HR21 To Get OTA Tuner

[Andrewwski]

Just looking at rooftops as I drive around. In my somewhat rural area an indoor antenna doesn't work. I see lots of dishes though.

I see it used considerably around here, where indoor antennas work well.

Many people probably will use it if it's easy enough (indoor antenna) but not if it requires extra work (outdoor antenna).

D* doesn't even carry our local CBS affiliate in HD, so OTA is used all the time.

 

[gitarzan]

I will sign up for DirecTV when I can be assured of getting an HD DVR with OTA. Emails from DirecTV say to try local retailers Best Buy or Circuit City. When I asked Best Buy and Circuit City I found I can not get the equipment at the store and that the installer brings it. Choosing which receiver I get doesn't seem possible.

 

[cybertrip]

I understand the issues some people have. But, face it. DirecTV is in the business to sell Satellite TV service, not OTA service. If they can save a few bucks by killing the OTA tuner then that's good business for them. For the few percentage of those who absolutely need OTA, just spend the money and get the external OTA tuner. It will probably pay for itself and will probably be compatible with future receivers. It is kind of a bummer that they don't carry stations like CW and MY in HD, but for the most part that is something I can live without. If I want it in HD I'll hook up my antenna directly to my TV.

I know my signature says I'm a Dish customer, however, I'm not bashing D* in any way. I am planning to make the move to D* by the end of this month to a new HR21. I just hope I don't have problems like I did last year with the R15.

 

[digiblur]

I understand the issues some people have. But, face it. DirecTV is in the business to sell Satellite TV service, not OTA service. If they can save a few bucks by killing the OTA tuner then that's good business for them. For the few percentage of those who absolutely need OTA, just spend the money and get the external OTA tuner. It will probably pay for itself and will probably be compatible with future receivers. It is kind of a bummer that they don't carry stations like CW and MY in HD, but for the most part that is something I can live without. If I want it in HD I'll hook up my antenna directly to my TV.

I know my signature says I'm a Dish customer, however, I'm not bashing D* in any way. I am planning to make the move to D* by the end of this month to a new HR21. I just hope I don't have problems like I did last year with the R15.

Maybe your DMA hasn't had any issues, but I know the folks in the New Orleans DMA love their OTA now as they've had their share of issues with rain fade and uplink problems yet the OTA runs just fine. It's great to have a backup when you're wife is glued to Dancing with the Stars and ABC-HD starts stuttering and breaking up, or when you are glued to NBC-HD on Monday night watching Heroes.

 

[xzi]

Exactly, I can understand the frustration, but some of you guys are overstating the importance of OTA tuners in the 21s... 75% of the country doesn't even care because they get HD locals on D*... of the rest, most don't even know/care that they can do it and of those that do know and care, probalby have a modern enough TV that it's built into the TV so now you're down to the following:

- People who can't get it over the dish, AND that know and care about it, AND subscribe to HD service, AND want to record it on their HR21.

If you want just as a backup, hell every TV in the last few years has an ATSC tuner built in by law...

This just isn't the right environment (informed enthusiasts) for determining if it was financially a good idea to scrap them from the models--but I guarentee they pay someone a lot of money who figured it out pretty quickly with Excel and said "get rid of em".

The fact that they have come up with a solutions for the "informed enthusiast" crowd alone is a rare thing in that day and age and I'm suprised they didn't just leave them out in the cold in the first place, so that's something at least.

In my case, I have dual OTA HD tuners on my Media Center and dual SD D* receivers and it's working quite well even though my H21 has no OTA tuner... and I'm an informed enthusiast

 

[gitarzan]

I understand the issues some people have. But, face it. DirecTV is in the business to sell Satellite TV service, not OTA service. If they can save a few bucks by killing the OTA tuner then that's good business for them. For the few percentage of those who absolutely need OTA, just spend the money and get the external OTA tuner. It will probably pay for itself and will probably be compatible with future receivers. It is kind of a bummer that they don't carry stations like CW and MY in HD, but for the most part that is something I can live without. If I want it in HD I'll hook up my antenna directly to my TV.

