HD Receiver question, help

[123Aaron]

We have the HD DVR receiver downstairs in living room and just purchased a new HD TV for the bedroom. Currently in the bedroom was a older Tivio receiver, can I just purchase a new HD reciever for the bedroom and start recieving HD channels or do I have to run new wires to this upstairs room reciever. Currently just coxial cable to the bedroom reciever.

When Direct TV installed the new HD dish and reciever new cables have been run to the TV in the living room, so I naturally thought new calbes must be ran upstairs as well. Well can't seem to find the answer to this question.

I phone tech support at Direct Tv and they weren't sure how to answer my question. It would be difficult to run these wires upstaris and wanted to be sure either way before I purchase a new HD reciver. Would hate to purchase it and it wouldn't work as planned.

 

[rad]

If the coax run is RG-6 then you should be OK with what you have now. You might want to logon to your account at the DirecTV web site and depending on your customer status you might be able to get a HD receiver for free. Doing it that way though means you get whatever they send you, could be new, could be a refurb H20.

If you have any interest in being able to use MRV on the HD receiver (see the Cutting Edge section for more info) then I'd go to a local dealer and make sure you get a H21 or better receiver since the H20 won't be able to make use of some of the new features.

 

[microbeta]

You should be able to just get a DirecTV HD receiver and plug it in.

If your TiVo in the bedroom works the new receiver should also. The only potential problem is the type of coax supplying the bedroom.

Can you tell what kind of coax is installed to your bedroom? e.g. RG59 or RG6

Mike

 

[123Aaron]

Dear Rad,

Thanks for your quick reply! How do I tell which coax cable i have? Stupid question I know, but I not sure how to tell the difference.

Also how can I "smooth" talk Direct TV into a new HD receiver?

 

[rad]

Dear Rad,

Thanks for your quick reply! How do I tell which coax cable i have? Stupid question I know, but I not sure how to tell the difference.

Also how can I "smooth" talk Direct TV into a new HD receiver?

You need to look at the cable, it should have some printing on it that says what type it is.

Did you check your account online, if it doesn't show a free HD receiver then all you can do is call and see what the CSR might work out for you. But as I mentioned you can't specify what HD receiver you'll get that way and I really wouldn't want to get a H20 at this point in their product cycle based on what new features DirecTV has been testing in the CE forum.

 

[123Aaron]

Rad,

I just looked at our account and the only thing they are show for free is show time for a limited time.

I'll give the CSR a call and be very polite and see where I can get on the free receiver. I would have never guessed they would give such a thing for free.

 

[rad]

Rad,

I just looked at our account and the only thing they are show for free is show time for a limited time.

I'll give the CSR a call and be very polite and see where I can get on the free receiver. I would have never guessed they would give such a thing for free.

As I said earlier, it depends on how DirecTV rates you, how long you've been a customer, how much your monthly bill is, etc. It would show up under add reciver if you could get it.

 

[123Aaron]

Rad,

Just called and couldn't get anywhere with the CSR, bummer..

if the coax cable is the correct one do you feel confident that a HD receiver would work without any new cabling? There would be no need to go from the dish to this receiver right?

The new TV is only showing a digital signal of 480, not the 1080 and I'm assuming this is a result of the older Tivo not being able to receive the HD signal.

 

[rad]

Rad,

Just called and couldn't get anywhere with the CSR, bummer..

if the coax cable is the correct one do you feel confident that a HD receiver would work without any new cabling? There would be no need to go from the dish to this receiver right?

The new TV is only showing a digital signal of 480, not the 1080 and I'm assuming this is a result of the older Tivo not being able to receive the HD signal.

It's a crap shoot on what you may or may not get when you call a CSR. If you want to make sure just take your HD DVR and move it upstairs and check it out.