May be getting Direct TV, need help

[MikeMar]

So our new home may not be able to get cable which is what we were planning on.

So we are looking into Direct TV

We have 3 series 2 regular tivo's.

So, will they work with that? I'm assuming they will

My bigger questions. We are going to have TV's in 2 rooms, so what do we need to get exactly, and where is the best place to get everything from? Online, a retail store?

Hit me with all the info you got, I know very little about Direct TV

Thanks

[terpfan1980]

Hi Mike, lets see if I can lend some assistance here.

First, if I were you, I'd plan on putting your current TiVo units in the closet and not using them. Unless you've got lifetime subs on them, you are probably better off not using them if you want to take full advantage of what DirecTV can offer you in way of PVRs/DVRs.


For 2 rooms, I'd try to get 2 DirecTV DVR/PVRs with TiVo. You'd pay DirecTV $5.99 a month *total* in PVR fees. That would enable your whole household for PVR usage. You wouldn't need to pay for each receiver/DVR unit.

If you do get two DirecTV DVR/PVRs you'd have a total of 4 tuners available for recording content. Each unit offers 2 tuners that are independent. On the older (powered by/using software by TiVo) boxes you'd have two independent buffers, on the newer boxes it's one buffer and no easy way to jump between programs.

If you want an HD box, you can find some nice deals on them if you hunt around a bit. The HD boxes -- until very rececently were only TiVo powered boxes, but DirecTV is getting their new boxes out into the channel.

SD boxes you really have to hunt to get TiVo boxes rather than DirecTV's own boxes.

Warning, the DirecTV TiVo HD box is *slow* at it's menus and is behind feature set wise. Consider it an S1.5 box. Not quite up to series 2, but better than series 1. If you get a fairly recent (last few years) SD box the software is basically Series 2 and is decent speed wise (faster menus, directory lists, searches, etc.)

The DirecTV boxes (non TiVo) are ok, but again the software is not TiVo. If you don't mind relearning a bit, you'd be fine with the new stuff, just keep in mind it's not TiVo and never will be (at least not as things sit now).


You can get a great deal from DirecTV by signing up now. Pay for the football package, get *all* (except adult programming, high def programming package, pay-per-views and foreign language programming) of DirecTV's programming for free. Basically you'd get Total Choice Platinum (all premiums except adult content) for free for 4 months.

DirecTV will also give you a free portable DVD player for signing up and commiting to service.


On just about any signup with DirecTV you'd be doing a lease arrangement and never own the equipment. That's not bad if you have problems with the equipment. You will pay an upfront cost for "advanced receivers" which include DVRs or Hi-Def boxes. There are rebates that get you back a lot of the fee (if not all).


A link coming in a sec for a nice play to buy from (besides just going through DirecTV).

[MikeMar]

Thanks for the info, but in terms of Tivo, we have 3 tivo's now, 1 with lifetime, and 2 regular, but upgraded to 250 gig hard drives. 2-3 turners for us is fine, so that's not an issue.

I'd rather pay an extra $7 a month and keep my tivo's in full swing with their size.

Thanks so far

[terpfan1980]

Here's one of the more reputable DirecTV web sellers: Expert Satellite (http://www.********************/)

DirecTV's own home page (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/index.jsp)



Now, while I'm thinking to finish up here a bit -- if you are working with lifetime subs on your S2 boxes already then using those boxes may be your best bet, *but* you'd be stuck with only one tuner per location/receiver. I'd prefer the two tuners per location myself, but your mileage may vary and you may not have the number of potential programming conflicts that I wind up with at times.

In the past I've had 4 DirecTV TiVo boxes in my house up and running. My son wanted his own programming, wife and daughter shared the living room TV box, I had my own programming in my "den/playroom area" and then we had a bedroom unit to catch backups of my programming and the wife's favorites. It was great never having to worry about potential scheduling conflicts with 8 tuners spread through the house.


As an alternative for you to consider if you really would prefer to go with TiVo service you might want to consider just getting a standard receiver installed and pay your installer extra to get extra drops (2 cables per location) for each location you potentially want wired. Get the installer to install at least the Phase III dish and switch for same, 2 drops per location, and just the one standard receiver. Keep that receiver for the minimum period of time (you'll pay $4.99 extra per additional receiver you use) that is contractually required to satisfy the reseller but then go and buy a couple of used DirecTV TiVo boxes. You should be able to find some of the older generation boxes pretty cheap. Make sure to get it *without* the required access card so you avoid paying fees for someone's else box/built up charges. You'd then pay DirecTV approximately $25 per box to get new access cards so you could use them, and simply add them to your account. You could then retire the original "standard" box to the closet somewhere or use it for children or something similar. You can't sell it if you are leasing it, but you needn't keep it hooked up.

