New HDTV Tivo better than a 921 due out in Dec also

[ScottChez]

The word in the AVS forum is that the new HDTV Tivo for Direct TV will begin Beta testing in December with a release date of Feb 04 (only about 2 Months after the 921).

Is it worth waiting for the Tivo so we can compare features and then decide which one to get?

Is this why in the press release Echo Star was so upset about missing the Sept HDTV release of the 921 (lost market share)?

Who is going to by a 921 in Dec and who is going to wait?

Ideas?

 

[AppliedAggression]

No, September is when all the new network shows start, and typically ppl try to get their HD equipment in gear anticipating the new shows.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

The 921 is still on track for a December release, though in limited numbers. The HD Tivo will undoubtedly be a superb, bug free product. But DirecTV's HD channels are reduced in resolution and suffer from terrible compression artifacts at times.

And the HD Tivo will not have Firewire. That fact alone makes it a no sell for me. Heck, the former fact alone makes DirecTV a no sell for me.

 

[Guest]

With the new satellites scheduled, I doubt that the compression will last for long.

 

[ROLLTIDE]

any pics of the new tivo hd ?

 

[awax]

Is the 921's firewire enabled at release or is it disabled?

 

[BarryO]

But DirecTV's HD channels are reduced in resolution and suffer from terrible compression artifacts at times.

Yup. Why would anyone who is really interested in HDTV want to go with a provider who has a track record of rescaling and down-rezzing their suppposedly high definition, premium channels, and then overly compressing them on top of that? You pay extra for High Definition, and what you get is HD in name only. They may add capacity to temporarily avoid the problem, but next time they get into a capacity crunch over extra locals, or whatever, past behavior is an indicator they'll do it again.

Want sports ? Get DirecTV.

Want HDTV? Get Dish.

 

[slffl]

Yeah, that's just great, except for that fact that the picture quality on DirecTV SUCKS!

Hey, but if picture quality isn't the most important thing, then go for it. I for one am sticking with programming that looks halfway descent.

 

[Cyclone]

Don't forget that the more compression that D* uses on their HDTV channels, the smaller the filesize on the Tivo and therefore you will get more storage effiency.

 

[BobMurdoch]

Wow. An anti-D* thread. I didn't think I would ever find one. I'm glad to see it isn't ALL wine and roses over there.

 

[BarryO]

Hey, if you're a sports junkie, DirecTV is the way to go.

But if the topic is HD, any provider that chops off 33% of the horizontal resolution deserves to be called on it.

 

[ROLLTIDE]

How about if your a Sports and HD junkie ?

 

[BobMurdoch]

Then you need to buy BOTH.

 

[Guest]

Wow, I did not know that D* had a lower HDTV Pic Quality.

I wonder if there customers know this?

Almost sounds like it is not real HDTV.

 

[Tahoerob]

Wow, I did not know that D* had a lower HDTV Pic Quality.
I wonder if there customers know this?
Almost sounds like it is not real HDTV.

Reason:
E* uses true MPEG 2 compression.

D* uses what they call MPEG 1.5. Its really MPEG 1 (OLD!!!!) with software tweaks. Thus they would need to put up NEW satellites & then everyone would have to get NEW receivers. Not so with E*.

Robert

 

[scriabinop23]

Wow, I did not know that D* had a lower HDTV Pic Quality.
I wonder if there customers know this?
Almost sounds like it is not real HDTV.

Reason:
E* uses true MPEG 2 compression.

D* uses what they call MPEG 1.5. Its really MPEG 1 (OLD!!!!) with software tweaks. Thus they would need to put up NEW satellites & then everyone would have to get NEW receivers. Not so with E*.

Robert

This whole bulletin board is full of a bunch of E* die hards. I just switched from E* to D* w/ 2 directivos and must say the image sharpness/resolution and color saturation blows away E* by far - on SD channels. Regardless of what they're using to compress, I'll say its better on D*. This is subjective from both my wife and I on two sets: an X1 projector, and a toshiba 34" 16:9 hdtv.

I haven't bothered with HD yet via satellite because there isn't anything substantial enough worth $10/month and spending $4-500 on a receiver. I have OTA HD and get most local stations and that satisfies me enough, as I record via myHD on my HTPC.

PS - I was a PVR 508 user for more than a year, and don't know why I put up with the crippleware so long. Even a 2 tuner tivo connected to only 1 tuner still blows away the PVR508. I was even turned off to the tivo evangelists before. But now I see the light -- with D* only charging 1 PVR fee no matter how many Tivos you have, D* blows away E* on another plane as well.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

The SD channels can bite me for all I care. If the HD channels are not up to snuff, the service itself is not up to snuff.

DirecTV's HD channels are not up to snuff. They used to be. But they are not now.

 

[AppliedAggression]

I saw some post with advantages and disadvantages to each. I think i might put something together with each. Anyone care to run down the advanges/disadvantages of each? I don't have a HDTV and thus are not much into all techs of it.

Just put up a small site showing the main differences.

http://members.cox.net/dorkshow/hddvrs/

 

[BarryO]

This whole bulletin board is full of a bunch of E* die hards. I just switched from E* to D* w/ 2 directivos and must say the image sharpness/resolution and color saturation blows away E* by far - on SD channels. Regardless of what they're using to compress, I'll say its better on D*. This is subjective from both my wife and I on two sets: an X1 projector, and a toshiba 34" 16:9 hdtv.

I haven't bothered with HD yet via satellite because there isn't anything substantial enough worth $10/month and spending $4-500 on a receiver. I have OTA HD and get most local stations and that satisfies me enough, as I record via myHD on my HTPC.

Uh, the topic was HD PQ, not the SD channels. E* is clearly better here.

FWIW, I think watching Band of Brothers in HD w. DD5.1 was almost enough in itself to justify my investment in HD equipment.

As for SD, both providers are awful, compared to the orignal BUD and OTA sources. Although admittedly, DirecTV locals tend to look better. But if you care about SD channel PQ, you need to go the BUD and direct OTA route. Or stick with small screens like direct-view CRT's, where you can't tell the difference.

 

[Wally]

Uh, I thought the topic was HD TIVO and comparisons. But while we are here, I was surprised to find that the compression on Dish HD was FAR better than my cable (Adelphia) uses for HD (CBS was the main comparison). Switching back and forth rapidly, it was easy to see, and It was particularly noticeable in football games. The cable HD had pretty bad pixelization during rapid motion or, more precisely, major delta frames. Dish HD just went up a few notches in my book.