Confused about HDTV Receivers

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obeythelaw

SatelliteGuys Guru
Original poster
Jun 26, 2004
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New Jersey
Hello. Now that DirecTV is on the HD express and offering 6 months free I want to buy an HD receiver. My only question is I don't know which one to buy. I can get the following three for cheap and would like any thoughts on what is the best one.
The first one is a Samsung SIR T165. However this isn't a DirecTV specific reciever. Does that make a difference? This is the cheapest of the three. The other two are an LG LSS3200A which according to LG's website is a DirecTV receiver and a Toshiba DST3100 which according to the Toshiba website is a DirecTV reciever. Which one should I get? I don't know much about High Def programming just that it looks beautiful in the store :)
Also, my HD TV only supports 480 and 1080i and not 720. Is this a problem? I noticed that the specs of the above recivers mention that they support all formats but I only have 480 and 1080i on my receiver. What if a program is broadcast in 720?
Thanks
 
The LG box you referenced is the same as a Sony 200 and Hughes HTL-HD, it is a very nice box and I am VERY partial to it. If you are interested in Tivo you may want to consider the HR10-250 ... as long as you do not plan to use the HDMI port that is available on it. These have been dying like nothing.

Rather than make a recommendation on what to by I would say steer clear of the old boxes like the E86 and though my TV is Samsung, I do no like their SAT receiver menus and software. Find something that make you happy and get it.
 
Thanks. I think it will be between the LG or Toshiba because I haven't heard great things about Samsungs in general and its also not a DirecTV recevier just a HD receiver in general. The other two are DirecTV specific.
 
had one more question. I was reading the manuals online for each receiver and noticed that both support DVI input. My HDTV doesn't have DVI, only the component RBG or the Yb, etc. one. Am I at a disadvantage?
 
I know the HTL-HD box has the RGBHV (15-pin VGA like connector).

What TV do you have?
 
It's a Panasonic 51" projection TV. I don't know the exact model number. Its a couple of years old. I know that both the Toshiba and the LG have DVI as well as the RGB. I was just concerned if you got a better picture with the DVI. My TV has both 480 and 1080i regardless of the input so I'm thinking it should be just as good.
 
Per all the reports I've read on the 2 any difference in picture quality between the component video cables and the dvi cable is negligible and highly unlikely discernible by the human eye.
 
slacker9876 said:
Rather than make a recommendation on what to by I would say steer clear of the old boxes like the E86 and though my TV is Samsung, I do no like their SAT receiver menus and software. Find something that make you happy and get it.

okay I have asked this in two forums, and no one has said anything, whats wrong with the e86 I just purchased one and no one has said anything negative against them, please tell me so I can be informed and maybe buy another one and sell that one back, please help me! and remember I have had the 811 when it first came out so can it be that bad?
 
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