WARNING: Those looking to get HDTV From DirecTV

[Muadib]

I'm sorry, but you are spreading FUD! When DTV bought Primestar, they replaced every box and installed a new dish for nothing. I'm certain they will do the same here. Besides, the new HD Tivo replacement is at least a year away, so it will be a while before these will be obsolete.

My market is said to be first on the list for the MPEG 4 upgrade, and I bought my HD Tivo back in the spring. DTV has never done wrong by me, and I don't expect them to now.

 

[brucekatz]

This AVS forum thread has details about how Directv will deal with new HDTV receiver.

New box replacement wll begin around August - September. New customer will get theirs first, current customers will also get theirs free of charge. If you are in the market, it is better wait a little longer. However, some (4 months ago) actually witnessed Directv MPEG 4 broadcasting was not happy about its quality, hopefully every kinks has been worked out. This is not confrimed yet: because Directv will carry local HDTV prgrams, their new boxes possibly will not allow you to record local off air signals WHEN YOU CANCEL THEIR SERVICE - which Dishnetwork already does so.

Some big city folks cancelled their cable and satellite, because local off air HDTV channels. Buy a $200-300 receiver from your local store, maybe you will never pay cable again; if you don't like it, you shouldn't have a problem returning it. Regular antenna should do just fine, there is no so-called HDTV antenna. Check Antennaweb.org for your best antenna position.

As to Dish 811, it is not good at all when compare to 9xx, get the good stuff.

 

[Samus]

Originally posted by: kyparrish

Originally posted by: Devistater
Don't forget as well, Toshiba's official info that HD DVD players will ONLY output HDTV on the digital HDMI connectors. Analog (RCA/COAX, S-video, component) or any others will be downsized to 480p max.

That sucks. My Sony CRT set only has 1 HDMI input, and I enjoy using that for my Scientific Atlanta 8300 HD DVR. I was really hoping I could swap my 480p DVD player for an HD player and keep using the component inputs.

It's ok, Onkyo and Pioneer are set to make a $399 Dolby EX/DTS 6.1/7.1 Receiver with HDMI switching (2 HDMI in, 1 HTMI out) that should solve your problem. I'm sure many companies will follow in the coming years with HDMI switching. After all, virtually everyone makes a HD component switching receiver now. HDMI switching makes a LOT of sense considering the HDMI signal carried a 5.1 channel audio track the receiver could directly decode.

-Tim

 

[PrimeRisk]

Originally posted by: HDTVMan

How are you going to feel is DTV sends you a letter saying you need to spend $300.00 upgrading you equipment because its no longer supported? For those who cant get HD OTA and especially those who spent 999.00 on the HD Tivo when it came out arent going to be very happy they have to spend more to continue when they have already spents a lot of money.

They need to address this in a professional manner.

They give everyone the tivo for $50.00 all you have to do is call. The advantage is right now the regular Tivo is 99.99 with a full rebate making it free.

I was an early adopter of HDTiVo also. I believe that D* will make it right for their users. Especially the high-end users that are willing to spend nearly $1000 on a piece of equipment. I believe the transition away from MPEG2 will take a very long time and I will get all the service I need out of my current HDTiVo. On top of that I already get my locals OTA, so I'm not going to care too much about when/where the MPEG4 locals will become available.

It is true that current stand-alone TiVos are "free" after rebate, but to qualify for the rebate you have to buy a lifetime service subscripiton for $300. That makes it a $300 TiVo in my book. DTiVos only have a $5/month fee per account (not per receiver) unless you subscribe to the platinum package and then it is free.

 

[HDTVMan]

Originally posted by: Shinare
I currently have Dishnetwork and purchased a HDTV not long ago. Does all this information here about Dtv pertain to DishNetwork as well? I was about to get a Dish 811 (HD box for Dishnetwork) off of ebay, but should I wait? I still cant believe you have to purchase the HD box in addition to the programming. I have a 4 room system with a dual dish and didnt pay a dime for any of that equipment or the installation.

Is there a good place to go for information in this regard that relates to Dishnetwork?

No Dish network bought voom. You simply add another dish and point it to the addtional satelite. They do not appear to need to make the move to Mpeg 4 with the additional satelite.

I would assume its cheaper for Direct TV to move the 500,000 people to a new mpeg4 format than it is to put another satellite in space and add addidional dishes to everyone who wants HD. That makes sense but its how they treat those with HD receivers now that will make or break them.

 

[HDTVMan]

Originally posted by: PrimeRisk

Originally posted by: HDTVMan

How are you going to feel is DTV sends you a letter saying you need to spend $300.00 upgrading you equipment because its no longer supported? For those who cant get HD OTA and especially those who spent 999.00 on the HD Tivo when it came out arent going to be very happy they have to spend more to continue when they have already spents a lot of money.

They need to address this in a professional manner.

They give everyone the tivo for $50.00 all you have to do is call. The advantage is right now the regular Tivo is 99.99 with a full rebate making it free.

