Questions about receiving "locals" with HR10-250. I'm 50 miles from L.A.

[mdbrad]

Note: I live in Orange County, CA.......about 50 miles south of Los Angeles.

I've spoken to approx. 20 different people at DirecTV.....from sales to customer retention to technical support about which "locals" I'd be able to receive & record while using the HR10-250 (without an OTA). All, but two individuals told me that the only way to get my locals in HD is by using the HD receiver that is not the DVR (H20??). They said that it didn't matter if I used the 3LNB dish or the 5 LNB dish.......that the DVR receiver is not combatible with a dish for my locals. My only option was an over the air antenna. Well, the other two individuals (both managers.....one in tech support) told me "forget what you've been told......that applies to 98% of our customers, but not to you because of your area. They told me I should be hooked up with the 5LNB dish and will receive CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX with the HR10-250 DVR. To make matters even more confusing........I spoke to the subcon out here who does the installs for DirecTV and he told me "the over the air antenna wont work for you........you're too far away" (but, www.antennaweb says I'm fine).

Anybody live in the same area and use a HR10-250? If so, do you get any locals without an over the air antenna? Which dish are you using?

HELP!!!!!! Please. Thanks!

 

[Greg Bimson]

Note: this is subject to change...

If you buy a HR10-250, you can get your big four networks in HD via satellite. As of right now, only the New York and Los Angeles locals are in HD and can be picked up via any DirecTV HD receiver.

The problem is that DirecTV is moving to the MPEG4 locals on the 5 LNB dish. At some point, maybe not for another at least one year, DirecTV will remove the MPEG2 HD locals, and you will require the 5 LNB dish and an MPEG4-capable receiver. The only MPEG4 receiver that has been released to this point is the H20, and it is not a DVR.

So, at this point, if you want LA-area networks in HD from DirecTV, yes, the HR10-250 works. Just be prepared that you may have to change out the receiver in a couple of years.

 

[bobiii]

Not True!!!!!

I'm in Palmdale which is about the same distance to LA. I get my locals through the oval triple lnb antenna. This hooks up to my HR10-250 and get all the locals! I get Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS in High Def. My sister in law down the street from me, uses an H20 and gets everything as I do. She also uses the 3 lnb antenna. From reading the boards I can assure you that the HD receiver/recorder is compatible with either the lnb9 or lnb3 antenna and you will get the mpeg2 high def channels from LA.

 

[mdbrad]

Any idea what channels my locals would be broadcast on when using the HR10-250? I'd like to have this info to use as more backup/ammunition when I give DirecTV a call back.

Thanks so much for the help/info!!

 

[Greg Bimson]

You should see them in the 80's. I think it is 81, 83, 87 and 89.

 

[mdbrad]

You should see them in the 80's. I think it is 81, 83, 87 and 89.

Thanks for your time and efforts.

 

[mdbrad]

One last question.....would my picture quality be any better for my locals with an OTA (if it'll work at my location) rather than with the 3/5 LNB dish and HR10-250 receiver/dvr?

 

[boba]

If you can get a good quality signal over the air it should be better than a satellite delivered HDTV signal because it has no compression.

 

[nmstough]

Note: this is subject to change...

I
The problem is that DirecTV is moving to the MPEG4 locals on the 5 LNB dish. At some point, maybe not for another at least one year, DirecTV will remove the MPEG2 HD locals, and you will require the 5 LNB dish and an MPEG4-capable receiver. The only MPEG4 receiver that has been released to this point is the H20, and it is not a DVR.

How do you know this? Wouldn't some people in the country still need a set of HD network feeds on the national MPEG2 feed? This is of critical importance to me because I am pretending to be in LA so that I can get the network HD feeds in Canada. So far I have not been able to get any significant signal on any of the MPEG4 satellites from that location.

 

[Greg Bimson]

One of the last big commercial pushes from DirecTV, I believe at the beginning of 2005, was that they will have enough space for 1500 local channels and 150 national channels in HD in 2007. So, my reasoning is that if all the satellites go up correctly and on time, all markets will be available in MPEG4, in HD. If this is the case, then DirecTV will no longer need to supply out-of-market HD's. It will also allow DirecTV to reclaim the space they are using for the HD Distant Network Service.

