Are you a satellite or cable user?

Neither. Until they let me select the dozen channels I would actually watch, I will not pay for the hundreds of worthless networks. The sad part is, most of them exist off of the success of a few.

I am actually currently being abused by a cable company.

Cable, because I like the Road Runner Turbo Internet service.

I have my phone, internet and cable through a local cable company. The third week of September I had no phone, internet or cable. I borrowed a neighbors cell phone to call the Tech service. Got a taped recording - no service. So I had to make a trip to the local office and complain. Next day a repeat, sooooo another trip to the local cable office. I pay $200 a month for this service, when it works. I'm checking prices of the satellite companies right now. I agree lots of channels just nothing on them. I think cable has lost me as a customer, hello satellite.

Neither for me too. I am thinking about buying a package that is for just local stations. It doesn't cost all that much a month with one time up front cost to install. I get only channels 8 and 10 because that is the way the antenna is turned toward. I live in a black-hole area which means the signal power is not strong enough--I live out of the market area for all the local tv stations power. SOOO, for this winter will try this local package and see what happens---

I should say that I have problems with the digital signals dropping or just breaking up when your watching--you know like a skip in a dvd--gets really old sometimes so just shut the tv off and turn on the radio or go to the computer. That's why I want to try this local package to see if it will be any different.

Stop! Before you get satellite! We had it and couldn't wait to get rid of it but couldn't until our contract was up.

Our problems: Whenever, we received even a light rain shower, the satellite would go out. It was a good weather predicter though. Five minutes before the rains came - no TV! However, not a good situation when there are storm warnings issued. They told us it was because of our neighbor's trees.

Another problem - Out of control volume. I almost divorced my husband because of it. Just kidding!

In the winter you get to invent an extension for your broom to reach the dish to brush off the snow or no TV.

Then, we had the issue of being charged $5 a month for no land telephone line even though we had one (for 25 years). It seems their system couldn't detect it even though their technicians set us up. They told us there had to be something wrong with the installation of our telephone lines inside the house. However, it was working BEFORE we got the high definition box from them.

Then, with all the problems with the telephone line I made the apparent mistake of telling them we had purchased a "package". At that time, I was told by the main satellite office that the package was illegal and within 15 minutes one location was disconnected.

Then, when we were begging to end our contract with them, we were told our contract started over when we got the high definition box from them. But that remark depended on who you reached in their office. One said it had ended a year before that???

We have cable now and it is wonderful compared to the mess we had before. I would never get satellite again unless I lived in a remote area where nothing else was available.

Good Luck with your decision.

I'm with Time Warner and paying a little over $100 for the third tier of cable and internet. I'm not sure if it's the third tier or not. Its stations 2-72 and some of the on demand/sports package. But I have 2 other roommates in my apartment and only one computer can get the internet service. That is really expensive in my opinion, so we were thinking to switching to Dish. Any comments about them....or should I just stay with Time Warner?

To Wondering what to do:

Get a router, (they're cheap), then you can give Internet to every computer in your house no matter if your cable or satellite. Use a wireless router with a wireless access card you won't be burdened with having to wire anything up either.

I agree with the sat blackout probs. I had DirecTV at first when I lived in rural Columbus. It would black out when it got very cloudy before the rain. Then we switched to Dish Network with DSL from the phone company. While Dish Network didn't black out as often, it still would during a heavy downpour. The DSL service was fine, but not at first, the tech had to fix a buried cable that was worn and water logged, and I also had to change the telephone line in my house to newer line for optimum performance. The highest speed offered is only 1 meg, so the download speed isn't too bad, but when you compare it to the speed you get with Time Warner, the DSL is a snails pace. I got the Digipix1000 (I think that's what it's called) package. My wife and kids watch the TV so I'm not sure what all stations I get, I know we get HD stations, and a bunch of extras in the 200-299 channels. I've only watched the Science channel on the upper tiers. I also upgraded from the regular road runner service to the road runner turbo service. So anyways, I have 6 rooms wired for cable, 1 using the digital tier PVR box, and 5 signals available for broadband use. 2 are running PC's, one is for extra PC's that I fix every now and then, and 1 is used for the wii. That runs me a grand total of $113.89 a month. If I remember correctly, I was actually paying more on the Sat/DSL package. If you think about it... With dish, you need a separate receiver for each TV, and an upgraded dish for more then 2 TV's, the DSL package is OK, but compared to RR Turbo, is like being on a 56k connection. So my vote goes to the cable company until the electric company perfects their technology and offers even faster Internet speeds then cable in the future. Then, I'll probably be Loup Power's biitch.

