Can't decide on HD-DVR for $250.00

[Brohill]

Hi Guys!
Been a member for almost a year and am "addicted" to this site. Needless to say I love it. I am going to take the plunge and go with E* tomorrow. I called C.S today to get some info and had a heck of a time understanding it all. Also wnt to Radio Shack and they didnt have a clue. I've never had satellite t.v so it is all very new to me. I have 3 TVs, one being HD(Mits 55311). Sick an tired of the lack of HD content here in CT with Comcast.
Anyways, I cant decide on the HD-DVR for the $250.00 upgrade fee. It sounds like its $5.00 a month for the DVR fee, but I figure if I sign up for 12 months AND pay $250.00, it breaks down to 25 bucks a month to have. Obviously the longer I have the lesser the cost. I realize they are expensive to buy, but I just cant decide. I would be curious how many of you think it is or isnt worth it.
While I am here, another question. Is it true I can not get locals in HD via satellite? If the answer is no, Are there alternatives? Is the possibility there for the future? I live in the CT hills, and unfortunately the bottom, not top. I have a big hill behind my house which is the direction of Hartford.

Thanks in advance for any replies. Take it easy on me as I am clueless, but learning.
Bro

 

[breathe]

Its $250 up front to get the receiver + $5/mo for the dvr (unless you have the everything pack) + $10/mo for the HD package + $5 for the voom hd channels (from what i understand).

Do you really need to record in HD? you can get a 625 for 19.95 for SD recording and then an 811 for HD. its all up to you. but i myself couldnt bring myself to invest that much money into a receiver that in all senses of the word im renting. its like here pay us $250 just for the capability to do this...

 

[Stargazer]

If I were you I would wait since MPEG-4 is coming out soon.

 

[shanewalker]

If you want to timeshift HD at the lowest price, the 942 'lease' option is your best option (aside from true HD DVR leasing from your local cable company, if they have such a thing--sounds like you don't, like me). I did the math on an estimated 10-12 month minimum until the MPEG-4 hardware is rolling out the door to subs and the $250 is still a bargain if you just stretch the price out over those months--call it a $20mo lease, still better than watching the HD you're paying for in SD on that nice HD set...just MHO.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

I paid $500 bucks for a 921 about 6 weeks ago. I am not sure why you think that they are going to just cut MPEG 2 off. I may be wrong but there is going to have to be quite a long transition period, after it's announced. I figure if I can get a couple years out of my 921, it will be worth it. I just think 12 months is really fast, especially the way Dish works.

 

[Lifterguy]

Since you are getting Dish for the HD content, I think you'll be happiest if you go ahead and pay the $250 for the DVR upgrade. I currently have a 522 DVR and an 811 receiver for HD. While switching between the two is relatively simple, it can be a long learning curve for someone who is a little technically challenged. We use the 522 most of the time because we like the DVR features - but as a result, I feel like I'm often missing things that I might otherwise be watching in HD. And if I switch over to the 811, it sometimes confuses my technically challenged other-half who can never seem to figure out which receiver is on and how to switch from one to the other. I hope to get a 942 as soon as they make it available to existing lease customers.
Regarding locals in HD - can you get any TV signals via antenna now? If so, there is a chance with a good outdoor antenna, you might be able to pull in your locals (the 811, 921 and 942 have built in tuners that can receive both analog and digital locals - if the signal is strong enough.) Check www.antennaweb.org for recommendations on what type of antenna you would need. If you have little or no over-the-air reception, and/or an outdoor antenna is not an option, then your chances of getting the nets in HD are slim. If you are in a market where your local CBS station is owned by CBS, you would qualify to get the national CBS feed (from New York.) Other than that, your only hope would be for Dish to start offering your locals in HD after they make the transition to MPEG 4. That is still at least 6-12 months away, it will probably require a new receiver, and it will likely be rolled out to the largest markets first. So if you are in the NYC market, you might be in luck, but if you are in the Hartford market, you could be in for a long wait.

 

[T2k]

I refuse to pay for "right to rent" - this whole idea is ridiculous, a rip-off.

