TV service

[JimBoone]

Quick question, how and from who do you receive TV service both for your personal use and to provide to your guests?
We've had cable for years, guest rooms and our apartment, some of our rooms were once guest rooms, but we seem to fall thought the cracks as local office doesn't handle business accounts and we are too small to be of interest to the business representative.
I've attempted to gain info from satellite and phone company, but at best looks like it would double the cost, at worst we are considered "free to guest" and no one ever returns the call to even quote a cost.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

The business rate is way higher. We didn't tell them we were a business. The PO took all the TVs out of the house because of the rate.

 

[EmptyNest]

We have Direct TV. Our innkeeper friends around here do as well.

 

[Morticia]

DirecTV . We are classified as a home because we have fewer than 20 TVs. That was DirecTV's own distinction.
We dumped cable because they were charging us business rates for 4 TVs.

 

[Lee2014]

We got Leaf Indoor HDTV Antennas for all the rooms and we are changing out the cable boxes for them. It's a thin white square which you put up near a window. We use the window frames, curtains, shades, etc. to hide them and their cords from eyes. They have a 30 mile range it claims and we get 15 to 39 plus channels per TV. We ourselves don't watch TV. My one uncle has these and he rigged up something which gives him everything including the sport channels.

 

[JimBoone]

We got Leaf Indoor HDTV Antennas for all the rooms and we are changing out the cable boxes for them. It's a thin white square which you put up near a window. We use the window frames, curtains, shades, etc. to hide them and their cords from eyes. They have a 30 mile range it claims and we get 15 to 39 plus channels per TV. We ourselves don't watch TV. My one uncle has these and he rigged up something which gives him everything including the sport channels..

Unfortunately we are too far from stations to use that type of system, would need a huge tower to get a signal in the valley with mountains around, I tend to play with the computer, but Maxine always has the TV on so TV is needed for us and guests.

 

[JimBoone]

DirecTV . We are classified as a home because we have fewer than 20 TVs. That was DirecTV's own distinction.
We dumped cable because they were charging us business rates for 4 TVs..

Direc was the only one of the satellite companies to actually give me a number, but not sure I could swallow it, we have 8 guest TV's, and 4 in our apartment (really 1 that is watched and 3 that are just there because they always were there before our arrival), and I'd like to add a couple in an adjoining home for our daughter who arrived this year to help the old folks.
Folks I spoke with, well spoke with four of five different ones before getting transferred to a dealer came up with a cost double what we have been paying for business cable or a similar to what I am paying and a fee of over 8,000 for equipment and installation. Maybe I just have not run across the right crew as yet.

 

[JimBoone]

The business rate is way higher. We didn't tell them we were a business. The PO took all the TVs out of the house because of the rate..

We pay a business rate with cable although if is favorable as we have been with them for better than 20 years. I'd like to do something different to provide service for the kids (next door), but don't know that doubling the cost is an option.

 

[Morticia]

DirecTV . We are classified as a home because we have fewer than 20 TVs. That was DirecTV's own distinction.
We dumped cable because they were charging us business rates for 4 TVs..

Direc was the only one of the satellite companies to actually give me a number, but not sure I could swallow it, we have 8 guest TV's, and 4 in our apartment (really 1 that is watched and 3 that are just there because they always were there before our arrival), and I'd like to add a couple in an adjoining home for our daughter who arrived this year to help the old folks.
Folks I spoke with, well spoke with four of five different ones before getting transferred to a dealer came up with a cost double what we have been paying for business cable or a similar to what I am paying and a fee of over 8,000 for equipment and installation. Maybe I just have not run across the right crew as yet.
.

Folks I spoke with, well spoke with four of five different ones before getting transferred to a dealer came up with a cost double what we have been paying for business cable or a similar to what I am paying and a fee of over 8,000 for equipment and installation. Maybe I just have not run across the right crew as yet.

OK, yes it was expensive to hook up all the TV's. I'd forgotten that part. I think we ended up paying close to $1000 to hook up 6 TV's. Had you told me last year that I would have agreed to pay that much for TV I would have laughed. And then the TV's and mounting equipment. Good thing Gomez is handy. Had it been another $1000 to have someone come in and do all the TV installation I might have balked.
So, additional $1200/year for all the TV's ($2400/year total), $1000 for the initial installation, $2000 for the TV's themselves and the mounting kits. Yeah, it's not cheap. Wow, I'm sorry I went and looked that up. I guess I didn't realize we were paying that much for stupid TV.

