DirecTV wants to take my Tivo!

[hey4ndr3w]

Sorry if this was covered elsewhere. I searched the threads and did not seem to find what I was looking for.

I called DirecTV recently to find out how much it would cost to get our local channels in HD (for those programs that they broadcast in HD, which is more and more all the time).

They told me I'd need to replace my 3-LNB dish with a 5-LNB dish. They offered to do this for "free", if I extended my contract another two years, and if they replaced my HD Tivo (which they provided when I ordered the service a year ago) with a newer, non-Tivo DVR.

I declined, because we really, really enjoy the Tivo interface. But I can't help but wonder if what they told me is true: must one have the 5-LNB dish to get local channels in HD?

I'd appreciate any guidance! Thanks!

[dslunceford]

Can you not get OTA HD for your locals? I'm assuming you have the HR10-250, right?

[MikeMar]

If the local channels are in mpeg4, then yeah.

I'm assuming you lease it and don't own it right?

[hey4ndr3w]

I lease the Tivo. We are too far away to receive reliable OTA signal. I am not at home at the moment, so I can't check the model number, but from looking at photos on Weaknees, I believe I do have the HR10-250.

How does one discover whether the local channels are broadcast in mpeg4?

Sorry, I am a total n00b.

[beartrap]

If you already have the DirecTV HD DVR with TiVo (the HR10-250), then all you need is an off-the-air antenna to get your locals in HD. The interface with the program guide and TiVo functions is seemless.

If you have a SD DirecTV HD DVR with TiVo and you want to upgarde to HD and keep the TiVo part, you need to buy an HR10-250. See ebay; current prices for used units are $200 and up.

If what you really want/need is your HD locals off the satellite, you need a 5 LNB dish and DirecTV's proprietary HD DVR (the HR20-700), which is not a TiVo. Outside of NY and LA, HD locals off the satellite are transmitted in MPEG 4, and the HR20 is the only HD DVR capable of tuning these transmissions.

ETA: I just saw your second post. There are plenty of excellent antennas that are available for tuning in distant OTA HD signals. How far from the transmitters are you? Check out antennaweb.org

[ADent]

How does one discover whether the local channels are broadcast in mpeg4?

Sorry, I am a total n00b.

Go to www.directv.com . These select locals in the package & programming. Then type in your Zip code. It will show in a seperate column the HD locals.

IIRC all HD locals are provided via MPEG4 and the 5 slot dish.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/packProg/localChannels.jsp?assetId=900018

[ssandhoops]

I lease the Tivo. We are too far away to receive reliable OTA signal. I am not at home at the moment, so I can't check the model number, but from looking at photos on Weaknees, I believe I do have the HR10-250.

How does one discover whether the local channels are broadcast in mpeg4?

Sorry, I am a total n00b.
If DTV does offer your local channels in HD, unless you live in NY or LA, they will be mpeg4.

[dtremain]

How does one discover whether the local channels are broadcast in mpeg4?

Sorry, I am a total n00b.That's okay! :D

It's not a question of them being broadcast in MPEG4 on-the-air, it is a question of whether they are MPEG4 from the Directv satellite. If they are, you would need the new dish.

[classicsat]

The dish is half of it. You also need a receiver capable of tuning and decoding those channels, which the HR10-250 is incapable of, so you will need to give that up to get locals in HD.