A Few DirecTv HD Questions

[tampagator]

I am considering the move up to HD and I had a few questions,

1. I have an oval disk that is aimed at an angle towards the south. I pick up DirecTV just fine. When my installer put up the dish, he mentioned he left it almost ready for HDTV and all I had to do was add a middle lnb (the wiring is already there). So is it as simple to add the third lnb to have the dish ready?

2. I thought I heard I could put my existing receiver on a certain channel (once the third lnb is added) to see if the HD satellite is being picked up. Do you know what channel that may be?

3. Should I invest in the new Hughes HD receiver with hard drive ($999) or by another receiver with a stand-alone DVD burner? I understand the new Hughes system records in HD.

4. what kind of deasl is Directv giving these days to loyal customers who want to switch to HD?

4. Any advice you have on a separate antenna for locals would be helpful.

Thanks,

Trying to deal with the Florida Gators and Bucs this year is hard.

 

[Darin]

1. Yes, you just need a "sat C kit". It's not a regular LNB. DirecTV will probably give it to you if you plan on subscribing to HD service.

2. Channels 490-494 are the test channels. Two each (odd & even transponders) for each satellite slot. 110 only has even transponders, so it only has one test channel, which is on 494.

3. Definitely get the HD-TiVo. If you don't mind spending the money, it's well worth it. You should be able to pick it up for $899, and DirecTV retention may give you up to $250 in credits to help offset the cost. With the recently annouced price drop of the Dish HD PVR, the price of the HD-TiVo may even come down further.

4. Antennas vary greatly with your location & local channels. Best thing is to start at antennaweb.org.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

1. Yes, you need upgrade kit C to get the 110 degree satellite. DIRECTV will send it to you for $6.88.
2. Try channel 99. You will also need to go through the set up menu to configure the dish for the triple LNB system.
3. The best system is the DIRECTV HD DVR model HR10-250, which was manufactured by Hughes and is now just branded DIRECTV.
4. 6 months free of HD programming, which is priced at $10.99/mo. My company gives a $100. discount, a free 5 yr extended manufacturers warranty and throw in a HD DVR T-shirt.
5. In most applications the SquareShooter SS1000 works best, forum members pay $89.99 for the antenna.

Hope this helps.

-Robert

 

[hongcho]

1) Yes. If the dish is pointing the right direction, it is just plugging in the Sat C LNB (which is what I did).

2) The Sat C at 110 degree has HBO-HD (70), Showtime-HD (71) and HDNet Movies (78). All of them are HD channels, so you will need an HD DirecTV receiver to watch them.

3) It used to be a Hughes, but now it's a DirecTV product: DirecTV HR10-250. It can tune and record HD channels. DVD is not HD and it cannot record HD as is.

4) Talk to the Retention Department. I have no idea.

5) I use ChannelMaster 4228. It's an outdoor antenna and works well. As for indoor antennas, I've heard that Zenith SilverSensor works great.

Hong.

 

[tampagator]

What is the difference if any between a sat c lnb and a single lnb?

 

[Darin]

The sat C LNB shifts the incoming signals to a different frequency range, so they can be mixed with the sat B signals & look like one satellite to the receiver. A regular LNB will not work for sat C, and the sat C LNB will not work for 101 or 119.

 

[jdspencer]

Anyone considering an OTA antenna really should go to www.antennaweb.org and determine the type of antenna needed. Not all digital stations are using UHF for which the SilverSensor is great. Three of my local digital stations are VHF (4, 7, & 8).