I think your looking at a standard tivo not a Direct Tivo. A direct tivo if you dont have one already is 5.00 a month for tivo service and 5.00 for each additional receiver. But if you already have tivo service its only the 5.00 a month additional receiver fee. Unless you are replacing an existing box with the tivo.

I was an early adopter of HDTiVo also. I believe that D* will make it right for their users. Especially the high-end users that are willing to spend nearly $1000 on a piece of equipment. I believe the transition away from MPEG2 will take a very long time and I will get all the service I need out of my current HDTiVo. On top of that I already get my locals OTA, so I'm not going to care too much about when/where the MPEG4 locals will become available.

It is true that current stand-alone TiVos are "free" after rebate, but to qualify for the rebate you have to buy a lifetime service subscripiton for $300. That makes it a $300 TiVo in my book. DTiVos only have a $5/month fee per account (not per receiver) unless you subscribe to the platinum package and then it is free.

 

[kki000]

SKY IS FALLING RUN!!! AARRRGH!!!
This is not the first warnings of impending doom re hdtv. ATSC, 8vsb, RGB, component inputs, QAM, HDCP, cablecard,now mpeg4.
Around the intro of all of these tech has followed controversy and warnings that you should throw out your tv immmediately.
Nothing like that has happened.
Truth is you can take a 5 yrl old hdtv (with no hdcp) and plug it into a cable box using component cables no problems. I just did that over the weekend when i sold my old tv to a friend.

I was also an early adopter of hdtivo, greatest device man has ever created. I'll prob order another one now the price has dropped.
Everything will be obsolete in the future, running around like chicken little makes u look retarded.

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: kyparrish
Good heads up. I actually know a guy who paid $999.99 like a year ago for his HD DirecTivo, and it's going to be obsolete now.

OUCH

 

[SteveInNC]

Originally posted by: HDTVMan

I would assume its cheaper for Direct TV to move the 500,000 people to a new mpeg4 format than it is to put another satellite in space and add addidional dishes to everyone who wants HD. That makes sense but its how they treat those with HD receivers now that will make or break them.

They are launching four new satellites, two specifically for HDTV programming. One is already up and in testing. Go to the DirecTV site in the About Us, Headlines, and see the article dated 5/25/05.
FWIW, I was an original DTV adopter, July 1994, before they even officially rolled out service. A plain-Jane, slow RCA receiver was $900 then. I don't have HDTV yet, but I also don't expect them to bail on their MPEG2 customers. I would expect a one-to-one exchange for new equipment, probably with another service commitment. I will point out that the newer DVR units, both HD and standard, are allegedly not going to be true TiVo-based, but will use a new system (NDS?) instead.

 

[jmgonzalez]

I bought an HD Tivo for my DirecTv account last month and bought another one just today after the price drop.

Directv has always taken care of me with equipment and programming credits, and I don't see them changing from that.

I am enjoying the HD content (even though it is HD Lite), and would rather enjoy that now than later.

 

[mikeford]

I haven't seen anything about the HDMI or DMCA that I like. I wonder what it would cost to buy back congress from the entertainment industry?

 

[labgeek]

Guess all your "the sky is falling" was WRONG!

http://www.tvpredictions.com/freehdtv090605.html

However, Robert Mercer, a DIRECTV spokesman, told TVPredictions.com Tuesday night that current HDTV owners would be offered a free upgrade. An estimated 600,000 DIRECTV subscribers have high-def sets.

 

[Devistater]

Originally posted by: labgeek
Guess all your "the sky is falling" was WRONG!

http://www.tvpredictions.com/freehdtv090605.html

However, Robert Mercer, a DIRECTV spokesman, told TVPredictions.com Tuesday night that current HDTV owners would be offered a free upgrade. An estimated 600,000 DIRECTV subscribers have high-def sets.

And odds are they only decided to offer that because posts like this and news on news sites about it got enough people upset who called and complained, then they decided to offer it free.

I would still call and check about this before I purchased anything like this though.

Anyway, I just stopped by to see what the post was about, I dont have any directv and I dont plan to purchase any either heheh.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: Devistater

Originally posted by: labgeek
Guess all your "the sky is falling" was WRONG!

http://www.tvpredictions.com/freehdtv090605.html

However, Robert Mercer, a DIRECTV spokesman, told TVPredictions.com Tuesday night that current HDTV owners would be offered a free upgrade. An estimated 600,000 DIRECTV subscribers have high-def sets.

And odds are they only decided to offer that because posts like this and news on news sites about it got enough people upset who called and complained, then they decided to offer it free.

I would still call and check about this before I purchased anything like this though.

Anyway, I just stopped by to see what the post was about, I dont have any directv and I dont plan to purchase any either heheh.

Well you're wrong!! Directv has always taken care of their customers!! ALWAYS!!!!

 

[waxking1]

As far as I know their are no DTV HDTV DVRs that are going to be offered in the near future that will decode MPEG4. I'm not in one of the major markets so I won't have to worry about it for another year or so.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: waxking1
As far as I know their are no DTV HDTV DVRs that are going to be offered in the near future that will decode MPEG4. I'm not in one of the major markets so I won't have to worry about it for another year or so.

Last I heard, the new HDTV DVR's were about a year away.

 

[Heinrich]

After having LIVED with a Comcast HD-DVR, I am ready to throw the piece of CRAP into the garbage disposal.

The HD-TIVO is th eonly thing going, now it is $299 with a $100 rebate.

 

[mscbuck]

Dont' know about you guys, but if you actually call the people, they are going to replace those HD TiVo's with the new MPEG4 based ones for no, or extremly slim, price.

I've called about 20 of DTV customer reps and customer retention reps (believe me, customer retention reps are the key), and all of them said they are going to give you new hardware.

I don't think you guys realize what bad business that would be for DTV if they did that. You have to think about the business side of things. You can't make assumptions that DTV won't do it because they are heartless bastards. Even if they are heartless bastards, it's in their self-interest and it's for their benefit to replace the units. They want more money, therefore it's in their self-interest to replace the units. Cuzi f they don't, a helluva lot of people are switiching to digital cable, right away.

"Greed is good"

 

[fezrep]

I cancelled directv in oct 2004 (since I was moving). they kept charging me until feb 2005. (I didn't find this out until bill collectors started calling in March). After trying to get them to stop trying to collect money for me for 5 or so months (resulting in repeated "accidental" disconnects, a random transfer to tech support, and 2 promised call backs that never happened), I just gave up and am disputing the charges on my credit report. Experian has already taken it off (kudos to the freeannual credit report link of a week or so ago) I haven't contacted equifax and transunion about it yet. haven't had time to call and couldn't get those online.

 

[dirtrat]

What does this have to do with anything related to this thread?

Originally posted by: fezrep
I cancelled directv in oct 2004 (since I was moving). they kept charging me until feb 2005. (I didn't find this out until bill collectors started calling in March). After trying to get them to stop trying to collect money for me for 5 or so months (resulting in repeated "accidental" disconnects, a random transfer to tech support, and 2 promised call backs that never happened), I just gave up and am disputing the charges on my credit report. Experian has already taken it off (kudos to the freeannual credit report link of a week or so ago) I haven't contacted equifax and transunion about it yet. haven't had time to call and couldn't get those online.

 

[ProfessorFate]

Watch your favorite prime-time shows in High-Definition with your DIRECTV® HD Receiver, an HD Television Set and an off-air antenna*.
Are you folks actually getting Hi Def feeds for locals from your DTV dish? Last time I looked into this DTV only had a few channels and the equipment price was a joke. I get CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, PBS, Discovery, HBO, Showtime and ESPN HD from Adelphia and the DVR/Receiver was free. (Got two of them actually). Monday Night Football on my Plasma is a religious experience.

 

[fezrep]

Originally posted by: dirtrat
What does this have to do with anything related to this thread?

since this was a warning against DirecTV and others rebutted by saying they had good experiences with DirecTV, I wanted to offer some counter evidence.

 

[Devistater]

Originally posted by: dirtrat
What does this have to do with anything related to this thread?

Originally posted by: fezrep
I cancelled directv in oct 2004 (since I was moving). they kept charging me until feb 2005. (I didn't find this out until bill collectors started calling in March). After trying to get them to stop trying to collect money for me for 5 or so months (resulting in repeated "accidental" disconnects, a random transfer to tech support, and 2 promised call backs that never happened), I just gave up and am disputing the charges on my credit report. Experian has already taken it off (kudos to the freeannual credit report link of a week or so ago) I haven't contacted equifax and transunion about it yet. haven't had time to call and couldn't get those online.

Probably trying to say that directv sux and how everyone should stay away. I've never used them and I dont plan too, and I have no idea if they suck or own.

 

[TygGer]

Originally posted by: mscbuck
Dont' know about you guys, but if you actually call the people, they are going to replace those HD TiVo's with the new MPEG4 based ones for no, or extremly slim, price.

I've called about 20 of DTV customer reps and customer retention reps (believe me, customer retention reps are the key), and all of them said they are going to give you new hardware.

I don't think you guys realize what bad business that would be for DTV if they did that. You have to think about the business side of things. You can't make assumptions that DTV won't do it because they are heartless bastards. Even if they are heartless bastards, it's in their self-interest and it's for their benefit to replace the units. They want more money, therefore it's in their self-interest to replace the units. Cuzi f they don't, a helluva lot of people are switiching to digital cable, right away.

"Greed is good"

I prob. gonna call and see what they say....

Btw - do you ask to speak to "customer retention reps" ?

 

[Athena]

Originally posted by: mscbuck
Dont' know about you guys, but if you actually call the people, they are going to replace those HD TiVo's with the new MPEG4 based ones for no, or extremly slim, price.

I've called about 20 of DTV customer reps and customer retention reps (believe me, customer retention reps are the key), and all of them said they are going to give you new hardware.

DIRECTV to Offer Free HDTV Upgrade