Going Back to the Past With Direct

[satjay]

I have been reading some of the stories on the Dish side about how long they have been with Dish and some of the stories they have been telling

I have been with Direct since 99 (with a one year absence) and thought I would post the package back then, my first reciver was a small black RCA, I dont have that one anymore but I still have in my "electonics" closet. A old Directv Tivo reciever, there first SDDVR they had, and what I think is the first HD reciever (needed OTA for locals) Good times for sure! Funny story on the HD reciver

I remember how cool I thought I was when I got the scoop that the Detroit area was going to be the first to get the change over with the new Satellite/reciever where you would not need OTA, Thanks to Scott and Satellite guys, its been a great resource for me for almost six years!!

DIRECTV Programming Package Table

 

[JerseyMatt]

Well if you're going back that far you can't put up the DirecTV packages without mentioning USSB! For those who didn't subscribe back then, we had one dish on the roof looking at one satellite, but we had to subscribe to TWO different providers to get the 'complete package'. DirecTV provided the majority of the channels, and USSB (United States Satellite Broadcasting) provided the premiums and a smattering of I think they were Viacom channels back then (Nick, MTV, etc). When you add the two bills up and adjust for inflation, the packages are still pretty much the same price today. It's even a better value now because there's more channels, plus HD and 3D.

USSB Programming Packages

IIRC, the DirecTivo was not their first DVR. I had an UltimateTV box, which I know was the first dual-tuner DVR for DirecTV, but I seem to remember the DirecTivo coming out shortly after that did. I also had the first HD receiver (it was the RCA D-100 or something to that effect), and consider now the lunacy of paying the $650 for the box, $200 for the new dish, plus $10 a month HD fee for the THREE HD CHANNELS we got when it launched (and that's not even counting the $1400 for a 200lb TUBE HDTV)!! It was InHD, UniversalHD and Discovery HD Theater (and they didn't add more for quite a while - it wasn't until after I had left them when digital cable came to my area). Such is the price we pay as early adopters, but you definitely got the 'ooohs' and 'ahhhs' from your friends!! (oh, and I don't remember that box having any of the HD outputs we have today either.. The HD output was VGA!!)

 

[dfergie]

Since 96, started with a local telcom (Pvt & USSB) then Pegasus then with Directv finally when Pegasus bit the dirt (thank god) had BUD since early 80's ...

 

[satjay]

Well if you're going back that far you can't put up the DirecTV packages without mentioning USSB! For those who didn't subscribe back then, we had one dish on the roof looking at one satellite, but we had to subscribe to TWO different providers to get the 'complete package'. DirecTV provided the majority of the channels, and USSB (United States Satellite Broadcasting) provided the premiums and a smattering of I think they were Viacom channels back then (Nick, MTV, etc). When you add the two bills up and adjust for inflation, the packages are still pretty much the same price today. It's even a better value now because there's more channels, plus HD and 3D.

USSB Programming Packages

IIRC, the DirecTivo was not their first DVR. I had an UltimateTV box, which I know was the first dual-tuner DVR for DirecTV, but I seem to remember the DirecTivo coming out shortly after that did. I also had the first HD receiver (it was the RCA D-100 or something to that effect), and consider now the lunacy of paying the $650 for the box, $200 for the new dish, plus $10 a month HD fee for the THREE HD CHANNELS we got when it launched (and that's not even counting the $1400 for a 200lb TUBE HDTV)!! It was InHD, UniversalHD and Discovery HD Theater (and they didn't add more for quite a while - it wasn't until after I had left them when digital cable came to my area). Such is the price we pay as early adopters, but you definitely got the 'ooohs' and 'ahhhs' from your friends!! (oh, and I don't remember that box having any of the HD outputs we have today either.. The HD output was VGA!!)

Forgot about those who had ultimate

 

[dfergie]

I still have 2 of the early RCA receivers and a Phillips a H10 and a Samsung SIR 360 HD reciever stored, I had a Hughes that I really like (had turbo tune) but gave it to some friends when I got the Samsung ...

 

[DodgerKing]

I am glad that many of you are happy about your provider. Even Scott's post was good to read.

I look at DirecTV as simply a provider that provides entertainment. I do not get excited when I look back at my time with them, nor do I get upset. I am just indifferent and never gave it a single thought. They are simply the best choice for myself, providing me with the programming I prefer. With that said, I cannot tell you the exact year I signed up with DirecTV. I just remember switching from cable to satellite because satellite had more channels for less money. I picked DirecTV over Dish because they had more of the programming I prefer to watch. If FiOs was less expensive and if I was able to take it with me to our second home in Mammoth, then I may pick FiOs.

