Thinking of getting DirectTV

[DualQuad]

After many years with DISH, I think I am reaching the point that I am ready to move on. My discontent with DISH revolves around getting some pretty bad refurb receivers lately, but thats not the point of this post.

My DirectTV knowledge is ancient, I want to run three HD receivers + HDPVRs, what can you guys recommend:
1) What DirectTV HD receiver model is the preferred one to get/request?
2) I use USBUIRT for channel changes on my DISH boxes now. A long time ago I used a serial cable to change channels on DIrectTV, is IR blasting the preferred method or do the receivers support something else?
3) Do DirecTV receivers tune to the HD station automatically or are there separate "channels" that require remapping within Sage?

Thanks in advance,
DQ

[cobrew]

Here's the problem with Directv.... I have never had any luck 'requesting' a certain model. They give you generic options: SD, HD, or HD-DVR. at one point I already had a HR22 (i believe) which was a HD-DVR. I ordered a "new" one for my bedroom and they sent me a refurb that was an older model than the one I already had.

Another suggestion... do not sign up through directv. They sub-contract their installers so most don't know what they are doing. Find a local reseller that will guarantee a clean install. I went thru Directv once to get a discount for returning customers. The installers they sent out didn't staple any wires to the building. He just left them hanging. He also drilled 2 holes in the floor over 16 inches from the wall (brand new wood floors). I had to file a claim with Directv. They did pay me the $900+ for repair, but then decided to send me a request for my information b/c they were going 1099 me for the damage claim.

fyi, The above stories are 100% true. Proceed with caution.

[IVB]

Just get either the HD or SD, based on your capture card. I wasn't worried about which model, as I use the USBUIRT to learn then blast the commands to it (via the remote). Pretty simple setup. for HD, no remapping needed. (I use HD->HDPVR)

For wiring, I would go further and say to run the wiring yourself (if possible). I did that as I had very specific desires, plus I didn't want them jacking with my house. I even knew where he'd mount the antenna and ran that. My install looks *perfect* :-)

[DualQuad]

From looking at the DirectTV page it definitely gave the feeling of you choose HD or SD and we choose the rest. This system will replace an existing DISH install, for which I ran all wires down the walls and to my fancy wiring closet (i.e. Entertainment Cabinet).

I get weird looks from the install guys since everything was run and labeled by me, all boxes go in a single cabinet and there is a plethora of other equipment like the Sage server, network switches, etc. All the DirectTV guy needs to do is mount the dish, hook up the signal switch and activate the boxes.

Being able to switch between providers as simply as this, while keeping all of my content, is really making me miss the "glory" days of SageTV. I hope that there are more, and better days like this under the Google Flag.

Thanks guys,
DQ

[ldw58]

I've had DirecTV since the late 1990s and integrated an HD23 into my SageTV system through a Hauppauge HD-PVR.

Since I started using the HTTP channel changing method my experience has improved immeasurably. I was using USB-UIRT prior to that and would miss about 5% of my shows because of a glitch with the server or an issue that the DirecTV box was waiting for a UI response on another screen.

Now channel changing works fantastically well.

As far as requesting which box to get, I have four HD23 and they're acceptable although occasionally they seem overwhelmed with buffer requests and I can wait for minutes before the box will stop fast-forwarding after I've pressed the 'play' button.

Good luck!

[Jesse]

Hi,

Been w/D* since '97. Since going with sage I have used serial, IR, and now HTTP to change channels on the boxs.

As the others have said and you have surmised, D* is going to send you whatever they like as far as hardware. Whatever they send should be fine.

I would definitely go with the HTTP channel changes. It took me more time to crimp the ends on the cables than it did to set up in sage. Check out this thread if you haven't already:

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53462

Don't use the first method described! Around page 2 Ericvic posted a zip of the dll files needed to make it work easily. Keep reading from there because there are some important tips to help get it working.

I am having good success with 2 D* boxs using 1 HDPVR and 1 Colossus. Getting those things to work is a whole different subject...

Jesse

[DualQuad]

I like this http channel changing idea, thanks for the tip and the thread.

DQ

[w4rh4wk]

+1 for http channel changing...

i use to have beyondtv with 3 Hauppauge HD PVRs and i first used usb uirt to change channels (this wasnt 100% it would always mess up the channel change). then i switched to serial tuning (this worked great but it ment i have to buy another serial port PCI card and 3 usb to serial cables + component cables to accommodate 3 directv STBs).. this was a rat's nest of wires. the serial tuning would stop working once every couple of months... all i had to do was reboot the STB when that would happen.

Now i use 3 hauppauge colossus and video capture via HDMI.... the wire situation is ALOT better now. the only trick part is setting static IP addresses on your DTV STBs. knock on wood i havent had a single issue with http tuning.

[panteragstk]

I feel for you on the situation with dish. I had the same issue years ago when the introduced their first hd-dvr. It worked great, but the 250gb maxtor hard drives would crash often. By often I mean 8 times in one year. When we said we needed the newer model (for that and the new mpeg4 channels) they said we had to pay. We said thanks, but we will no longer be needing your service.

I'm about to start with dish again though for the simple fact that directv doesn't have the channels I want. No AMC HD and to get the golf channel in HD I HAVE to get their "everything" package that is over $100 per month. Plus dish has quite a few more movie channels that my wife will like.

I'd love to have http channel changing, but I don't want to have to download the shows I watch on AMC from torrents just to get HD. That is just silly. I could, but I'd rather not. I may take another look just because of the fact that my previous experience with dish was so bad.

Good luck.

[DualQuad]

I began my channel use analysis of a week's worth of recordings. I think I will need to go more in depth. Your mentioning of no AMCHD, rung a bell since my wife and I just finished up on watching the Walking Dead series that we recorded sometime last year off of AMCHD.

I have found some DISH/DirecTV channel comparison pages, I need to confirm the veracity of the content on the pages before I make a decision. As of now, I am thinking that hopefully having less "old" hardware, plus less messy channel change will be worth losing a few channels (AMC HD, BBCA HD, some HBOs). There is always that "new guy" discount which is sweetening the pot.

Thanks for giving me more to think about.

DQ

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by DualQuad

I began my channel use analysis of a week's worth of recordings. I think I will need to go more in depth. Your mentioning of no AMCHD, rung a bell since my wife and I just finished up on watching the Walking Dead series that we recorded sometime last year off of AMCHD.

I have found some DISH/DirecTV channel comparison pages, I need to confirm the veracity of the content on the pages before I make a decision. As of now, I am thinking that hopefully having less "old" hardware, plus less messy channel change will be worth losing a few channels (AMC HD, BBCA HD, some HBOs). There is always that "new guy" discount which is sweetening the pot.

Thanks for giving me more to think about.

DQ

No problem. Just noticed you are in Allen. Me too. Too bad we can't get FIOS. I'm about to get u-verse internet as their TV offerings are good channel wise, but as far as PQ goes I wouldn't be able to take it. No way I'd go to TW ever. I'm still trying to make a decision as well. Once I get the u-verse internet I'll have to have TV for 30 days just to get some discounts so I'll report back once I finally have time to do it.

[LittleJohnny]

+1 http channel changing... Much better and more accurate than serial or USB-Hirt.