Adios, DirecTV
I can’t remember exactly when we got DirecTV, but I know exactly why. Back before the days of digital cable and HDTV, Comcast was the only wired solution in our area. However, the picture was always horrendous with diagonal wavy lines and analog crosstalk, it was completely unwatchable. The only solution was to get a non-wired solution which is why I decided to get DirecTV with a TiVo Series 2.
Once DirecTV was installed, I cancelled Comcast TV (we still had the internet through them). The picture was vastly superior to Comcast’s analog crap. The only problem we really had was the weather. If a bad rain or snowstorm came through, we’d have no TV at all. It was especially bad on snow days when you can’t really go outside.
Over the years, digital cable and HDTV started taking over people’s homes. Also, DirecTV and TiVo had a falling out, which meant either going with DirecTV’s crappy DVR, or getting the superior TiVo Series 3 and going with Comcast again. I decided on going back to Comcast because we’d get a break on the bill for doing TV and internet, and I’ll get the TiVo Series 3 which wouldn’t work with DirecTV at all. Also, we wouldn’t have the weather problems.
We gave the Comcast/TiVo Series 3 combo a few months’ tryout and I couldn’t be happier. The picture quality is very impressive and the TiVo Series 3 does so much more than DirecTV’s DVR ever could. It even streams music from my iTunes collection with the Mac TiVo software. I was also able to download TV shows and movies from the TiVo to my Mac and watch them there, and even burn the HD content to a Blu-Ray disc.
So last night we called DirecTV and cancelled. They tried to offer me free stuff but I told them that without the TiVo Series 3, I’m not sticking with DirecTV at all anymore. Its a shame because DirecTV was very good for its time, but I question whether it’s practical anymore. I know they don’t have exactly the same channel lineup as cable does, but I’m gaining much more with Comcast. Also, content is on the web now. If I really feel the need to watch it, there are legal ways of doing so.
So, adios, DirecTV. It was a great decade with you.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment