question about HD receiver

[Roc570]

Hello all
First post here, just a quick question
I had a Directv Tivo go out on me last week, they sent me a new DVR but when I called they also told me I was eligible for a HD Receiver upgrade

So they scheduled me for install a new dish , and new receiver
apparently the old HD receiver wont handle all the new HD channels?
My question is this, I was told I can keep my old HD receiver, so IF that receiver is turned off, can I still use it to receive the OTA HD channels I get now? or does it need to be subbed for it to work
I dont carry the any HD programming from Directv, just watch the football games on Sunday in HD via OTA network channels

While I'm here might as well ask, my package is a "grandfathered" in
package think its Total Choice w/No locals
so now IF I were to pay the 10$ for HD access would my package change or would it be a new package/price

Sorry about all the questions, its just I'm an older guy and dont understand all the new technologies, and I spoke to 3 different dtv cust service reps
I got 3 different answers and all said the other was wrong, not even sure why they want to upgrade my receiver like I said I do NOT sub to HD content, and probably wont

Thanks everyone

 

[NutFlush920]

Welcome to the forum.

The reason your "old" Tivo unit won't get receive the new channels is because they are two different kinds of technology. The old format is MPEG2 and the new format is MPEG4. MPEG4 uses less space which allows DirecTV to offer more HD channels. The picture quality is also a lot better as DirecTV doesn't have to compress the signal so much to offer the same or more channels.

If your reciever is not active you can't use it as an OTA only reciever. I have tried and it doesn't work. It has to be active. If your Tivo reciever still worked you could use it as a regular DVR, just not get the new HD channels.

The HD Access is $10 a month. It gives you access to all the HD channels that have SD counterparts. For an extra $5 a month on top of that you can get HD Pak and get 5 more HD channels that aren't available in SD.

If locals are available in your area I would suggest just adding it to your package. You will then get the HD counterparts to them via satellite if they are offered in your area. I have Total Choice Plus and locals for $51.99 a month. I then pay $10 more for HD access and $6 for DVR service.

Hope this helps. Sorry I left anything out.

 

[Roc570]

Hey NutFlush
Thanks for the reply , no bud I dont think you left anything out,
I think I actually may have confused you in my orig post, although I believe the answers are probably the same

along with the Tivo unit that died I have a Samsung HD receiver
it is this receiver that DTV offered to upgrade IN addition to replacing the dead SD Tivo with a new dvr (which I hate, but thats another story)

So the Samsung I have now would continue to work as it does right now
but will not receive the new HD channels...right? (MPEG4 vs MPEG2 issue)

And the Samsung cannot be used as a HD tuner with my HD antenna once it is De-activated just to grab the locals.....right?

So adding the HD access for 10 $ doesnt really affect/change your original package, so that If I wanted to cancel the HD at some point, I can keep my original package?.......so there would be no BS about that package not existing anymore and would have to now move up to a more expensive package(sorta like the cell phone companies)

Again thank you for your reply, its much appreciated
sorry for throwing even more questions at ya

 

[raoul5788]

Hey NutFlush
Thanks for the reply , no bud I dont think you left anything out,
I think I actually may have confused you in my orig post, although I believe the answers are probably the same

along with the Tivo unit that died I have a Samsung HD receiver
it is this receiver that DTV offered to upgrade IN addition to replacing the dead SD Tivo with a new dvr (which I hate, but thats another story)

So the Samsung I have now would continue to work as it does right now
but will not receive the new HD channels...right? (MPEG4 vs MPEG2 issue)

And the Samsung cannot be used as a HD tuner with my HD antenna once it is De-activated just to grab the locals.....right?

So adding the HD access for 10 $ doesnt really affect/change your original package, so that If I wanted to cancel the HD at some point, I can keep my original package?.......so there would be no BS about that package not existing anymore and would have to now move up to a more expensive package(sorta like the cell phone companies)

Again thank you for your reply, its much appreciated
sorry for throwing even more questions at ya

Some older hd receivers work just fine without being activated. I have a Sony HDD-200 and an LG 3200a that work as ota receivers even though they don't get Directv programming. Try yours and see. You might be pleasantly surprised!

 

[NutFlush920]

The Samsung receiver will continue to pick up everything it does now, just not the new HD MPEG4 channels. From what Raoul says the reciever may work to pick up OTA locals with an antenna. Your tv however may already have tuner built into it which would eliminate the need for going the route you're talking about. I would give it try. You have nothing to loose.

Adding HD Access shouldn't change your package at all. Getting new equipment however, might not allow you cancel the HD Access. I think one of the requirements is to get and keep the new equipment -- the subscriber has to keep HD Access activated while they had the equipment.

