VOOMER Questions

[cowboy]

Now that VOOM is pulling the plug, it looks like DirectTV is going to be my best option for HD. I subscribed to VOOM in 12/04, it was my first sat service, and I don't know enough about all the options D* has...even though I've been lurking here for about a month in case VOOM didn't make it. Here's some questions, please bear with me, as I profess total ignorance on the topic.

1) Assuming that VOOM doesn't come get their dish (as there has been some discussion of this on the VOOM forum), can a D* dish be swapped on the pole), and can I still use my HD antenna (that VOOM installed) for locals?

2)It seems that D* has more than one bird...is this for better reception in different areas of the country...or can you get programming from more than one satellite at the same time? I saw a post that mentioned getting locals over 72.5...I assumed this was a satellite...do you need a 2nd dish for it, if so, are these in HD, and can you get locals from other regions?

3) What are the options for DVR? I've never used TIVO, so I know nothing about it. The HR10-250 supplied by D* is 1000.00. Is this the only combined receiver/recorder for HD that will work? Can it record OTA HD as well? Does a subscription fee have to be paid to TIVO as well?

4) Will the MPEG4 upgrade be done by firmware...ie will the HR10-250 upgrade easily? And what if one bought the HR10-250 at a better price over the net from a 3rd party vendor...would D* be willing to upgrade it if it wasn't purchased from them? (the CSR I spoke with had never heard of MPEG4)

5) Once you have recorded to HDD, is there a way to burn it? It does not look like the unit will network...

Sorry about all these basic questions...thanks for your patience in answering

 

[lee espinoza]

2) 72.5 is just for local
3) D* Tivo is the only Hd dvr for D* yes it can record Ota , no you pay D* 4.99 per month
4)Mpeg 4 will NOT work with D*s Hr10-250 D* will swap you out with for free when the time comes
it will not have Tivo in side it
5) no

 

[uboatcmdr]

Now that VOOM is pulling the plug, it looks like DirectTV is going to be my best option for HD. I subscribed to VOOM in 12/04, it was my first sat service, and I don't know enough about all the options D* has...even though I've been lurking here for about a month in case VOOM didn't make it. Here's some questions, please bear with me, as I profess total ignorance on the topic.

1) Assuming that VOOM doesn't come get their dish (as there has been some discussion of this on the VOOM forum), can a D* dish be swapped on the pole), and can I still use my HD antenna (that VOOM installed) for locals?

2)It seems that D* has more than one bird...is this for better reception in different areas of the country...or can you get programming from more than one satellite at the same time? I saw a post that mentioned getting locals over 72.5...I assumed this was a satellite...do you need a 2nd dish for it, if so, are these in HD, and can you get locals from other regions?

3) What are the options for DVR? I've never used TIVO, so I know nothing about it. The HR10-250 supplied by D* is 1000.00. Is this the only combined receiver/recorder for HD that will work? Can it record OTA HD as well? Does a subscription fee have to be paid to TIVO as well?

4) Will the MPEG4 upgrade be done by firmware...ie will the HR10-250 upgrade easily? And what if one bought the HR10-250 at a better price over the net from a 3rd party vendor...would D* be willing to upgrade it if it wasn't purchased from them? (the CSR I spoke with had never heard of MPEG4)

5) Once you have recorded to HDD, is there a way to burn it? It does not look like the unit will network...

Sorry about all these basic questions...thanks for your patience in answering

Asnwer to question one: yes they can use the same mast as long as it has a clear line of site to the three D* sats. Check you zip at this site http://www.rca.com/directv/zip_code_selection (choose oliptical dish option) to get the compass direction and elevation settings for the D* dish. Also, you can use your off-air antenna with the D* HD receiver.

With new sats going up this year and with MPEG4 coming within the next two years I wouldn't lay out a bunddle on a HD Tivo at this time (I'm also riding the Voom train till the end, but at the same time I am a D* HSP installer). What I plan to do is buy a good used D* HD receiver (just sold one two weeks ago now I gotta buy another), then activate and use it until they bring MPEG4 online. Hopefully this will put me in the catagory of those offered a sweet upgrade deal (maybe to a new MPEG4 HD Tivo) when they do the switch over.

