Directv, Distant Networks and PBS

[backroadtravell]

Distant Networks is such mind blowing experience! I had Dish with DNS. Then DNS was taken away. I got DNS from a private company for $10/month. Then they went out of business, I called in our location on each move but that became multiple nightmares. So, I got Directv. It hasn't gotten any better. No two people at Directv will give you the same answer. I didn't want to pay $20/month just for DNS so I gave my home or service address to Directv as a location in New York State when I signed up. I gave them our mail forwarding address in SD as our billing address only. It worked. We get NewYork local channels wherever we are in the USA. Sometimes I have to reset our DVR receiver but we always get NY locals. But, now we do not get PBS for some reason. Does anyone know why and what we might have to do to get PBS? I've Googled, called Diectv, looked in RV forums and I cannot find an answer to this seemingly simple question!

[Bill_Satellite]

I did not know that DirecTV had any DNS issues.
The Dish Network issues are Dish Networks fault alone. The violated the policies, told the FCC they were going to continue to violate the policies and there was nothing the FCC could do (or which ever governing body). Never tell the Government there's nothing they can do. Instead of trying to force Dish Network to comply, they simply removed Dish Network's permission to sell the service at all. That's when All American Direct stepped in to provide the service. Not sure exactly what happened to AAD but once they stopped providing the service no one else stepped up leaving Dish customers in the dark.

[MaverickBBD]

IMHO I don't blame DirecTv for D.N.S. issues. I have plenty of other issues to blame them. Starting with the price. I think the problem is with the Feds and F.C.C. who were 'gotten to' by lobbyists to protect local station's advertising sales. I am sure DirecTv would be happy to provide whatever service they were able and charge you accordingly.

[Bill_Satellite]

I have been using DirecTV DNS since 2000. Never a hiccup! The big 4 plus CW and PBS. If I want a local forecast I crank up the OTA antenna for some local info but if it's not available I really don't care.

[backroadtravell]

No, I meant reporting our location after each move in lieu of getting DNS. We don't really care about local stuff either. Rather have New York feeds which come in earlier I in C time or further west. We are just looking for the easiest way to get the big 4 plus PBS. Nice to know someone has not had any problems with Dire tv DNS. Thanks!

[docj]

backroadtravellers wrote:
Does anyone have an easy time of just calling Directv to change locations when you move?

Why do you have to report your location if you have DNS? That's the whole point of having DNS in the first place. We have no interest in actually watching local TV; we can get more reliable weather forecasts from Weather Underground.

DNS with DirecTV is totally trouble-free. We've had it for five years. It's HD for the "big 4" and SD for PBS.

[backroadtravell]

I don't think we are really cheating the system. We don't have any address we live at so I picked where we stay with friends when we are in upstate New York as our service address. Directv does state New York addresses do not need DNS for the big four. We do not get CW either. And we really don't mind $15 a month extra if it works well and doesn't change every time we turn around. The Dish experience was not fun! But all of it was probably more of a problem created by law makers than a Dish issue. We will apply for DNS with Directv and hope all goes well and stays that way. Does anyone have an easy time of just calling Directv to change locations when you move? Dish liked to change our billing address also which didn't work well at all!

[Bill_Satellite]

You do get a National PBS feed with the $15/month DNS package. It's listed as PBSNET but don't know the broadcaster name (see above?). As you have noticed with your current setup, you get some of the NY channels but not all that are available to folks located in NY PBS is one of these. Do you get CW? You should get ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX but likely not many others.

[aslakson]

When I first signed up for the DNS package, I remember paying extra (around $3 a month) to get PBS. But I notice that now my statement just shows $15 for DNS. Wish the PBS feed was HD, but it's not . . .

al

[wa8yxm]

In days of old when folks were bold there was indeed a PBS "Super station" This was the PBS station that was on the DNS service so it was delivered both to Sat TV customers who could not get any other PBS station and to cable customers in the same boat.. Thus this station, during pledge drives, got calls from all over the US and parts of Canada including Alaska .. The station WTVS Detroit.

How do I know this????? Well I answered a few of those calls.

Now.. What happened? I do not know but PBS is no more on the DNS list.

True story: One Pledge drive due to a technical error one show (Dr. Who) was delayed. The drive failed to meet target so we got called in for a "Special Drive" a couple months later.. I got a look at the tally sheet.. It was bad. OF all the shows that day one (Big Bird, that is Sesame Street) had made it's target.. A few shows .. Well let's Masterpiece Theater garnered like a hundred bucks in pledges.. The day was in sad, sad shape..

Then Dr. Who ran, in the proper time slot.

Not only did Dr. who meet it's projection... and then a bit.. it literally SAVED THE DAY. When Dr. Who ended (This does not count the overnights which are done by an answering service) and we closed the studio, the day's goal had been exceeded.

So what did the station do... Drop Dr. Who of course.

[rr2254545]

LOL beating the system and complaining lets report him

[docj]

My guess is that the PBS feed provided to DNS customers isn't the one you would have if you really lived in the NY area. You probably would get a PBS feed if you were actually in the range of the NY spot beam but it's not the one carried on the 101 satellite.

DNS is only $15/mo not $20 if you only ask for the Eastern DNS and not both.