Alternatives to Direct TV

BISCUT

BISCUT

Joined
Dec 28, 2011
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5,060
I've had Direct TV for many years. For about 8 years my Dish was really, really a solid performer, working well in heavy rain and even wet, heavy snow. In comes AT&T a few years ago. Not bad but a noticeable decline in signal quality during storms. I have no affinity to Direct TV and admit the only reason I keep it is for the NFL package. I have my issues with the NFL but it comes down to a family thing. I'm home most Sundays with the kids and we have big family feeding Sunday centered around the games.

I'd like to drop Direct TV and the $128 a month cost (not including the NFL package which is $350 more for the season). Recommendations? Options? Is there a way to get the NFL network and NFL package without being a full time subscriber to Direct TV?

I should have looked into it a while ago but never did.
 
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Do you rent? I doubt you do, but in case you do, like me, I'm eligible to stream the Ticket based on my address.
Until DirecTV allows another provider to stream that package, that's the only legit one.

Go Bills!
 
Also, there is news that Amazon Prime is talking to NFL to stream the game.

Since the NFL season is over, you can just cancel it first and wait.
 
Lubener said:
My suggestion, over the air free tv. NFL on Sundays. You probably will not miss pay tv, I didn't.
Click to expand...

What is over the air free TV? How does this provide the same NFL games as the NFL package?
 
threaten to cancel, set a cancellation date a couple weeks ahead. They will call you with a promo, and often throw in sunday ticket for the season with auto-renew. If they dont offer ask for it.
 
BISCUT said:
What is over the air free TV? How does this provide the same NFL games as the NFL package?
Click to expand...
over the air free TV is:
Many years ago (before cable), all you did was plug your TV into an outlet, turn it ON and adjust the rabbit ears antenna - it was free.

Before you do away with pay TV, find out how many channels your area would pick up (distance from tv towers).
Ask any neighbors with (outside) tv antenna how many channels they get.

I myself have an Indoor Antenna and get about 30 good stations / free TV, no cable.
If there is an NFL game on, that would come in over CBS or ABC, which is free.
 
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DirecTV is the only provider that has the NFL Sunday Ticket. As haggler suggests, they will negotiate with you if you threaten to leave.
The only other service I found that shows every game is the on-line streaming service Sterling TV. https://sterlingtvofficial.com/
How they do this legally is by rebroadcasting/streaming local OTA TV channels from all over the country, so you have access to all of the games from local channels. You need to have a good broadband ISP that doesn't cap your usage if you want to go with something like this.
 
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I would certainly look at streaming and what is available. Hopefully you have good broadband. Certainly every media company has or wants to have a streaming offering. Things are always changing in the offerings.
 
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Lubener said:
My suggestion, over the air free tv. NFL on Sundays. You probably will not miss pay tv, I didn't.
Click to expand...
He won't get every game that way.

There are alternatives that can save you some coin. I dropped my cable package 13 months ago and I have Netflix and prime and another service and I'm not missing paying the big cable companies to get screwed every month.

Find a streaming service for your NFL and go from there. How fast is your internet?
 
Over the air TV gives you a great picture if you have an HDTV, the signal is not compressed, I watch all our regional NFL games and NASCAR over the air, night games are really impressive, spectacular picture. I have a 75" 4K tv. Go here and punch in your zip code and see what is available in your area. I have my antenna mounted on the roof with a rotator. ;)

Antennas Direct | TV Transmitter Locator and Mapping Tool

Find your nearest digital TV transmitter with Antennas Direct's mapping tool. It's a quick and easy way to find digital television transmitters (DTVs) nearest to your location.
www.antennasdirect.com www.antennasdirect.com
 
Duffyjr said:
Do you get to choose which NFL games you want to watch or are you stuck watching the ones they broadcast?
Click to expand...
You lose that flexibility. Network decides, works for me. I get to watch home team and conference games or whatever is being played at that time. I usually can decide on two games that are being played..
 
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Lubener said:
My suggestion, over the air free tv. NFL on Sundays. You probably will not miss pay tv, I didn't.
Click to expand...
NFL Sunday Ticket broadcasts every NFL game. With OTA, you'll get your "local" team's game plus whatever games the NFL chooses to broadcast nationally.

Folks who pay for ST aren't your average, casual football game watchers...
 
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The key is the Sunday Ticket gets every game, every week with exception of a local blackout game. Being in NY the local Fox and ABC broadcast the New Jersey teams (Jets and Giants) but not the only NY team (Bills).
 
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Way out the box suggestion. Shaw direct from Canada.

We had Comcast about 15 years ago. Comcast kept raising the rate, and we watched very little anyways. My Wife liked one show, I think it was Housewives of California or something like that. Comcast decided to charge additional for the channel that showed housewives. I was not happy as we barley watched it, the one show she wanted, they were charging a premium, and that channel was loaded with commercials.

Looked into DISH and Direct TV. I read their contracts, prices, etc..... thought one would have to be crazy to agree to their terms and conditions. Even their pricing policy made one feel dirty. If you bought the equipment outright and went month to month, it was considerably more expensive than having them provide the equipment....... dirty stuff.

Did research and discovered Canada does not allow oligopoly providers like cable/ satellite providers to have one sided contracts, predatory pricing, etc.

USA does not allow Canadian satellite to be purchased in the USA. But if one purchases in Canada, they can use in the USA. Bought a Canadian mailbox online, then bought the Shaw Direct satellite equipment. Bill went monthly to my Canadian mailbox to keep compliant with the law. Paid less than half of what DISH/Direct were charging, no fees, no contract. Pay and you get the service for the month. Don't and they turn you off. That simple.

Shaw works super well for northern USA states, but worked fantastic for me when I worked at Luke AFB in Arizona. I heard Canadians have it working in Mexico where some spend their winters.

You can run to Quebec and get the equipment on a Saturday..... and be watching things you like at a big savings and likely a stronger signal....
 
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That's not uncommon with many folks in the northern US, if only for pricing reasons like you point out. No local channels obviously and you can't call them to have a technician come out in case something acts up. It's also self-install but in the OP's case, he/she has existing satellite so there's a good chance some of the mounting can be used. The wiring definitely can be re-used.

Googling where Shaw's satellites are located, line-of-sight shouldn't be a concern. If you can "see" Directv or Dish satellites, you can see Shaw's too.
 
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