Today was DirecTV install day!!

[Jimbo]

Welcome to the Direct family. W5 does show more mosquito noise than Direct but I think thats because Direct pre softens before encoding and HITS just sends it as is from the master. Watch for little things as far as artifacts on SD & HD with Direct you will see that even their HD cannot touch a C band true master.

Not to go off subject but does anyone know what the bitrate is for SD and HD with Direct? I'm very curious.

Enjoy the entertainment with Direct. Once the initial new kid on the block wears off you will settle into the rut of what should I watch today from the channels we seldom see on C band anymore. It's been and interesting ride here so far since June. My next happy day will be the day the contract expires.

Hey TVRO,
I happen to notice that EVERY post of yours mentioned C-Band and how much better it is than anything else ....
This may be true, I was a C-Band guy many years ago till they started losing too many channels.
Anyways, not EVERYONE can have or afford or want C-Band.

Yes, I would like to still have it, but have moved since then and didn't bring it with me.
I enjoyed watching the Wild feeds of the games and seeing network shows before the actual shown date, but can't do that anymore.

You have D* for a reason, enjoy it ...........

 

[JerseyMatt]

I understand I can order PPV events by calling Direct or from my acct on the web. I haven't tried it yet., still tryng to learn the dvr

Web ordering is the way to do. It unlocks the program on ALL your receivers, and there is no phone order fee. Another cool web ordering option (if your receivers are connected to the internet) is "Record to Receiver". This starts a download to your DVR, then you can watch it for 24 hours on any networked receiver. The 24 hour clock doesn't start until you actually start watching it.

 

[tvropro]

Hey TVRO,
I happen to notice that EVERY post of yours mentioned C-Band and how much better it is than anything else ....
This may be true, I was a C-Band guy many years ago till they started losing too many channels.
Anyways, not EVERYONE can have or afford or want C-Band.

Yes, I would like to still have it, but have moved since then and didn't bring it with me.
I enjoyed watching the Wild feeds of the games and seeing network shows before the actual shown date, but can't do that anymore.

You have D* for a reason, enjoy it ...........

I do enjoy Direct. I watch it the most now. I'm just a die hard C bander at heart. My poor bud don't get moved much anymore. I need to allocate more time to the hobby part of it.

Yes C band was never really for the masses and your daily Joe. It was for us that have some type of connection with the technology and had the resources to have it. DirecTV and Dishnetwork are just wireless cable companies. That now provide your cable mainstay channels that most enjoy.

 

[shkarter1985]

lonewolf454,

Welcome to the DirecTV family. I hope you'll enjoy it. There's some intresting things on DirecTV remote. Click "Guide" twice and it saids:

1.)All Channels (Channels I get, the ones not greyed out)
2.)Movie and Event Channels
3.)Sports Channels
4.)News and Information Channels
5.)Entertainment and Music Channels
6.)Family and Kids Channels
7.)Local Channels (the local channels from your DMA you live in, for example: Atlanta, GA, on the descrption it saids for another example: NBC television services from WXIA-TV 11, Altanta, GA. If you go to the HD ones, it starts with A3 Atlanta...)
8.)HDTV Channels (All of the HD channels)

If you click "Active" it shows you 5 day weather, plus The Top 5 Hottest Shows on D* as of now. Horoscropes, Lottery, and Weather.
If you click "Guide" once, it shows the programming guide.

Plus, if you like sports you can upgrade to NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, NHL Center Ice, MLB Extra Innings for example depending on Sports season to see out of market games. Blackout restrictions do apply.

Enjoy DirecTV

 

[lonewolf454]

Thanks guys for the support. Actually, I have discovered quite a few of the features just playing around with the remote. I did have to have instruction on the double play which I bet will get a lot of use in our house. It seems to be a fairly easy transition from 4dtv to DirecTV, contrary to what I have read, many folks just can't seem to "get it" and complain about remote functions hard to use, etc. These folks would never figure out how to slave a 4dtv off an Azbox with c/ku feed either I bet.

