Direct TV Upgrade to HD

[Jimbo]

I am ready to make the switch from standard DVR service to the HD DVR service.

I've been reading the other thread on Direct TV and didn't want to hijack the topic so, can any of you share your experiences with switching to the HD DVR service?

Here is what I have setup thus far:

• TV1 is HD ready and is in my Fam Rm with a DTV DVR attached. I can record 100 hours of shows.
• TV2 is in our BR upstairs with a normal TV (not HD.)

Here is what I want to do:

• Move the DVR at TV1 to TV2.
• Switch to the HD DVR at TV1.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I want to do this right and would love to hear your experiences including any "gotcha's" or what to do definitely or not to dos.

Thanxxx much for your responses.

 

[Icarus]

You may need an upgraded dish and an upgraded switch, depending on what you have now. Call them, and they should be tell you everything you need.

-David

 

[FLYNZ4]

Jimbo,

I am in a similar situation. I have 3 Tivo DirecTV receivers... with an old dual LNB dish and switch.

Our main TV is going... so I am replacing it with a HD 40" LCD. I know that I will need a new dish, a new HD receiver with PVR, and maybe a new switch.

Does Direct TV require us to pay for this... or do they upgrade? We have been customers for a decade or so. Do they support Tivo brand PVRs? I have a preference for Tivo since I think their user interface is best.

If they wont upgrade for free... I am considering moving to Comcast which is also my broadband supplier. Another possibility is waiting until Verizon starts delivering HD on fiber. We do have fiber to the house now. I understand that this is my best broadband option.

/Jim

 

[Icarus]

All you have to do is call. DTV probably will offer you a deal to upgrade you at little to no cost to keep you as a customer.

-David

 

[Ahzroe]

When you call, ask the rep for the customer retention department. Tell them what you want or you will walk. If at first you don't succeed.... Try again!!

 

[PigsDad]

Before you jump too quickly, you might want to know that DirecTv has been having some major problems with their new HD DVR receiver. You can read about customers experiences here.

Basically, DirecTv decided to sever their relationship with Tivo, and they no longer have license agreements with third party manufacturers to build receivers for them. All of the new receivers are DirecTv-branded. The new DVRs are not Tivo-based, and lack a lot of the functionality the old receivers had. However, if you want the new HD channels on DirecTv, you need the new receiver (so you are stuck).

On their website they say that there is a waiting list for the new HD DVR receivers because they are in "such high demand". In reality, the reason they are not shipping in force is because they are having so many problems and returns with these receivers. They are gradually getting better with each new firmware they release, but they are basically using their customer base as beta testers.

I am a very long-time customer of DirecTv (I had it the first summer they were out, Aug 1994), and I am quite disappointed with the current direction they are going. I think they still have the best service as far as quality and selection goes, but their new hardware sucks, to put it bluntly.

Kurt

 

[seenett]

Just another opinion, and it's not one of the choices you listed, but Dish Networks' VIP622 HD receiver is more advanced that anything DirectV has currently. Since it sounds like you are going to need all new hardware anyway, you should at least look into it. As the link below shows, "It can receive MPEG-4, record three HD channels simultaneously, feed two separate televisions, send video via USB to portable players, and basically do everything but cook dinner."


http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6474_7-6487656-1.html

 

[labguides]

We have both TIVO and Directv-DVR. I much prefer TIVO. It is more user friendly, does searches faster and finds more programs.

 

[FLYNZ4]

Just another opinion, and it's not one of the choices you listed, but Dish Networks' VIP622 HD receiver is more advanced that anything DirectV has currently. Since it sounds like you are going to need all new hardware anyway, you should at least look into it.

I currently have 3 Tivo DirecTv receivers. They are modifed (weaknees) to have huge hard drives. If I switch to Dish Networks... I think I would have to replace the receivers for the other two TVs.

I will check it out however... thanks for the tip. I will not be doing anything until after new years.

/Jim

 

[Icarus]

Your DirecTivos will be useless with Dish Network.