 

[Loric]

4) Will the MPEG4 upgrade be done by firmware...ie will the HR10-250 upgrade easily? And what if one bought the HR10-250 at a better price over the net from a 3rd party vendor...would D* be willing to upgrade it if it wasn't purchased from them? (the CSR I spoke with had never heard of MPEG4)

Receivers use hardware decoders. As far as I know, the receivers available today have a MPEG2 decoder, so a software upgrade won't allow you to switch to MPEG4.

 

[cowboy]

Thanks for replies. Could someone elaborate on the locals...how this works?
If there is a satellite at 72.5 broadcasting local stations, can you just put up a second dish to receive all of them? Or does D* restrict the locals you can receive based on where you live? So why even use a OTA antenna, if you already get the locals as part of the package?

 

[lee espinoza]

D* as Sd locals only (not for long) if your locals are O&O by the networks you my get Hd Ny/La locals, please give us your zip code you can only get sd locals from your areas zip code.that my be off 72.5,101,119,110

 

[ardbell]

You can get the HR10-250 for $849. Go to this web site,
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/

sign up for free and click on the ValueElectronics advertisment which will take you a special discounted page and look for the hr10-250. When you add it to your cart you will only be charged $849. This discount is only for members of the tivocommunity.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

You can get the HR10-250 for $849. Go to this web site,
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/

sign up for free and click on the ValueElectronics advertisment which will take you a special discounted page and look for the hr10-250. When you add it to your cart you will only be charged $849. This discount is only for members of the tivocommunity.

Actually, our special prices are good for SatelliteGuys forum members as well. In fact, some of our special deals are exclusively for SatelliteGuys members only.

-Robert

 

[ardbell]

Do you have a link to get to the special discounts from this forum?
Second question: If I order the HR10-250 and the R10 w/Multi-Satellite dish and I already have an outside antenna and I have two coax lines for each tv(one for antenna and one for the satellite) will they install a diplexer on one of the coax lines for the HR10-250 and will they aim the antenna? Currently, the antenna is pointed wrong because when the voom installers came out and installed they screwed up the antenna.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Do you have a link to get to the special discounts from this forum?
Second question: If I order the HR10-250 and the R10 w/Multi-Satellite dish and I already have an outside antenna and I have two coax lines for each tv(one for antenna and one for the satellite) will they install a diplexer on one of the coax lines for the HR10-250 and will they aim the antenna? Currently, the antenna is pointed wrong because when the voom installers came out and installed they screwed up the antenna.

www.valueelectronics.com/avstc.htm

Yes, no charge for the di-plexers and splitters. I will ask the technician to point the OTA antenna and if it's quick (as it is in most cases) we can take care of it at no charge.

-Robert

 

[vurbano]

4)Mpeg 4 will NOT work with D*s Hr10-250 D* will swap you out with for free when the time comes it will not have Tivo in side it

Do you have a press release on this? I know D* said in a conference call that they wouldnt make it painful but I have never seen FREE definatively. My bet is that they will do a swap for 2 or 3 hundred bucks and give you credits on future bills with another 1 year commitment. That is FAR from free.

 

[uboatcmdr]

Do you have a press release on this? I know D* said in a conference call that they wouldnt make it painful but I have never seen FREE definatively. My bet is that they will do a swap for 2 or 3 hundred bucks and give you credits on future bills with another 1 year commitment. That is FAR from free.

I agree with Vurbano on this, that is the reason I'm not diving into adding a D* HDTivo to my D* account to replace my Voom HD receiver. I'm sticking with the plan to buy a good used unit. That way if they upgrade me for free the jump up to the Tivo (or whatever they will call it then) will probably not be so bad. But to pay $600+ now only to have to pay another $200-300 later, forget that. If I pay $200 or less now for a used HD receiver and can pay $300-400 later to upgrade to the MPEG4 HD DVR then I'm ahead in the game. For now I can record all my stuff on my SD Tivo.