Getting DIRECTV, leaving DISH

[amahdi]

I was in the market to buy a Directv system with TIVO. One website has a pretty good offer in my view - a std receiver, a SAMSUNG model #SIR-S4120 TIVO (100 hrs) and free install for $340 including S&H.

Is this a good offer and is the Samsung receiver a good one. What are the other good ones out there?

Also, I believe that none of these receivers have UHF Remotes - if I get those cones to get the signal to go from one room to the other - is it efficient esp if one room is upstairs and the other is downstairs.

I currently have Dishnetwork - I'm thinking of keeeping it for the international channels and getting Directv for everything else esp teh Football package.

Also, if I wanted to get two TIVOs - would I need two dishes - that's what the CSR told me.

Thanks!

[LarryS]

You could probably find a 35 hour tivo for around $99 and if you're handy with PC's upgrade it to over 100 hrs for around $100 for a 120 or 160GB hard drive. I believe that all the second gen Dtivos are much the same hardware wise.

When you arrange for free install ask for the 3 LNB oval dish. This will get you ready for HDTV, getting NASA, and most of all comes with a builtin switch providing 4 receiver feeds. This should cover two tivos. Course you need a different dish for Dish. Make sure the installer runs two feeds to each tivo so dual tuners will work.

You will love Tivo. Its WAY better than anything else (except maybe a HDtivo.).

[amahdi]

You could probably find a 35 hour tivo for around $99 and if you're handy with PC's upgrade it to over 100 hrs for around $100 for a 120 or 160GB hard drive. I believe that all the second gen Dtivos are much the same hardware wise.

When you arrange for free install ask for the 3 LNB oval dish. This will get you ready for HDTV, getting NASA, and most of all comes with a builtin switch providing 4 receiver feeds. This should cover two tivos. Course you need a different dish for Dish. Make sure the installer runs two feeds to each tivo so dual tuners will work.

You will love Tivo. Its WAY better than anything else (except maybe a HDtivo.).


Thanks alot for your help. Which TIVO receiver do you have? Also, where can one find some good upgrade hardware from?

[Mark Holtz]

:welcome_s to DBSTalk, amahdi.

First off, I would highly recommend that you get a triple LNB Dish from DirecTV. They may cost $20 more than the single LNB dish, but if you replace the dish later on, it would cost you $160.

The phase three dish (which I am using) has a built in switch for four outputs. A regular receiver will need one output, and while a DirecTiVo can run with one output, it is recommended that you hook up both outputs to take full advantage of what the DirecTiVo offers. If you need to use more than four outputs, there is a switch that hooks up to the phase three switch to provide up to eight outputs. You will need to have a power source to use this switch. I don't know about the cost for a new subscriber.

No comments on the standalone receiver, but I have two Hughes HBH-SA receivers, and they are pretty good for standalone receivers. As for the TiVo, you are best off if you can get a 35-hour model. There is no real differences beyond cosmetic and hard drive used between the different TiVo models. Then, you can upgrade the drive using a PC and Hinsdale instructions (http://www.newreleasesvideo.com/hinsdale-how-to/index9.html). A 160GB hard drive will cost you ~$110 for a Samsung SP1604. I recommend swapping out the old drive to a new drive. While this takes longer, it will also allow you to enlarge the swap size on the drive. If you want to upgrade both drives, you will need a drive bracket. I use the Twinbreeze bracket from Weakness (http://www.weaknees.com/twinbreeze.php), although a bracket is also available from 9th Tee (http://www.9thtee.com/tivo-dt2.htm).

Manuals for the receivers can be found at DirecTV (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/learn/Manuals.dsp). You can look at the manual and see what the capabilities of the receiver are.

So, plan ahead a little bit and take advantage of the new subscriber savings.

[LarryS]

Thanks alot for your help. Which TIVO receiver do you have? Also, where can one find some good upgrade hardware from?

I have two Hughes HDRV2s. One is upgraded with a 120GB WD drive using Tiger Tools 2.0 and Hinsdale's instructions ( the drive is not recommended for noise reasons but it's in a family room and for the $60 it cost me the price was right). The other is stock with 35 hours. The easiest upgrade is just to replace the drive. The only hardware needed is the replacement drive and a couple of torx screwdrivers. The Tiger Tools is a bootable Linux with programs to copy the critical elements of tivo from the original disk to another downloadable for free as well as the Hinsdale instructions.

You can get the best advice on upgrading tivo on http://www.tivocommunity.com where thousands of tivo fanatics discuss their favorite toy.

[Steve Mehs]

Congratulations Amahdi, welcome to both DirecTV and DBSTalk. I just made the switch last week and I’m very pleased with DirecTV and the DirecTiVo thus far. I will echo the above posts and say make sure you get the Phase3 dish. If not to see all satellite locations, then for the integrated multiswitch. All integrated DirecTV/TiVo units operate the same and have the same software. Hughes, Philips, RCA and Samsung are your major vendors, they may have some facial differences but they all perform the same. All vendors offer 40GB models, Hughes and Samsung both have 120 GB model available and Philips has an 80GB model. I have two 40GB RCA DVR40s that work excellent!

[amahdi]

Thanks for all your advice - it really helped.

Will let you know when I swicth - probably by beginning of March.

Thanks again.

[morat67]

I was in the market to buy a Directv system with TIVO. One website has a pretty good offer in my view - a std receiver, a SAMSUNG model #SIR-S4120 TIVO (100 hrs) and free install for $340 including S&H.

Is this a good offer and is the Samsung receiver a good one. What are the other good ones out there?

Also, I believe that none of these receivers have UHF Remotes - if I get those cones to get the signal to go from one room to the other - is it efficient esp if one room is upstairs and the other is downstairs.

I currently have Dishnetwork - I'm thinking of keeeping it for the international channels and getting Directv for everything else esp teh Football package.

Also, if I wanted to get two TIVOs - would I need two dishes - that's what the CSR told me.

Thanks!

Amahdi - thanks. What do you feel about the Samsung xre23 (not sure of spelling) - I heard it has 200 hours through a raid array of 4 hard drives. It also has a specific search funtion added now. My punction though is how to install the capacitator.

[amahdi]

Amahdi - thanks. What do you feel about the Samsung xre23 (not sure of spelling) - I heard it has 200 hours through a raid array of 4 hard drives. It also has a specific search funtion added now. My punction though is how to install the capacitator.

i actually ended up getting the Hughes 40 GB Tivo receivers for $150 including install. Pretty good deal.

[beejaycee]

I have two Hughes HDRV2s. One is upgraded with a 120GB WD drive using Tiger Tools 2.0 and Hinsdale's instructions ( the drive is not recommended for noise reasons but it's in a family room and for the $60 it cost me the price was right)
Larry, I also upgraded with a 120 GB WD drive but the clicking noises from the head-seeks drove me crazy. I finally located and used the AMSET utility (http://maxtor.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/maxtor.cfg/php/enduser/olh_adp.php?p_faqid=1200). It is much more livable now with no obvious reduction in utility. I can no longer hear the noise whereas before I had to move the Tivo out of my bedroom. Maybe this might help you.