New HD-TV Need Suggestions!

[mrtbig]

Well, today my wife and I finally bought our first HD-TV, a Mitsubishi 65" Diamond CRT with the 9" crts. Our TV will be delivered on Monday A.M.!!

I am a current DirecTV subscriber with 2 DirecTV Tivos and 3 other regular receivers. I get my local stations off of DirecTV through Houston and also have the west coast and east coast feeds of FOX and CBS. Was turned down the first time by NBC and ABC.

I live about 65-70 miles from the towers in Houston. What are my best options for HD? Should I go ahead and get the HD10-250 Tivo? Regular HD receiver? Do I subscribe to DirecTV's HD package and will I get the FOX and CBS east coast and west coast feeds automatically since I get them now?

Suggestions!

 

[NVBlue]

The HD Tivo is great!

 

[hdtvtechno]

will I get the FOX and CBS east coast and west coast feeds automatically since I get them now?

Suggestions!

Yes

 

[hdtvtechno]

Should I go ahead and get the HD10-250 Tivo? Regular HD receiver?
Suggestions!

Its personal choice, Do you want to record HD for later viewing ?

 

[mrtbig]

Yes, I would, But I heard that DirecTV was going to switch out to another box and I didn't want to spend the money for the TIVO if not going to get another comparable one for free?

 

[crowe1130]

I actually have the same question as you. Just bought my first HDTV and am excited to order DirecTV equipment and put it to use! I keep reading about a switch to mpeg-4 coming, though, so I'm really unsure if I should order now.

I want to have HD hooked up and running in time for football season, so there isn't too much time to spare! But I don't want to buy a box that's going to be obsolete in a month, either.

Any sage advice from more seasoned members?

 

[shugo77]

Since DirecTV refuses to make any kind of announcement at all regarding future plans, I feel your pain.

I have the HR10-250 and absolutely love it. But I think if I were you I would just buy the cheapest non DVR Hd box I could find for now and just wait until DirecTV releases its MPEG4 HD DVR.

Tough decision to make though.

 

[ocnier]

Just go ahead and buy the HD tivo, b/c even if D* switches over the following month, the would still have to replace your box free of charge or nearly free of charge. I strongly suspect either way it will be at least another year before there's any massive migration of channels to MPEG 4. I love my tivo and since you already have some tivo's, you're already set. Enjoy your new TV and welcome to the wonderful world of HD.

 

[vurbano]

Well, today my wife and I finally bought our first HD-TV, a Mitsubishi 65" Diamond CRT with the 9" crts. Our TV will be delivered on Monday A.M.!!

Probably one of the worst choices for Directv HD. The downrezzing and bitrate slashing will be very apparent on a large 1080i RPTV. It is on mine. The HDtivo is a nice machine but the price will keep dropping.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

Real HDTV, Go Dish !!!

 

[Happy Camper]

My Hughes HR10-250 is the best single electronic component buy I have ever made (not the most expensive, just the best), and the component I would part with last in a house with nine televisions and filled with audio-visual equipment. It's recording of bit for bit HD from local OTA and D* "HD" (compressed garbage) is superb, and the OTA hard disk recording with TiVo software and an integrated channel menu, and banners, alone would make this box an economical buy.

If you wait around to see if all the D* rumors are true, you will miss a whole season of pristine, commercial free HDTV you can watch when you want to watch it. Waiting to make TV watching decisions based upon D* rumors is like refusing to leave the house for several weeks because there is a rumor it might rain, or there is a hurricane in the Caymans. D* rumors are just that, hysterical bleatings of hopeful people with no more knowledge of what D* is really doing than anyone else. The Hughes box is here now, and you know what you are getting-a darn good tuner and HD recording device. It also was rumor for two years after D* showed it for the first time. Not now, though.

Just do it!

They will have to pry my HD TiVo from my cold, dead fingers.

Can you tell we like our HD TiVo?

If all I had was the Hughes box and an antenna, and D* did not exist, I would still think that it was absolutely terrific. We watch more network HD and sports events than the garbage on D* anyway. Maybe it's just because I cannot stand to watch six minute commercial breaks, but I still want to see CSI or The West Wing in HD, when I want to watch it. Does this make sense? Go for it.

 

[mrtbig]

Well, Thanks for all the responses!

I ordered the HR10-250 yesterday and it will be here today!!!

