Backward compatability, Hi-Def, TIVO interface, HUMAX DVR

[jamescy]

Novice here, having read entire forum, still not comfortable moving ahead, especially after DTV has been out twice to tell me that they can't help (but a local installer type tells me he can). DTV keeps wanting me to go to a 3-wire system, wherein they will have to run wires outside home (not acceptable), or tear into interior walls, patch and repaint (I'll go to cable before that). 10 year old home with no attic or basement, so the SWM 8 seems like the prefect solution.

Issues relate to backward compatability, Hi-Def, TIVO interface, HUMAX DVR (that I love).

Currently, I have 4 receivers:

Phillips DVR-DSR708-non Hi-Def used in gym, would like to keep

Hughes HBH-SA-non Hi-Def used in guest BR, would like keep

HD-DVR, HR!0-Hi-Def in living room, would like to keep

HD-H10-Hi-Def (hooked to Humax non Hi-Def DVR) in office, would like to keep.

I outright own all of this equipment, but am charged $5 per month for three of four receivers form DTV, $10 per month flat fee for Hi-Def access, $6 per month flat fee for DVR service.

Ideal outcome: keeping what I own (not having to buy new receivers, getting all Hi-Def, reducing DTV charges, keeping TIVO interface (wife is a technotard-her term), and change over to new interface would be traumatic, love my HUMAX (as very high capacity recording and burnable DVD capacity built in).

Is there a way to have-my-cake, and eat-it-too?

If not, what are the incremental downward steps? Thanks in advance for your help and direction.

 

[Davedirectv]

Non of those receivers are compatible with the new HD service with D*. Nor are they going to work on the SWM system either. While they would work with the legacy ports on a swm8

What is a HR!0?

I'm not sure why you aren't ready to upgrade, TIVO is bringing out a new hddvr for D* scheduled for next year. Not sure what a humax is, google might inform me i'm sure, but the current hr23 has about 400 hrs. sd and 50+ hd nrecording times.

Besides, you can hook up an external harddrive fairly easy and expand the system quite a bit.


Chances are you get the first HDDVR for free, drop some coin for another or don't. Either way, that local guy is likely to charge you for going into your crawl space, but I really don't see how he is going to help you get the mpeg4 HD with those receivers. Unless a hr!0 turns out to be a hr20 or something...


Why would you have to "tear into interior walls, patch and repaint"?

 

[jamescy]

The HR!0 was a typo for HR10.

The tearing into walls was D's way of not wanting to give me the SWM-8 set-up. Did not even know a one wire solutions exited until I found this form, as current system has two wires, and D's solution to get me new Hi-Def's was to simply add a third wire to my two wire system.

Humax is is a stand alone recorder with 400 hours of recording time.

If I push D, will they convert me to a SWM-8 for free?

Will they only "give" one new HD DVR as I need, a second HD receiver to hook up Humax to?

Do they always monthly charge for each reciver on line? each DVR on line?

 

[jdspencer]

Do your current wires run to a central location? If so, here's an idea. Have the Slimline SL3 dish (non-SWM) installed. Have the four lines from taht dish run to the central location. The using 4 high frequency splitters to feed a WB68 multiswitch and the SWM8 module. The WB68 will connect to your legacy receivers and the SWM8 to whatever new receivers you install. Of course, the legacy DVRs will need two cables connected. The SWM8 is usually used for commercial installs. You'll have to buy that on your own.

BTW, the HR22 and HR23 can record 100 hours of HD. The HR20 and HR21 have 50 hours.

 

[Jimbo]

The HR!0 was a typo for HR10.

The tearing into walls was D's way of not wanting to give me the SWM-8 set-up. Did not even know a one wire solutions exited until I found this form, as current system has two wires, and D's solution to get me new Hi-Def's was to simply add a third wire to my two wire system.

Humax is is a stand alone recorder with 400 hours of recording time.

If I push D, will they convert me to a SWM-8 for free?

Will they only "give" one new HD DVR as I need, a second HD receiver to hook up Humax to?

Do they always monthly charge for each reciver on line? each DVR on line?

With the older equipment you've mentioned, your not getting alot of the programming that D* is offering.
None of it handles the new MPEG4 technology that is allowing for D* to give you over 100 channels in HD.

As for the monthly charges, Yes, they charge $ 5 p/m for each recvr after the 1st one, most companies do this type of thing ... but not all.

There is a $5.99 fee for the DVR usage, but your already paying that. Dish charges that price for EACH DVR you have, Direct only charges you once for as many as you have. So that is a fee that covers ALL your DVRs p/m.

You probably also pay $10. for the HD access as well.

How much money are you trying to save here ?
Is it a money issue ?
If so, call them and see what they can do for you.... everyone is different.

 

[MikeinBaja]

Bite the bullet and upgrade your hardware - you are running Commodore 64 type hardware on a T-1 line.

Just my 2 pennies worth.

 

[wildbill129]

Bite the bullet and upgrade your hardware - you are running Commodore 64 type hardware on a T-1 line.

Just my 2 pennies worth.

Ditto.....sometimes change is good. If you want to save your walls and not have to run more cable. Upgrade the boxes, and go SWM. As an upgrade, they won't put SWM in for you, but you can buy the SWM LNB at Solid Signal or on Ebay, and the installer will more than likely put it in for you when he is there putting in the new boxes.......