[Franz and Pat]

New to the villages. Any advice on these dealers -- which is best, service etc. Thanks

[graciegirl]

Franz and Pat..HI! Franz is my brother in laws' name, don't run into too many of them.

We heard and are following the advice of others to get Direct TV. We recently switched to Direct TV in our Northern home and brought the boxes with us, so that when we have it installed here we can use it. ONE bill.

I don't know how that works, I am still baffled by the microwave.

[starflyte1]

Can you get internet thru Dirctv?

[aln]

DirecTV is my choice mostly because I want the NFL Ticket.
BUT I also had it up north and always did like their service and quality.
If sports isn't a need, you can probably match Dishnetwork and DirecTV up pretty close.

Yes you can get interent through HughesNET which I believe is associated with DirecTV (NOT SURE) ......but it is very expensive.

Take the DSL option with Embarq if you choose not to go with Comcast.

[BarryB]

Are there certain restrictions where to place the dish on house?
I was on the phone with embarq yesterday. They said my address is so new they are not set up to provide DSL yet. For now I will gowith comcast

[aln]

Restrictions - yes.
Pretty simple tho'
Fill out the architectual review form - submit - get approved - install.

[The Great Fumar]

Gracie,,

when you get here with your boxes from up north , you call directtv and tell them you have changed your location ., when you give them your zip code they switch your service to the satellite serving this area.......or so i've been told....
Sounds kind of slick though......

Fumar

[EdV]

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 provides limitations on restrictions that an association can impose. Here’s a link to the fact sheet on that law: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

Although regulations that require a person to obtain a permit or approval prior to installation are generally prohibited, regulations that serve a legitimate safety or historic preservation purpose may be permissible. So to avoid any problems, I think it would be prudent for an owner to do the following:

1. Have your antenna installer select the least obtrusive location for it that provides an acceptable quality signal.
2. Submit the plan on the basis of it being a simple notification process of your intent.
3. If the association rejects it, the burden of proof is on them to provide an acceptable alternative.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 provides limitations on restrictions that an association can impose. Here’s a link to the fact sheet on that law: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

Although regulations that require a person to obtain a permit or approval prior to installation are generally prohibited, regulations that serve a legitimate safety or historic preservation purpose may be permissible. So to avoid any problems, I think it would be prudent for an owner to do the following:

1. Have your antenna installer select the least obtrusive location for it that provides an acceptable quality signal.
2. Submit the plan on the basis of it being a simple notification process of your intent.
3. If the association rejects it, the burden of proof is on them to provide an acceptable alternative.

You can call it what you want, Submit first. Dish is Not allowed on roof I am told. I am sure the direct tv installers are familiar with the restrictions after having moved a few. I know the good landscapers know what is allowed and not allowed.

[EdV]

GG. Not sure who “They” are, but they are wrong. It’s not what they say you can do but what the US Government says you can do with the placement of satellite dishes and over the air antennas for broadcast reception. And the reason the law was enacted is that the frequencies that these specific dishes and antennas receive are part of the National Alert System (formerly the Emergency Broadcast System) and would be used in a state of National emergency. That’s also the reason why the law doesn’t apply to other types of antennas such as HAM or CB antennas.

There’s no question that your roof is last place that The Villages wants you to put an antenna, and I certainly agree with that. But if your roof is the only place on your property that the antenna can receive an acceptable quality signal, then the government’s response to any action to prohibit you would be as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North said when threatened by the Wicked Witch of the West: "Oh, rubbish. You have no power here.”

[EdV]

Just ran across the Architectural Review Committee's Guideline for Use of Satellite Dishes in The Villages:

http://www.vccdd.org/vccdd/SatDishGuidelines.asp

It recognizes the FCC rule but rightly requires you to place the dish in the least obtrusive location that can receive an acceptable signal.

[diskman]

Originally Posted by aln

DirecTV is my choice mostly because I want the NFL Ticket.
BUT I also had it up north and always did like their service and quality.
If sports isn't a need, you can probably match Dishnetwork and DirecTV up pretty close.

Yes you can get interent through HughesNET which I believe is associated with DirecTV (NOT SURE) ......but it is very expensive.

Take the DSL option with Embarq if you choose not to go with Comcast.

YOU DON'T want hughes net for internet service VERY EXPENSIVE and unnecessary.

[Freeda]

We use DirectTV and use Comcast for our internet; very happy with both. Of course, as with any satellite TV, weather can sometimes disrupt reception, but we have noticed very little problem with that; and has always been brief when it occurs.

Comcast offered us a low price of about $26 per month for high speed internet as a new customer for the first year when we moved here a little more than a year ago; then, when they were recently going to increase it to the 'regular' price of about $55-60 per month, I negotiated, and they cut it down to $36 per month for the ongoing bill. Freeda Clark

[carolynpage]

Originally Posted by Franz and Pat

New to the villages. Any advice on these dealers -- which is best, service etc. Thanks

Actually I prefer Direct TV to either of the ones you listed. (I have had all 3).

[NJblue]

I called Comcast about a month ago and they have a little price anomaly that may be of interest to those wanting to go with a satellite service for their main TVs but have basic (i.e., local stations) for auxiliary TVs. That is, the price that they charge for Internet-only service is almost exactly what they charge for a package comprising Internet plus basic cable. (Actually, their price for the latter is actually a little cheaper than for Internet only.)

What this means is that rather than pay the per-TV charge that satellite providers charge for the monthly receiver rental, you can put basic cable on all TVs that you may only use occasionally (i.e., guest rooms). This frees you up from having to have another ugly box by these TVs and also provides backup TV service in case the satellite service is knocked out by a storm. While a cheaper solution (assuming you want cable Internet access), the trade off is that the auxiliary TVs will not have all of the channels that the satellite service provides.