[Guest]

the hughes recievers www.hughes.com really blow away anything rca has come out with. rca`s new drd 435-485 RG recievers are horrible. the guide system is really slow and most of the features on the guide dont even work and the picture quality is not as good as previous models. The new hughes models are state of the art, very fast and full of pleasent suprises!!! i will never buy rca again ! Hughes Rulez!!

 

[Rusty]

When I was getting ready to purchase equipment and install DirecTV I went to a couple of web sites that offered information about the various brands of receivers, such as features, good points, bad points, etc. On one site where a group of Engineers, working for an independent lab, had put several brands to the test, Hughes rated highest. At the end of the evaluation comments it was noted that several of the Engineers participating in the project had installed DirecTV in their homes but that not one of them had bought RCA. That was all that I needed to know. I purchased Hughes receivers and have never regretted that decision.

 

[MarkA]

Try a DISH receiver, you'll be thankful for your RCA receiver

 

[Steve Mehs]

And soon theyll be one in the same, with Thomson making STBs for E*.

 

[MarkA]

Which should be nice, as they'll hopefully be better than current DISH receivers!

 

[Karl Foster]

I have had both - a Mitsubishi (made by Hughes) and a RCA basic receiver before I bought my UTV units. The only advantage the RCA had was I like the remote better. Other than that, as far as basic receivers go, RCA's guide is harder to read, and slower to respond. I wouldn't go as far as to say they suck, but I prefer the Hughes.

The basic RCA receivers should not be confused with the Ultimatetv receivers. The UTV receivers under the brand of RCA and Sony are identical, and are quick to respond and function flawlessly.

 

[markh]

Who actually builds the UTV units?

 

[Karl Foster]

Mine say they are made by Thomson Electronics and made in Mexico. I'm sur e they are assembled by a subcontractor, I don't know who, though.

The Sony and RCA look different on the outside - the Sony is silver and the RCA is black, but they have the exact same operating system and menu systems.

 

[MarkA]

AFAIK Mark H, they are built by the company's whose brand is on them, but the insides are based on a referance design with almost no change, much like TiVo

 

[markh]

Thanks. You never know these days, I have a Dish receiver that says JVC on it and I know from my forum reading that JVC didn't build them.

 

[Steve Mehs]

same thing the Philips E* units

 

[timf]

I would have to agree with this original post in this thread that the new generation Hughes receivers are the best. I have a Sony A65 (which is the same internally as the Hughes), and it is the fastest, sleekest DirecTV receiver I've ever used. I can't judge the RCAs since I haven't used them, but I have heard the speed doesn't even compare. Of course, I use this receiver with a TiVo standalone so I don't use the guide that frequently, but it's still a wonderful receiver.