[DeadlyYoink]

:shrug: If the Direct Tv and Dishnetwork goes though will all the members have to get a new reciever to support the new channels?

 

[spanishannouncetable]

Nobody knows for sure. Probably not.

And if they try to replace my DirecTiVos with anything but new dual-tuner TiVo machines I will go back to [email protected] cable (after I get my free hardware so I can re-sell it, that is )

 

[Jacob S]

They could replace just the Dish receivers, just the DirecTv receivers, just some of one brand of receivers, or ALL of them. Some of the receivers are compatible for both now with some of the newer ones out. I have heard this from both companies with their latest receivers out.

 

[AJ2086]

It would make more sense to go and phase out the E* equipment because there are less subs to E*. But Charlie is all about the money so he will get rid of the D* equipment cause E* makes there own.

 

[spanishannouncetable]

Originally posted by AJ2086
It would make more sense to go and phase out the E* equipment because there are less subs to E*. But Charlie is all about the money so he will get rid of the D* equipment cause E* makes there own.

How would designing, manufacturing and giving away Echostar receivers, E* TiVo-powered dual-tuner PVRs and E* HDTV-satellite integrated TVs to 10,000,000+ Directv customers make Charlie more money than handing out existing Directv receivers to the relatively few Dish customers who would need new stuff ?

New RCA receivers are dual-system compatible while rumor has it that 301/501/508/721 units can be upgraded to dual-system compliance via satellite. If this is the case none of these would need to be replaced and the existing stockpiles of these and Directv receivers could be used to replace receivers for the Dish customers who would need new equipment.

 

[Richard King]

Integrating a satellite receiver into a television has to be one of the dumbest marketing schemes I have ever heard of. I went to the SBCA show last year and was in the market for some HDTV sets (one for me two for customers). One of my distributors told me of the 34" RCA direct view HDTV and when I asked if it had an integrated receiver he said it did not. I told him to order me 3 of them and ship them to me the following week. He then walked me over to the RCA booth to go over the set with me. We arrived at the set on display at the booth and there, right above the television was a sign stating "DirecTv receiver built in". I promptly cancelled my order and suggested that the distributor sales flunky learn something about the product he is hyping. When someone is buying such a product the consumer shouldn't be forced into one or the other satellite systems as RCA was attempting to do.

 

[Mike123abc]

In their filings with the government they have said it will cost up to 3 billion to replace all settop boxes. They plan to have it done by 2005. Now it is possible the newest boxes are already flexible enough for the new system. The filings are not specific on which boxes will be swapped out, but 25% in 2003, 25% in 2004, and the rest in 2005.

 

[Jacob S]

50% in 2005 are quite a few more than the two years previous to that, so it would be by the end of 2005 (in other words 2006, not 2005). Not too bad of a progress though. Some may actually pay to switch over early which will save them money.

 

[Mike123abc]

I imagine it will be quite a task. They have to send someone out to install new dishes and switches for everyone in addition to the boxes. The boxes are probably the easiest part of the whole deal.

They probably will simplify down to like 2 settop boxes, one with PVR and one without. If they go to crank out 20million boxes it will be easiest to have the minimum number of designs. They will probably all do HDTV since it is a simple chip set for them anyways because they all have to do MPEG anyways. They could even be real clever and go to a single set top with a few snap in cards such as:

1. second tuner
2. PVR function
3. HDTV OTA

A single box design with enough expansion abilities would be cool, if it was field upgradable to larger hard drives, etc.

 

[Jacob S]

I think they should have expansion ports to add on certian fucntionalities such as HD, hard drives, etc, and make boards go together really easily to where the retailers could just put the boards in the cases themselves, or figure out somehow to make it simpler, or make it plug into the receiver for the hard drive or something like that.

If they gave everyone a pvr unit then that would cause the price for each one be a FRACTION of what it would be if not everyone would get it. They could give everyone a second tuner in the receivers and it would not cost that much extra as well. They would probably try to keep their price down though.

Also some customers will probably be keeping those receivers they have now since they would be compatible, especially considering all the new receivers being made now are compatible for both services.

 

[catman]

Technoligy is changing everyday . Yesterday we never thaght of having the world in our homes . Our fathers and Grand fathers , thaught what we have today , would not happen . If you see the jetson cartoons ,someday we may have the samething . I wish they would comeout with a tv with , 1 port for sat . 1 for cable and 1 for antena . Oh thats right , that woud be smart . The Big boys never do anything right . A+ students thik they know it all but , the c- and D students do it the smart way .

 

[MarkA]

"I wish they would comeout with a tv with , 1 port for sat . 1 for cable and 1 for antena ."

Even my TV has enough connections for that - one antenna input, one analog cable input, one A/V with SVideo, and one plain A/V. That's enough for an antenna, either analog or digital cable, and satellite. I don't see where you're talking about something that special? Please explain in more detail if I didn't get the point - which I don't think I did.

 

[jrjcd]

would you like to be the lucky post merge subscriber getting a nice shiny refurb 301 in 2005???!!!???

 

[Jacob S]

They could use the directv rca receivers too since those have both standards as well.