Anyone with direct TV, help me out with some info!

[Double Trouble]

I'm thinking about getting direct tv in my new home.... I'm a big football fan, so I'd sign up for the season ticket and there's a bunch of deals out there for 'free' installed 2 or 3 room systems.

If you have a dual receiver (so you could record something other than what you're watching), do you get charged as if you had 2 actual receivers?

I want to have at least 4 places in the house where I'd want to be able to watch TV. Does that mean that (unlike with cable), I'd have to get 4 receivers and pay an extra $20 per month just to be able to watch my direct tv?

If you simply buy a 2 receiver system, could you just buy another receiver from ebay or something and hook it up (take the card with you from room to room to different receivers)?

What kind of options should I be looking for on a receiver? I don't want to buy a digital recorder for $250 and pay a monthly fee to boot when my good ol' trusty VCRs do the same job (recording shows I want to watch at a different time) for free. Any other features I should consider?

Right now I have cable and I'm pretty much happy with it, but I like the football season ticket. Good? Bad? Indifferent?

 

[dmurray14]

Originally posted by: tagej

Number one If you have a dual receiver (so you could record something other than what you're watching), do you get charged as if you had 2 actual receivers?

Number twoI want to have at least 4 places in the house where I'd want to be able to watch TV. Does that mean that (unlike with cable), I'd have to get 4 receivers and pay an extra $20 per month just to be able to watch my direct tv?

1... no, i think they only charge you once

2... yes, for 4 different locations, 4 x $5 = $20 more per month

 

[rahvin]

If you are refering to DirecTIVO there is a $4.95 a month charge the covers the TIVO fee and presumably the dual tuners in the reciever. The fee is waived if you get the highest package (the one that includes all the movie channels).

 

[dmurray14]

Originally posted by: rahvin
If you are refering to DirecTIVO there is a $4.95 a month charge the covers the TIVO fee and presumably the dual tuners in the reciever. The fee is waived if you get the highest package (the one that includes all the movie channels).

no sh!t? hmmm i want a tivo now...

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: tagej
If you simply buy a 2 receiver system, could you just buy another receiver from ebay or something and hook it up (take the card with you from room to room to different receivers)?

No... Each card is "married" to its receiver.

 

[NutBucket]

If you simply buy a 2 receiver system, could you just buy another receiver from ebay or something and hook it up (take the card with you from room to room to different receivers)?

Yes, but you'll need to get a multiswitch if you have more then two receivers. These start at about $50 and can handle 6 receivers; but a better one and I think they handle up to 12.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

If you simply buy a 2 receiver system, could you just buy another receiver from ebay or something and hook it up (take the card with you from room to room to different receivers)?

Yes, but you'll need to get a multiswitch if you have more then two receivers. These start at about $50 and can handle 6 receivers; but a better one and I think they handle up to 12.

But you cannot swap cards back and forth.

 

[Double Trouble]

Thanks for the info guys. From the sounds of it, cable is a much better deal if you have more than 1 or 2 rooms where you want to be able to watch. I'll also want a TV in the (finished) basement, and one in the living room, so even if I only get a receiver in 1 or 2 rooms (computer room, master bedroom), I'd still be looking at $20 per month just for the receivers, plus the monthly fee for the programming ($40 or so), plus the cost of actually purchasing the equipment.

With cable the programming package is about the same ($40 per month), but I'd have TV (without a box just 'basic cable') in all the rooms, and I'd be able to set my VCRs to record various channels.

I guess cable it is then..... No football season ticket for me.

 

[geckojohn]

someone was telling me about h cards a while back. Does this stuff still work?

 

[Wingznut]

Maybe cable is a bit cheaper for four hookups, but you also don't get the same quality, quantity, or possibilities. So, you aren't really comparing apples to apples, imho.

Originally posted by: geckojohn
someone was telling me about h cards a while back. Does this stuff still work?

No. The 'H' stream has been turned off.

 

[Double Trouble]

Maybe cable is a bit cheaper, but you also don't get the same quality, quantity, or possibilities. So, you aren't really comparing apples to apples, imho.

I guess you're right, but it's the same thing as people saying 256bit MP3's sound "inferior". They sound fine to my unsophisticated ears, so putting in more money doesn't get me a whole lot of benefit.

Another (and last!) question... is there a way to make your VCR change the channel on your receiver? I still like my VCR over the digital receivers -- the problem with digital recorders like Tivo is that you can only watch them on the TV where you recorded the program. I like being able to just grab the tape out of the VCR, go to another room and watch if someone else is using the 'main' TV.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: tagej
Another (and last!) question... is there a way to make your VCR change the channel on your receiver? I still like my VCR over the digital receivers -- the problem with digital recorders like Tivo is that you can only watch them on the TV where you recorded the program. I like being able to just grab the tape out of the VCR, go to another room and watch if someone else is using the 'main' TV.

Depends on your equipment. Some components (such as Sony) have link cables that allow such things to happen.

i.e. My Hughes receiver has the option, but my JVC VCR does not.