 

[EmptyNest]

DirecTV . We are classified as a home because we have fewer than 20 TVs. That was DirecTV's own distinction.
We dumped cable because they were charging us business rates for 4 TVs..

Direc was the only one of the satellite companies to actually give me a number, but not sure I could swallow it, we have 8 guest TV's, and 4 in our apartment (really 1 that is watched and 3 that are just there because they always were there before our arrival), and I'd like to add a couple in an adjoining home for our daughter who arrived this year to help the old folks.
Folks I spoke with, well spoke with four of five different ones before getting transferred to a dealer came up with a cost double what we have been paying for business cable or a similar to what I am paying and a fee of over 8,000 for equipment and installation. Maybe I just have not run across the right crew as yet.
.

Folks I spoke with, well spoke with four of five different ones before getting transferred to a dealer came up with a cost double what we have been paying for business cable or a similar to what I am paying and a fee of over 8,000 for equipment and installation. Maybe I just have not run across the right crew as yet.

OK, yes it was expensive to hook up all the TV's. I'd forgotten that part. I think we ended up paying close to $1000 to hook up 6 TV's. Had you told me last year that I would have agreed to pay that much for TV I would have laughed. And then the TV's and mounting equipment. Good thing Gomez is handy. Had it been another $1000 to have someone come in and do all the TV installation I might have balked.
So, additional $1200/year for all the TV's ($2400/year total), $1000 for the initial installation, $2000 for the TV's themselves and the mounting kits. Yeah, it's not cheap. Wow, I'm sorry I went and looked that up. I guess I didn't realize we were paying that much for stupid TV.
.

My innkeeper friend..got grandfathered in to Direct TV somehow....7 Tvs - 2 DVR's for about $100 a month!!! What is up with that!!!! I pay almost $120 a month for one lousy TV and DVR!!!! GRRRRRR!!

 

[gillumhouse]

DirecTV . We are classified as a home because we have fewer than 20 TVs. That was DirecTV's own distinction.
We dumped cable because they were charging us business rates for 4 TVs..

Direc was the only one of the satellite companies to actually give me a number, but not sure I could swallow it, we have 8 guest TV's, and 4 in our apartment (really 1 that is watched and 3 that are just there because they always were there before our arrival), and I'd like to add a couple in an adjoining home for our daughter who arrived this year to help the old folks.
Folks I spoke with, well spoke with four of five different ones before getting transferred to a dealer came up with a cost double what we have been paying for business cable or a similar to what I am paying and a fee of over 8,000 for equipment and installation. Maybe I just have not run across the right crew as yet.
.

Folks I spoke with, well spoke with four of five different ones before getting transferred to a dealer came up with a cost double what we have been paying for business cable or a similar to what I am paying and a fee of over 8,000 for equipment and installation. Maybe I just have not run across the right crew as yet.

OK, yes it was expensive to hook up all the TV's. I'd forgotten that part. I think we ended up paying close to $1000 to hook up 6 TV's. Had you told me last year that I would have agreed to pay that much for TV I would have laughed. And then the TV's and mounting equipment. Good thing Gomez is handy. Had it been another $1000 to have someone come in and do all the TV installation I might have balked.
So, additional $1200/year for all the TV's ($2400/year total), $1000 for the initial installation, $2000 for the TV's themselves and the mounting kits. Yeah, it's not cheap. Wow, I'm sorry I went and looked that up. I guess I didn't realize we were paying that much for stupid TV.
.

And Himself complains about $86 per month for 4 TVs. We have Basic+ with our cable. I keep him mollified with "2/3 of that is deductible". We get all the E sport channels I think but none of the movie channels that cost extra like H B O. Our TVs do get used. I set them to the weather channel and more often than not, must put it back to weather.

 

[Copperhead]

We did away with cable when they completely did away with the analog cable as now they require a box on each TV and rental on that put them out of our budget.
We put up a large antenna and now get 'free' HDTV with local stations, we get ~20 stations. But I read that will not work for you.
Do you have WiFi?

