For satellite you can get the same but the quality can very and like you said you need a box for each TV which costs around 100 ? 200 per tv if you buy them or probably around 5 ? 10 per tv if you rent them
Could be wrong but I think there is a story about Iced Tea, an imaginary bunny an old lady, a satellite dish and some cooking oil.
Could be wrong but I think there is a story about Iced Tea, an imaginary bunny an old lady, a satellite dish and some cooking oil.
I hear the cooking oil works very well. ;)
First of all, for satellite tv in Canada, you have two choices, Star Choice (http://www.starchoice.com/english/default.asp) and Bell ExpressVu (http://www.bell.ca/shop/PrsShpTv_Landing.page). Considering Star Choice doesn't offer NHL Centre Ice, you have one choice.
ExpressVu equipment (http://www.bell.ca/shop/PrsShpTvSna_Landing.page) seems to explain things very clearly.
I thought Leafs TV was only available in Ontario?
6 receivers means 6 tvs, maybe your family needs to share more and cut back to 2 or 3 tvs, thus saving a bundle of money.
By the way, Pam cooking spray keeps the snow from sticking to the satellite dish. :D
Darsehole Tucker
9-19-05, 5:39 PM
I had digital cable for 4 years and just last year switched to Bell ExpressVu (thanks to some helpful suggestions from the ol' HF folks) and have never looked back. I pay like $50/month for the satellite (after I had paid quite a bit up front for the receiver and stuff) and I think it's totally worth it. I find the picture to be a LOT better. Basically, I vote whole-heartedly that you get the dish. I think in the last year I've had ONE weather-related discruption.
I hear the cooking oil works very well. ;)
I've heard that too. Nothing quite like an evening with a giant talking rabbit, a senior citizen and a case of Turkey Gold. :conspire:
http://www.wildlifeheritage.com/images/products/lg/619614lg.jpg
Me... I have Rogers digital cable. It s*cks.
I've heard that too. Nothing quite like an evening with a giant talking rabbit, a senior citizen and a case of Turkey Gold. :conspire:
.
Don't knock it unless you've tried it. ;)
Don't knock it unless you've tried it. ;)
Well I have sat in the sun reading Carlos Castaneda. :]
http://www.magusbooks.com/catalog/..%5Cbookcovers%5Cmedium%5C006092554X.jpg
Newfie John
9-19-05, 6:55 PM
I had digital cable for 4 years and just last year switched to Bell ExpressVu (thanks to some helpful suggestions from the ol' HF folks) and have never looked back. I pay like $50/month for the satellite (after I had paid quite a bit up front for the receiver and stuff) and I think it's totally worth it. I find the picture to be a LOT better. Basically, I vote whole-heartedly that you get the dish. I think in the last year I've had ONE weather-related discruption.
Is it true that you can get the receivers for 2.50 a month each? You said you paid for yours upfront, but the link that Iced provided said that it's 2.50 a month. Am I reading this wrong because it seems too good to be true.
I can't help you on the price information (call your local proivders, they'll know) but I don't know if I'd go with satellite over digital cable out on the rock. Lots of rain and snow there and if you get unlucky with your dish and recieve a bum one the signal goes out pretty easily. Others however withstand most weather. Really, I've had both and the difference is minimal to me. Both have good picture quality, lots of channels if you're willing to pay the $$$, and come at about the same price. I'm currently on Rogers Digital Cable just because I get a deal with it thanks to the two cell phones I have with them. Go with whatever you think is best because as far as I'm there's little to choose. Again though, Newfoundland weather may not be the best with satellite. Ask some friends out there who have it and see if they've had any problems.
The reason I'm trying to convince my parents to get this is so I can get Leafs TV and NHL Center Ice(which I'll be paying for myself, not included in the numbers above).You won't be receiving Leafs TV out on The Rock. It's limited to Ontario, excluding Ottawa. Believe me.
EDIT: In fact, here you go. Right from the Expressvu website.Leafs TV
Sports (hockey) / Ontario / English
Toronto Maple Leafs fans receive exclusive, up-to-the minute information on their favourite team. Available in Ontario only, excluding the Ottawa Valley, Leafs TV is a $0.99 add-on to the Sports Plus package.As for NHL Centre Ice, you better hurry, Expressvu's early bird package of $179.00 (which I'm ordering), with the bonus of two free months of The Hockey News and a discount at www.shop.nhl.com (http://www.shop.nhl.com), expires on October 12th. :)
Regarding the rental option of additional receivers, it's true that's it's only $2.50 a month per receiver of that model number. I purchased an additional receiver a couple months after getting the system about four years ago, so I'm not renting, but I know of people who do for that low cost. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that you'll have to pay a one time activation fee and I'm not sure of that cost.
As for satellite signal, it's usually around 96%, if not 100%. The rare times it will go out for about ten minutes, but that's only when there's a localized lightning storm over head.
Darsehole Tucker
9-19-05, 10:13 PM
Is it true that you can get the receivers for 2.50 a month each? You said you paid for yours upfront, but the link that Iced provided said that it's 2.50 a month. Am I reading this wrong because it seems too good to be true.
Haha, you make me do the work eh. Well I dug up my receipt and it looks like I didn't really break the bank up front afterall. I guess that's all relative though, when I got it I was a student and it seemed like millions for freakin' television. For the receiver and free installation I paid $149.99. You'd have to ask if you can spread that out over the course of your contract. And to reference grim's point....I lived through Rogers Digital Cable/Rogers High Speed Internet and it sucked and I hated being their customer and one day I was like...."I'm giving them my money, why am I being treated like garbage?" and now I'm all about ExpressVu/Sympatico/Mobile. Kiss my ass Rogers.
ADD: ps- I only have the one receiver for my TV so I don't know if that makes a difference. And eventually I'll grab a HDTV...TV and receiver too. Go satellite. Kiss my ass Rogers. But as ManU pointed out....I have no idea what the weather situation is like out there. You guys have weekly hurricanes over there and stuff? ManU's been here for the Ottawa summer with me and we've had basically sunny, hot weather. But as I said earlier, through last winter I only had one disruption. So...I don't know if that makes a difference either.
Man, it seems like lots of Valley Boys hate Rogers. Not just the HS folk either, people are often shocked when I say I switched from Bell Express Vu to Digital Cable. Being perfectly honest, I find little to no difference between the two other than the fact there's no disruption every few months with the cable. Again, due to my cell-phones being with Rogers I save a few pennies if I go with them for cable aswell. I'd probably go with Bell other-wise as they offer more flexible and enjoyable channel packages IMO, but it's more or less the same sh!t in a different pot IMHO.
Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones who hasn't been screwed by the greedy red giant.........
Man, it seems like lots of Valley Boys hate Rogers. Not just the HS folk either, people are often shocked when I say I switched from Bell Express Vu to Digital Cable. Being perfectly honest, I find little to no difference between the two other than the fact there's no disruption every few months with the cable. Again, due to my cell-phones being with Rogers I save a few pennies if I go with them for cable aswell. I'd probably go with Bell other-wise as they offer more flexible and enjoyable channel packages IMO, but it's more or less the same sh!t in a different pot IMHO.
Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones who hasn't been screwed by the greedy red giant.........
Even though I hate Rogers and their expensive, sh*tty service, there is an advantage with coaxial cable over a satellite dish. High capability systems of the near future will require high speed transfers in both directions. Cable allows high bandwidth transfers in both directions. You can only receive with a satellite dish - not transmit. Rogers has been trying to sell me telephone service. This would not be possible with a consumer dish.
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