cable. but soon i might get satellite because time warner dropped hdnet and hdnet movies. Ill still use the internet but im still researching the packages offered by the satellite companies. my uncle has one of thoes fta-satellite recivers. really neat beacuse you can get all sorts of random stations that are free. he also sugessted using a larger dish because the smaller dishes are more prone to dropouts. for now ill be demanding time warner to bring back hdnet and hdnet movies and more researching.

I hope anyone out there going to cable internet should be aware of what you pay for isnt what you get. If you do your speed tests and checks your speed will be way down from what you are being charged for. It erratic to say at best.
Service is poor and knowledge is little here in town through the cable company. If you want good service you have to call lincoln and get in touch with their tech.

I have cable at the lowest price, but i think i could be more entertained by the radio........ I too wish i could pick the channels to watch.

I have to say I was with Direct TV for their hd channels but they pi$$ed me off so bad that I switched back to Dish Network. I have no problem with Dish at all. I get over 200 channels, hd service, dvr service for about $57/ month. I even called and gave them my email address and they gave me hbo, cinemax, and showtime as a courtesy for free for 6 months. This is a great company and I recomment it to anyone. I everyone loves this whole bundle deal through the cable company but if I add up my dish, alltel bill 2 phone lines, and internet at home I pay $177 for all three. Pretty cheap to me! Plus with the bundle deal your home phone isn't mobile like a cell phone. Just ask these satellite companies to throw things in for a period of time or for free and they usually deal especially dish. I've had no problems except Direct TV

Neither cable nor satellite is a great offer for the worth of your hard earned dollar. Rabbit ear TV just doesn’t offer enough, sooooo we have had Dish Network for the last 10+ years. It has it moments—good and bad. As for the loss of signal, sure it happens. During a heavy rain, or anything that will not allow the signal to get through. I never have had to brush snow off my dish. These “monopoly companies” have the program packages figured out. You “have to buy more” to get what you really want…sad. I am seriously thinking of dumping everything for a while just to see how it goes. The savings could be enough for my family and me to do other things. It also makes us more creative as far as “family night” goes, i.e. board games, etc.

ive had direct tv for a little over 4 years. only blacked out or has skipped 4 or 5 times and thats during severe stormy weather when a person really doesnt need to be watching tv anyways. have had road runner internet through the cable company for under 2 years and it has gone out or needed to be serviced over 10 times, ive lost count. both stellite and cable have downsides to them , you get overcharged for either one so i dont think it really matters what you have

I have had satelltite over over two years with the frontier telephone company. I have no complaings. Clear picture. Ihave never had a black out or any phone trouble. Check with your local phone company.

I have had directv for over 10 years and am very satisifed with their service we do experience outages but just in heavy thunder storms or snow showers. AS far as internet I have DTN speednet it is a satellite service and is very dependable and super fast for less than $60.00 per month.

i have time warner cable and think their service is outstanding and quite reliable. i am reasonably tech savvy and usually don't call for tech service unless i really need it. in 10 years i've called a few times and always get someone who knows how to do their job. it was a little tough to convince them the wire was bad from the pole to my house, but they finally replaced it and now i get to read the telegram in blazing fast speed!!! i would never consider satellite.

i will say it is VERY expensive, but apparently i am dumb enough to pay the price.

used antenna-50 dollars, converter box-40 dollars, telephone pole-free, not paying for satellite- PRICELESS----PLUS I NOW HAVE 60 DOLLAR A MONTH MORE---IF THERE IS NOT ANYTHING ON TV DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE

I have internet w time warner and dish with dishnetwork. I love the dish. I paid 71.90 for my dish service. I get 250 channels and some that I want. Like channels out of denver so I can watch the temas that i want. I have many problems w the net service but they fixed in a timely manner. I am happy.

i have t.w. cable and internet. too expensive and their technology sucks. keep getting booted off internet and the dvr is a joke. i demand all tv providers go ala cart. that will suck the life out of some of these stations and we'll see what people are really watching not what they tell us we're watching.

That would be fun Don't Tread On Me. I'll bet two thirds of the networks would dry up and blow away.