NFL Sunday Ticket Question

[jreg1]

I really want Directv service so I can get the NFL package, but getting service seems like a headache. Is it true your unit has to be hooked up to a phone line or not?, I've been told many things - good and bad about directv, and I don't know anyone personally that has it and the salesman is going to tell you nothing but good things. Just looking for any information, advice, etc. to help me make a decision. I usually go to the bars, but It would be nice to watch in comfort of my own home. I live in Virginia and all we get is Redskins and Ravens games locally, only so much I can take of that. Also, should I cancel my cable before or after I order Directv service. I appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks

4th year with the ticket!!!! can't live without it!!!!

 

[nighttrain76]

supposed to be hooked up to a phone line. Will it work without it being hooked up??? I think so. Just you won't be able to order movies and PPV's with your remote and stuff.

That's not true...I order movies all the time from my bedroom and it isn't hooked up to a phone line. Directv is cool but if cable had Sunday NFL Ticket I would go back.

 

[finjim]

just get a portable phone jack, that's what I did. It just plugs into a regular outlet and turns it into a phone jack.


:up:

 

[Dolphindrew]

That's not true...I order movies all the time from my bedroom and it isn't hooked up to a phone line. Directv is cool but if cable had Sunday NFL Ticket I would go back.

Yeah but you'll hit a limit and won't be able to order any more porn, I mean movies after that limit. You'll be forced to plug into a phone line to clear it. And when you do... boom... you get hit with all the charges.

 

[DolfanCole]

I really want Directv service so I can get the NFL package, but getting service seems like a headache. Is it true your unit has to be hooked up to a phone line or not?, I've been told many things - good and bad about directv, and I don't know anyone personally that has it and the salesman is going to tell you nothing but good things. Just looking for any information, advice, etc. to help me make a decision. I usually go to the bars, but It would be nice to watch in comfort of my own home. I live in Virginia and all we get is Redskins and Ravens games locally, only so much I can take of that. Also, should I cancel my cable before or after I order Directv service. I appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks

Hey finsfan4eva!

I live in Hampton and I've had the NFL Ticket for 5 years or so. I much prefer it than going to the bars. Especially since most of the local bars make you spend a minimum amount to be able to watch the games. Since there typically isn't much coverage locally (and even much less this year), the NFL Ticket and DirecTV costs will balance out with the cost of going to the bars.

As far as keeping the cable, you can get the local stations with DirecTV, but you have to pay for it and you have to have a certain type of dish. The cost is about the same as the basic service (channels 2 - 15) with Cox. However, with the basic service from Cox, you also get TBS since it's channel 6 (minor plus). I also happen to have the internet service through Cox, so it actually works out better for me to keep the basic service through Cox (otherwise a $10 premium on the internet service) rather than get the channels through DirecTV.

As you know, we get the daily late afternoon thunderstorms. My service will typically go out right before the storm gets really bad. But this usually doesn't last long as the storms usually blow through pretty quick. Other than that, I hadn't had too much difficulty with signal.

 

[Uncle Rico II]

NFL ticket is worth having Directv. I never have my phone hooked up. You can still order pay per view, just through their website. It does go out in a bad storm though like stated above. Does anyone know when their NFL ticket monopoly expires? I'd switch just for the NFL ticket because watching the sorry Broncos is not fun.

 

[Orlando-FinsFan]

Most people have already stated it but you'll need a phone line to set up the TiVo. A workaround is to find a friend who has a phone line and do the update over there. Once it is set-up, you don't need a phone line. You'll get a "Make a Call" nuisance message but you can get by it.

TiVo and the Sunday Ticket are well worth the investment!!!!

:jumper:

 

[newlownorder]

I have Sunday Ticket. Never had a problem with DirectTV or losing signal in a storm....I mean if it's a huge storm and even cable goes out, DirectTV will probably go out, but not for hours and hours like cable. Also you do not need a phone line to get Sunday Ticket, I have never used a phone line for directTV for anything. Just remember that Sunday Ticket is pricey but worth it IMO. DirectTV is cheaper than what regular cable would be up here but I get more channels from DirectTV.

 

[OhioPhin]

I've had it since 97 mostly out of necessity due to living in the mountains in Montana and Colorado and no access to cable. For the most part I've been pleased and love the Sunday ticket and being able to see every Dolphin game and any other game I want to see from home. One complaint is that they are getting close to pricing me out of the Sunday ticket. When I first got it, it was like $129 and now we are pushing close to $200 even with the previous subscriber discount.

I didn't catch where you were from but I have to also locate the dish in an accessible area as our spring time heavy wet snows will interrupt service and I have to brush the dish off. One other complaint recently was we wanted to add Tivo and somehow they got it in their head to cancel some of our channels and when we called to get it fixed they then began charging us a higher rate than we were previously paying. Seemed like they had hired some 4th grade customer service agents who couldn't add and substract. That was pretty frustrating. Otherwise we've been pretty happy with it.

Hey MtnFinFan, spray some Pam cooking spray on your dish. It makes the snow slide right off. I spray mine before every winter and never have to worry about snow building up on it.

 

[volk]

I switched from Dish Network to DirecTV w/Tivo a couple months ago, and I will never go back. Nothing, and I mean nothing is cooler than built-in Tivo and the ability to watch every single Dolphins game. If there is a show you want to watch, just tell it to record it (days in advance if you like) or go online and tell your Tivo to record it from there. Then, when you have the time, sit down and watch it at your convenience while skipping through all the commercials. I can't recommend this enough.

 

[so-long-Ricky]

only when you set it up do you need to have a phone line attached for the company to get your service on, then you have to have it for rental movies that is all, reception is great and it is cheaper then cable and you get the phins

Actually this is incorrect. I've had Directv for almost 2 years now and I don't own a hard line, cellular phone only. On the website they say you need to have a hard line but once you call them, they'll tell you it's ok not to have one.

I don't own Tivo so I'm not sure if a hard line is required or not.

 

[His'nBeatYour'n]

Directv
-I've had it for over ten years so I could watch Phins games up here in NY

Losing the signal
-If they install it right you will only lose the signal for a few minutes during the worst part of a really heavy thunderstorm.

The bad
-You can only watch one channel at a time. Unlike cable, the signal can't be split. You need a receiver for every channel you'd like to watch.
For example, I have 6 Directv receivers @$5 each per month. On sundays I hook them up to 6 TV's and watch 7 games (I still have basic cable) at a time. With the Phins always in the center on the big screen.

The good
-Right now you can get a 70 hour Tivo DVR for free through Circuit City. $99 and $99 rebate from Directv.

The phoneline question
-When they install they will need to hook a phone line up to it for updates, but after that you don't need the phone line. They "require" the phone line for pay per view only. Overnight your receiver will update and send any pay per view movies or specials you watched to Directv. If unconnected you can order as much as you like until you reach a limit, then if for some reason you reconnect Bam! that months bill will have every pay per view since your last phone hookup.

 

[MtnFinFan]

Excellent, thanks for the tip OhioFin. Will give it a try.

 

[Kenny_Stang]

Just had DirecTV installed about 3 weeks ago, when they installed it the tech didn't install the phone line, even though there was a phone jack about 5 feet from the system, so I don't think you need it unless you are ordering PPV.

 

[PhinPhreak]

This time of year is the best time to subscribe too, they always offer something like 4 months of free service if you subscribe to the Sunday Ticket(which is the whole reason you are doing it) So you pretty much get the Ticket for free.