-David

 

[mapper]

Before you jump too quickly, you might want to know that DirecTv has been having some major problems with their new HD DVR receiver. You can read about customers experiences here.

Basically, DirecTv decided to sever their relationship with Tivo, and they no longer have license agreements with third party manufacturers to build receivers for them. All of the new receivers are DirecTv-branded. The new DVRs are not Tivo-based, and lack a lot of the functionality the old receivers had. However, if you want the new HD channels on DirecTv, you need the new receiver (so you are stuck).

On their website they say that there is a waiting list for the new HD DVR receivers because they are in "such high demand". In reality, the reason they are not shipping in force is because they are having so many problems and returns with these receivers. They are gradually getting better with each new firmware they release, but they are basically using their customer base as beta testers.

I am a very long-time customer of DirecTv (I had it the first summer they were out, Aug 1994), and I am quite disappointed with the current direction they are going. I think they still have the best service as far as quality and selection goes, but their new hardware sucks, to put it bluntly.

Kurt

Hmmm, I was going to sneak in to see what kind of HD receiver we have but I don' t dare wake hubby. It is a Tivo one so I am guessing it is not the one you are talking about.

We haven' t had any problems with it although we do find the UltimateTv receiver much quicker when setting up programs to record. We love our HD Directv.

 

[PigsDad]

Hmmm, I was going to sneak in to see what kind of HD receiver we have but I don' t dare wake hubby. It is a Tivo one so I am guessing it is not the one you are talking about.

We haven' t had any problems with it although we do find the UltimateTv receiver much quicker when setting up programs to record. We love our HD Directv.

It sounds like you have the good one. It is just the new H20 receiver that has been having all of the problems (and is not a "Tivo", but their own version of a DVR). Keep your Tivo-based unit as long as it works for you. As far as I know, Directv does not sell the Tivo-based units any more; the only way to get them is through resale.

The problem where I live is that to get the HD versions of the local channels (Denver market), you need the new receiver, since it uses a different compression format (MPEG-4). So my choice is limited -- either get the H20 receiver with all of its problems, or don't receive the HD local channels.:annoyed:

On the upside, they have been pushing out new versions of their software to the receivers, and it seems like they are getting better -- gradually.

Kurt

 

[Icarus]

mapper wins the geekiest setup award because of their slingbox.

Even I don't have a slingbox.

Tivo and DVRs allow time shifting. Slingbox allows place shifting.

-David

 

[RichM]

Just got my Slingbox Pro today and have 2 of my 3 DirecTivo's connected. The Pro version still has an available connection for the 3rd, but the IR blaster only has two outputs. I need to find a way to mount one of the IR blasters so it can accurately control 2 of the 3 at a time.

Anyway, so far it's great.. I even tried the Pocket PC SlingPlayer on my T-Mobile MDA over a 40kbps Edge connection and it was almost acceptable. If I had a bit better cell coverage I'm sure it would be better. I'll try from work tomorrow and see how it is remotely - I have 512Kbs upstream/10Mbps downstream on my home connection so it should be pretty good.


___________________
WorldMark Owners' Community -

- www.wmowners.com

 

[FLYNZ4]

Rich,

Do you think that the quality will be acceptable to watch TIVO while you are vacationing at your WM properties with the Telkonet service?

We we are at the resorts... it seems so primative to not be able to skip past the commercials.

/Jim

 

[RichM]

I'll let you know how it is tomorrow from work. Like I said I have 512kbps upstream at home and we have 1.1Mbps up/downstream at work so it should be comparable to the Telkonet at WM.

I agree, I can't stand watching regular TV while away from home. The shows and the storylines just flow better without 2 minute interruptions every 10 minutes.

