Recommend Me an E* HD Receiver

[jdmcs]

All,

I have a Sony KV-27HS420 HD-Ready TV to which I would like to connect an HD receiver. (It's CRT-based, 4:3 aspect ratio, and has both an HDMI input and HD-component inputs.) I'd like to get an HD receiver for this TV, but don't want to spend a lot... at least not on this TV, and at least not until E* goes MPEG4.

Last time I checked, I was not eligible for any promotions and E* would not lease me an 811. I purchased my SD equipment and apparently they want me to purchase HD equipment.

I believe that my options are the 6000, 811, 921, and 942. My local stations do broadcast HD OTA, so it would be nice if the receiver had an OTA tuner. An HD DVR is probably out of my purchase budget -- I'm not sure if the 721 receivers resell for enough to upgrade.

Anyways, which receiver would you recommend that I get -- or do you recommend that I wait? (If you have a receiver to sell, please post it in the Classifieds. I just want recomendations.)

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

You really ony have two current options for HD now. Sure you can get a 6000 or qa 921, but those are no longer current and are missing a lot of features of the new receivers.

Now you must decide if you want a DVR or don't want a DVR.

If you want a DVR you want a 942 (Currently $674 from DishStore)
If you don't want a DVR you want a 811 (Which is $361.77 fom DishStore)

Its that easy. From my standpoint I would get the 942 it does more you might not want a DVR however once you have a DVR you will not want to be without one again.

 

[tonyp56]

I'd recommend waiting until Dish settles MPEG4. (which could be by year end, but I doubt it) Which if you do, the only receiver Dish has in the line up is the 411, in which case they haven't released it, so it is hard to recommend it. If you can't wait, I'd go with a 811. For the amount of money that you'd have to invest in a DVR it isn't worth it if they are going to phase it out in a year or so. And no one knows if they will offer a upgrade option when they do go with MPEG4, they might or they might not, but even if they do you most likely will have to pay more money out to upgrade to the new receiver.

 

[rad]

Besides waiting on E*'s MPEG4 plans to be announced, unless you're locked into E*, you might want to wait and see what D* announces for their HD/MPEG4 plans.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I'm surprised they won't lease you an 811 for $100. That's a pretty standard deal. They even lease them for $50 or $25 if you qualify.

You can also buy them off of eBay for about half the price quoted above. But make sure you buy from a reputible seller, so you don't get one with charges on it.

 

[DVDDAD]

Bite the bullet and get the 942, sell your 721 to help pay for it and you'll be glad you did. As Scott said once you have a DVR you'll never go back to watching TV without one. This goes for those who watch a lot or a little TV. Even those who watch just a little TV get big benefits from a DVR. You know as you have a 721. For a while before the 921 came out I had a 6000 and a 508 on my HDTV. I couldn't stand watching everything live on the 6000, but I also could stand watching the 508 when I needed to record something because I wasn't going to be home to watch it.

If you get the 921, you'll find that it is buggier than your 721. If you get the 942, you'll appreciate the HD-DVR even more. Dish has said that they will have an upgrade plan in place once the mpeg4 receivers will be needed to get additional HDTV channels. Even if they don't have an upgrade plan in place for existing customers when the new mpeg4 channels come out you could sell your 942 to upgrade or keep your 942 and still get all the mpeg2 HDTV channels you get today. It will be quite awhile before existing mpeg2 HD HDTV channels go black on the 942 and once they do I think Charlie will then certainly have an upgrade path in place for existing customers. Just my two cents. Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

[datwell]

I'll be brief. Get the 942! We just love it! Our 811 is just fine; however, the 942 DVR is simply super! We don't want to live without it!

--Doug

 

[Dish Dude]

942 hands down

 

[tonyp56]

The 942 is going to be worthless in a year or two at the latest, $700 for something that is "super!" for only a year is insane. Go with a 811, be cheap, then after MPEG4 go spend the money on a "super" DVR!! IMHO $700 for a receiver that is going to go bye bye in a year or so is nuts! Save your money, so that after MPEG4 you can buy a receiver that is better than the 942 and has no end in sight, with the 942 we all already know that it is doomed in the very near future. It may be the best receiver out there, but it isn't worth it for such a short time. After MPEG4 there won't be any foreseeable reason for a receiver to become obsolete for at least 4-5 years (how many years did Dish sell the 6000? How old is the oldest 6000 right now?). $700 for 2 years at the very best, or $1500 (don’t' know how much they'll cost) for 4-5 years. Which do you want? I'd be more willing to spend more money on something that will last longer!

 

[Tom in TX]

The 942 is going to be worthless in a year or two at the latest, $700 for something that is "super!" for only a year is insane. IMHO $700 for a receiver that is going to go bye bye in a year or so is nuts!

I am extremely satisisfied with my 942 that I bought. Contrary to Tony's post, it will not be "worthless" in a year or two. During the conversion to MPEG4, the NEW HD channels will be released in the new format. The current stations I get right now, today, will still be available to me until Dish is ready to convert millions of receivers to the new format. I will still be able to record all my favorite shows in HD. That will not go away. $700 for an HDPVR receiver is not nuts to me anyway. To each his own. But I will be enjoying my 942 for quite some time to come. I know I sure have enjoyed the last three months! I'm not bashing Tony, he's entitled to his opinion, as I am also.
Good luck, whatever you decide!
Tom in TX

 

[David Dietzel]

If you want HD now from Dish, options aree 811 or 942.

If you don't want a DVR, option is 811.

If you want a DVR, option is 942.

Look, you can sit on the sidelines and wait and wait for whatever technology to come, whether it's MPEG4 or Holodecks.

Or, you and your family can enjoy up to 16 glorious HD channels without the need to buy premiums right now and watch the shows when you have the time using the wonderful 942.

My 942 is leased and I'm sure Dish will offer some sort of upgrade path to MPEG4 DVR units at some point in the next 12 months, tho likely not free. Those who buy a 942 outright may also be offered a path -- no one can say for sure right now.

Keep in mind that the picture quality on Dish is superb -- most feel it is superior to Direct.

I've had both the 811 and 942. Both work just fine. My 811 was swapped for a 942 a month ago and it is a terrific device.

Yes, the 942 cost me $250 up front for technology that is not MPEG4; however, the enjoyment my family gets from that box is well worth the cost to me. You may not agree and want to wait for God knows how long for Dish to roll out a MPEG4 DVR unit. We love HD and our DVR features too much to have waited.

Best of luck.

 

[DarrellP]

I bought an 811 from a forum member for $175 shipped. Check out the Classified's here as well as Ebay. Don't pay more than $175. Don't wait for MPEG-4, it will take Dish 3 years to fully swap out boxes to the point where your box will not work any longer and for the cost, 3 years of service will be well justified.

 

[jdmcs]

Or, you and your family can enjoy up to 16 glorious HD channels without the need to buy premiums right now

I still haven't decided which receiver I want, but I may hold off for another reason:

I have come to realize that I may have no line of sight to 61.5, so it looks like the Voom Pack may be out. How many HD channels, without buying any premiums, would I be able to enjoy? (That is, which HD channels are available from 110 and 119?)

 

[DarrellP]

You can still get the Dish HD pack, which comes off 110 and includes:
HDNET
HDNET Movies
TNTHD
ESPNHD
DiscoveryHD Theater
PPVHD I believe is on 110
HDEVENT channel (which is rarely used).