Need y'all help. Upgrading from R-15 to H20 (new to DTV, also)

[Gadabout]

Ok, I apologize in advance if this gets long-winded.

To get how I made it to this forum, I feel a little history is necessary. Timeline format shall suffice.

August 2nd: I buy a 32" Sharp Aquos in time for my first NFL season away from home (Loozyanna).

August 6-10: I go back to Loozyanna take visit family. Girlfriend here in NY (where I currently live) decides to surprise me and get Directv (including Sunday Ticket) while I'm gone. Only bad on her part was that she didn't order any HD equipment. No problem, right?

Post-August 11th: I start to get agitated that I don't have any HD.

Fast forward to today: Had an installation appointment to hook-up H20 and swap out 3-LNB for 5-LNB. Yes! Couldn't hardly wait to get everything rolling so I can go ahead and upgrade to Superfan package for Sunday Ticket. Well, technician came to my building but DIDN'T RING THE DAMN DOORBELL!! Only tried to call on our landline (that's only there for the DTV and DSL). No HD for me. Not today. Defeat.

So after staying on the phone all evening with people who didn't have the answer I was looking for, I decided that I'd take it upon myself (since next available date for tech. to come by is Sep. 24th) to install the H20, thus moving the R-15 to the bedroom.

Yeah, ummm, I think I'm lost.

I'm hoping a good-soul would be able to help me out.

This is what I'm stuck on:

The R-15 that's currently hooked up to the Aquos....it has two coaxial cables going to (back of the receiver) "Satellite In" 1 & 2. Don't know which is which, and I noticed that the H20 only has one "Satellite In." See, I've already hit a brick wall. Do both cables need to be hooked up to the H20? If so, where does each go?

The access cards......Haven't even got to that point yet, and this may be a silly question, but do I need to use the new card which was supplied with the H20? How does that work? I'm just trying to cover all fronts.

Phone line....currently the R-15 doesn't have one connected, but the teeny-weeny receiver in our bedroom does. Will that stay the same way?

Maaan, this instruction manual that came with the H20 doesn't help me much.....

Ummm.....I don't really know what else to ask right now. If somebody can help me out, I'll root for your favorite team on Sunday (hopefully in HD!)

P.S. One of the reps at DTV told me that, with the 3-LNB, I'd still be able to get 7 or so HD channels, along with the Sunday Ticket in HD (once I upgrade to Superfan). Hopefully I'm not under the wrong impression.

Thanks for reading.

Kenny
Who Dat!

 

[iwc5893]

Ok, I apologize in advance if this gets long-winded.

To get how I made it to this forum, I feel a little history is necessary. Timeline format shall suffice.

August 2nd: I buy a 32" Sharp Aquos in time for my first NFL season away from home (Loozyanna).

August 6-10: I go back to Loozyanna take visit family. Girlfriend here in NY (where I currently live) decides to surprise me and get Directv (including Sunday Ticket) while I'm gone. Only bad on her part was that she didn't order any HD equipment. No problem, right?

Post-August 11th: I start to get agitated that I don't have any HD.

Fast forward to today: Had an installation appointment to hook-up H20 and swap out 3-LNB for 5-LNB. Yes! Couldn't hardly wait to get everything rolling so I can go ahead and upgrade to Superfan package for Sunday Ticket. Well, technician came to my building but DIDN'T RING THE DAMN DOORBELL!! Only tried to call on our landline (that's only there for the DTV and DSL). No HD for me. Not today. Defeat.

So after staying on the phone all evening with people who didn't have the answer I was looking for, I decided that I'd take it upon myself (since next available date for tech. to come by is Sep. 24th) to install the H20, thus moving the R-15 to the bedroom.

Keep in mind that you will not be able to receive the majority of HD programming without the 5 LNB dish, unless you are going to keep your appointment for the 24th just to have them install the dish.

Yeah, ummm, I think I'm lost.

I'm hoping a good-soul would be able to help me out.

I'm not a good-soul, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

This is what I'm stuck on:

The R-15 that's currently hooked up to the Aquos....it has two coaxial cables going to (back of the receiver) "Satellite In" 1 & 2. Don't know which is which, and I noticed that the H20 only has one "Satellite In." See, I've already hit a brick wall. Do both cables need to be hooked up to the H20? If so, where does each go?

The H20, being the non-DVR HD receiver only requires one input from the satellite dish. It doesn't matter which cable you connect to it. Make sure that when you do the initial configuration, you set it for the type of dish you actually have (3LNB or 5LNB) and reconfigure, if necessary, once the new dish is installed. You also need to consider how the R15 is going to get it's second sat input when you move it to the bedroom, unless you want to give up the ability to record two shows at once.

The access cards......Haven't even got to that point yet, and this may be a silly question, but do I need to use the new card which was supplied with the H20? How does that work? I'm just trying to cover all fronts.

Short answer is yes. When you call to activate this receiver, D* will ask you for the receiver ID number. The access card is usually already linked to the RID which makes activating much easier and faster.

Phone line....currently the R-15 doesn't have one connected, but the teeny-weeny receiver in our bedroom does. Will that stay the same way?

Whatever way you want it. The H20 does not require a phone line for software updates, so there is really no issue if you don't connect one.

Maaan, this instruction manual that came with the H20 doesn't help me much.....

Ummm.....I don't really know what else to ask right now. If somebody can help me out, I'll root for your favorite team on Sunday (hopefully in HD!)

Best suggestion is to come back here and ask if you have a specific question about the H20. And don't worry about rooting for the Seahags, it's useless

P.S. One of the reps at DTV told me that, with the 3-LNB, I'd still be able to get 7 or so HD channels, along with the Sunday Ticket in HD (once I upgrade to Superfan). Hopefully I'm not under the wrong impression.

Yep, until D* converts all HD programming to MPEG-4 in the next couple of years.

Thanks for reading.

Kenny
Who Dat!

No problem...hope this helps.

 

[Gadabout]

Thanks a lot, man. Spot-on information.

I don't have much pull these days, but I'll see to it that you're nominated into sainthood.

One last question: Yesterday when I was on the phone with one of the reps, she told me that if I were to connect the receiver myself, to go ahead and do some with the component cables, as opposed to the HDMI.

What's up with that?

 

[iwc5893]

HDMI is considered to be better picture/audio quality (by D*), but there have been some compatibility issues with certain systems. Component an acceptable (to some) alternative, but I would recommend HDMI if possible.

 

[bobojay]

HDMI is considered to be better picture/audio quality (by D*), but there have been some compatibility issues with certain systems. Component an acceptable (to some) alternative, but I would recommend HDMI if possible.

Just an opinion here, we tried both kinds of hookups on our setup and my wife or I could not see or hear any difference in our eyes/ears.
HDMI is the most technologically advanced hookup though.