D*/E* Combo Question

[davec53]

i have an interesting question, and i think i already know the answer, but here we go.

i am currently a Dish subscriber, and i have the dvr 522. the thing i really like most about the box is it is really 2 receivers in 1 box...it can output to 2 separate televisions, with no additional equipment. the reason i like this is that i can set up the dvr to record all of my favorite shows, and then watch them from either my living room or bedroom, where the other feed goes.

i purchased a HDTV about 3 months ago, but i have not subscribed to any HD programming yet. i have been looking over both Dish and Direct to compare, and there are things i like about each, so i'm weighing my options, and have a question or 2.

there are a couple of things that are steering me away from Dish HD...#1, i'm not eligible to lease a 622, due to some early problems with paying my bill. it's all resolved now, but i'm still not eligible. #2, even if i COULD lease the 622, i cannot receive HD locals from Dish yet. I live in kentucky, too far out to receive any OTA signals, but i know that CBS HD is the only distant HD feed Dish will provide me.

i watch most of my TV on the 4 networks, and upgrading to HD without getting those would sort of be a waste, imo. Direct will give me distant HD feeds, no problem at all. HOWEVER, i really don't like their HD-DVR, and wouldn't be able to get the HD distant locals on it anyways, since they are mpeg-4.

so what i really need from direct is basically a stand alone HD package and the HR20 (?) receiver, but i don't think they offer that, which would mean i need to go with their lowest priced package.

i don't think i'm willing to give up the DVR functionality from my 522, nor the multi-room capabilities that it has, so there's my dilemma.

i'm trying to find the right combo of packages that will get me the services i want at the lowest price. then, i also wondered, if there might be a way to pass the signal from the direct-tv HD receiver THROUGH my dish dvr to be able to record shows, but i'm guessing that just ain't gonna happen. lol

i was just wondering if anyone knew of any other options or what the best way to go about getting all of this might be. i appreciate any help or suggestions!

 

[KSbugeater]

i watch most of my TV on the 4 networks, and upgrading to HD without getting those would sort of be a waste, imo. Direct will give me distant HD feeds, no problem at all. HOWEVER, i really don't like their HD-DVR, and wouldn't be able to get the HD distant locals on it anyways, since they are mpeg-4.

What is it you don't like about the HD TiVo? Have you ever owned a TiVo? I didn't know how great it was coming from dish, but now I'd never go back. Don't be deterred by the complaints of slowness or flakiness, it's no less reliable than what dish makes available!

For your case, you'd be able to record the distant networks in HD from satellite, you have an optimum situation! The HD distants are not now and probably not anytime soon on MPEG-4, they are MPEG-2 and are definitely receivable by the HD TiVo.

People in the metros are jealous of your position, as now that MPEG-4 HD LOCALS are becoming available, they can't get the distants from the satellite. But if you are in an area unserved by HD, you should get the distants indefinitely. And that means your network shows are not susceptible to changes in over-the-air reception, you don't have to put up an antenna and aim it, etc.

As for multi-room, well, you could either add on another DVR for $4.99 extra per mo., or if you must be able to view shows from the HD TiVo to other rooms, there are wireless solutions to view signal out the composites (but that doesn't allow viewing a different program simultaneously on the HDTV), or both (what I have). The 622 ain't "all that" compared to the HD TiVo, and if it can't get the network shows you want in HD (your proposed multi-service workaround isn't feasible, sorry) then it's not as valuable.

I would advise you to drop dish right away... Trust me. If you have described what you want in programming and DVR, you want the HD TiVo and an R10 (DirecTV with TiVo). Look for them through a 3rd party so you can avoid leasing.

 

[davec53]

ks...
actually, you brought up one option that i had thought of, but then forgot about completely, lol, which was to get the HD-Tivo for the living room, and then, as my 2nd room receiver, get the SD DVR box from Direct. The only minor inconvenience about that would be having to set timers on both boxes to cover the same programming, but that is not such a big deal, and I'm sure we could find a way to minimize the inconvenience.

i also am a bit intrigued by the network capabilities of the DTV/Tivo dvr boxes. the only thing i'm a bit cautious of is actually buying the equipment. the 522 that i now have has broken down on me twice now, and i've had to send it back to dish for a new unit. i'm on #3 right now, and it is actually acting sort of flaky.

i was not aware that the distant locals were in mpeg-2 and recordable on the current HD-dvr from Direct, so that is a plus as well. This is sounding more and more like the option i want to go with. i'm just fed up with Dish, for a number of reasons, and have been looking for a good reason to jump ship. this may be just the reason.

thanks!

 

[Ramy]

You can't network the Directv Tivo boxes like stanalone Tivos.

 

[davec53]

ramy...
i wasn't sure about the direct tv dvr. that's not a big deal, really. would've maybe been neat, but not necessary.

 

[ADent]

You can network the HR10-250, but it requires some hacking.

 

[slimoli]

Dave

Trust me. Stay with Dish. I had Dish before and I made the wrong decision to move to Directv. D* picture quality is awful in SD, worse than analog cable. Dish has a better picture in HD and much better in SD. If you got a large screen TV you will know what I mean.

 

[davec53]

Dave

Trust me. Stay with Dish. I had Dish before and I made the wrong decision to move to Directv. D* picture quality is awful in SD, worse than analog cable. Dish has a better picture in HD and much better in SD. If you got a large screen TV you will know what I mean.

so do most of you agree with this assessment, that the picture on dish is of a higher quality than that of direct tv? i mean, i've seen folks with DTV, and i didn't notice any problem with the look of the picture. of course, it was not on a large screen tv, but it looked just as good as my current SD picture on an SD screen.

 

[KSbugeater]

Obviously, I have D* and the HD tivo. It looks fine. Yes, there's some compression, but not too bad. Dish has it, too. And you've already said that most of what you watch is network TV in HD. You want D*, no question, because you can't get that anywhere else. Period.

 

[FlyingJ]

Got to agree...without the Networks, you are nowhere.