This makes no sense to me on direct tv's part to not integrate an ota tuner into their hd recievers. First of all I wouldn't think it would be a cost issue. Does anyone know why? Is it because they want to force people to except hd locals if available? This truely sucks for me. I am in a market without sd or hd locals even though Lubbock, Tx is a fairly large market considering it provides locals for most of west texas. So I have to either get cable, dish, or pray that the am21 works. Because yes my tv is old enough that it does not have a atsc tuner. Any explaination would be great.
leaving out the OTA
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Lots of previously posted thread you may want to search out and read.
Some users don't want it included; it likely was a cost thing; there is an add-on module; most new TVs already have an ATSC tuner even though they won't DVR. DBS companies really aren't in the OTA business so they could always lean on that. But who knows they may add it back over time.
The AM21 works.
Some users don't want it included; it likely was a cost thing; there is an add-on module; most new TVs already have an ATSC tuner even though they won't DVR. DBS companies really aren't in the OTA business so they could always lean on that. But who knows they may add it back over time.
The AM21 works.
Charper's right, I think they made the decision to lower the cost(Im sure the percentage of OTA users was the minority), especially with them adding HD lils. The AM21 isnt very costly, and doesnt take up much room.
That being said, Im glad I have a HR20700 so I dont have to worry about it right now. If it fails and Im going to get a 21/22, then Ill be buying the AM.
That being said, Im glad I have a HR20700 so I dont have to worry about it right now. If it fails and Im going to get a 21/22, then Ill be buying the AM.
I have both a HR20 and a HR21 plus AM21. The operation is identical with each, but the OTA tuner in the AM21 is better.
i don't know how cost effective this was. have you seen the size of the board in the am21? it would've fit easily in the hr21. at least do what E is going to do with their next hd dvr. make it an add on card instead of a whole box. E is also removing their ota tuners but at least the add on is just a plug in card much like a pci express slot or similar.
of course it doesn't. my point is it's not a complicated part. how much could they have actually saved by removing this component?
It was a pure move to keep the programming coming directly through DTV with price being a distant 10th. The AM21 works great for HR21's+; for those people with only H21's a solution is nonexistent. Watching the casual (non-forum reading) customer ask where to hook up the OTA Antenna is standard here in Chicago. DTV has received 1,000's of complaints about it & to my knowledge hasn't received one call thanking them for leaving it off the receiver.
I don't have a AM -21, no need yet, hopefully won't ever need one, but I do use my OTA EVERY DAY. (HR20-700).
I hope they will intergrate them back in at some time, but I doubt this will happen.
I think they are hoping most would get them from the D* sat (locals), only problem with that is, MY locals OTA work great when the weather gets bad, the sat channels go out and I turn on the OTA tuner. With the locals over the dish, I would lose my locals as well, many times there are weather issues that you need the locals for.
That said,
I have heard alot of people saying the AM-21 is sluggish and slow to respond.
IF that is true, I hope my HR20-700 hangs in there for another 10 years.
Jimbo
I hope they will intergrate them back in at some time, but I doubt this will happen.
I think they are hoping most would get them from the D* sat (locals), only problem with that is, MY locals OTA work great when the weather gets bad, the sat channels go out and I turn on the OTA tuner. With the locals over the dish, I would lose my locals as well, many times there are weather issues that you need the locals for.
That said,
I have heard alot of people saying the AM-21 is sluggish and slow to respond.
IF that is true, I hope my HR20-700 hangs in there for another 10 years.
Jimbo
Jim,
I absolutely hated the H20 series when it first came out because it was god awful slow; so slow in fact that I kept my primary TV on an old Mpeg-2 Samsung forgoing all those extra juicy HD channels. Six months later they delivered a great software update & the 20 series is now lightning fast & never crashes (though I think it runs a little hot). I'm sure one of these software updates will be coming into the 21 series soon. Even so, I still like my HR21. My neighbor (who just got the H21) bitched so much to DTV about the lack of OTA got a free replacement with the new HR22. It will be interesting to see the GI speed after a week or so compared to my 21.