I already had a Triple LNB dish so I got all the cables run and ready to go!!

Even watching DirecTV standard, the new TV just is remarkable even without HD!

I reset my Buffalo Link Theatre to HD and the photos are just gorgeous on this set!

Happy Camper, You are right! I loved my other TIVO, even the Wife said it was absolutely the best thing I ever bought! I am going to put it in the bedroom.

You are also right I do not want to be without it and whenever the upgrade comes, I am sure it will not be that much difference.

I also took the advice of calling Customer retention and will be getting a $250 credit so with the deal on Ebay and the credit I am getting the HD-TIVO for a net of about $300, not bad in my opinion.

They are also submitting me for DNS HD channels. They said since I already have CBS and FOX, I will also get those in HD, in addition to the HBO and Showtime I already get, since I have the top package.

I also have a gentleman that is coming out in a week or so and set up a temporary mast and will be trying several antennas to see if I can get the local Houston HD channels. He is an engineer with a station in Houston. That is simply great for him to do, but he says he does this sometimes to test the signals for his station and competition.

Again, Thanks, and keep suggestions coming! This is a great forum!

Terry

 

[Chado]

I think you made the right decision. I have had mine since May and have been happy with it ever since!!!

 

[vurbano]

Well, Thanks for all the responses!

I ordered the HR10-250 yesterday and it will be here today!!!

I already had a Triple LNB dish so I got all the cables run and ready to go!!

Even watching DirecTV standard, the new TV just is remarkable even without HD!

I reset my Buffalo Link Theatre to HD and the photos are just gorgeous on this set!

Happy Camper, You are right! I loved my other TIVO, even the Wife said it was absolutely the best thing I ever bought! I am going to put it in the bedroom.

You are also right I do not want to be without it and whenever the upgrade comes, I am sure it will not be that much difference.

I also took the advice of calling Customer retention and will be getting a $250 credit so with the deal on Ebay and the credit I am getting the HD-TIVO for a net of about $300, not bad in my opinion.

They are also submitting me for DNS HD channels. They said since I already have CBS and FOX, I will also get those in HD, in addition to the HBO and Showtime I already get, since I have the top package.

I also have a gentleman that is coming out in a week or so and set up a temporary mast and will be trying several antennas to see if I can get the local Houston HD channels. He is an engineer with a station in Houston. That is simply great for him to do, but he says he does this sometimes to test the signals for his station and competition.

Again, Thanks, and keep suggestions coming! This is a great forum!

Terry

In a week it will probably drop another 100 bucks but 300 sounds like a good deal. My only problem with the HDtivo is how dreadfully slow the guide and channel changing are.

Aug 1st will be the new NFL ST promo.

$100 rebate on "advanced" products such as the R10 and HD-DirecTivo.

New DVR using NDS software (and D* Active) is the R15 and was due out in August, delayed until Sept. Free with rebate.

New H20 MPEG2/4 HD receiver (also with D* Active) due out in Sept for $199.

There are threads on these things in the D* DVR and D* HD subforums here as well as on other forums such as the TivoCommunity.

 

[asousa]

In a week it will probably drop another 100 bucks.

You should have called Robert at VE...mine will be in the mail on 8/1 after the new price drop....sorry we didn't get to you sooner on this

 

[vurbano]

You should have called Robert at VE...mine will be in the mail on 8/1 after the new price drop....sorry we didn't get to you sooner on this

Ive had mine for months now.

 

[mrtbig]

Well, I got my HR10-250 today as promised!

I got it hooked up and set up and activated!

Everything is GREAT!

Thanks All!!!!

 

[Happy Camper]

I have a new TV coming for my downstair den and I may get another one of these boxes for it, since my antique downstairs Sony SAT-T60 is only standard def and cannot support HDMI or HD.

I'm sure it has been answered here before, but does anyone know whether the Hughes box can output HDMI or component and sandard def S video or composite at the same time?

I'm betting it can't.

 

[rockaway1836]

The H10 can, I would think that the H10-250 should be able to do the same.

 

[silversurfer]

I have a new TV coming for my downstair den and I may get another one of these boxes for it, since my antique downstairs Sony SAT-T60 is only standard def and cannot support HDMI or HD.

I'm sure it has been answered here before, but does anyone know whether the Hughes box can output HDMI or component and sandard def S video or composite at the same time?

I'm betting it can't.

You are correct it can not...