I moved to Oakbank a couple of years ago, and we never bothered to get TV.  Just basically use Netflix and other means...ahem.

 

Anyway, I mostly watch football games online, but it's so cruddy sometimes that I'm thinking of getting TV for the nice clear picture until both CFL and NFL are done.  What does everyone here use that lives outside the city?

 

I know both Shaw and Bell have satellite.  I'm looking for the cheapest possible solution.  It's not that we don't have the money, it's because I'm just that cheap.  I saw Bell had some 20 dollar a month package for a year if you signed up for 2 years or something like that.  And Shaw has some deal for 20 a month for 3 months.  The receiver is cheaper for Shaw where as Bell's is really expensive.

 

Any thoughts, comments?

 

Thanks.

I live in Oakbank as well and we've used Shaw Direct since we moved here 3 years ago.  I really can't say if it is cheaper than Bell because I've never sat down and actually compared the two.  

 

Never had any complaints with Shaw so far.  There have been a few satellite disruptions here and there due to bad weather, but I would say that's pretty typical.

Thanks TB, appreciate the info.  Do you remember how much you paid for receiver\installation?

Satellite service is the same whether Bell or Shaw. Lousy. Expect interruptions due to weather & losing channels (satellite feed) for no reason thereby having to deal with the morons who work in customer service or the technical department. I was a Bell satellite customer & I kept losing my channels once every couple of months or have to deal with snowfalls of over 1cm or a local downpour when I'd lose reception. I got so tired of the technical problems that I went back to cable.

Satellite service is the same whether Bell or Shaw. Lousy. Expect interruptions due to weather & losing channels (satellite feed) for no reason thereby having to deal with the morons who work in customer service or the technical department. I was a Bell satellite customer & I kept losing my channels once every couple of months or have to deal with snowfalls of over 1cm or a local downpour when I'd lose reception. I got so tired of the technical problems that I went back to cable.

Bell is terrible for satellite I find. I much prefer the shaw satellite systems. To be fair though, I've always gone with cable, just used both types of satellite at work so I can't comment on their pricing or customer service. My experience is that the only time you ever really lost signal if the dish was aimed well was during very heavy intense rain storms, which does suck but it's nothing that's a complete deal breaker either I don't think.

A guy at work used starchoice and basically just had TSN on it. It seemed pretty cheap.

Bell is terrible for satellite I find. I much prefer the shaw satellite systems. To be fair though, I've always gone with cable, just used both types of satellite at work so I can't comment on their pricing or customer service. My experience is that the only time you ever really lost signal if the dish was aimed well was during very heavy intense rain storms, which does suck but it's nothing that's a complete deal breaker either I don't think.

I'd be flipping channels & lose everything for no reason. Then I'd have to call Bell & they'd have to troubleshoot which would turn into a 45 minute affair. Happened 7, 8 or more times a year in the 5 years I had Bell. So about 35 or 40 times overall. They sent me 2 new HD boxes during that time but it still kept happening. Even sent out a serviceman to check the connections but couldn't find any reason why I kept losing my channels. Got so frustrated one day, I just cancelled & went back to Shaw which I don't like to begin with but at least I don't lose my channels randomly or reception anymore when it rains or snows. Lesser of 2 evils.

I'm about half an hour north of the city on #8. We use BELL and only have trouble during heavy rains...have watched plenty of hockey during blizzards.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

 

Yeah, I'd go with cable if that was an option.  Unfortunately the cheap bastards at MTS and Shaw haven't laid down cable for Oakbank (maybe in the newer parts but not older anyway) so the only choice we have is satellite.

 

Thanks Fraser, I'll check out Starchoice as well and see what they have to offer.

I believe starchoice has become shaw these days

Thanks TB, appreciate the info.  Do you remember how much you paid for receiver\installation?

 

Sorry.  I believe the receiver was about $299 for the HD PVR, but they come and install everything for free if you are a new customer.  Non PVR HD receivers were like $99 I believe.  You will get certain credits too as far as I can remember.  Like a PPV credit or for movies on demand.

 

https://secure.shawdirect.ca/english/store/signup_hw.asp

Had Star Choice (which is now called Shaw Direct) for a long time and loved it. Decided to switch to Telus a couple years ago, in order to bundle my internet and HD TV together (...and they had some other incentives...) and it's been nothing but fantastic. I'm just speaking in terms of Satellite vs Cable, because I'm in AB, and can't really speculate as to service in rural MB, but I've never had any real problems with any of my dishes...

If you get a satellite dish, I would definitely coat it in this stuff:

 

 

Currently you can't get it in Canada, but you can get it at Homedepot in the US.