Man, I sure do miss that third tuner...

[CorpITGuy]

I don't regret moving from E* to D*. Really, I don't. At the time, many of our favorite channels weren't yet in HD on E*, and now that they are I don't trust that they'll stay due to contract disputes. The OnDemand features are great for the kids, and the rain fade isn't anywhere near as bad as it was on E*.

That said, there is one thing I thought I wouldn't care about that drives me nuts: my third tuner. Sure, I miss true MRV (though it is coming, I know) and PiP, but those things I can live without. I really miss hooking up my OTA rig and recording as a third tuner while two satellite channels record. This was especially handy on Thursday nights. Things like baseball games don't get recorded at all now because they're so long, and if any part doesn't record the whole thing won't. It was nice to record some of the local stuff on the OTA tuner and leave my sat tuners open. I know I can hook up an OTA rig to my HR22-100, but it still uses one of the tuners (and it did not on my 722).

Can anyone think of a workaround, short of buying a second receiver and hooking it up to another HDMI port? I'm not going to do that... it's not worth that much money to me...

Anyway, I thought I'd float this and see if someone sees something obvious that I'm missing.

 

[dishrich]

Can anyone think of a workaround, short of buying a second receiver and hooking it up to another HDMI port? I'm not going to do that... it's not worth that much money to me...

Anyway, I thought I'd float this and see if someone sees something obvious that I'm missing.

Who says you have to BUY the 2nd receiver - since you just signed up, if you wait about a year, you could call D* & see what kind of deal they'll make you on a 2nd HD DVR. If you are able to get it FREE (NOT out of the possibility) then you are only talking about an extra $5/month, for FOUR tuners! (you DO know that you would not have to pay another DVR &/or HD fee, since you already do that for the receiver you have now & since D* only charges these once per account, NOT per box)

 

[KAB]

I was ready to jump to D*, but felt I was going backwards technologically. Stayed and do 3 at a time, many times. Grass isn't always greener.

 

[mlb]

I don't regret leaving E* either... I left for the better quality HD. D* is still significantly better than E* in terms of PQ, IMO.

 

[DodgerKing]

I was ready to jump to D*, but felt I was going backwards technologically. Stayed and do 3 at a time, many times. Grass isn't always greener.

Will you really be going backwards? From what I have read by those that have/had both services is that VIP has better hardware/performance, but the HRs have better software and more interactive features.

 

[bobvick]

Sure, I miss true MRV (though it is coming, I know)

I realize that with the VIP series of Echostar receivers you can watch 2 things in 2 rooms. However, that MRV is nothing like DirecTV's MRV. First of all, with E* you cant have independent HD in 2 rooms (although you just have to have one receiver) with D* and a HR series and a a H series or 2 HR series you can watch what is recored on the client DVR in another room and in HD. If you have a H series and HR series reciver or 2 HR's you can participate in the CE program and test out MRV. It is one reason that I would never (right now) consider switching from DirecTV.

 

[KAB]

Will you really be going backwards? From what I have read by those that have/had both services is that VIP has better hardware/performance, but the HRs have better software and more interactive features.

I have to grin whenever I hear about better D* software. Seems everyone hopes/thinks/pray that "software" will takes care of the hardware problems. It's like any computer. Gotta have the guts before the glitz.

 

[BlueEos]

I really miss hooking up my OTA rig and recording as a third tuner while two satellite channels record. This was especially handy on Thursday nights.

Just curious. When do you find time to look at the output of 3 recordings of various shows in the same time slot? My new HR22 does just fine on Thursday or any other day for that matter.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Will you really be going backwards? From what I have read by those that have/had both services is that VIP has better hardware/performance, but the HRs have better software and more interactive features.

I would say the opposite.
D* has better hardware IMO. Good for the long haul. Less Machanical Issues.
D* software is where 100% of my complaints were always at.
D* HRs are like Having a Brand New Heart, With the Wrong Blood Type.

 

[neoabacus]

no need to miss it

I tried to add this yester but i am blocked at work now.....

Direct tv has a OTA add on tuner I'm not sure how well it works perhaps others here have used it.

you can order by logging into you account then order via My Account -> Add Kits & Equipment.


DIRECTV® AM21 Off-Air Tuner
$50.00
Designed to work seamlessly with the DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR and the DIRECTV Plus® DVR, this specialized tuner allows you to view your local off-air channels. And for added convenience, it integrates them directly into the DIRECTV on-screen Advanced Program Guide®.

 

[dishrich]

Direct tv has a OTA add on tuner I'm not sure how well it works perhaps others here have used it.

But you can still ONLY record up to 2 programs in total at once, any combination of OTA &/or sat prog. It will NOT allow you to record 2 OTA AND 2 sat at the same time, which is what the OP is complaining about...
(you DID read the OP already knows about the add on... )

I know I can hook up an OTA rig to my HR22-100, but it still uses one of the tuners (and it did not on my 722)

 

[darrencp22]

I was with E and it came down to this for me. MSG HD and YES network. Those are deal breakers. If E ever was able to offer these I would consider switching back. Without, snowball's chance in hell. I'll deal with Ds inferior hardware.

 

[CorpITGuy]

Thanks for the info.

To answer some questions: Thursdays are very busy for shows we watch, other days we record almost nothing... that's how I find time... OH, and TV is pretty much our only source of entertainment. I have kids... we don't get out much.

I think I'll just wait till I buy a new HDTV set and get a second HR device at that point through an upgrade program. That would give me four tuners. Right now I have 3 tuners, but one of them is an SD TV in the bedroom with a TiVO hooked up to it.