I just ordered ESPN College Gameplan for the first time from Time Warner. Has anyone ever had these channels before and if so, what was your opinion on the quality? I know it is six channels but are the games redundant from basic channels? Can you see ESPNU games?

8/11/2006 10:59:59 AM

you're screwed.

8/11/2006 11:04:20 AM

If you want ESPNU, get DirecTV.

8/11/2006 11:06:30 AM

The gameplan is good if you want to watch out of market games on ABC, local channels (Raycom equivalent), etc.

ESPNU games are not shown on it, at least they weren't last year.

8/11/2006 11:18:56 AM

^ is directv better than Dish network, cause Dish network is a lot cheaper

8/11/2006 11:19:00 AM

Depends on what you want.

I have directv because I want the nfl sunday ticket, and its the only way to get it.

Make sure you look at the packages, dish may be cheaper base, but I bet if you compare similar packages, they'll be about the same.

I think Dish has a slightly better HD package, but Directv has better local channel coverage because they are bigger/more sats.

8/11/2006 11:24:54 AM

^^Dish/DirecTV Depends on what channels you care about. I'm not sure about DirectTV, but Dish only gets ESPNU on the 180 channel package (about the most expensive), and still has lame selections on other sports (ie Fox Sports South). That is what I'm stuck with b/c of the landlord, and don't even have 180 yet but am hoping for the college football season.

I had ESPN Gameplan when I lived out of the Southeast. It picks up ABC regional (other regions), Raycom/JP and similar regional networks, sometimes an ESPN-Plus type game. No ESPN-U. It was worth it for me, but it depends on you for the games you want to watch vs. the games shown in your market. If you live in the market of games you want to see, ESPNU may be more important than Gameplan. Then again, there are always sports bars...

[Edited on August 11, 2006 at 11:28 AM. Reason : .]

8/11/2006 11:28:20 AM

I think DirecTV is better than Dish, & of course it's way better than TWC. Turner South (Braves baseball), Sports South, the NFL channel, & ESPNU (state games) is included in a standard package if any of those matter to you. I think it's only $49. Tivo DVR's are much better than TWC's DVR's as well.

If you just want basic TV service, then Dish is better b/c it is alittle cheaper.

If you want anything more than that, DirecTV is better otherwise (more options, NFL Sunday ticket, more channels, & better service).

8/11/2006 12:24:51 PM

If you have HD, pretty much everyone will tell you that Dish HD quality is tons better than DirecTV HD quality...plus they have more HD channels (not just the VOOM package either). I honestly havent seen both side by side to compare, but this is a regular discussion on the avsforum, and they are pretty knowledgeable about the subject.

Im planning to switch to Dish soon myself, so question for those with satellite: I know there is more than one incarnation of FSN South (Grizzlies games are on FSNS in Tennessee). So do you get the same version that I get with TWC (ie, all Hurricanes and ACC basketball games that would be available on FSNS)? Id hate to find out I have some crossbread and end up getting some crappy Grizzlies game rather than a State or Canes game.

Also, I know Dish carries OLN-HD games, but are these included with one of the HD programming packages? Something I read somewhere made it sound like the HD broadcasts were only available with Center Ice.

8/11/2006 4:19:17 PM

i got it last year through Time Warner

i loved it...no hi def but tons and tons of games

8/11/2006 4:20:14 PM

Anyone ever gotten it on the computer?

It seems the quality always blows, any idea if improvements have been made?

I live way outside of the ncsu market and really want to at least see a few games

8/28/2006 4:28:46 PM

^^

Quote :

"Also, I know Dish carries OLN-HD games, but are these included with one of the HD programming packages? Something I read somewhere made it sound like the HD broadcasts were only available with Center Ice."

TWC carries that also

8/28/2006 7:54:38 PM

Quote :

"I know there is more than one incarnation of FSN South (Grizzlies games are on FSNS in Tennessee). So do you get the same version that I get with TWC (ie, all Hurricanes and ACC basketball games that would be available on FSNS)? Id hate to find out I have some crossbread and end up getting some crappy Grizzlies game rather than a State or Canes game."

I don't know about Dish, but DirecTV carries tons of different Fox Sports channels on the sports package. The unfortunate thing is that most (if not all) of the time, the pro games are blacked out to force you to buy the special PPV packages.

8/28/2006 8:06:07 PM