Switch to 4K Ready Now or Wait???

[adam61]

I decided to stay with DirecTV retention gave me a strong deal, but it's going to be a 1yr contract, I know new equipment would be a 2yr contract. I know DirecTV has very limited 4K content, but while I was signing a contract I didn't know if it would be a good time to go ahead and upgrade equipment too.

I currently have an HR44 Genie and 2 HR24 HD DVR's with whole home DVR (9 Tuners). This setup has been great. To get 4K ready (I currently have 1 4K TV, but plan to get a second soon). They offered if I buy the HR54 which was $200 I believe the 2 Genie 4K's would be free.

Is this a good move? Is the 54 much better than the 44 or just 4K compatible? If I don't do it now, what is coming down the pike that may be significantly better?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[rad]

The HR54 is just about like the HR44, if you're looking for an increase in speed on the UI forget it, it's the same. What you will notice is that the two C61K clients that would replace your HR24's will be a bit slower on the UI. If you replace both HR24's then you'll have only 5 tuners, not nine to use concurrently. While the HR54 can do 7 the extra two will only be for 4K programming when they start transponder bonding which they aren't doing now. If you can I'd recommend keeping at least one HR24 on the next to least busiest TV so you have something that works in case the HR54 died plus give you two more tuners for a total of 7.

 

[comp9]

The HR54 is just about like the HR44, if you're looking for an increase in speed on the UI forget it, it's the same. What you will notice is that the two C61K clients that would replace your HR24's will be a bit slower on the UI. If you replace both HR24's then you'll have only 5 tuners, not nine to use concurrently. While the HR54 can do 7 the extra two will only be for 4K programming when they start transponder bonding which they aren't doing now. If you can I'd recommend keeping at least one HR24 on the next to least busiest TV so you have something that works in case the HR54 died plus give you two more tuners for a total of 7.

I would disagree.. My C61K is noticeably faster than my HR24

 

[rad]

My C61K on channel changes tends to be slower, almost like it things the box is set to native resolution so when changing channels between a 480/720p/1080i channel the new channel blinks on for a second, goes black and then back on again. I don't see the same thing when using a Samsung RVU client software vs. the C61K.

 

[maestro7]

While I appreciate what rad said, I would also state that your enthusiasm over 4K might be a bit "cart-before-the-horse."

4K standards (both physical and logical) are still being worked out. Aside from major sunk costs, this is why no local station, for example, has gone to 4K (they're not even at 1080p yet, because it would be a multi-million-dollar investment to go either way). If streaming uncompressed 4K takes a 12GB link (which it does), that should give you an idea of what's at stake here.

At this time, the only real benefit you'd have in upgrading is being able to watch a handful of shows/live events that DirecTV specifically broadcasts over its satellites. Notice that this is all being done Over The Air (OTA), and not by cable, per say (Comcast might have some content being delivered in this fashion, but I can almost guarantee it's strictly limited, per bandwidth issues).

Can you watch content on 4K discs? Of course you can, but realize that there's going to be far more content in 4K on that medium than there's going to be, broadcast-wise, for at least the next few years. Note that watching a 4K disc completely cuts out DirecTV in terms of content providing.

So, it's great that you've got some incredible TVs at your disposal that can do 4K, perhaps even HDR. However, via DirecTV, you'll effectively be using about 10% of their capabilities at this time.

It never hurts to wait.

 

[mdram]

dont forget the sound skipping bug.
i would wait.
maybe directv will announce something at thier conference coming up

 

[rad]

While I appreciate what rad said, I would also state that your enthusiasm over 4K might be a bit "cart-before-the-horse."

4K standards (both physical and logical) are still being worked out. Aside from major sunk costs, this is why no local station, for example, has gone to 4K (they're not even at 1080p yet, because it would be a multi-million-dollar investment to go either way). If streaming uncompressed 4K takes a 12GB link (which it does), that should give you an idea of what's at stake here.

At this time, the only real benefit you'd have in upgrading is being able to watch a handful of shows/live events that DirecTV specifically broadcasts over its satellites. Notice that this is all being done Over The Air (OTA), and not by cable, per say (Comcast might have some content being delivered in this fashion, but I can almost guarantee it's strictly limited, per bandwidth issues).

Can you watch content on 4K discs? Of course you can, but realize that there's going to be far more content in 4K on that medium than there's going to be, broadcast-wise, for at least the next few years. Note that watching a 4K disc completely cuts out DirecTV in terms of content providing.

So, it's great that you've got some incredible TVs at your disposal that can do 4K, perhaps even HDR. However, via DirecTV, you'll effectively be using about 10% of their capabilities at this time.

It never hurts to wait.

Ah, there's always something better coming down the road. So how long do you wait? OTA for 4K is a ways off, years. Standard might be being worked on for OTA 4K but DIRECTV has enough in place to be able to offer some nice looking 4K now if that's what he's interested in.

