Newbie Equipment Questions

[Arkplayer]

Here is my current setup:
2 HD DVR's (HR24-500 and HR21-700)
3 HD Receivers (H24-100)
I have a slingbox attached to one of the HD Receivers for when I am out of town

My bill:
Ultimate: $86.99
Watch Directv on Multiple TV's $26.00
5 TV's at 6.50 each Save 6.50 on 1st TV
Advanced Receiver Service HD $0.00
$10 off HD Access with Auto Bill Pay
Advanced Receiver Service - DVR $10.00
Directv Whole-Home DVR Service $3.00
Regional Sports Fee $2.14
Sales Tax $10.43
Total: $138.56

I have been with DIRECTV for 6 years after being with Cox Cable for over 20 years.
Cox has been hounding me for years to come back with special deals. I was seriously considering going back to Cox and decided to call DIRECTV.

I told Directv that one of my frustrations with Satellite is when it storms I lose my local channels. I am in Tornado Alley and really need to have access to my local channels. I told them what I wanted was an AM21 tuner, and upgraded to the Genie DVR and a Genie Wireless. I wanted this with no one time charges and no increase in my monthly bill. After passing me on to the Retention Loyalty Department, surprisingly, they agreed. They even offered me a $15 a month off my bill for 12 months. I am very pleased with Directv. Scheduled for install June 5th.

Now, my equipment questions. 2 of my TV's will use the Genie DVR and Genie Wireless. I know the Genie DVR records 5 programs at one time, more than I need. Do my other 3 TV's require a box? If so, if I keep my 2 old DVR's, will that cost me extra on my monthly bill? If it does cost me extra I will not keep them. In that case I will used my 3 H24-100's if boxes are needed. If boxes are not needed, then I don't know how I will hook up my slingbox. So, my main question is what is my best equipment options, keeping my slingbox , without increasing my monthly bill from $138.56 (not counting my new $15 a month discount for 12 months)?

Thanks for any advice.
Kent

 

[jcrandall]

Simple choice of convenience, each TV that has a receiver will cost $6.50 extra, if you want to use the sling box instead of paying the $6.50 that's your call. The wireless client could be moved from TV to TV, but is also cumbersome and requires boot up time.

Personally I mirror a couple receivers to rooms that won't be used at the same time using HDMI splitters and long cables, in one case nearly 100'.

All depends on how you want to spend your money. My HDMI splitters and cables cost upwards of $80 for my setup, which I looked at as a 1 year recoup cost not spending the $6.50/mo.

Any TV you want to watch will need a receiver, a device to play from the sling box, or a cable connecting it to another room.

 

[Arkplayer]

Simple choice of convenience, each TV that has a receiver will cost $6.50 extra, if you want to use the sling box instead of paying the $6.50 that's your call. The wireless client could be moved from TV to TV, but is also cumbersome and requires boot up time.

Personally I mirror a couple receivers to rooms that won't be used at the same time using HDMI splitters and long cables, in one case nearly 100'.

All depends on how you want to spend your money. My HDMI splitters and cables cost upwards of $80 for my setup, which I looked at as a 1 year recoup cost not spending the $6.50/mo.

Any TV you want to watch will need a receiver, a device to play from the sling box, or a cable connecting it to another room.

jcrandall,

Thank you for your response.
I want to keep all 5 TV's independent. Since now I know I need a receiver on each TV, the only question now is whether using the 2 old DVR's as receivers will cost me more than using the standard HD receivers?

Thanks.

 

[raoul5788]

No difference in cost. The dvr charge is per account so you can have as many as you like without spending any more than you do for one. Same for the hd charge, it's per account. Any extra box past the first costs $6.50 each/month.

 

[Arkplayer]

No difference in cost. The dvr charge is per account so you can have as many as you like without spending any more than you do for one. Same for the hd charge, it's per account. Any extra box past the first costs $6.50 each/month.

Got it.
Thanks!