Direct TV Streaming

[McDonoughDawg]

Any comments, seems to have the Braves and all the sports stuff I like..I like Comcast, but they just keep going up and don’t seem to want make a deal every couple of years anymore.  

I may keep them for internet for now, trying to find a neighbor who has tried the just installed ATT Fiber..

[dncdawg]

The good thing about any of the streaming services, you don't have to commit. You want to switch next month, just go online and do it. Most of them have free trials too. I think the DirecTV trial is 5 days. Barely enough time to get used to the difference vs. cable/satellite, but enough time to figure out if you can live with it and their content.

Not your neighbor of course, and performance probably varies by region, but we got ATT Fiber a bunch of years ago when we canceled cable. Pay $90 for "gig speed," and that was about the same that Comcast was charging for 300 Mbps. We've been very happy with the consistency in service from fiber. I think they push updates to their gateway in the middle of the night but that seems to be the only time we ever lose internet (2 or 3 am). Speed is good. Only time I've ever had a problem with speed is due to me needing to reboot my mesh router system. Streaming tv is good. Rarely do we have picture quality issues, and when we do, I've figured out that they are usually Hulu issues, not our internet.

[JamanDawg]

We have it and no complaints .Never rain delay . Picture and sound are great.

[dawghead]

I did exactly what you're describing about a week and a half ago.  I had Comcast for 38 years and they have a great product.  When I went to the Xfinity store to try and renegotiate my contract which had hit the $300/month mark (two TV's with DVRs, standard cable, internet and house phone), the guy's attitude pissed me off so much I went directly to the AT&T store and signed up for their internet and Direct TV.  I'm saving about $130 per month as a new customer, but it will go up by $40 after the new customer rate expires in two years. 

I don't live where there is ATT fiber yet.  You can get better deals with fiber.  The speed without fiber is okay but it takes some time to get used to Direct TV and to streaming.  The Comcast cable TV product is better, but the cost and their attitude wasn't worth it.  The guy at the store told me to go sign up for ATT wireless (which doesn't require a contract, but Direct TV does) and then come back to Comcast in a couple of weeks and he could give me new customer pricing.  That was the catalyst for me leaving.  When I returned all the boxes to the Comcast store, the store manager was aghast that I had been treated so rudely. 

Positives of ATT: cheaper, speed is okay (I've heard fiber is blazing fast if you can get it), far less number of wires since each TV does not need a box, the sales people were helpful and courteous.  If you have smart TV's, you can download the Direct TV app straight to it.  Otherwise, you'll need their Genie remote package that has a built in Roku sort of device.  If you used Comcast for your email, you can keep it even if you leave Comcast.  That used to be a deal breaker for me since I have used my Comcast email for as long as I can remember and it would be most difficult to give that up.

Negatives of Direct TV and streaming: they provide you one remote that serves all purposes, but you have to rent the others for $7/month.  If you don't rent the other one, you'll need something like a Roku and then you'll need two remotes - one for operating TV functions (on/off, volume) and the other to operate the Roku.  If you had cable TV at Comcast, you didn't need to worry about your wireless connection since the coaxial cable was straight to your TV.  Thus, you had TV even if the internet went down.  I have noticed some "pauses" which last 1-2 seconds while watching streaming TV.  The DVR is in the cloud and is not as responsive as the Comcast box and I have had a couple instances of garbled audio on recorded programs.

I'm only a couple of weeks in but I'd have to say that on balance, I'm glad I switched.

[McDonoughDawg]

I did exactly what you're describing about a week and a half ago.  I had Comcast for 38 years and they have a great product.  When I went to the Xfinity store to try and renegotiate my contract which had hit the $300/month mark (two TV's with DVRs, standard cable, internet and house phone), the guy's attitude pissed me off so much I went directly to the AT&T store and signed up for their internet and Direct TV.  I'm saving about $130 per month as a new customer, but it will go up by $40 after the new customer rate expires in two years. 

I don't live where there is ATT fiber yet.  You can get better deals with fiber.  The speed without fiber is okay but it takes some time to get used to Direct TV and to streaming.  The Comcast cable TV product is better, but the cost and their attitude wasn't worth it.  The guy at the store told me to go sign up for ATT wireless (which doesn't require a contract, but Direct TV does) and then come back to Comcast in a couple of weeks and he could give me new customer pricing.  That was the catalyst for me leaving.  When I returned all the boxes to the Comcast store, the store manager was aghast that I had been treated so rudely. 

Positives of ATT: cheaper, speed is okay (I've heard fiber is blazing fast if you can get it), far less number of wires since each TV does not need a box, the sales people were helpful and courteous.  If you have smart TV's, you can download the Direct TV app straight to it.  Otherwise, you'll need their Genie remote package that has a built in Roku sort of device.  If you used Comcast for your email, you can keep it even if you leave Comcast.  That used to be a deal breaker for me since I have used my Comcast email for as long as I can remember and it would be most difficult to give that up.

Negatives of Direct TV and streaming: they provide you one remote that serves all purposes, but you have to rent the others for $7/month.  If you don't rent the other one, you'll need something like a Roku and then you'll need two remotes - one for operating TV functions (on/off, volume) and the other to operate the Roku.  If you had cable TV at Comcast, you didn't need to worry about your wireless connection since the coaxial cable was straight to your TV.  Thus, you had TV even if the internet went down.  I have noticed some "pauses" which last 1-2 seconds while watching streaming TV.  The DVR is in the cloud and is not as responsive as the Comcast box and I have had a couple instances of garbled audio on recorded programs.

I'm only a couple of weeks in but I'd have to say that on balance, I'm glad I switched.

Good info, I think my TV’s can handle it…I am about ready to bail like you did…

[JC-DAWG83]

I've had DirectTV streaming for a couple years, no complaints at all. I like that it is wifi and I don't need a cable to each tv. I can move tvs anywhere there is an electrical outlet and in wifi range and the tv works fine.

I have one of their smaller channel packages and my bill for 5 tvs is $105 a month. Next month it will drop to $79 a month because my 5 boxes will be paid for. They charge $5 per box monthly for 2 years, after that there is no charge for the boxes.

[Shadrach]

I have ATT fiber and it's solid. I pay $60/month for 500 mph. I have not had a service interruption in six years. The router was just updated at no cost. I see no reason to change.

[DawgDaddy]

I switched from Charter/Spectrum last month when my bill went to $291. Streaming Specturm now, dropped house phone, turned in 4 DVR boxes and kept my internet. Bill dropped to $161 total. The have a Xumo streaming device ($60 one time cost) that I use on my main TV, bought Roku devices for the other 3. The Xumo has voice search and station switching plus they have the numbered remote so I can still go directly to the numbered channel I want. Takes very little getting used to. I'm happy to be saving $1500 a year, it is an expense that just slipped up on me. I recommend streaming after finally trying it this past month. I have no locked in contract either.