___________________
WorldMark Owners' Community -

- www.wmowners.com

 

[RichM]

In my work/home testing, the SlingPlayer optimizes to around 290kbps and the picture is pretty acceptable - not much worse than something off youtube.com

When you send a remote control command, there is a little bit of delay based on the buffering that's done. It's more noticeable on the SlingPlayer for Pocket PC on my cellphone than on the full Windows version. It does make fast-forwarding over commercials a little tricky, but not impossible. One example, if you click Pause on the remote it may not actually pause for 3-10 seconds. Since I have the jump to next interval button reprogrammed as a 30-second skip ahead, I find that I can just click this 3-4 times and get over most of the commercials. (side note: my Tivo had rebooted so I lost the special key programming, but I was even able to reprogram it through SlingPlayer using the Select-Play-Select-3-0-Select command with their virtual remote).

___________________
WorldMark Owners' Community -

- www.wmowners.com

 

[CMF]

Call to DirecTV

I asked if could marry up a TIVO to my HD receiver. The answer was yes, but that it would record in standard definition only. I could lease a DirecTV HD DVR for $20 per month or buy a unit for $799 + delivery. Not worth it in my book. But I may reconsider when their promise of many many more HD channels actually materializes.


Charles

 

[Icarus]

www.weaknees.com still lists DTivos (HD and SD), but last time I checked, they didn't have any. You might want to check with them. Of course, that's the purchase option.

You might be able to find one on ebay too. I haven't looked since I don't have DTV.

-David

 

[Jimbo]

DirecTV contacted me last night

I put my name in for them to call me due to such supposedly high demand. I got my call last night after about a week of waiting.

Here is the deal. They no longer sell equipment but instead do all leases (just like Dish Network.) There is an up-front fee of $299 (which include a better dish and the HD DVR). Then I have to sign-up for the monthly package (incentive: first 4 months free) for $9.99 monthly. In getting this deal I have to then make another 2 year commitment (I am currently wrapping up 1 year of my first 2 year commitment.) There are 7 local channels and 7 other channels delivered in HD with this new package.

Overall, not a good deal. We are passing for now although I really want to see my HD ready television that I purchased almost 2 years ago really dance and sing.

I need more of an incentive and more programming in HD to make it work while!

 

[CMF]

Is this for NEW or Existing Customers?

The information you received Jimbo does not jive with what I was told. I'm a current DirecTV customer - supposedly on their A list since I've been with them for so long.

Charles

 

[fnewman]

You can bet DirectTv will gladly rent you a receiver of most any type you desire; however, you can also buy and own your own HD receiver, with or without TiVo from Circuit City. The base received could pay for itself in about a year.

 

[Jimbo]

The information you received Jimbo does not jive with what I was told. I'm a current DirecTV customer - supposedly on their A list since I've been with them for so long.

Charles

How long ago did you get your info? They changed their plans in Mar 2006 to a pure leasing model. They don't sell their receivers any more!

I'll call back though and see what they say about a $20 / month lease rate. The price I was quoted was $299 for the "delivery / install" (my terms not theirs) of the equipment and then $10 / mo for the service (i.e. lease rate.)

 

[Emily]

If you don't have Direct TV and are considering changing. . . I noticed that Northwest Air offers miles for joining Direct Tv. It doesn't seem to take away from all the other bells & whistles that Direct TV includes in the promo.


What about local channels? It says that local channels are avaible in the next county to me (5 miles north) through Phila but not in my county. How do you get local channels? I have a real love/hate relationship going with comcast but most of the programming we tivo is off nbc, cbs etc.

 

[Jimbo]

DirecTV local

If you don't have Direct TV and are considering changing. . . I noticed that Northwest Air offers miles for joining Direct Tv. It doesn't seem to take away from all the other bells & whistles that Direct TV includes in the promo.


What about local channels? It says that local channels are avaible in the next county to me (5 miles north) through Phila but not in my county. How do you get local channels? I have a real love/hate relationship going with comcast but most of the programming we tivo is off nbc, cbs etc.

I know there were some law suits about the access to local TV channels a while back but I have never had an issue. We live in Harrisburg pA and have local channels. I would suspect that you should get at least Philly channels if you are just south of the PA / DE border. If these are not your local channels I'd call to inquire. I had the same relationship with Comcast... I no longer pay them a penny and every month when I do the bills I am so thankful for that. Comcast is nothing but a rip-off in my mind.