Anyway, if you go used you could definitely get the older DirecTV TiVo boxes and use them for years to come. Again, you'd be on the hook for $4.99 per additional receiver, but only need to pay the one $5.99 a month DVR/PVR fee for the whole house.

[terpfan1980]

Just seeing your reply now - if you really want to keep using your existing TiVo boxes then standard receivers that should be TiVo compatible are not that expensive. I'd go with Expert Satellite if that is the case. They are very reputable and the installer will be the same regardless of ordering from DirecTV or them. Price wise they are also very hard to beat.

Programming wise, package and offer wise, you'll get the same deals from them as well.

Shoot them a call (toll free number on the web site) and tell them your intentions. They'll make sure you get units that will work for you.

[MikeMar]

Just seeing your reply now - if you really want to keep using your existing TiVo boxes then standard receivers that should be TiVo compatible are not that expensive. I'd go with Expert Satellite if that is the case. They are very reputable and the installer will be the same regardless of ordering from DirecTV or them. Price wise they are also very hard to beat.

Programming wise, package and offer wise, you'll get the same deals from them as well.

Shoot them a call (toll free number on the web site) and tell them your intentions. They'll make sure you get units that will work for you.

Sweet, thanks for the bucketload of info, that's exactly what I was looking for.

Now to talk Maggie into needed Sunday Ticket :) :)

[terpfan1980]

Sweet, thanks for the bucketload of info, that's exactly what I was looking for.

Now to talk Maggie into needed Sunday Ticket :) :)

That really shouldn't be that difficult given current offers.

Total Choice Plus with Locals is going to cost you about $50. Add HBO or any of the other premiums and you're up to the $60 range. Take more than one of them, you're at $72 (give or take).

Go with the Sunday Ticket offer 4 months at $69 per (plus additional receiver fee) and you'd get all premiums over that time. That would be Starz!, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and The Movie Channel and would add in the "plus" channels to the basic Total Choice package as well (some Discovery channels, Boomerang and a few others).

You could go cheaper if you really wanted to, but for the few $$ more getting all of the programming and being able to watch all of the football on the Ticket would be hard to pass up.


I wish they'd offer similar deals to existing customers, but the best existing customers see is ocassional discounts on Showtime, HBO or similar packages. New customers make out like bandits though. :)


I'd have sent you off on a "referral" type link for service to get a few credits myself, but really think Expert Sat or even going straight to DirecTV is the best way. Again, referral type offers and the offers from Expert, DirecTV or other places are all the same, and all are keyed toward getting another sub for the Sunday Ticket (or at least keyed toward getting a customer hooked up with a minimum of Total choice programming for 2 years worth of commitment).


Do keep in mind if you take the Sunday Ticket deal though that you'll have to cancel the auto-renewal for it next year (unless you really want the package again and don't mind paying the going rates for same). They'll assume an auto-renewal for it, and you may have to nag them to make sure you aren't charged again. As long as you watch your bill you should be fine though.

Having had the Sunday Ticket in the past, it's a confirmed football junkies best friend. It does tend to tick off spousal units though as the guys veg out watching all of the games so they can see all of their fantasy players in action :D :up:

[MikeMar]

Yeah PM me any referal stuff or whatever else ya go

Thanks

[danny7481]

you said you wanted to keep your SA tivos cause of the hard drive
just get some directivos and put those 250 gigs in :)
but i can understand wanting to keep the ones you got.

[Zephyr]

From one in your general neighborhood... back to the basic stuff, the initial install... this was messed up big time at my place causing all kinds of problems with each subsequent visit. Ultimately, DTV sent two reasonably skillful folks to redo the install. It took them 12 hours! Make sure the dish is grounded properly & legally! This was not done at all the first time, butchered the second, etc, and etc. Two line drop all the way back to the cellar and in, to ground! Then while down there, might as well put in the multiswitch and then you are ready to wire the remaining units plus a possible cable entry. I forced them to go back out with cable to hook up four drops as I have a timber frame and no one was putting a drill on a wooden beam! You must watch these installers carefully and if sent by DTV, you have instant recourse via phone. I would strongly suggest a DTV install for this reason. Two people for 12 hours is not your usual freebie install. I was most fortunate and got 2 of the first R10's because of the negligence and carelessness of those who installed before. It was like the "big dig," they just kept messing it up only to come back and redo it wrong again.

[SpectreZ91]

I know this is over a month old, but I just got Direct TV and their new DVR setup.. Personally I like Tivo's functionality better and want to hook my Tivo's to some extra standard recievers, but am not liking the only 1 tuner per location..

Hmm.. Now things to ponder..

But the reason I'm posting is for those who didn't know if you activate Direct Tv by the 15th you get $10 off your bill for 15 months.. pretty cool I think..