My dad was over and complemented on the picture quality, etc, He said he owns his own (4) boxes with Dish and his monthly sub is ~$120! That is just too much for TV, IMO. He said he has to get most expensive package to get all the channels that he wants. I explained to him thats why I went with DirecTV, they don't force you to top tier to get the niche channels. Actually I get everything except the movie channels and the add on HD package, and 3 months free Starz/Encore/Showtime (will be great around the Holidays)]

And, I got the wrong locals when they set up my account, I live within 1 mile of county line and actually ZIP code is for other county. This has always been a problem since the days of SHVA and PrimeTime24 (if anyone remembers that) with Albany, GA NBC affiliate blocking me from getting NBC on c-band, even though I wasn't physically in their market. I explained this to station manager, etc back then and he could give a rats ass. So it was a thorn in my side to have to watch his station again. With a call and subsequent email to DirecTV they straightened it all out and we are now enjoying our local market Savannah. It has been a long time coming and it took DirecTV to straighten it out.

We are well pleased so far with DirecTV service and recommend it to all. Their customer service gets an A+ in my book.

 

[lonewolf454]

I do enjoy Direct. I watch it the most now. I'm just a die hard C bander at heart. My poor bud don't get moved much anymore. I need to allocate more time to the hobby part of it.

Yes C band was never really for the masses and your daily Joe. It was for us that have some type of connection with the technology and had the resources to have it. DirecTV and Dishnetwork are just wireless cable companies. That now provide your cable mainstay channels that most enjoy.

I still plan on using my c-band BUD in the future to watch wild feeds, etc. But it is nice to have weather, sports scores, etc at my fingertips, as well as the multiroom dvr, etc. So many up to date features that Motorola never gave us. The c-band will be for us hobbyists again, long into the future, and will complement our DirecTV service. DirecTV has never tried to force theirselves on us 4dtv/c-banders, the more reason to like them.

My wife loves DirecTV so far, and if Momma's happy, everybodys happy...

 

[tvropro]

I explained to him thats why I went with DirecTV, they don't force you to top tier to get the niche channels. Actually I get everything except the movie channels and the add on HD package, and 3 months free Starz/Encore/Showtime (will be great around the Holidays)]

I totally agree about getting nitch channels in the lower tier packs, also another reason I went with Direct. Just a word of advise, you have to cancel the free movie channel previews on the phone with Direct before the 3 months is up or they automatically start charging you for them. I had a free 3 months of Show/Tmc, never watched is since Showtime blows. I canceled it a week before and actually got a credit from Direct

If your box ever acts funky of freezes just do a reset with the red button or unplug it and plug it back in. I do that every so often just because a computer need's rebooting and these STB's are nothing but a computer (seems to work better). BTW no battery to worry about with these things

 

[tvropro]

I still plan on using my c-band BUD in the future to watch wild feeds, etc. But it is nice to have weather, sports scores, etc at my fingertips, as well as the multiroom dvr, etc. So many up to date features that Motorola never gave us. The c-band will be for us hobbyists again, long into the future, and will complement our DirecTV service. DirecTV has never tried to force theirselves on us 4dtv/c-banders, the more reason to like them.

My wife loves DirecTV so far, and if Momma's happy, everybodys happy...

Direct is nice it's more or less wireless cable. The bud is going back to it's roots. I will miss the master feeds for the cable companies though. I went with Direct for a few reasons. It gave me the channels I wanted, they didn't try to destroy c band. I got sick and tired of what NPS was doing with Motorola & Charlie.

I wish I could have subbed to Direct without the contract though. I tried to get them to authorize the 6 direct receivers I got from people. Two were too old (but clear) and 4 (which a friends neighbor threw out) owed like a $400 balance on them. Direct said I would have to pay that so I went with the contract/lease thing against my will and best judgment.

I wish Direct would go back at least to the option of buying a system like in the beginning and let us do things that way too.

BTW what package do you have? I have ChoiceXtra with out of market locals in place of mine

One last trick too add to what others mentioned. If you want the C band old weather channel data during the local breaks hit the exit button and your local forecast will disappear. You can jump out of any applet with exit.

 

[robbiee19]

congrats! Glad you're enjoying it

phone line is not needed. Its only for ordering PPV
make sure to set up the HR24 to do a 30 second skip and not like a fast forward. If the tech didnt do that, here is now to set it up
1. menu then search
2. type in 30skip
3. scroll to right where it says "30skip keyword"
4. hit "select"
5. hit select on ALL
6. it will say "nothing found" but thats fine. Just hit OK

30 second skip is set up
You also might want to set up a favorite list for the channels you get because "channels I get" is wacky..especially on the RSN's. It will log most of them even if you dont sub to the sports package

Why the 30 skip? Just wondering why.

