About to order: a few quick questions

[Tenacious-D]

My current set-up: Samsung HD TV, Comcast Motorola HD DVR, 4 year old Sony DVD Recorder w/ 160 gig Harddrive. Cable is split so that one line goes to DVR then HDMI to TV. Other line goes to DVR then to DVD recorder then to TV - that allows me to copy content to the DVD harddrive for editing, including HBO movies, network shows, sports, etc. not in HD but worth saving.

I've had it with Comcast's lack of customer service, price increases, foot-dragging on adding new HD channels, etc. Used to be happy with Insight in my ZIP (46143) but Comcast ruined all of that.

Now I see Circuit City is advertising that they will pay for the NFL Sunday ticket if you spend $499 on a TV, sound system or computer - I'm wanting to get another small HD LCD anyway. So, and I hope I'm right, I'd get the same "Best Ever Deal" of 4 months Premium free AND Sunday Ticket free (from CC), HD-DVR Upgrade free, etc. It is time to drop cable.


Questions:

1. I searched these forums, but I don't see if with a D* HD-DVR if I'll be able to continue the pass-thru to my DVD recorder or will some sort of copy-protection prevent that. Will that still work?

2. I've also searched for this but see no clear answer - if I go with the internet connection to the D* DVR, is HBO and Cinemax On Demand available (and free) like with cable with D*. Would they be in HD also?

3. Comcast wouldn't sell me MLB-EI because they say the St. L. Cardinals would be blacked out - even though we are in the home market for the Reds/Cubs/ChiSox. I could never convince them otherwise and emails to MLB, Fox Sports, etc. all never got replies - if someone is in the Indy market and has MLB-EI and could confirm that StL Cardinal games are in fact on D*'s MLB-EI package I'd appreciate it so I can order it next year.

Thanks,
Ten-D

 

[JeffreyDJ]

What kind of Video in does the DVDR have?

If you have S-Video in, you could still do it by running s-video out from the DVR to the DVDR.

 

[RACJ2]

Questions:

1. I searched these forums, but I don't see if with a D* HD-DVR if I'll be able to continue the pass-thru to my DVD recorder or will some sort of copy-protection prevent that. Will that still work?

2. I've also searched for this but see no clear answer - if I go with the internet connection to the D* DVR, is HBO and Cinemax On Demand available (and free) like with cable with D*. Would they be in HD also?


Thanks,
Ten-D

I can answer a couple of your questions. If you connect your DVD recorder to an output from the D* HD DVR, you can record on your DVD, whatever you are playing on the D* DVR.

There is no HBO or Cinemax On Demand content and what D* offers is pretty lame so far. You have to connect your DVR to the internet, then select the On Demand program you desire. It has to load to the hard drive of the DVR, before you can watch it. I have broadband cable and downloaded a 1.5 hr movie, just to try it. It took over an hour to download, but it did work. I had TW cable and its nothing close to what their On Demand offering was.

Despite that I think you will be glad you switched, once you get 50+ channels in HD! One other warning, the SD picture isn't quite as good as cable even though it is all digital. From what I have read it is due to compressing the signal to save bandwidth for HD content. Keep in mind, you won't watch many SD channels once you get D*.

Also, if you don't want to buy another TV right now, there is a AAA offer that saves you $20/mo for 24 months ($240), plus $100 off a second receiver. That's in addition to the D* offer for 4 months free with NFL Ticket and free HD DVR. I joined AAA for $50, just to get those discounts.

 

[jcrandall]

1. Some DVD recorders work fine, some don't due to some kind of copy protection - even on just svideo or rca. No list that I know of.

2. Premium VOD right now is just Starz/Showtime. No agreement yet for HBO/MAX.

3. Blackout would depend on what is coded by zip code as your local teams. See this link for the teams local to your zip:
Local Regional Sports Network Information