the value of sat in digital world

[Martyva]

Of those of you that have or intend to purchase HDTV sets in the near future... If, on January 1, 2003 your local cable channel offers ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS as local HD channels and the set top box leases at the same price as the current digital set top box, and Dish/Direct is not offering feeds, but only off air modulators; 1. How many of you would switch out of hand? 2.
How many of you would switch if you had to change sat receivers at more than $300?

[Mark Lamutt]

Would I change back to cable from satellite if my cable company somehow managed to start showing the major local stations in HD (don't forget WB which starts HD programming next season, FOX and UPN)?

Nope, not me. I might consider addiing it in addition to the satellite, but it's a moot point in Denver for me...we can't even get the damn polititions to rezone the current antenna farm so the stations can convert to digital...fill power OTA is a LOOOOOOONG ways off for us, much less HD locals on cable.

Why would I have change sat receivers? I'm planning on getting a 921 when they come out if they can record 8VSB signals. But I wouldn't have to switch to that.

[Paul E]

I purchased a Mitsubishi 55" 16:9 HDTV recently, which has a built in HD decoder for OTA and cable signals. I have a UHF antenna in the attic, and can receive all my local channels in SD and HD via the antenna. I am a new DirecTivo user. (just got off of cable 2 weeks ago) My local cable company (Cox) doen't have ANY info on HD rollouts. And... the PQ is **SO** much better on DirecTV, that Cox would be very hard pressed to get me back even if they had HD.

I currently have a DirecTivo Sony SAT-T60 receiver. And I *WILL* purchase a $400-$500 HD DirecTV receiver when DirecTV offers more HD channels. (I'm not interested in HBO and Showtime) I purchased a multi-sat dish when I bought my DirecTivo hardware, so as to be prepared for my eventual transition to DirecTV HD.

My situation may be somwhat unique, since I only had to pay about $30 to receive OTA HD broadcasts (purchased an antenna), as the HD decoder was built into the TV.

[rbonzer]

Yes, I would consider switching. Not sure if I would, but I would consider.

I'm probably out of luck to get OTA HD, because I'm in a little dip (not a valley, just a dip) and behind a hill (not quite a mountain) that doesn't have a line of site to the towers.

It seems unlikely that Network HD feeds will ever get to me (I'm not in a CBS O&O territory).

Most of our *real* viewing is still networks shows, and I would assume that having HD feeds would give me a better picture than E* LIL version of my channels.

But, it will be extremely hard to give up PVR functionality. PVRs are like garage door openers - once you have one, its hard to imagine living without one. Its hard enough watching the TV without the PVR ( "Where is that pause button?" )

Rob

[DarrellP]

I get all my locals except WB via OTA digital now. No way in Hell would I ever go back to cable, even for HD. You'd have to pry my 6000 remote from my cold, dead fingers.