Say 10 month rental cost $50 more, together $300 - almost a price of a firewire-mod which allows you to record to your PC... another $300 gives you a DVHS deck, so you can easily archive and access all of your HD stuff, even with 5.1 sound if it sports such audio track.

PS: MPEG4 is pretty far, I bet - final cutoff for MPEG2 is sometimes next year, I think.

 

[T2k]

Since you are getting Dish for the HD content, I think you'll be happiest if you go ahead and pay the $250 for the DVR upgrade. I currently have a 522 DVR and an 811 receiver for HD. While switching between the two is relatively simple, it can be a long learning curve for someone who is a little technically challenged. We use the 522 most of the time because we like the DVR features - but as a result, I feel like I'm often missing things that I might otherwise be watching in HD. And if I switch over to the 811, it sometimes confuses my technically challenged other-half who can never seem to figure out which receiver is on and how to switch from one to the other. I hope to get a 942 as soon as they make it available to existing lease customers.
Regarding locals in HD - can you get any TV signals via antenna now? If so, there is a chance with a good outdoor antenna, you might be able to pull in your locals (the 811, 921 and 942 have built in tuners that can receive both analog and digital locals - if the signal is strong enough.) Check www.antennaweb.org for recommendations on what type of antenna you would need. If you have little or no over-the-air reception, and/or an outdoor antenna is not an option, then your chances of getting the nets in HD are slim. If you are in a market where your local CBS station is owned by CBS, you would qualify to get the national CBS feed (from New York.) Other than that, your only hope would be for Dish to start offering your locals in HD after they make the transition to MPEG 4. That is still at least 6-12 months away, it will probably require a new receiver, and it will likely be rolled out to the largest markets first. So if you are in the NYC market, you might be in luck, but if you are in the Hartford market, you could be in for a long wait.

If he's in Tristate area, he can get cable with free HDDVR.

 

[Brohill]

Thanks for the replies.
I have Comcast now with the SA800 HD-DVR. I pay 15 bucks a month for it, but the HD content in my opinion sucks. Besides CBS,NBC,ABC and FOX, the only other HD channels I get are PBS and INHD. I never watch INHD as it is either tennis, bmx, or boxing. It is so repetitive it is ridiculous. Now INHD2 is a different story as far as content goes, but I dont get that channel here where I live. Oh , I also get ESPN-HD. I feel I am missing alot with channels like TNT HD,Discovery HD and HDNET. Not to mention the VOOM channels. This is why I chose E*. The Voom channels were the deciding factor. I consider it GREAT news.

Being I have the HD-DVR I thik I will go with the $250.00 upgrade fee as I do want to record in HD as I do now.

Can someone explain to me in a simple way what the whole MPEG-4 thing means? I dont really get it.Is what I get now for equipment going to be obsolete soon? Again, take it easy on me as I am "clueless" to SAT t.v.
Thanks again!
Bro

 

[johnalan]

I had the same decision to make.
Decided to wait, the deals will only get better in the future and I still can watch HD with my 811's. $250+another monthly fee is too steep for me.

 

[FredOh]

Do OTA locals incorporate into the program guide, or is it a mechanical switch to OTA

 

[Brohill]

I know what you mean johnalan. It is a tough decision. At least for me.
I tried to get some wiggle room out of the CSR I spoke to but no go. They are pretty set on the $250.00. I wonder if any one else got a bette rdeal on the"pay to lease" deal.
I still dont get the MPEG-4 thing either. I see alot of talk about it. I wonder if I should wait, but as I others are saying, who knows when it will be here.
Bro

 

[Lifterguy]

First - an answer to FredOh's question - on the 811, the Over-The-Air digital channels do integrate into the program guide. For most channels all guide info is also provided. On a few of my channels, it just says "digital channel 13-1" and no program info is provided. You can select any channel just like the sat channels - seamless. I believe the 942 is the same.

