At&T U-Verse Sucks...................

[DolfanBob]

Bob got me a great deal. Use me as a reference and I will buy you food and/or drink.

Already had you in mind Mike.

[patric]

I would like to hear critiques from anyone who has satellite from DirectTV as relates to cost and reliability. I would not need internet or phone service.

As far as outage during storms, I have a protected area under one of the eaves of my old gabled home. Would that improve reception during storms or is it the signal that degrades before it reaches the dish?

"Rain fade" is grossly exaggerated.   It can happen when a thunderhead with enough mass (water) passes between you and the satellite, attenuating the signal for a few seconds.  Since it is attenuation (and not complete blockage) some customers have installed larger aftermarket dishes in order to "gather" more of the signal and experience less attenuation, but most viewers just tolerate the interruption (sometimes using the opportunity to check their Over-The-Air antenna for local stations).  A poorly aimed dish will experience a lot of rain fade, however.

In this part of the world, the dish "looks" at a rather steep angle, so obstructions above the dish may block some or all of the different satellites it should see.
It might be a matter of how high or low it is mounted in relation to the gable, but there's no hard rule about mounting your dish above the gable, for that matter, as long as it has a view of specific points over the Equator:



The old round dishes used to be a breeze to aim because you only had to see one satellite (That's why they are still a favorite of RV folks).  I once had mine on the ground propped up with bricks temporarily, (and you can still do that in a pinch) but for a permanent installation, find someone with the tools and be done with it.
I have even put a dish beneath a fiberglass roof and had it work fine.  (Fiberglass is more transparent than wood or metal)  Just sweep the snow off.

As far as price, you are at the mercy of the likes of Viacom and AMC who raise rates and pass it on to carriers like Cox and DirecTV, so rate increases are a reality with whoever you go with.  DirecTV gives me a better deal for the channels I watch, your mileage may vary depending on your likes.

[AquaMan]

Bob got me a great deal. Use me as a reference and I will buy you food and/or drink.

I would Mike, but us surfer dudes are too stupid to know what a reference is.....

Seriously, I'll pm you Bob when I finish the third coat of poly on the wood floors I that I have dedicated for spring break.

[AquaMan]

Thank you Patrick. I don't see dishes in my neighborhood (just south of downtown). Maybe the hills out west get in the way.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I would like to hear critiques from anyone who has satellite from DirectTV as relates to cost and reliability. I would not need internet or phone service.

As far as outage during storms, I have a protected area under one of the eaves of my old gabled home. Would that improve reception during storms or is it the signal that degrades before it reaches the dish?

Otherwise I'm looking for a good antenna.

Just be ready for the very occasional dropout from hard storms (rain fade).  Like when you want to see the radar on the local stations....  I lost signal earlier this year in OKC during their snowfall...was only out while the heaviest snow was falling.  Back on in less than 30 minutes.  Get an over the air antenna and a signal switch and you are fine.

[DolfanBob]

Kudos Patric. I could not have said or explained that any better.

Sounds like a plan AquaMan.

[patric]

I don't see dishes in my neighborhood (just south of downtown). Maybe the hills out west get in the way.

The Elevation for Tulsa is about 47 degrees, so you should be fine.

Maybe your neighbors are good hiders: