external mpeg 4 to mpeg 2 converter?

[lornehosman]

I did a search first to see if there were any posts about this - I had never heard of it, and quite frankly don't believe it, but this is what a CSR told me on the phone yesterday, so take it for what it's worth:

I am looking to replace one of my directivos with a HR20 before september. I am not happy with my antenna reception for HD locals, and I live in a market that has HD locals available over satellite, so, despite my reluctance to give up one of my Directivos, I thought at the very least I would call and get some questions answered. Most of the responses from the CSR were pretty much what I expected, until we got down to the discussion of getting locals.
He asserted that Directv had a "box" that would be placed inline in front of my HR10 that would essentially convert the mpeg4 signal to a mpeg2 signal, and would therefore allow me to see my high def locals on my high def directivo.

So, here's my questions:
(1) is this even possible?
(2) has anyone heard of this?

If this is true, I'll just order the new dish, install it, and then get 4 of these "magic boxes" (one per line for each of my 2 HD Directivos)

[ebonovic]

1) "possible" Anything is possible, but that would be one very complex little device...it would have to be a LOT more complex then just changing the compression format.... it would also have to tune in the two more sats, that the HR10 can't see...

2) Nope, as there is nothing like that in development... nor would I expect there to be.

[rminsk]

It is possible but would be incredibly expensive. It would have to decode the mpeg-4 and compress back to mpeg-2 in real time. I'm nout sure if there is even a quality consumer high definition realtime mpeg-2 encoder on the market.

He was most likely thinking of a b-band converter which is used to convert some of the frequencies that they are using on the new satellites to a range that the HR20/H20 can receive. It does re-encode a signal.

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never believe a DirecTV CSR about anything...

[JimSpence]

I wonder what that CSR was smokin'?

Or is he just ignorant? I ask rhetorically! :)

I hope that conversation was one that was recorded. :D

[TonyTheTiger]

Possible? Yes, anything's possible.

Likely? Not a snowball's.

This is complete CSR baloney.

The End.

[drew2k]

I wonder if the CSR was misinformed and confused the BBC's used on MPEG4 receivers with something that could work on MPEG2 receivers? CSR's do say the darndest things ...

[Bob_Newhart]

Cool! Where do I buy this magic box?

[TyroneShoes]

And if there were such a thing, why would DTV even promote it, or admit it? They are highly motivated to age/purge all Tivos from their system, and time is on their side. MPEG-4 content is the carrot that they are using to get subs to comply, and eventually, when all HD is M4 and SD is fixin' to be all M4, even if you had a DirecTivo that had survived all of that it would be useless for anything other than OTA. Make M4 unexclusive to their non-Tivo boxes, and the subscriber motivation all but goes away.

[newsposter]

thru roulette, i got the csr to drop the 259 lease fee down to 39.95 S/H if i agreed to 3 years. It will be installed sunday at 8am and they guarantee they will be on time, have all the right equipment, the installer will be clean shaven, courteous, and not expect a tip.

[TyroneShoes]

...and not expect a tip.
Here's a tip. Don't expect to be very happy for the next 3 years.

[bonscott87]

Well, there is no motivation for such a converter box simply because it would cost as much or more then a whole new receiver would (such as the H20 or HR20 or pretty much anything else). These companies don't make converter boxes for old receivers, they just replace them. How many times has Dish Network changed their HD technology and had to replace receivers? At least 2 times, perhaps 3 now with gong to MPEG4 themselves. They just offer replacement receivers, not converter boxes.

[drew2k]

thru roulette, i got the csr to drop the 259 lease fee down to 39.95 S/H if i agreed to 3 years. It will be installed sunday at 8am and they guarantee they will be on time, have all the right equipment, the installer will be clean shaven, courteous, and not expect a tip.
That's the first time I heard them pushing a 3-year commitment, but congrats.

[dirk1843]

3 YEARS??

Next thing you know they will be wanting contracts to be binding up on our children's children.

This is getting out of hand.....we can't keep saying yes to this kind of stuff folks.

[newsposter]

3 YEARS??

Next thing you know they will be wanting contracts to be binding up on our children's children.

This is getting out of hand.....we can't keep saying yes to this kind of stuff folks.

I could have done that (they would foot the bill for my will's addendum) and not only would it all be totally free, but they would replace all my current equipment with any new technology and let me use it for the rest of my life free while taking it back when i die. Lifetime commitment on both ends.