Direct TV questions. Cox cable fees are getting to be cost prohibitive, etc.?

Question

First off I live in Kansas. With the 24-7 need for the weather channel and local weather coverage from Wichita, first off do you get local weather (Salina) on the Weather channel via Direct TV (during weather on the 8's) and can you get CBS feed from Wichita?

I have been told that straight line winds and heavy Kansas type thunderstorms knock Direct TV and dish network off line. Anything to this?

What are the installation costs, hidden costs, monthly fees?

Anybody ever watched the Setanta North America sports channel? Does it actually exist?

Thanks for all your help.

Answer 1

If all you need is weather info, you can get that off a web browser off your phone.  Honestly, I have told many to just cancel their cable TV and home phone line service .  Live off a cell phone and DVDs on your TV for entertainment.  

You can get a laptop and connected it to your phone to hit the Internet at surprisingly good and affordable speeds these days.  

With your land line and cable TV bill gone, I find it to be more cost effective.  Most of all, you now just have power and water utilities to deal with now.

Answer 2

I live in central Oklahoma and have DirecTV.  I think it's safe to say that we have similar type weather.  Personally, I never watch the weather channel as the local OKC stations always give a blow by blow account of any major storms moving through.  You can sign up for local channels.  Years ago when I signed up it was an option, but it may now be a part of every package for all I know.  It is true that a very heavy thunderstorm will knock out your service for a short time.  While it is inconvenient I have never felt my life threatened as I knew well ahead of time whether or not to be worried.  Cloudy skies and light rainstorms have no affect on this, just the very heavy types that pass through and when they let up your service comes right back on.  

I'll be honest, It's been so long since I signed up that I don't remember the installation costs.  No hidden costs.  I pay for a basic package, a couple of premium packages, a fee for DVR service, and a fee for having an additional receiver.  The first receiver is free and any other receivers (up to a total of four) are $4.99 each.

As for Setanta Sports.  It is real and I subscribe to it.  If you love AFL footy, and it appears that you do, then this is the channel to have.  I hope somehow you managed to get someplace to watch last year's Grand Final.  With Setanta you get 2 or 3 LIVE matches each week of the home and away season, a weekly highlights show that covers every match, every finals match live, and of course the Grand Final, with like 6 hours live coverage including all of the pre-game and post-game.  And all these games are the actual Australian broadcasts from network 10 or 7 or whomever, including pre-game and post-game coverage.  In addition, Setanta televises the NAB cup games and special events such as the Brownlow medal ceremony LIVE.  And lastly, if you're interested, they televise the International Rules series with Ireland.  Setanta is the real deal and well worth the $14.99 mo. fee.  Personally, I just record the matches on my DVR and watch them the next day, but if my Blues are playing I will make the effort to stay up and watch them live.

P.S. - I got to thinking later, as if the above wasn't enough to convince you, they also televised the Vics vs. Dream team this year and a year or two ago they televised the AFL Under 18's national championship from Skilled Stadium.