[WinstonSmith]

Hello, all,

I am looking to get my parents a Christmas present and since they have "everything" its really hard. They have DirecTV and enjoy it and watch a lot of programming. But, most of what they watch is on the locals. I've gotten them an antenna before, but they don't like not being able to record/timeshift the HD.

Currently, they have a single-LNB dish and an SD-DirecTiVo. I have thought about getting them an HD-TiVo (since they are cheaper on eBay now.) However, they'd still have to use the antenna, which is not superstrong w/ the signals.

I have also considered getting them an HR20. However, they are not intersted in subscribing to the HD package for an extra $10 a month. Thus, my question.... If they had an HR20, a 5LNB dish, could/would they get their locals in HD w/o purchasing hte HD pack?

 

[Kapeman]

I had the same question when I first ordered my HR20 and the retention rep said you had to get the HD pack to get the HD locals.

That is not the case.
If you subscribe to a package that gets SD locals you should get them in HD without the HD subscription.

Of course, your locals have to be available in HD via D*.

Also, the HD premiums are supposed to be available during freeviews.

 

[JoeyJoJo]

Yes. The HD locals are not part of the HD package. If you have all the right equipment and subscribe to locals, you'll get the available HD locals. Also, if they have HBO or Showtime, they'll get the HD version of those as well.

And if an RSN is available in HD they'll get that too.

 

[iceman2a]

NO!

You do not need to subscribe to the HD pkg to get HD locals!

If you get LiL's with your TC pkg You will get HD LiL's (if avlbl in your mkt) with an AT9 dish and a H20 or HR20!
CSR's may tell you that you need to sub the HD pkg, but that is not the case!
As the 2 previous posters have correctly stated!

 

[cabanaboy1977]

I had the same question when I first ordered my HR20 and the retention rep said you had to get the HD pack to get the HD locals.

Yeah they got me with the same line. After reading here that I didn't need to pay for it I called them back and had them credit me back for them missleading me.

 

[WinstonSmith]

Thanks!

Did you guys who DID NOT get the HD pack have to call and/or request the HD locals or did they simply show up?

 

[Blurayfan]

The HD Locals will show up on their own with the correct dish, receiver and any TC package that includes locals. No calls to D* CSRs is required.

Thanks!

Did you guys who DID NOT get the HD pack have to call and/or request the HD locals or did they simply show up?

 

[bobnielsen]

When I upgraded the CSR didn't even mention the HD pack. I told her that I had seen where people were getting a free trial of it for 4 months and she gave that to me.

 

[Slip Jigs]

But - isn't a subscription to the HD package part of the 2 year lease agreement for the receiver?

 

[bobnielsen]

No (although some CSRs seem to think so). The lease agreement is Total Choice or greater for two years.

 

[Slip Jigs]

No (although some CSRs seem to think so). The lease agreement is Total Choice or greater for two years.

Thanks for the clarification - that makes sense.

 

[captain_video]

HD subscription is not part of any long term agreement nor is it required to get HD locals. In fact, you can get HD locals via OTA without having a DTV subscription. You just won't be able to record any of them. You can even get OTA locals using the HR10-250 without having an access card inserted in the receiver, although you probably won't be able to download the guide data. I haven't tried using one long term without a card inserted so I don't know what affect it has on the guide data download. I just know that the OTA channels come in fine with no card inserted and you don't get any sort of nag message unless you try to tune to a sat channel.