3000 receiver and an HDTV

[homergreg]

I recently purchased a Zenith HDTV with a built in tuner, so I get all my OTA channels just fine. I don't see enough being offered just yet to justify spending the extra scratch for a 6000, especially if new receivers are on the way.

Anyway, that leaves me watching Satellite on my trusty old 3000, and I get wonderful pictures on many channels. The only problem I have is that some of the channels we watch are "bandwidth challenged" and the new set really notices this with quite a bit of pixellation. I know that this is the nature of HDTV's to not do so good with lower bandwidth channels, but could getting a newer receiver like the 301 help? I just didn't know if the newer boxes had some better firmware to handle the lower bandwidth channels any better.

Thanks

[Ken_F]

homer,

Unfortunately, I don't think there would be any difference.

That said, the 3000 is really quite an ancient receiver. I bet Dish might be willing to replace that model with the 301 at little to no charge, particularly if you are a good customer. The newer receivers are easier to use and more responsive (faster).

[P Smith]

PQ will not change from 3000 to 301. You're really need true HDTV model - I don't see any disadvantage of 6000, especially for using not just talking about future models ( when, prices, etc).

[scooper]

Homer - as the others have said - it isn't going to make any difference which receiver you use, if you're not watching HDTV programming. Seeing the artifacts is going to be a way of life with an HDTV set.

[garye]

Originally posted by Ken_F
homer,

Unfortunately, I don't think there would be any difference.

That said, the 3000 is really quite an ancient receiver. I bet Dish might be willing to replace that model with the 301 at little to no charge, particularly if you are a good customer. The newer receivers are easier to use and more responsive (faster).


Well, I have two model 3000s that I pinged Dish about regarding my upgrade options to 301s. No response from them to two different queries. I have been a customer since the HTS receiver days, so being a good customer didn't count much evidently.

[boba]

Garye DISH dosen't have any upgrade promotions for the base model 301. They do have an upgrade program for the PVR-508 but you really won't benefit that much from it seeing you are looking for HDTV. This fall you might want to look into the PVR-921 HDTV receiver or if cost is important you might try working a deal with you local dealer to keep his eyes open for a close out buy on the 6000. Seeing the 6000 dosen't have the over the air tuner built in and your TV does it maybe the best buy for you. To play with the picture quality on your 3000 input try using the different inputs to your TV the RF (ch3/4) will give the lowest quality input but sometimes the better looking picture. Also turning down the sharpness control may improve the picture.

[DarrellP]

Getting a 6000 will NOT improve the picture quality of the regular channels. The 6000 has a poor quality scaler in it and chances are your TV will do a better job by feeding your 3000 to it via the S-video connector. The 6000 will only gain you the extra HD channels if you sub to them.

[homergreg]

Thanks all!

boba's suggestion is doing the trick! The pixellation on the composite video input is just a softer looking picure on the RF input. Funny how that works.

I'll hold onto the 3000 until the superdish/811 comes out.

[wmayo]

Originally posted by DarrellP
Getting a 6000 will NOT improve the picture quality of the regular channels. The 6000 has a poor quality scaler in it and chances are your TV will do a better job by feeding your 3000 to it via the S-video connector. The 6000 will only gain you the extra HD channels if you sub to them.

Are you sure? I had a 4000 before getting a 6000 and I could tell NO difference between SD renderings. Perhaps the 3000/4000/6000 are all built on similar technology, and the three digit series is different.

[P Smith]

wmayo,
you are totally wrong about put in same line the 6000 model;
That line ( "Baker" ) included models 3000/3500/4000/4500/5000/5500 based on oldest type of processor;
6000 belong other line - "Havana";
also 2700, 2800, 3700 are "Clipper", while 4700, 4900 are "Cutter".
I don't know what are code names for 3800, 3900 and newest DP models - may be someone close to Littleton could post here ;).