 

[Mr Tony]

the default on most of the DVR's is 30 slip which is like hitting fast forward but it does it 30 seconds. If I want to skip conmmercials I dont want to see them at all. 30 skip solves it

here is what I mean
lets say at 12:22 in a program commercials start

30 skip (each press) jumps 30 seconds so 12:52, 13:22, 13:52 etc

30 slip shows that 30 second commercial but at 3x as fast

 

[marquitos306]

Mr. Ice, I enjoy your advise on this forum, you know what your taking about and there others like you very helpful with others. Thanks, Sir. We appreciate you with all the respect, Thanks.

 

[cband]

Hey TVRO,
I happen to notice that EVERY post of yours mentioned C-Band and how much better it is than anything else ....
This may be true, I was a C-Band guy many years ago till they started losing too many channels.
Anyways, not EVERYONE can have or afford or want C-Band.

Yes, I would like to still have it, but have moved since then and didn't bring it with me.
I enjoyed watching the Wild feeds of the games and seeing network shows before the actual shown date, but can't do that anymore.

You have D* for a reason, enjoy it ...........

I loved my C-Band for the 12 yrs I had it. The wild feeds, watching tv shows days before they aired on regular tv (X-Files wild feed was on Sunday, show on friday!). But the cost of C-Band digital or HD was to costly, and very very little HD. VOOM came along and helped me go the small dish route. Then Dish, now Direct..soon anyway!

Jeff

 

[Mr Tony]

Mr. Ice, I enjoy your advise on this forum, you know what your taking about and there others like you very helpful with others. Thanks, Sir. We appreciate you with all the respect, Thanks.

Thanks!

 

[tvropro]

Ice is great! He always has the answers :up :up

 

[cband]

Ice, since you are the man with all the knowledge, do you by any chance have the right Powerball numbers? Ordered DTV this evening, install set for Wednesday 8-12. So long Dish!! And with all the rebates and bundling (Quest) my 1st years bill will be pretty close to what I spent on C-Band 7-8 years ago! And that was $25 a month!

Jeff

 

[Mr Tony]

Ice, since you are the man with all the knowledge, do you by any chance have the right Powerball numbers?

damn I wish

 

[cband]

According to the better half the install went great (was working). She immediatly fell in love with the DVR! I got home too late to see the dish outside but played around in the menu for a bit. Having audio dropouts on DD. Doesn't happen in All Channel Stereo mode. Changed the wire from optical to coax and still same problem. Call Dish now to say bye bye!

Jeff

 

[raoul5788]

Ice is great! He always has the answers :up :up

And he's not as mean as he looks!

 

[hoffstyle]

congrats! Glad you're enjoying it

phone line is not needed. Its only for ordering PPV
make sure to set up the HR24 to do a 30 second skip and not like a fast forward. If the tech didnt do that, here is now to set it up
1. menu then search
2. type in 30skip
3. scroll to right where it says "30skip keyword"
4. hit "select"
5. hit select on ALL
6. it will say "nothing found" but thats fine. Just hit OK

30 second skip is set up
You also might want to set up a favorite list for the channels you get because "channels I get" is wacky..especially on the RSN's. It will log most of them even if you dont sub to the sports package

I completely and totally disagree. Please don't tell customer phone line is not necessary. Number one WE need to have a return path as contracts with DTV indicate that there is a standard for return path hookup and I would not want to take a hit in metrics OR a chargeback for not doing so. Secondly, any IRD is going to dial out and receive software on a daily basis, usually around 2 AM. It's not just for PPV.

 

[raoul5788]

I completely and totally disagree. Please don't tell customer phone line is not necessary. Number one WE need to have a return path as contracts with DTV indicate that there is a standard for return path hookup and I would not want to take a hit in metrics OR a chargeback for not doing so. Secondly, any IRD is going to dial out and receive software on a daily basis, usually around 2 AM. It's not just for PPV.

Receivers/dvrs get their software updates via downloads from the satellites, not by the phone.