Visited aunt and uncle in NC. they have some really vintage dtv equipment. 3 Hughes sd-hbh receivers and a single LNB dish. The receivers were made in 9/04 and was wondering how much longer can they get by with this old equipment Please give me your thoughts on this. I really am trying to get them to get with the times now with HD receivers and the 3 LNB dish. How hard is it to upgrade the equipment?
Old Hughes system
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I cannot answer how long their current equipment will "get by". Some others will have that info.
As far as upgrading, it can be relatively painless for the most part. They can upgrade their current receivers for little to no cost. If they want to upgrade one of their receivers to a HD DVR as existing customers it would cost them $99.00 right now.
The dish would be upgraded to a 5LNB dish at no cost.
Keep in mind that all new receivers would be leased and not owned as their current equipment is now.
I have a couple of "legacy" (old) receivers in my home, the one in the workshop is from 2000 and still works fine on my SD TV.
I do have a Slimline 5 LNB dish.
I'd call D* and ask about upgrading them to newer gear and see what kind of deals you might be able to get.
I explained to a family member once that satellite TV is almost like Computers, Get them home, they need upgrading. The technology sometimes changes quickly and often.
They countered with... well it still works! I countered with It will be even better if you upgrade. I had them over the house and they were astonished at the difference between my service and theirs.
As far as upgrading, it can be relatively painless for the most part. They can upgrade their current receivers for little to no cost. If they want to upgrade one of their receivers to a HD DVR as existing customers it would cost them $99.00 right now.
The dish would be upgraded to a 5LNB dish at no cost.
Keep in mind that all new receivers would be leased and not owned as their current equipment is now.
I have a couple of "legacy" (old) receivers in my home, the one in the workshop is from 2000 and still works fine on my SD TV.
I do have a Slimline 5 LNB dish.
I'd call D* and ask about upgrading them to newer gear and see what kind of deals you might be able to get.
I explained to a family member once that satellite TV is almost like Computers, Get them home, they need upgrading. The technology sometimes changes quickly and often.
They countered with... well it still works! I countered with It will be even better if you upgrade. I had them over the house and they were astonished at the difference between my service and theirs.
The equipment should work for some time. The 18" dish uses core satellite at 101 for SD.
To upgrade, just call DirecTV and they will do everything that is needed.
To upgrade, just call DirecTV and they will do everything that is needed.
Why try and force your needs on your relatives? They are happy and familiar with their equipment. Those old Hughes receivers have nicer guides than current D* equipment and some features D* is starting to bring back. HD isn't for every one "Beverly Hillbillies" still still looks the same in SD as it did when recorded. As you age you will learn newer isn't always better it is just newer.
Was just curious about it because I'm not forcing anyone to change. They did purchase a nice 42 inch Vizio LCD tv that would look better if it had HD going to it. At least use the tv to it's fullest picture potential. The picture quality would be far better with the signals coming from the 103 and 99 sats. All they have now is the 101.
TRUE! you could use composite cables from the box to tv if it isnt already to help out the PQ.
S-video would give a little better PQ over composite.
Or connect an OTA antenna to the new TV to give them HD.
Or connect an OTA antenna to the new TV to give them HD.
im not even sure if the OLD huge has the S-videos.
I wouldnt change it til your programs are actually being cut off and not getting programing due to dish or old recievers.
Ive gone to alot of places where the Dish swap, taking out 18s and installing "at the time" 5 LNB slimline, and having to replace the recievers at the same time as well.
guess depending on where you are located, they must not be doing upgrades just yet there or maybe never. who knows.
I wouldnt change it til your programs are actually being cut off and not getting programing due to dish or old recievers.
Ive gone to alot of places where the Dish swap, taking out 18s and installing "at the time" 5 LNB slimline, and having to replace the recievers at the same time as well.
guess depending on where you are located, they must not be doing upgrades just yet there or maybe never. who knows.
the upgrades that you are refering to are only in markets where subs had thier locals from 72.5 a second dish. the only reason directv is doing this is because the locals are now coming from the 103 which requires a mpeg4 capiable reciever, which directv is not going to make all of these subs pay for this eqipment, this is why they get free HD eqipment.
oh yah i know. but what the hassle is this... you know how busy we are everyday right? okay taking that PLUS going back to those customers and Long time loyal customers and switching everyhting out does take alot out of our days to catch up on these upgrades.
yah i can see your point bc of not evryone had locals on th 72.5 as now its all 103. i got you on that part. just stating what South Dakota had to go through. i remember they had me start installing 5 LNB slimline last fall bc they were switching and we were still installing standards recievers on a 5 LNB slimline and damn those things toast the D-11s if it was a one box install.
but those 5 LNB slimline installs i had done while they instructed me (my team leader said its a joke with this) we ended up going back and swapping it out and changing it to a 3 lnb. like my team leader said last fall, "hes has no clue what hes talking about!" and we all have to do what the regional manager says.
if had they told us 3 LNBs, we'd wouldnt had to go back and swap those 5LNBs. we STILL have techs swapping out 5 LNBs to 3 LNBs...
I am going to toss in 2cents.
Your SD CRT crapped out, You go to the local big box store and get the nice big 42" LCD. PQ is awesome in the store. Your stoked cause its on sale too!
Drag it home and hook err up to the 4+ year old D* (or E* for that matter) system. Yuk the PQ isn't anything like the store's. Time to upgrade the system to todays standards.
Isn't it better to have a happy dish owner, Than one that isn't getting his full potential from the old equipment?
That was were I was at with E*. 3 plus years and not willing to do anything. Until I canceled the account. Then they were rolling out the red carpet for me. All I could say was too late. D* gave me a good deal and I am glad I switched! 3 rooms with HD and the 4th will be right after xmas.
Now I just need to wait till every channel is in HD!
jet
Your SD CRT crapped out, You go to the local big box store and get the nice big 42" LCD. PQ is awesome in the store. Your stoked cause its on sale too!
Drag it home and hook err up to the 4+ year old D* (or E* for that matter) system. Yuk the PQ isn't anything like the store's. Time to upgrade the system to todays standards.
Isn't it better to have a happy dish owner, Than one that isn't getting his full potential from the old equipment?
That was were I was at with E*. 3 plus years and not willing to do anything. Until I canceled the account. Then they were rolling out the red carpet for me. All I could say was too late. D* gave me a good deal and I am glad I switched! 3 rooms with HD and the 4th will be right after xmas.
Now I just need to wait till every channel is in HD!
jet
Agree 100% - matter of fact, even though I have 3 HD-DVR's & 2 Tivo's, I STILL have a Hughes HAH-SA activated, which is the SAME vintage as the OP's Hughes. The guides are probably the fastest ever made & have more functionality than any of the current receivers. I use it mostly for XM audio, but I DO also use it as a quick surfing guide, &/or to quickly check if a channel is free or not.
It also was one of the few SD boxes with component outs. Frankly, I thought it was a shame Hughes quit making receivers - they ALSO made the newer Sony SD receivers before they quit making them too.
I would do what jd said & hook up up w/S-video, or even composite if their flat-panel does NOT have an S-vid input. (some newer ones DON'T)
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