If so and if it is high speed, you may consider adding Netflix and Hulu.
We have it in 3 of 5 guest rooms and it is becoming a growing trend with guests who have also broken away from cable.

 

[JimBoone]

We did away with cable when they completely did away with the analog cable as now they require a box on each TV and rental on that put them out of our budget.
We put up a large antenna and now get 'free' HDTV with local stations, we get ~20 stations. But I read that will not work for you.
Do you have WiFi?

If so and if it is high speed, you may consider adding Netflix and Hulu.
We have it in 3 of 5 guest rooms and it is becoming a growing trend with guests who have also broken away from cable..

I'm afraid our "local" stations are 50 - 100 miles away with mountains in the way of the signal so from what I understand an antenna would not be successful in our location.
We do have WiFi, guests have said it was good, but to explain my motivation for considering change, our daughter has joined us this year to help the old folks, her husband will arrive shortly and I need to add TV to the adjoining house for them (they have had Dish and Direct in the past) so while needing to make a change hoping to find the best option for all of us at the same time.

 

[Morticia]

We did away with cable when they completely did away with the analog cable as now they require a box on each TV and rental on that put them out of our budget.
We put up a large antenna and now get 'free' HDTV with local stations, we get ~20 stations. But I read that will not work for you.
Do you have WiFi?

If so and if it is high speed, you may consider adding Netflix and Hulu.
We have it in 3 of 5 guest rooms and it is becoming a growing trend with guests who have also broken away from cable..

I'm afraid our "local" stations are 50 - 100 miles away with mountains in the way of the signal so from what I understand an antenna would not be successful in our location.
We do have WiFi, guests have said it was good, but to explain my motivation for considering change, our daughter has joined us this year to help the old folks, her husband will arrive shortly and I need to add TV to the adjoining house for them (they have had Dish and Direct in the past) so while needing to make a change hoping to find the best option for all of us at the same time.
.

Guess what Pops, you don't have to foot this bill on your own. Because they had satellite before does not mean they're entitled to have it now, on your dime.
Sure, they are coming to help out but making more work and expense for you kind of defeats the purpose.
Explain the situation to them, ask what they think a good compromise would be.
You sound like my dad.

 

[JimBoone]

We did away with cable when they completely did away with the analog cable as now they require a box on each TV and rental on that put them out of our budget.
We put up a large antenna and now get 'free' HDTV with local stations, we get ~20 stations. But I read that will not work for you.
Do you have WiFi?

If so and if it is high speed, you may consider adding Netflix and Hulu.
We have it in 3 of 5 guest rooms and it is becoming a growing trend with guests who have also broken away from cable..

I'm afraid our "local" stations are 50 - 100 miles away with mountains in the way of the signal so from what I understand an antenna would not be successful in our location.
We do have WiFi, guests have said it was good, but to explain my motivation for considering change, our daughter has joined us this year to help the old folks, her husband will arrive shortly and I need to add TV to the adjoining house for them (they have had Dish and Direct in the past) so while needing to make a change hoping to find the best option for all of us at the same time.
.

Guess what Pops, you don't have to foot this bill on your own. Because they had satellite before does not mean they're entitled to have it now, on your dime.
Sure, they are coming to help out but making more work and expense for you kind of defeats the purpose.
Explain the situation to them, ask what they think a good compromise would be.
You sound like my dad.
.

Well, yes and no, they are here so that we get to continue our dream, live here and enjoy the life, really didn't want to retire to something else, but was becoming obvious that something had to change. Daughter gave up a long time position to come, think we would have had problems these last few months if she had not been helping, son-in-law will arrive next week, found a new job here in town, but the business needs to at least replace the benefits of her former job to make my plan work for them.

 

[Anon Inn]

strictly internet over wifi for us. never have had cable. Movie services are comprehensive and being a fan of documentaries and old British TV, YouTube is my typical hangout.
Even national news from traditional networks available over internet.
Just do it. It keeps getting better.

 

[Copperhead]

We did away with cable when they completely did away with the analog cable as now they require a box on each TV and rental on that put them out of our budget.
We put up a large antenna and now get 'free' HDTV with local stations, we get ~20 stations. But I read that will not work for you.
Do you have WiFi?

