Should I switch to DirecTV?

[disappoint]

nice. new hdtv will be 3d capable (55lx9500).

Nice TV. $4k though.

 

[TangoJuliet]

Yeah I been going back and forth on the TV. I got some coupons and promos that I may try to use to snag a samsung un55b8500 instead. Have the potential of getting it for about $2300 shipped but I'll have to wheel and deal.

 

[GeekDrew]

I have DTV and their promo deal was great, but the second year isn't. That said their service & signal are excellent but their DVR boxes leave a little to be desired. They are very unresponsive and have actually gotten slower/less usable (I had one fail and the replacement has more disk space but lags more and lacks features the old had).

If you get an HR24 - there are reports that some new customers are getting them, particularly if they sign up for MRV (multi-room viewing), it's *much* faster than the older HR receivers. I have an HR22 that is so-so... it lags but I put up with it. My new HR24, however, is one of the fastest receivers I've ever seen.

 

[GeekDrew]

Going to go with the Choice Xtra DTV service and get 1 HD DVR and 1 HD receiver. Getting multi-room DVR service and STARZ for 3 months.

Why not just get two DVRs? Yes, it would be about an extra $100 extra up-front, but the monthly cost would be the same. Then you'd have all of the DVR features available - pausing live TV, skip back, dual tuners, etc. MRV works with multiple DVRs (I have two HD DVRs and no HD receivers).

 

[TangoJuliet]

I can't use the DVR functions on the regular HD receiver? I was under the impression that you are basically controlling the receiver thru the DVR.

 

[Yourself]

I can't use the DVR functions on the regular HD receiver? I was under the impression that you are basically controlling the receiver thru the DVR.

You can use the DVR/MRV functions with the new HD receivers. After having a DVR in my bedroom with a whiny/grinding hard drive, I opted for a regular HD receiver that can control my other 2 DVR's and is silent. Something to think about.

 

[GeekDrew]

You can use the DVR/MRV functions with the new HD receivers. After having a DVR in my bedroom with a whiny/grinding hard drive, I opted for a regular HD receiver that can control my other 2 DVR's and is silent. Something to think about.

Since when? I've read a lot on this, and the only DVR control that I've seen possible is to remotely view content that has been recorded (or is currently being recorded) on a remote DVR. Are you saying that an HD receiver is able to pause/rewind live tv, as on an HD DVR?

 

[Pegun]

I have DirecTV now. It's included in my rent so I don't really know how much it is but I haven't had any problems other than not getting Versus and the receiver randomly screwing up once in a great while. Other than that, I haven't noticed anything that would cause me not to get them again.

 

[rcpratt]

Now that I'm home from school, my fairly new (January) Panny P50G10 is hooked up to DirecTV and it looks great. The picture quality is fantastic and haven't had any issues with the signal, even with a bunch of storms in the past two weeks.

I'll be getting DirecTV in my apartment when I move out in a month as well. I don't require and sports PPV packages or anything, I'll probably just get the basic package, but from everything I've heard DirecTV's PQ is better than Dish or cable. The price is just about the same as well.

 

[Yourself]

Since when? I've read a lot on this, and the only DVR control that I've seen possible is to remotely view content that has been recorded (or is currently being recorded) on a remote DVR. Are you saying that an HD receiver is able to pause/rewind live tv, as on an HD DVR?

I don't think I said anything about live TV, just remote control of your DVR's via MRV.

 

[GeekDrew]

I don't think I said anything about live TV, just remote control of your DVR's via MRV.

I guess I read ambiguity into your statement that you're remotely controlling the DVR... when actually you're just remotely using recording/playback, not actually controlling the entire DVR.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

I guess I read ambiguity into your statement that you're remotely controlling the DVR... when actually you're just remotely using recording/playback, not actually controlling the entire DVR.

Not entirely true. You can manage and schedule recordings from any MRV-enabled receiver in the house. So, in a way, you are controlling the DVR remotely.

 

[GeekDrew]

Not entirely true. You can manage and schedule recordings from any MRV-enabled receiver in the house. So, in a way, you are controlling the DVR remotely.

See, our terminology differs... I'm including the remote DVR's tuners as part of the definition of "DVR". You can't control the remote DVR's tuners, you can only control recordings and playback. Furthermore, unless there was new software released in the last day or two, DVRs cannot schedule recordings on remote DVRs; only HD receivers can schedule recordings on remote DVRs.

 

[fustercluck]

DirecTV is the best around. Only prob is their on screen guide is hella slow, sometimes crazy slow. Everything you press on the controller happens about 1-2 seconds afterward on screen. Still the best provider by far I'd say though.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

See, our terminology differs... I'm including the remote DVR's tuners as part of the definition of "DVR". You can't control the remote DVR's tuners, you can only control recordings and playback. Furthermore, unless there was new software released in the last day or two, DVRs cannot schedule recordings on remote DVRs; only HD receivers can schedule recordings on remote DVRs.

Regarding point number 1, you seem to be arguing a strawman. Why would a receiver need to affect a remote DVR's tuner? It already has a tuner of it's own so having that capability would make no sense whatsoever. In addition, it would be idiotic to allow such a function because it could potentially screw with what another person is watching on another TV, or screw up a recording in process.

In regards to your second point (since you brought up terminology) I never claimed that a remote DVR could schedule a recording on another DVR. Receiver != DVR.

 

[GeekDrew]

Regarding point number 1, you seem to be arguing a strawman. Why would a receiver need to affect a remote DVR's tuner? It already has a tuner of it's own so having that capability would make no sense whatsoever. In addition, it would be idiotic to allow such a function because it could potentially screw with what another person is watching on another TV, or screw up a recording in process.

In regards to your second point (since you brought up terminology) I never claimed that a remote DVR could schedule a recording on another DVR. Receiver != DVR.

It's all for clarity. My original points were that the HD Receiver cannot:

pausing live TV, skip back, dual tuners, etc.

It's all a matter of semantics, I think that we're all correct, we're just using different definitions.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

It's all a matter of semantics, I think that we're all correct, we're just using different definitions.

Fair enough. No need to count more angels.

Sorry for the semi-thread derail here but this is going to save some considerable money (and a 2 year contract extension) for existing DirecTV customers who want to use WH-DVR and have the proper equipment/setup.

I've been using the DirecTV WH-DVR since the beta came out last year. It's streams over my wired ethernet network and has worked great. The beta expires on 5/20/2010 (today) so I called DirecTV earlier yesterday to have the service enabled since it's only $3/month. The rep at DTV informed me that I'd be charged @$250 to enable the service. I asked her why and she began rattling off costs relating to hardware charges along with an installer visit (for the DECA/SWiM setup for streaming over DirecTV's coax cable). I told her I didn't need that because the beta worked fine over my wired network. She told me that I had to upgrade to make it work. I thanked her, declined, then proceeded to invoke the Google gods.

Ran across this thread:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=177090

For those interested, read at least the first few pages because there's some valuable information.

I called DirecTV up again, walked the CSR through the steps specified at DBSTalk.com, and now have WH-DVR enabled with no equipment/installation charges.

 

[disappoint]

Yeah I been going back and forth on the TV. I got some coupons and promos that I may try to use to snag a samsung un55b8500 instead. Have the potential of getting it for about $2300 shipped but I'll have to wheel and deal.

Looks like the Samsung UN55Bxxxx is discontinued and not 3D capable, but the Samsung UN55Cxxxx is 3D enabled.

Also I hear good things about the Panasonic VT25 series.

 

[TangoJuliet]

Looks like the Samsung UN55Bxxxx is discontinued and not 3D capable, but the Samsung UN55Cxxxx is 3D enabled.

Also I hear good things about the Panasonic VT25 series.

Yep it's discontinued but I know where I can find one

3D is not very important to me right now. Sure I'd like to have it but when were talking about potentially a $1700 price difference I think I'm going to go with the b8500.