I know my signature says I'm a Dish customer, however, I'm not bashing D* in any way. I am planning to make the move to D* by the end of this month to a new HR21. I just hope I don't have problems like I did last year with the R15.

Where I live for those who have HD TV's it is 100% who absolutely need OTA.

 

[themilkman]

I left in September and haven't looked back. For those EXACT reasons.

I am actually enjoying the fanboys over at dBSforums try to explain how it wasn't a HUGE screwup on D*'s part not to include something as basic as an OTA tuner when they KNOW the whole US isn't covered with all the OTA channels..but hell they don't even want to give the HR20 owner the ability to SCAN for OTA channels in their DMA, so why this surprises me I'll never know.

That’s fairly easy,

A. Dtv has 98% coverage of locals in the US = most customers dont need this functionality just a very small minority. By the time this hits the market it will be more like 99.5% with no need for most to scan anything in or use OA at all.

B. OTA tuners are a expense in many ways, people call in and want to trouble shoot a signal Dtv dose not control.

C. If the issue is not one Dtv can resolve customers blame them anyway because they dont understand the product.

D. Price, if it costs them more it costs you more and why should that 98% of customers pay extra for something they will never use?

To me Its nice they offer the option to add the tuner for people that don’t have locals with 98% of the US covered they really didn’t have to do it. Obviously its not some huge mistake because it just wont effect enough people.

 

[cybertrip]

Fortunately, my DMA is Los Angeles. I can get the standard locals in HD on Dish, I can also get CW and MY in HD on OTA, which is not a big deal to me as I only watch CW every once in a while if my friend's force me to watch a Dodgers game *cringe*

 

[digiblur]

That’s fairly easy,

A. Dtv has 98% coverage of locals in the US = most customers dont need this functionality just a very small minority. By the time this hits the market it will be more like 99.5% with no need for most to scan anything in or use OA at all.

B. OTA tuners are a expense in many ways, people call in and want to trouble shoot a signal Dtv dose not control.

C. If the issue is not one Dtv can resolve customers blame them anyway because they dont understand the product.

D. Price, if it costs them more it costs you more and why should that 98% of customers pay extra for something they will never use?

To me Its nice they offer the option to add the tuner for people that don’t have locals with 98% of the US covered they really didn’t have to do it. Obviously its not some huge mistake because it just wont effect enough people.

I for one will never pay money for a HD DVR that doesn't have OTA capabilities no matter where I live.

 

[gitarzan]

That’s fairly easy,

A. Dtv has 98% coverage of locals in the US = most customers dont need this functionality just a very small minority. By the time this hits the market it will be more like 99.5% with no need for most to scan anything in or use OA at all.

B. OTA tuners are a expense in many ways, people call in and want to trouble shoot a signal Dtv dose not control.

C. If the issue is not one Dtv can resolve customers blame them anyway because they dont understand the product.

D. Price, if it costs them more it costs you more and why should that 98% of customers pay extra for something they will never use?

To me Its nice they offer the option to add the tuner for people that don’t have locals with 98% of the US covered they really didn’t have to do it. Obviously its not some huge mistake because it just wont effect enough people.

SD locals are available to me but who wants to watch SD when you have an HD TV and HD is available. I expect it will be some time before HD locals via sat are available here. What option to add a tuner to the HR21? Isn't that just a rumor at most now. Seems to me that most people who have hooked up OTA know the difference between an OTA issue and a DirectTV issue. While 98% of the US may be covered my guess it is is much greater than 2% interest in an integrated OTA tuner.

 

[themilkman]

Seems to me that most people who have hooked up OTA know the difference between an OTA issue and a DirectTV issue. .

Nope, they call in all the time and a good number of people pay to have it installed and dont do it themself.
As far as HD its coming at a far clip, after the next bird goes up Dtv will start adding HD locals in large numbers, thats the plan anyway.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Nope, they call in all the time and a good number of people pay to have it installed and dont do it themself.
As far as HD its coming at a far clip, after the next bird goes up Dtv will start adding HD locals in large numbers, thats the plan anyway.

