Should I buy an HDTV Satalite Receiver? (1 Viewer)

[Johnny_M]

I have a widescreen HDTV projection TV. I also have DirecTV with the standard receiver. After moving they installed an HDTV compatable dish, so I priced receivers and I can get 1 for about 300. Is it worth it to have HDTV Direct TV? What am I going to get? Are there very many stations and programs that will even utilize it?


Thanks for your input...


Johnny

 

[Tommy G]

First off Johnny, welcome to THE forum. Second, what are you waiting for? I'm drooling thinking of this setup. HDTV is next on my list but that will most likely be closer to 2006. Anyway, you will get an even better picture than your current satellite feed. You're picture also will no longer be stretched to fit your 16X9 screen for those channels broadcast in HD. I don't know what area you live in but a lot of the locals are broadcast in HD as well as ESPN. You might want to call DirecTV and find out from them. $300 would be worth it to me if it were only 3 or 4 channels.

 

[Eric Samonte]

And maybe u should ask them if u could get one for free...that is if u subscribe to a certain amount of time, the y give u the receiver free. Lots of people seem to be getting this kind of deal from DirectTV, sadly us DISH people r not that lucky...yet.

 

[DavidK]

Johnny_M.
Go the the "HDTV Hardware"forum on AVSforum.com ...look at top of the threads for this one: (It's a very long thread about low price HD STB offers from DirecTV -) Good luck!

Note* Extends $399 HDTV Offer - Now it's $99! And more! ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... Last page )

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Johnny,

As David posted, if you've been a DirecTV customer for a year or more you should be able to get an HD box from them for $99. The DirecTV HD-capable boxes also can receive your local over-the-air digital and analog stations, with an antenna separate from the dish.

DirecTV currently offers ESPN-HD, Discovery HD, HDNet Movies, and HDNet as a 4 channel HD package for $10.99 a month (you must also subscribe to at least the cheapest Total Choice package to get this pack.) All of these except ESPNHD are 100% HD 24/7. ESPNHD is very spotty so far, usually only a couple of games a week, but they have a new HD studio complex coming on line in a couple of months.

There is also one HD PPV channel, and one HD sports channel that shows maybe one sports event a night but is usually blacked out in my area.

In addition if you subscribe to HBO or Showtime you will also get the HD versions included with the subscription.

The same box will also tune whatever local stations in your area that may be broadcasting in HD. Most of CBS and ABC's Primetime programming except newsmagazines and reality shows are in HD. NBC still has most of it's sitcoms in sd, but most of the drama series are now in HD.
You will need to have a separate antenna to get these as well as the local analog tv broadcasts.

I have a decent antenna and even sd over the air looks much better than my Comcast cable.