I do agree that content has been limited so far on DIRECTV but it is expanding with some MLB, NBA, Soccer and in a couple weeks we get our first NASCAR race in 4K. Here's what they've accounts for the coming weeks,
https://support.directv.com/dtv-programming/4k-events, besides the stuff that keep showing on channel 104 and the PPV movies (which are way overpriced IMHO).

What I could see the OP waiting for is the rumored HS17 since that can handle two concurrent 4K streams while the HR54 can only do one.

 

[rad]

dont forget the sound skipping bug.
i would wait.
maybe directv will announce something at thier conference coming up

I've got a C61K directly connected to a Samsung UN49KS8000 and don't have that problem and from other posts that I've seen some folks get it, some don't, no rhyme or reason to it from what I've seen.

 

[mdram]

I've got a C61K directly connected to a Samsung UN49KS8000 and don't have that problem and from other posts that I've seen some folks get it, some don't, no rhyme or reason to it from what I've seen.

yep, and thats the problem. its russian roulette

 

[comp9]

Same

I've got a C61K directly connected to a Samsung UN49KS8000 and don't have that problem and from other posts that I've seen some folks get it, some don't, no rhyme or reason to it from what I've seen.

havent had the audio skipping in while since my TV got a FW update

 

[AZ.]

Im waiting for the solution that doesn't charge me $7 for no reason other than a bad and bone headed half baked 4k roll out.

 

[mdram]

dish has a good solution. to bad they dont have the capacity

 

[inazsully]

Why wait? Channel 104 has very nice nature type programming. And some more educational oriented. If you want to see 4K quality stuff you can't beat nature shows. Like Planet Earth ll. That type of programming really shows off what 4K brings to the table. It's not like you're having to pay for a higher priced program level. There was no up charge for the C61K nor was there one for the HR54. All of the 4K programming records and plays back in 4K so why not get it now.

 

[maestro7]

Ah, there's always something better coming down the road. So how long do you wait? OTA for 4K is a ways off, years. Standard might be being worked on for OTA 4K but DIRECTV has enough in place to be able to offer some nice looking 4K now if that's what he's interested in.

I do agree that content has been limited so far on DIRECTV but it is expanding with some MLB, NBA, Soccer and in a couple weeks we get our first NASCAR race in 4K. Here's what they've accounts for the coming weeks,
https://support.directv.com/dtv-programming/4k-events, besides the stuff that keep showing on channel 104 and the PPV movies (which are way overpriced IMHO).

What I could see the OP waiting for is the rumored HS17 since that can handle two concurrent 4K streams while the HR54 can only do one.

I think my comments were misconstrued if they were taken for waiting for, say, 8K or some other such technology.

My point was getting folks to think longer-term, and I think that if anyone is going to get themselves a new TV today, then they need to go and get the best they can afford, along the lines of both 4K and HDR. However, the OP was trying to weigh the differences between paying hundreds now for an HR54 versus waiting for a couple of years (maybe) with their HR44 and then see what things look like at that point.

Broadcasters -- be they local or cable -- do not have the same push with 4K as they did with HD. The feds got behind HD in a very big way, hence why it's now essentially the main standard for everything (to the point that older TVs -- as in, more than 20 years old -- have converter boxes for OTA antennae). The same will not be happening with 4K.

Therefore, this is not a wait to see if something better comes down the pike; this is a wait to see if it's worth spending $200 today or next to nothing in 6 months, 1 year or 2 years from now for the same (or substantially similar) equipment.

Unless someone has evidence otherwise, I don't think that DirecTV's actual equipment is going to do much changing except with respect to how 4K is channeled from the birds in the sky.

 

[rad]

I think my comments were misconstrued if they were taken for waiting for, say, 8K or some other such technology.

My point was getting folks to think longer-term, and I think that if anyone is going to get themselves a new TV today, then they need to go and get the best they can afford, along the lines of both 4K and HDR. However, the OP was trying to weigh the differences between paying hundreds now for an HR54 versus waiting for a couple of years (maybe) with their HR44 and then see what things look like at that point.

Broadcasters -- be they local or cable -- do not have the same push with 4K as they did with HD. The feds got behind HD in a very big way, hence why it's now essentially the main standard for everything (to the point that older TVs -- as in, more than 20 years old -- have converter boxes for OTA antennae). The same will not be happening with 4K.

Therefore, this is not a wait to see if something better comes down the pike; this is a wait to see if it's worth spending $200 today or next to nothing in 6 months, 1 year or 2 years from now for the same (or substantially similar) equipment.

Unless someone has evidence otherwise, I don't think that DirecTV's actual equipment is going to do much changing except with respect to how 4K is channeled from the birds in the sky.

But if you look at past experience with DIRECTV if something came out that would render the HR54 unable to receive 4K programming there's a good chance they would provide a free upgrade. I use 3D as an example, if you have a HR20 and a 3D TV they got you a new receiver that would support 3D.