This really sticks out and is why Im po'd about the hr21 currently. The PLAN rarely happens the way D* and E* claim it will.

 

[Jhon69]

My impression (correct me if I'm wrong) is that the HR20 is being discontinued in favor of the HR21. When you look at the D* web site, click "Receivers" and check out "HD DVR" there is no mention of OTA capability. If D* is shipping out HR20s to the installers, most are probably refurbs.

You may want to specify an HR20, but I doubt that D* has the ability to check each installers inventory for availability. As a courtesy, they should be able to note your preference on the installation order, but, in general, I have no problem with D*'s position.

Like you stated, most of us here want to specify which unit they receive. However, we are just a flyspeck in the overall D* subscriber base. You want personalized customer service, but D* is not a mom and pop operation - they added over 250,000 new subscribers last quarter alone. You may "want" something, but a huge company like D* may not be willing/able to provide it to you. Sadly, that's just the way it is...

The only model being discontinued is the HR20-700.The HR20-100 is still being manufactured.

 

[Fgsilva]

Scott, any update on this?

Thanks!

Just got this in my inbox.

Looks like the HR21 is going to get an external USB OTA Tuner in Early 2008.

 

[jcrandall]

I dont' think anyone has heard anything more yet. Hopefully we'll get something at CES next week

 

[gadgtfreek]

From my understanding(read at DBS), very soon ALL HR20's will no longer be produced. By then the HR21 tuner fix will be out and you WILL have to pay D* something for it.

I would not expect much from CES, D* has decided not to have a forum.

 

[darrencp22]

Something for me to keep in mind if I decide to switch from E*.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Something for me to keep in mind if I decide to switch from E*.

Yepp. Id not switch until the ota fix is out if you need ota.

 

[unc8185]

Exactly, I can understand the frustration, but some of you guys are overstating the importance of OTA tuners in the 21s... 75% of the country doesn't even care because they get HD locals on D*... of the rest, most don't even know/care that they can do it and of those that do know and care, probalby have a modern enough TV that it's built into the TV so now you're down to the following:

- People who can't get it over the dish, AND that know and care about it, AND subscribe to HD service, AND want to record it on their HR21.

If you want just as a backup, hell every TV in the last few years has an ATSC tuner built in by law...

This just isn't the right environment (informed enthusiasts) for determining if it was financially a good idea to scrap them from the models--but I guarentee they pay someone a lot of money who figured it out pretty quickly with Excel and said "get rid of em".

The fact that they have come up with a solutions for the "informed enthusiast" crowd alone is a rare thing in that day and age and I'm suprised they didn't just leave them out in the cold in the first place, so that's something at least.

In my case, I have dual OTA HD tuners on my Media Center and dual SD D* receivers and it's working quite well even though my H21 has no OTA tuner... and I'm an informed enthusiast

As an informed enthusiast who happens to live in the #108 market, I think that users' positions may be influenced by whether they have access to HD locals. Your zip code has HD channels; my zip code doesn't. Thus, I am more concerned about OTA tuners. When the SWM arrives, I will likely look hard for several HR20's if the external OTA tuner isn't available. I definitely want the ability to record network programming on the same DVR.

I am hoping that DirecTV will add our market in the not-so-distant future. During the rollout of the new national HD channels, there has been little discussion of new HD markets. This may be addressed by the satellite that will soon be launched. However, I am not confident of this.

I am sure that enthusiasts in the 25% group will continue to plead for OTA tuner includion. It matters to us.

 

[ride525]

I just moved over from Dish Network and miss having the OTA channels available through the satellite receiver (I have a HR21-700 WITHOUT OTA). So I'm hopeful that Directv will make this availabe at a very reasonable (or no) cost.

I wish I would have had the option to select the HR20 instead of the HR21.