My closet is still full of old Hughes SD receivers and and SD TiVo's (the worst DVR IMO)

 

[Ddevil]

We started with DirecTV around 1997 while living in Southern California and continued with it after moving to Arizona. That's funny about USSB - what a blast from the past!

Anyone remember Basil Bassett Bingo??

 

[jcrandall]

Lets just not go back to the discussion about Pegasus.

My first Directv was an add-on to my Direc2PC dish in 1999. Just attach an LNB and buy a receiver, somehow it was still rediculously overpriced. That old thing used dial-up for upload and satellite for download. Best dialup I could get was 28.8k, boy have times changed.

 

[stephen431]

IIRC, the DirecTivo was not their first DVR. I had an UltimateTV box, which I know was the first dual-tuner DVR for DirecTV, but I seem to remember the DirecTivo coming out shortly after that did. I also had the first HD receiver (it was the RCA D-100 or something to that effect), and consider now the lunacy of paying the $650 for the box, $200 for the new dish, plus $10 a month HD fee for the THREE HD CHANNELS we got when it launched (and that's not even counting the $1400 for a 200lb TUBE HDTV)!! It was InHD, UniversalHD and Discovery HD Theater (and they didn't add more for quite a while - it wasn't until after I had left them when digital cable came to my area). Such is the price we pay as early adopters, but you definitely got the 'ooohs' and 'ahhhs' from your friends!! (oh, and I don't remember that box having any of the HD outputs we have today either.. The HD output was VGA!!)

I believe the UltimateTV and DirecTivo both launched at the same time. I remember debating between the Sony T60 & Sony W60. I went with the Tivo and it had a weird silver remote that I actually preferred to the peanut remotes. I know I bought mine in early January 2001 but I had first seen one at Thanksgiving 2000 (I remember showing off the new DirecTivo at my Super Bowl party which was originally supposed to be at a friends house but his receivers were fried the weekend before because he was hacking).

Anyone remember the Dolby Digital demo channel?

 

[Mr Tony]

I guess I'm a newbie...only had D* since Feb 2010

But the folks did have it years ago....well we had Primestar and D* bought them out late 98/early 99. I know Jason doesnt want ot hear it but we were in a PegaSUCK area so after a month of hell we chucked D* and got E* (mainly because of the ___________ (the word Jason doesnt like) issue)

 

[JerseyMatt]

I believe the UltimateTV and DirecTivo both launched at the same time. I remember debating between the Sony T60 & Sony W60. I went with the Tivo and it had a weird silver remote that I actually preferred to the peanut remotes. I know I bought mine in early January 2001 but I had first seen one at Thanksgiving 2000 (I remember showing off the new DirecTivo at my Super Bowl party which was originally supposed to be at a friends house but his receivers were fried the weekend before because he was hacking).

Anyone remember the Dolby Digital demo channel?

Haha yeah I do! It was pretty much all trailers all the time, it was great!

And I remember Black Sunday vividly because I had the same situation - the party was moved to my house after the original location's card was burned. I think more Superbowl parties were relocated that year than any other year..

As for UTV and DirecTivo I knew they were close to each other in release, but I still think UTV was out first. I worked at Radioshack at the time, and I bought the UTV the day they came out. It was so cool to have the dual tuner DVR (same as you it was a hit during the Superbowl!), and it added PiP to any TV, and it had Scout Recording, it was like the coolest box ever! (except for the WebTV part of it, I wonder if anyone who owned a UTV actually used the WebTV.. It was definitely a wasted feature on me..) I LOVED the Scout feature, I really wish they'd put it back into the current generation receivers.

 

[jcrandall]

Iceberg. That was pretty well written. Pegasus is a fi e example of the a failure of our government regulation. Not getting political, i think 99% of people that had to pay them would agree. It was a total farce. You cant have Directv because of your zip code, you need to call your Pegasus company and pay them extra so it doesnt hurt your local telco. Rule was obsolete twenty years before they eliminated it.

 

[Mr Tony]

yep and the zip 3 miles down the road could get it directly. I dont remember but wasnt there something (DVR fee maybe) that you paid to D* directly on a bill but the rest came through PS?

The only good thing (if it was one) was you could start with Select Choice still long after D* stopped selling it.