# Yes, the Dish is Satan's sweaty ball sack and we're going to hell for choosing it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 27, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433 "2005-04-27T20:30:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/61 "2005-05-04T17:11:01Z")
> [@](#): > > But I still stick with cable cause…well, I ahve to. As said, I live in an apartment, and I doubt the landlord would enjoy me sticking things on the outside of it. Actually, many states have recently enacted legislation permitting renters to erect these small dishes on the building exterior. Of course, if you don’t live on a side of the building with a good southern exposure, the legislation ain’t gonna do you much good anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/62 "2005-05-04T22:39:05Z")
> [@Elza B](#): > > “They rope you into a contract.” > > We’re not in a contract. > > […snip…] > > “It costs $200 to get a repair person out there!” > > No. I checked our contract with a fine-tooth comb. I’m a bit late to the party, but I read the whole thread and didn’t see the above apparent contradiction addressed. How did you check your contract if you weren’t in a contract? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/63 "2005-05-04T23:01:17Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I’m a bit late to the party, but I read the whole thread and didn’t see the above apparent contradiction addressed. How did you check your contract if you weren’t in a contract? These are not the contract you are looking for. Move along. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/64 "2005-05-04T23:12:09Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > These are not the contract you are looking for. Move along. The wha…? 1. I wasn’t talking to you. 2. Your grammar is amphibolous. 3. What kind of contract do you imagine that I’m “looking for”? 4. Who are you to tell me to move along? 5. What possessed you to bother typing such a nonresponsive non sequitur on someone else’s behalf? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/65 "2005-05-04T23:25:05Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > The wha…? 1. I wasn’t talking to you. So? > [@](#): > > 1. Your grammar is amphibolous. And your point is? > [@](#): > > 1. What kind of contract do you imagine that I’m “looking for”? You brought it up, not me. > [@](#): > > 1. Who are you to tell me to move along? I AM KIROK! > [@](#): > > 1. What possessed you to bother typing such a nonresponsive non sequitur on someone else’s behalf? I did for the kicks, baby! ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/66 "2005-05-04T23:31:46Z")
With DirecTV I’ve never had channel lag near 10 seconds. Maybe like 1 second? Like a 1001 second type deal. The disparity in price isn’t entirely cable’s fault, nor really is the disparity in service. Cable networks I think are just plain more expensive and more difficult to upkeep, and they also have to pay more regulatory taxes that get passed on to their consumers. I don’t make _any_ excuses for the cable company that screwed me for the better part of a decade though. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/67 "2005-05-05T00:23:09Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I’m a bit late to the party, but I read the whole thread and didn’t see the above apparent contradiction addressed. How did you check your contract if you weren’t in a contract? I guess I meant paperwork - we did sign something to get the Dish, but there’s no time-frame, ie we aren’t required to keep the Dish for a year. I went over the terms and conditions very, very carefully and asked all three people I spoke with if we could cancel the Dish whenever we wanted. So we are definitely NOT locked into a timed contract. E. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/68 "2005-05-05T02:59:08Z")
> [@Elza B](#): > > Exactly WHY shouldn’t we get Dish again? Everytime someone gets Dish, a unicorn’s horn drops off! Do you want all our unicorns to be hornless? You sick sick person. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/69 "2005-05-05T03:24:05Z")
> [@Keapon Laffin](#): > > Everytime someone gets Dish, a unicorn’s horn drops off! Do you want all our unicorns to be hornless? You sick sick person. Did you know that every time you pay your cable bill, a giraffe loses an inch in his/her neck? Do YOU want to be responsible for all those short-necked giraffes in the word? E. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/70 "2005-05-05T06:02:59Z")
When I switched to Dish from cable I was asked why I was switching. I told them I get more channels for less. They offered to reduce my monthly cable service by switching my options (some “package upgrade”). Of course, this is something you couldn’t call and order. I asked how long they’ve had this “package upgrade”. They said for several months. I told them I’m upset I’ve been over paying for several months of service and now not only do I want them to end my account but I want a tech to come and remove the cable from the pole to my house. This was 6 or more years ago and I’ve not looked back (I have changed from dishnet to directv however) As for outages: I have had less down time with a dish then I did with cable. Welcome to the dark side. When the toads start to fall from the sky I’ll meet you outside with tennis rackets. (having said that I HAVE to have cable internet because both telco companies in the area kept fucking up getting my DSL running. So far the cable internet is great and doesn’t cost much more without cable tv service -$10 extra I think) ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/71 "2005-05-05T09:51:07Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > They probably do realize it. Evidently, their hope is that if they get the customer distracted by an argument over dropping the service, the customer won’t notice. I doubt it. I bet the person in the call-center probably has very little clue, and might even believe the hype. When I worked in an AOL call-center, they took anyone for tech, because you read from a script as it was. Erek ---
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433/72 "2005-05-05T11:15:28Z")
When I moved I canceled my DTV service at my original residence and then subscribed again at my new place once I’d settled in. When I called to cancel the DTV guy first asked the “Was it something we said?” type questions, then offered to just suspend the service. Because I wasn’t sure I of my time frame at the new place so I declined and he went ahead and canceled the account. When I was ready, I got a new box, satelite, etc. and had it installed (by a professional who came out when he said he would) for a grand total of fifty bucks. The DTV I have now has caller I.D. When the phone rings I get a little box on the bottom of the picture that tells me the incoming phone number and caller. I love, love, love that feature. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-the-dish-is-satans-sweaty-ball-sack-and-were-going-to-hell-for-choosing-it/301433.md?page=3)