Left Dish After 5 Years

[cjwct]

Greetings Everyone . . . some of you may remember me from the Dish forum, but now I have switched over. Like most sports fans, not having SNY was a "non-negotiable" meaning that I could live through losing MonstersHD even though I am the biggest horror fan imaginable. I could live without the NFL package or MLB channel even though I am a huge sports fan, but take away my ability to watch my Mets and you sir are drawing the definitive line in the sand!

Anyways, my install was this past Wednesday and everything went smooth thanks to Claude and Jessica from Dishstore, my wife, and the installer. The installer was courteous, knowledgeable, and patient as my wife asked a few questions I had left. Hopefully we tipped him well ($20).

Now for a few remarks about my early experience and a question or two:

Comments:

1. I have 2 HR-24s, the Premium package, and Cinema plus
2. I love the physical receiver; small and unobtrusive
3. The guide and its format and layout is neat, legible, and easy to access
4. Love, love, love, love the search feature (can search shows and networks) and the Quick Tune feature
5. Cinema plus/On Demand is incredible and overwhelming in a great way . . . will take time to explore and digest
6. The DVR / Manage Recording access has many great features (e.g. Series manager, History, Record Defaults, etc.)
7. I now have SNY and am watching my Mets lose in glorious HD

More comments to follow as my experience and learning curve grows

Questions:

1. Many channels (some are duplicate broadcast in Spanish and then there are others whose channels are named TVBS, TSCV, MGM HD, HDNM, SMITHHD, etc.) are dark on my guide; why is that? I do have the Premium package.

2. I notice the Format button on the remote accesses the resolution/screen size, but I only see 720P as the highest resolution . . . understandably most shows are now in 720P or 1080i, but will movies in 1080P be displayed in 1080P or down converted to 720P?

Quick aside: Why did it take me so so so long to switch over? That was a serious lapse in judgement, as I it feels that Direct is much more of a professional company (i.e. courteous calls before/after install, the technician, the overall tv experience, etc.)

Thanks in advance for your help!

Craig

 

[Mr Tony]

1. if they are dark on the guide that means you do not sub to them. If you use the "channels I get" or a favorite list you can customize what channels show in the guide (works great about getting rid of the PPV channels)
2. You can change the settings in the setup. Since my TV is a 720p I leave it on 720p. I know in the settings you can have native on or off which means it will flip to whatever resolution the channel is.

point 7 above...its a beautiful thing isn't it? The fact you can see your team play in HD and not maybe in HD or JIP'd in HD

Also couple notes
you can set up the DVR to do a 30 second skip (immediate) instead of a 30 second slip (where it looks like its FF'ing)
http://www.satelliteguys.us/directv-forum/235339-today-directv-install-day.html#post2393384

as for some of those HD channels, you can add the "HD Extra Pack" online free for 3 months. Then there is a trick (well known). A day or two before the 3 months are up remove it online. Channels go bye bye.....the next day it will show back up on the account again "3 months free" and you can re-add it. On my 2nd "free 3 months"
WELCOME to the good side Glad you're here

 

[cjwct]

Thanks Iceberg . . . glad to be here and yes, I didn't even remark how knowing Mets are in HD 24/7 is great!

I will look to add the HD Extra Pack (without the trick, how much extra is it per month?). Also, how do you access the setup screen to change settings from 720P to native?

 

[Mr Tony]

I will look to add the HD Extra Pack (without the trick, how much extra is it per month?). Also, how do you access the setup screen to change settings from 720P to native?

1st 3 months free. After that 4.99 a month. ShortsHD was just added

to change resolution
menu
favs/setup
system setup
HDTV
TV resolutions to change

Video to set native or screen setup (original/.cropped/etc)

 

[cjwct]

Oh there it is; thank you! The technician had 1080P selected but not native. Haven't decided to select that or not yet, but I will think about it.

 

[Jimbo]

Oh there it is; thank you! The technician had 1080P selected but not native. Haven't decided to select that or not yet, but I will think about it.