Hope this helps. Ask as many questions as you can think of. Thats what this forum is for. If you need any more help just ask. And again welcome to forum.

 

[harshness]

If locals are available in your area I would suggest just adding it to your package. You will then get the HD counterparts to them via satellite if they are offered in your area.

Actually, having the satellite delivered locals may be the only option of the OP gets screwed over with a '21 series HD receiver.

 

[Roc570]

Thanks everyone for jumping in to help

Raoul... I think you may be right, I had picked up a directv HD receiver about a year ago from a CompUSA that was going out of business
paid 10 bucks for it, it did not have a card so I remember trying to run the HD antenna and see if it would work, If I remember correctly It did work

NutFlush,
my TV doesnt have the built in tuner, so I need the receiver to get HD
and funny you say that about agreeing to carrying the HD access , Like I said I dont carry any HD programming, so I was sure to ask the rep when he offered me the upgrade, in short he said no problem , just think of it for future use etc.....well I receive a letter from DTV today and read that you must maintain HD access for xxx amount of time etc

So I called DTV, and my luck I get a rep that I cant understand a word shes saying and ask for a manager or someone else I can understand
I get an advisor and she says YES you need to carry the $10 HD access
I ask her what HD channels I will receive with my current package and HD access.....basically she didnt know

So I ask her whats important is will I get my locals included, she says No
you have to pay 2$ each BUT she says locals are not available in your area so I could get the NY/LA feeds(my locals have been avail for years now)

Well Im a ex NYer living in Vegas, I would LOVE to get the NY locals
I used to get them thru Directv before the whole FCC/local law thing changed....at that time they took the NY/LA feeds away from me

But she insists that Vegas locals are not available, and insists the NY/LA feed is the way I have to go....so I said Fine turn them on
She now breaks into the whole waiver issue......
I asked her to check about my locals again ...she still says No locals avail

I danced around this issue with her for a few more minutes
telling her my neighbor gets locals via dtv, and that I get calls from dtv to offer me my locals, and that online my zip checks out fine for Vegas locals
but I cant win this woman over
I told her to cancel the installation, and leave my programming right where it was when I called......

So for now I'll just leave well enough alone, or If I get the strength I'll call again and give it a go with a different rep

Harshness....I'm curious about what you said, can you give some more details about what your saying?

Thanks everyone for all the help

 

[raoul5788]

Thanks everyone for jumping in to help

Raoul... I think you may be right, I had picked up a directv HD receiver about a year ago from a CompUSA that was going out of business
paid 10 bucks for it, it did not have a card so I remember trying to run the HD antenna and see if it would work, If I remember correctly It did work

NutFlush,
my TV doesnt have the built in tuner, so I need the receiver to get HD
and funny you say that about agreeing to carrying the HD access , Like I said I dont carry any HD programming, so I was sure to ask the rep when he offered me the upgrade, in short he said no problem , just think of it for future use etc.....well I receive a letter from DTV today and read that you must maintain HD access for xxx amount of time etc

So I called DTV, and my luck I get a rep that I cant understand a word shes saying and ask for a manager or someone else I can understand
I get an advisor and she says YES you need to carry the $10 HD access
I ask her what HD channels I will receive with my current package and HD access.....basically she didnt know

So I ask her whats important is will I get my locals included, she says No
you have to pay 2$ each BUT she says locals are not available in your area so I could get the NY/LA feeds(my locals have been avail for years now)

Well Im a ex NYer living in Vegas, I would LOVE to get the NY locals
I used to get them thru Directv before the whole FCC/local law thing changed....at that time they took the NY/LA feeds away from me

But she insists that Vegas locals are not available, and insists the NY/LA feed is the way I have to go....so I said Fine turn them on
She now breaks into the whole waiver issue......
I asked her to check about my locals again ...she still says No locals avail

I danced around this issue with her for a few more minutes
telling her my neighbor gets locals via dtv, and that I get calls from dtv to offer me my locals, and that online my zip checks out fine for Vegas locals
but I cant win this woman over
I told her to cancel the installation, and leave my programming right where it was when I called......

So for now I'll just leave well enough alone, or If I get the strength I'll call again and give it a go with a different rep

Harshness....I'm curious about what you said, can you give some more details about what your saying?

Thanks everyone for all the help

Harshness is saying in his own mean spirited way that the H21 and HR21 models don't have ota tuners in them. The H20 and HR20 models do have them.

 

[harshness]

Harshness is saying in his own mean spirited way that the H21 and HR21 models don't have ota tuners in them.

I don't see it as being mean spirited at all. Everybody considering acquisition of a new DIRECTV HD receiver needs to know that OTA has been removed from the mix. Leaving that important and long-established feature out is the mean spirited act.