I was actually talking about the OTA tuner (AM 21) not nessasarilly the HR21 itself.
I remember the HR20 series when it was in it's infant stages, no OTA then either, then it was turned on and has been solid ever since, along with D* making software improvements regularly
Jimbo
I'm glad this issue has been raised again. D* is being very bullheaded in just providing a monolithic solution to the consumer. I like to watch the subchannels often. It is more intuitive to view the channel and subchannel numbers in the guide and view the programming information without having to switch between TV inputs.
IF DISH NETWORK HAS IT, WHY WON'T DIRECTV BE COMPETITIVE AND HAVE AN INTEGRATED OVER THE AIR TUNER IN THEIR SATELLITE RECEIVERS? At least give us the option D*. I'll pay an additional $50 for an integrated tuner box, but D*, you keep shoving boxes without OTA tuners down our throats and nothing works with the AM21 except the HR21. I don't get it. If your forcing us to use an accessory such as the AM21 for OTA, it should work with all future HD receivers and HD DVRs.
Then again, 2 boxes for OTA and satellite is idiotic. Again, since Dish Network gives you it all in 1 box, why can't D* do the same?
IF DISH NETWORK HAS IT, WHY WON'T DIRECTV BE COMPETITIVE AND HAVE AN INTEGRATED OVER THE AIR TUNER IN THEIR SATELLITE RECEIVERS? At least give us the option D*. I'll pay an additional $50 for an integrated tuner box, but D*, you keep shoving boxes without OTA tuners down our throats and nothing works with the AM21 except the HR21. I don't get it. If your forcing us to use an accessory such as the AM21 for OTA, it should work with all future HD receivers and HD DVRs.
Then again, 2 boxes for OTA and satellite is idiotic. Again, since Dish Network gives you it all in 1 box, why can't D* do the same?
I dont see why the could not have offered two versions of the box and just charged $50 more for the OTA feature.
Id gladly pay the $50, but having to have two boxes is dumb. The D* hd lils are nice, but Ill use OTA as long as I can.
Id gladly pay the $50, but having to have two boxes is dumb. The D* hd lils are nice, but Ill use OTA as long as I can.
With the retransmission rights theme being played out in Wisconsin & Indianapolis markets (& more to come across the country) it's even more of a reason to have OTA built in.
Greenbay
TV tiff raises Packers fans' ire | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette
Indy
Bright House Strikes Deal For Colts Game As Cable Dispute Continues - Money News Story - WRTV Indianapolis
Greenbay
TV tiff raises Packers fans' ire | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette
Indy
Bright House Strikes Deal For Colts Game As Cable Dispute Continues - Money News Story - WRTV Indianapolis
I am glad I have the HR700 with the tuner. Having HD locals from D is alright except we do not get the sub channels. I watch my PBS sub channel more then the main channel. The sub channel is the HD national channel. I also get the Retro channel on a sub channel.
Personally I'm glad I have the ability to switch to OTA and when I have to upgrade I'll probably opt to get whatever add-on I need to maintain that capability. Granted it doesn't happen often but occasionally we do get knocked off the satellite by a bad electrical storm here. It's just those kind of storms that frequently have tornadoes in them so being able to watch local warnings through OTA is great. When the storms take out the power we switch to one of those battery powered weather radios but as I said, it doesn't happen often. Part of our caution is my wife's years in Huntsville, AL, right in the middle of "tornado alley". It's obviously not as bad here but she's more comfortable having the option. Small price to pay since she lets me have most of the latest toys.
And what users would that be? And why would having an OTA tuner built in, bother any users?
The reason Directv did it is all about $$$. If people had no access to OTA through their receiver, they may feel abligated to subscribe to locals. With an OTA tuner, subs can subtract the monthly fee for locals through Directv.
Some user just don't know what all they are missing without OTA; all they know is they "don't want that ugly antenna on the roof". I am not saying I agree with them or DirecTV, I can just see why.
Thats why I think they shoulda kept the HR20-700 and then offered the HR21 alongside it for $50 less.
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