We are looking into both the Genie and the X1 DVR, with my brother-in-law having one and a friend another. But the recent Comcast "I will use your electricity" to power our outside network "idea" already has a strike against Comcast, even tough you can turn it off.
Most the crap Comcast is given is just overblown media/hater hype (I can probably dispel most the 'evil doings' according to the uneducated public like Data Limits for example)... but I think this one could be bigger publicity issue. I have my own Router, so no using my Comcast equipment to let other people get WiFi. I already had it (higher end gaming router - has a much better signal range too). Even if I didn't have my own I'd be "opting out" (as you can).
I know the two issues that will be brought up the most are...
1) "You're slowing me down!". Doubtful, because Comcast can send more bandwidth to your modem if they need to. They can easily provide people with a 100Mbps speed and have the ability to go higher (but most people don't use anything near that). So, as long as they monitor usage and by who that usage is coming from, you shouldn't even notice. The question is: Can they do that? I don't have an solid answer for that one. It should be yes, but...?
2) "You're making my network less secure!" They're really not. If you are using WiFi already you already have the same potential security risks. This is only said by people who know little to nothing about WiFi.
The complaint I can't really negate is that they are using your router to make money off non-customer WiFi usage. From my point of view that's really the primary issue when it comes down to it. There are valid arguments for both sides of that coin.
The questions between Satellite and Cable are fairly simple. The package pricing,
if you are comparing apples to apples (which they won't when you're talking to them) for TV is fairly close. Within a few bucks. But you have to answer...
1) Do you have clear line of sight for the satellite signal?
2) Do you want to be stuck in a long term contract with a high disconnect penalty?
3) Do you have to have the NFL Package? (Direct TV are the only holder of that).
4) Do you need international channels Comcast doesn't carry?
...and...
5) If you need internet satellite is just no good for that, hands down. No question about it. So then you're stuck with DSL if you don't get cable... and they are,
generally, full of it when they tell you what speeds you'll get. Where I live you won't get better than 1.5Mbps from DSL no matter what speed they sell you (and they will happily sell you speeds you won't get). Comcast starts at 25Mbps (there are technically slower versions for Low Income and such, but even those run at least 3Mbps and are far cheaper than DSL). Yes, there are customers who get Verizon Fios and Google Fiber (the
real competition), but they are few and far between. And if you're going to get cable internet odds are you'll save money bundling the TV and Internet with the cable company (unless there's something they simply can't do that Satellite can).
I agree things will have to change somewhat RandalThor. The older the younger generations get and the faster internet becomes the more people watch their TV via the Internet. I would say cable companies are slow to embrace this, but they are huge companies so that's kinda a given. They will have to go fully wireless someday (eventually you'll be holding
everything in your hand). And the stock holders in companies like Comcast, as a generic group, are just behind the times. They don't understand that Comcast, for example, is more of an internet company than a TV company anymore. They need to get out of the 20th century frame of mind and realize technology is changing, and will quickly drastically change, from how we did it before.