It is only my translation; nothing is official from DirecTV. However, why would there need to be an MPEG2 version of the NY and LA networks, and DirecTV also has them up in MPEG4? It only sounds like a transition, to me.

 

[lou_do]

How do you know this? Wouldn't some people in the country still need a set of HD network feeds on the national MPEG2 feed? This is of critical importance to me because I am pretending to be in LA so that I can get the network HD feeds in Canada. So far I have not been able to get any significant signal on any of the MPEG4 satellites from that location.

I remember seeing someplace that D* has already started upgrading to MPG4 equipment, for people who live west of the Mississippi River and are allowed to receive the LA locals, in the 80's. That looks like a sign they are looking to get the LA locals switched over to MPG4 signal. I can't find that post but remember reading it a while ago.

It would be nice if they did. It would free up 4 HD channels that they could MAYBE add some HD nationals, in an atempt to try to catch up to E*.

 

[Greg Bimson]

It would be nice if they did. It would free up 4 HD channels that they could MAYBE add some HD nationals, in an atempt to try to catch up to E*.

That won't be a problem once DirecTV 10 and 11 are up. The only issue is how the FCC will implement multi-cast digital must-carry. The more of the signal of a given station that must be placed on satellite, the less space there will be for other markets.

 

[mdbrad]

I had a 3 LNB dish and HR10-250 HD/DVR installed over the weekend. DirecTV's subcon had missed the previous appointment and I demanded a weekend appointment with 48 hours or I'd cancel my 5 year relationship. So, the subcon sent out a "crew manager" to take care of my install. While he was there I asked him about the 5 LNB.....he said....."the 5 LNB is approx. five times the size of the 3LNB.....and it's freakin heavy. So, as of now.......we can't attach it to shingle/tile/composite roofs or even facia board. I've only been able to install a few and they were both bolted right into the chimney". He told me to give it a year+ and the size should improve.

 

[herdfan]

The more of the signal of a given station that must be placed on satellite, the less space there will be for other markets.

Naw, D* will just keep compressing them until they all fit and look like !@#$.

 

[SATMAN IN MEMPHIS]

I had a 3 LNB dish and HR10-250 HD/DVR installed over the weekend. DirecTV's subcon had missed the previous appointment and I demanded a weekend appointment with 48 hours or I'd cancel my 5 year relationship. So, the subcon sent out a "crew manager" to take care of my install. While he was there I asked him about the 5 LNB.....he said....."the 5 LNB is approx. five times the size of the 3LNB.....and it's freakin heavy. So, as of now.......we can't attach it to shingle/tile/composite roofs or even facia board. I've only been able to install a few and they were both bolted right into the chimney". He told me to give it a year+ and the size should improve.

This guy is stupid, the dish is no more than 1 1/2 times as big as the phase 3. I would call the HSP who sent that tech out and ask them if they knew of a place that installed D**, the correct way. Now he didn't do it because he didn't want to. I have mounted several of these dishes to roofs. If you hit the roof truss' with lags , and make sure to use the supplied arms, you will have zero problems. Most of the time these arms will not be in the box, if that is the case a HSP tech will not put it on the roof, I probably wouldn't either. But for him to tell you that stupid s*@t is the way kids get out of work. I would call them back and demand an AT-9. When this dish is needed in your area you will probably be charged for it then. Every D** installer from Maine to Cali is suppose to be using the AT-9 on every high def job..NO EXCEPTIONS. I bet you a penny if you call them,the paperwork that tech turned in says he installed an AT-9..Check it out and see what he did.

 

[bubbers44]

How do you know this? Wouldn't some people in the country still need a set of HD network feeds on the national MPEG2 feed? This is of critical importance to me because I am pretending to be in LA so that I can get the network HD feeds in Canada. So far I have not been able to get any significant signal on any of the MPEG4 satellites from that location.

I think MPEG4 signals are beamed in to certain areas. They can not be received elsewhere. The NY and LA stations are wide covering the whole US. They are MPEG2. I would love to get LA channels in Miami.