IF you don't see much difference between the Native on or off, one way will quicken up the changing of channels some.
I can never remember which one it is though.
I think Native OFF changes the channels quicker .... whats happening is the recvr sets the resolution and then the TV also sets it vs the recvr just passing the signal thru to the TV..... I think thats the idea anyways, someone jump in and clearify this if I'm wrong, for some reason I can never remember which is which.

 

[scoop8]

IF you don't see much difference between the Native on or off, one way will quicken up the changing of channels some.
I can never remember which one it is though.
I think Native OFF changes the channels quicker .... whats happening is the recvr sets the resolution and then the TV also sets it vs the recvr just passing the signal thru to the TV..... I think thats the idea anyways, someone jump in and clearify this if I'm wrong, for some reason I can never remember which is which.

Jimbo

You have it right regarding the speed. I have my HR22 set to "Native Off" (and 1080I) and it's faster. I'm not sure about the technical expl but that sounds right as well.

OP, nice to hear that you're happy with the switch to DirecTV.

 

[RandallA]

Native off = faster.

As far as the format just showing 720p, you will need to check the setup in the receiver and change it to accept up to 1080p for the format.

 

[cjwct]

Native off = faster.

As far as the format just showing 720p, you will need to check the setup in the receiver and change it to accept up to 1080p for the format.

How would I do that?

 

[cjwct]

Additional comments:

1. Love the Score Tracker
2. Love the MLB channel
3. Love On Demand

 

[satjay]

Additional comments:

1. Love the Score Tracker
2. Love the MLB channel
3. Love On Demand

Score tracker is underrated as a feature, its great to have, have you tried the apps or Quicktune

 

[cjwct]

Score tracker is underrated as a feature, its great to have, have you tried the apps or Quicktune

No net yet ... so much to see, hear, feel ... its overwhelming like I said earlier but in a very very good way ... any good apps suggestions?

Quicktune is awesome!!!

 

[RandallA]

How would I do that?

Menu >> System Setup >> HDTV >> TV Resolutions >> 1080p

 

[Mr Tony]

yeah the MLB channel rocks

 

[cjwct]

Any other great tricks/features I should learn or know about?

I tried the 30sec skip trick, but couldn't get it working :-(

I loved creating my personal channel guide today

I played with VOD; found it odd that it has to "record" as opposed to just streaming; no biggie but just found it odd ... that is if I did it correctly.

Oh I do have an audio q ... I use a digital optical cable from PS3 to Onkyo receiver; is there any splitters which would work for me as theres only 1 input on receiver? Thanks.

 

[Mr Tony]

to do the 30 skip trick

smart seacrh
type in 30skip (just as I wrote it)
then scroll right to 30skip keyword
select it
then select all
it will say "none found" then press OK (or is it done I forget)

there ya go. 30 skip set up

 

[cjwct]

to do the 30 skip trick

smart seacrh
type in 30skip (just as I wrote it)
then scroll right to 30skip keyword
select it
then select all
it will say "none found" then press OK (or is it done I forget)

there ya go. 30 skip set up

Thank you ... stupid me was not hitting "done"

I am now fully convinced that folks like me who had Dish or any other service would switch to Direct if they had a day or two just to experience what I am experiencing

By the way Iceberg, I just watched another Mets game in HD and what's even better, another win

 

[Mr Tony]

Thank you ... stupid me was not hitting "done"

dont worry...we've all done that

I am now fully convinced that folks like me who had Dish or any other service would switch to Direct if they had a day or two just to experience what I am experiencing

glad you're enjoying it

By the way Iceberg, I just watched another Mets game in HD and what's even better, another win

isnt it nice to not worry about if its in HD or not. You just tune in and its in HD

 

[cjwct]

isnt it nice to not worry about if its in HD or not. You just tune in and its in HD

What's nice is that when the pregame in HD ends, the picture does not go dark and you're not forced to switch to the SD broadcast (salt in the wounds)

 

[Mr Tony]

so true