Where to get my television service?

[Sylvanfan]

Well my Bell PVR Receiver caked on me, not quite 3 years since I bought the damn thing. Bell tells me it's no longer under warrantly and to replace it will cost me $162....or I can buy an HD one for $500 or whatever. Naturally I go off on them since I bought $600 worth of equipment 3 years ago, paid $60 a month for programming, and now I need to buy new equipment just so I can keep getting the service? They also couldn't send an installer to my place when I moved for like 50 days after I sold my dish with my old house because it said to do so because they'd give me a new dish. So I had to spend money there to go buy a new dish install it myself because they weren't going to let me suspend service for 50 days while I had no dish to watch T.V....and their damn tech never did show up to install anyways. Which disappointed me because I wanted to take the dish he brought and beat him silly with it due to their stupid policy of they'll only give you a new dish when you move...if their tech brings it to your place (ie I can't just go pick one up at a Bell store and install it myself).

I do have one HD T.V. and another flat screen T.V. and Shaw currently has an offer where they claim I can trade my Sattelite receivers for a "refurbished" Shaw HD PVR receiver and one of their regular digital boxes. Given that I don't want to spend too much money on T.V. but still want to get into HDTV I think this seems like a good option for me. Is there any other T.V. options out there that are reliable, or where I won't have to spend a bucket load of money up front? I did the Grey market dish for years but eventually they'd knock out the card, and it always seemed to be just before my wife wanted to watch something....and thats not good. I'd really like to avoid Bell as this has really peeved me in a big way.

[Russic]

I currently use shaw and I'd say it's comparable to bell. No dish costs obviously is a bonus, but both companies have their drawbacks.

I've found Shaw's customer service to be better than Bell's for the most part but I much prefer Bell's menu set up and receiver. Perhaps it's just me but my shaw receiver gets "hung up" sometimes and there is a real annoying 5 second delay. It happens about once every 3-4 hours. You hit a button and nothing happens, so you hit it about 3 or 4 more times. After a brief pause, all your button presses execute and menus start flying all over the place. It happens to my roomate while he's trying to flip through his sunday ticket channels. Drives him nuts.

The PVR is sweet . . . I've had it for 3 years now and no complaints. Alas, I'm stuck in the SD age so I can't give you any impressions on the hd.

[photon]

To get an HD PVR without spending $500+ the only way I can see is to do the Shaw deal.

I use Starchoice and I really like it, but the price of their PVRs is just as high. Though the price on their non PVR HD receivers is pretty low ($199 on their site, I got my for $129 at FS) compared to Shaw.

[underGRADFlame]

Do the Shaw deal, it's killer my 6412 works like a charm!!

[ken0042]

My only reason not doing the Shaw deal is lack of a UHF remote for their box. I happen to have entirely too many TVs in the house and for me to get a seperate box for each one would be a pain. And to buy an after market UHF remote for each room would be too expensive.

[kermitology]

What about for people looking into getting HD for the first time?

The condo building I'm moving into apparently has each unit wired for Bell so that dishes aren't all over the place on balconies.

Any suggestions?

[photon]

maybe eBay? I know I've seen quite a few shaw capable PVRs there for less $$.. Starchoice ones are few and far between and usually not that much less than a new one. Not sure about Bell though.

[mykalberta]

IMO...if you can stay away from Shaw, do it. The only reason to go with them is for Internet access.

90$/month for high speed Internet with a moderate digital cable package (no extras except US time shift channels) for TV and Internet is ridiculous.

MYK

[Bertuzzied]

I have completed the Shaw "Satellite winback" promotion! Thank god i no longer have to deal with Bell. If the wind was more than 15kph i would lose my hd reception.

Just trade in broken bell receiver and you get a HD PVR. I couldn't even wait like Fotze for my contract to end. I have both Bell and Shaw right now until November 2nd and then Bell is outta here.

Good riddance.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

IMO...if you can stay away from Shaw, do it. The only reason to go with them is for Internet access.

90$/month for high speed Internet with a moderate digital cable package (no extras except US time shift channels) for TV and Internet is ridiculous.

MYK

Yeah, but Bell is going to be what $5-$10 cheaper if that...and their customer service is horrible, and their equipment is going to crater on me every three years. I mean if I have to buy $600 in new equipment every 35 months I have to account for that in my cost analysis. Plus Shaw will give you a free month. Bell will give me $10 worth of credit for PPV movies that they bill you for, and take off your bill when you phone in wait 20 minutes and complain. At least with Shaw when I phone to tell them not to charge me $200 a month because I only want the basic package I can leave a message and they'll call me back. I don't like either one, but I'm pretty much in a pick my poison situation and I'm at the end of my chain with Bell.

[Vulcan]

Doesn't Bell have something called Dish Care that you can order for something like $5 Mo. When your equipment dies order it and wait two weeks and tell them the bad news. Remember, this is Bell you're dealing with.

[simmer2]

BUMP:

I'm looking to get HD from someone over the next couple of months and I'm wondering who I should go with.

From the sounds of it, most people are recommending Shaw over Bell. What about Star Choice? I'm currently with Telus and looking forward to getting out of their non-HD crap.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

My favorite part about Shaw? If the equipment goes kablooey - it's all warrantied. My non PVR HD tuner died and it was replaced no questions asked. Don't go hacking the fw though.

[jolinar of malkshor]

I have had Starchoice for 10 years and never a problem other than the usual dish problems here and there. Customer service is usually really good compared to most companies. (have had a couple of unsatisfactory talks but all and all good). They have never questioned me about having multiple receivers. They have fixed one of my HD receivers. And they also have centre ice package now.