Now I will attempt a layman's explanation of MPEG 4. Every TV or radio signal requires a certain amount of "bandwidth" from the radio spectrum. Digital broadcasting uses bandwidth more efficiently than analog broadcasting by using "compression" technology to cram more signal information into smaller amounts of bandwidth. Compression allows for more channels or more picture detail (HD) without using more bandwidth than older technology. Currently most satellite and over-the-air broadcasts use MPEG 2 as the format for compressing signals. MPEG 4 is a next generation technology that allows signals to be compressed even further than MPEG 2 - with little or no impact on picture quality. With MPEG 4, providers can fit more HD channels onto many of the same satellites that are now carrying broadcasts in MPEG 2. But the new format requires new equipment on both ends - to compress the signal going up to the satellite, and to "uncompress" it on the receiver end. It is unlikely that any of Dish Network's current receiver can be upgraded to receive MPEG 4 signals. So of Dish start providing new services only in MPEG 4 (Such as locals in HD), then customers who want those services would have to get a new receiver. Would Dish offer free or low cost trade-ins for existing customers? No one knows. Will all of the channels currently offered in MPEG 2 still be around for years to come? Again - we don't know. Based on reading these forums, I would guess MPEG 4 is still a year away, and the first use will probably be for a gradual roll-out of local HD channels to large markets.

 

[rickaren]

I don't have my leased 942 DVR yet since it adds 10 days to the install of DISH (scheduled for May 13th) but after printing and then reading this 29 page review I knew I must have it!

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=39891

Now keep in mind I am an early adapter and love it. Never have really felt I have been taken since everything from WebTV, computers, VCR's, DVR and so on I have used and enjoyed. Just like VOOM, now it's gone (not the programing) but I used and enjoyed that service so much. I believe you will enjoy this DVR, and if you use it, it will change how you watch and enjoy HD & SD programing that this $250 charge will be well worth your enjoyment, for the next year or so. I remember my first RCA VCR that cost 1K! It was so enjoyable that even it had self destructed in one year (it didn't) I would have felt I received my money's worth. Life is short and if you think you would use it, why wait? On the other hand you can wait for the next best thing or for this DVR to come down in price, but by doing so you may miss the enjoyment you can have now.

 

[Devil24]

You guys aren't making this decision for me very difficult. I just don't want to drop TWC right away (don't want to get on their wrong side as they are my ISP).

Damn it.

I think E* is the winner... I'll have to work something out with them so that I can reactivate my old account and still be able to get something out of this ex-Voomer deal they are offering.

 

[texxas guy]

I refuse to pay for "right to rent" - this whole idea is ridiculous, a rip-off.

AMEN!!!!!!!!

 

[Brohill]

Good explanation lifterguy. Makes perfect sense.
Are people actually waiting for MPEG4 to launch before they subscribe? I would think it wouldnt make much sense to wait if you really dont know when.
I hear you Texxas guy. Pay a fee just to lease something. Doesnt make sense. It doesnt mean I wont do it, but oh well. Still contemplating it. It is a very tough decision for me. I should say, very tough sell to the wife. If I had it my way, I 'd probably be all over it. She uses the DVR I have now and loves it, but she always says she could do without it if she had to.

Has any new Sub. ever goten a better deal on this "pay to lease" option? I wonder.

 

[bobaphx]

I have a Dish 508 DVR and had VOOM for my HD. I kept the Dish account for the DVR (because it allows me to watch what I want when I have the time to watch it) service and "just in case". I'd like to now take Dish as my HD provider (so far every time I've called I get the "its for new subs" not me that has had Dish for 8 years now) but when I do get Dish HD I want the 942. During one of my calls I got transfered to and "advanced tech" who assured me that the 942 was software upgradable to work with MPEG4... I didn't think this was possible. Can anyone verify that the 942 can be upgraded to work with MPEG4??

 

[MikeD-C05]

NO , NO , NO it can't be upgraded to mpeg4. It might be swapped out for a new mpeg4 version of the 942. You get a new mpeg4 942 from Dish and they send back to Dish you mpeg2 942 version. Nothing has been confirmed yet on the details ,except the 942 is not mpeg4 compatiable or software upgradable to mpeg4. Dish has said as of yesterday on the retailer chat, that ALL satellite receivers ( hd &sd) will be swapped out for mpeg4 receivers in the next 3 years.

 

[jbcheshire]

Also, you and EVERYONE else can get the Voom channels.... unless you went through SBC to get Dish. No word on when they will be available through that avenue.