A properly installed dish is very reliable. However, there will be signal loss when there are severe weather conditions.
Yes, Bell TV offers timeshifting. Bell TV offers most of the same channels. For example, Rogers has MSNBC and Bell does not. The channels will be the same, but you'll get a different set of US network feeds. Bell TV has Boston for East and Seattle for West. I assume you get something different from Rogers.
Bell TV picture quality is bad (In my opinion), but will be better than analogue.
I will add that Bell is well known for its very poor customer service. Are you sure that the internet is not contract as well?

As far as switching, how happy are you with Rogers? If the answer is happy, very happy or extremely happy, think hard before you switch, it may not be worth it for $30. And after the contract ends, your montly bill will go up. (Not sure how much)
I have only had Bell TV (ExpressVu). I can't really comment on internet or home phone.
Note that it's going to be more than 6 months before analogue is totally phased out.

I'm satisfied with Rogers as far as the services I get, but they do seem to constantly raise their prices without warning, so a fixed rate is appealing, I just don't want to lose any channels in the switch, the actual installation sounds like it will be a hassle and I'm concerned about how reliable Bell is. So far in two years of service with Rogers, there have only been a couple of service interruptions, where everything was down (phone, Internet and cable).

I have read that analogue being phased out in Canada will happen in a couple of years and in the USA in Feb 2009, but I didn't tell the CSR that...I thought it was something she was saying in an effort to not get me to cancel, so I just didn't bother with that, since I still have a couple of days to cancel.

Thanks for your response.

Analogue cable will not necessarily end in 2011 when the digital transition occurs. The transition is only for OTA, it does not effect cable or satellite.
Don't think that Bell doesn't raise prices. After your contract ends, your cost will go up, probably quite a bit. And they do rate increases just as frequently as Rogers. Not to mention the $3 Digital Access Fee they charge for TV.

Doesn't Rogers phone still have the problems that if you have no power, you have no phone? Just yesterday I was dialing 9-1-1 after a truck in front of my house got tangled in the hydro wires, with the driver still in the cab, and with sparks flying everywhere. If I'd had Rogers, I would have had to have left the house and found a phone booth. (I suppose that one could hit the phone line too - but that voltage isn't going to kill anyone).

Where do you live? I'm OTA myself, but I've noticed some threads complaining that Bell does sim-subs nationally. If you're not in a metropolitan area where you can receive CTV/Global/CITY, then Rogers won't simsub, but Bell will. I suppose it's due to the fact that a satellite covers a significant chunk of the country, whereas a cable system only serves the local city area.

Rogers Home Phone does get impacted by power outages, but I think the battery backup is supposed to work for 12 - 24 hours so calling right after a power outage would not be an issue, unless the battery failed.

How often does Rogers replace those battery backup units? In the office, we have to replace our batteries every 2-3 years.

I only remember one power outage since I've lived here, and I seem to remember using the phone to find out was was going on...but I'm not absolutely sure.

I think we're going to stay with Rogers for now. It's the devil we know.

We did consider just switching home phone back to Bell..maybe in the near future.

Any opinions on which has better services?
Who has moved from one or the other?
Which PVR is better?

Thanks

Which PVR is better?
9242 is far superior to the 8300.

9242 is far superior to the 8300.
...unless you want an external HDD that works, although that may be fixed on BTV.

...unless you want the incoming format passed directly to the TV and also without the service provider also compressing the signal and changing the HD formats all to 720P (BTV does this).

...unless you want to have fewer audio sync and dropout issues.

The SA8300HD (and Rogers) is not perfect - it also has issues (IPG for example), however, each provider and their equipment has pluses and minuses.

The only way to tell which you'd prefer is to read the various threads on Rogers and BTV, keeping in mind what's important to you and then making up your mind.

I wish that all the companies except Bell would switch there PVR's to better ones, I would for sure be on Star Choice if they had a decent PVR, but in my opinion its really bad, same with the Rogers PVR....

Really the advantage Bell Tv has right now is there PVR, and thats where they seem to be trying to make the most improvements.

It'd be great if you could link me with better PVRs that work on Scientific Atlanta and Motorola cable systems.

Hi all,
I'm moving into my new next month and am shopping around for a television provider. I can possibly get a good deal with Rogers as my fiancee's friend is high up within the company; but what about Bell TV? Which is worth buying? I'm buying an HDTV soon, so HD is vital.

Any thoughts? Not sure if this is the right place for this thread.

I think Bells HD PVR is far superior to Rogers HD PVR. If price is your main concern, and you can get a better deal with Rogers, then maybe thats the best choice. It all depends on who you ask as to what provider you go with...My $.02
I would go into a Bell World, grab a brochure, and have a look at the HD PVR, and then do the same at a Rogers store, so you can make your own decision, based on price, and receiver(s).

Consider that what you watch is content, channels; PVR functionality isn't the last word.

You haven't said where you live. Rogers HD On Demand is growing in utility -- free AMC Mad Men in HD On Demand; and if you subscribe to TMN/HBO there is a lot of content HD On Demand. Plus the channels on Rogers in HD is pretty competitive with Bell TV. Finally, Super Sports Pak is excellent value with lots of HD content.

Bottom line: look closely at the whole HD experience. Rogers HD PVR does the job you expect and Rogers HD offers lots more that satellite does not deliver (ie HD On Demand).

And as i hate tv says look at the Bell HD PVR.

PVR functionality isn't the last word.

Maybe not for you but as someone who has gone from a 5100, through the 5900 and 5200 and onto a 9200, I would base my entire Service Provider choice on the PVR functions from here forward. Hooking up the OTA made an amazing receiver astounding. It is all about personal preference after all.

It is a 3 Tuner HD PVR, its features are way above the Rogers offering and it now has the ability to use an external Hard Drive for even more storage. This is a new feature and may still have a few bugs but it is improving all the time.

Another item to consider is the poor PQ of Bell HD. Bell HD Lite is not real HD.

I'm in Etobicoke so I don't think I should have any signal issues.

It seems like Rogers is winning the battle so far - is a PVR essential to obtaining true HD quality?

is a PVR essential to obtaining true HD quality?The short answer is yes (for recording). For more information on recording HD, see the following link. There are some other "options" however, they are usually limiting and problematical.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=14099

(A PVR is not required for watching HD, a STB can be purchased or rented if you're not interested in recording.) See the following post on Rogers HD offering:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76073