If so and if it is high speed, you may consider adding Netflix and Hulu.
We have it in 3 of 5 guest rooms and it is becoming a growing trend with guests who have also broken away from cable..

I'm afraid our "local" stations are 50 - 100 miles away with mountains in the way of the signal so from what I understand an antenna would not be successful in our location.
We do have WiFi, guests have said it was good, but to explain my motivation for considering change, our daughter has joined us this year to help the old folks, her husband will arrive shortly and I need to add TV to the adjoining house for them (they have had Dish and Direct in the past) so while needing to make a change hoping to find the best option for all of us at the same time.
.

Why not start out with WiFi for them? Depending on your router range you could then add a booster at their place. Or set them up with their own account. Let them see how it works before getting stuck in a contact with Dish or Direct.
This last weekend our DD was in the hospital. The hospital uses Direct TV. It was a very dismal day with lots of rain, the signal was more 'off' than on.

 

[JimBoone]

We did away with cable when they completely did away with the analog cable as now they require a box on each TV and rental on that put them out of our budget.
We put up a large antenna and now get 'free' HDTV with local stations, we get ~20 stations. But I read that will not work for you.
Do you have WiFi?

If so and if it is high speed, you may consider adding Netflix and Hulu.
We have it in 3 of 5 guest rooms and it is becoming a growing trend with guests who have also broken away from cable..

I'm afraid our "local" stations are 50 - 100 miles away with mountains in the way of the signal so from what I understand an antenna would not be successful in our location.
We do have WiFi, guests have said it was good, but to explain my motivation for considering change, our daughter has joined us this year to help the old folks, her husband will arrive shortly and I need to add TV to the adjoining house for them (they have had Dish and Direct in the past) so while needing to make a change hoping to find the best option for all of us at the same time.
.

Why not start out with WiFi for them? Depending on your router range you could then add a booster at their place. Or set them up with their own account. Let them see how it works before getting stuck in a contact with Dish or Direct.
This last weekend our DD was in the hospital. The hospital uses Direct TV. It was a very dismal day with lots of rain, the signal was more 'off' than on.
.

That's definitely on the "to do" list anyway. I have a wireless access point pointed over that way and can get a so-so signal at the house, at this point deciding on the choice of a new access point and bridge or just pulling network cable over there for a wired connection, but waiting on son-in-law to arrive next week to see what he thinks (and to help dig a trench for the line. With a good connection I think they can watch some TV from their system down home which will be maintained since their son will still be in the home.

 

[Morticia]

We did away with cable when they completely did away with the analog cable as now they require a box on each TV and rental on that put them out of our budget.
We put up a large antenna and now get 'free' HDTV with local stations, we get ~20 stations. But I read that will not work for you.
Do you have WiFi?

If so and if it is high speed, you may consider adding Netflix and Hulu.
We have it in 3 of 5 guest rooms and it is becoming a growing trend with guests who have also broken away from cable..

I'm afraid our "local" stations are 50 - 100 miles away with mountains in the way of the signal so from what I understand an antenna would not be successful in our location.
We do have WiFi, guests have said it was good, but to explain my motivation for considering change, our daughter has joined us this year to help the old folks, her husband will arrive shortly and I need to add TV to the adjoining house for them (they have had Dish and Direct in the past) so while needing to make a change hoping to find the best option for all of us at the same time.
.

Why not start out with WiFi for them? Depending on your router range you could then add a booster at their place. Or set them up with their own account. Let them see how it works before getting stuck in a contact with Dish or Direct.
This last weekend our DD was in the hospital. The hospital uses Direct TV. It was a very dismal day with lots of rain, the signal was more 'off' than on.
.

That's definitely on the "to do" list anyway. I have a wireless access point pointed over that way and can get a so-so signal at the house, at this point deciding on the choice of a new access point and bridge or just pulling network cable over there for a wired connection, but waiting on son-in-law to arrive next week to see what he thinks (and to help dig a trench for the line. With a good connection I think they can watch some TV from their system down home which will be maintained since their son will still be in the home.
.

That sounds like a good compromise! We've had guests use their home system remotely while on vacation. This was eons ago but this guest had all the latest gadgets.
He was showing us how he could turn the lights on and off, raise and lower the heat, etc. And watch TV on his laptop using his own home cable or satellite.