HDTV Receiver/Tuner

[Dan Heath]

I hope I came to the right spot... I'm looking for info and reviews on HDTV tuners. The websites that I've found are not very informative. I'm looking for something like this forum. Where I can get honest unbiased opinions.

[Lex]

Dan, you could post that question here, or in either RPTV section or Front projection. But here's good.

I have a Samsung DirecTV receiver that also does over the air broadcast. I like it for Directv because of not only component video, but also digital audio. It also does DVI.

I've been pretty happy with this piece, though it was expensive for Directv and HD, at close to 600 bucks. ouch.

Lex

[Sonnie Parker]

While Lex does DirecTV... I do Dish Network.

I have the Dish 6000u but it's no longer available from Dish (you can find them on E-bay) and has been replaced my the Dish 811 which handles HD OTA, has digital audio outputs and component and DVI outputs for video. I have had no problems from my 6000u and I understand the 811 is better but I also have read where some Dish 811 users have had problems with their unit. Supposedly the newer 811's that are back ordered will fix the known bugs and such but I can't verify that until I get my 811.

The 811 is $399 I believe although I just ordered one for $149 because I've been a long time full blown customer of Dish. They may have special offers for new customers as they often do.

Here's a pdf link to info on the 811: http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads...s/dish_811.pdf

I know Dish has a total HD package available for $999 right now which includes:

1 dish antenna
34” Direct View HD monitor or 40” Rear Projection HD monitor
1 DISH 811 HD receiver
FREE Standard Professional Installation


Dish offers about the same HD channels as DirecTV for 10 bucks per month:

Discovery HD
HDNet
HDNet Movies
ESPN HD
Shotime HD
HBO HD
HD PPV
CBS HD (if you qualify)

I believe they are in the works of adding Starz HD soon.


And of course there is the VOOM HD satellite that Lex posted about in another thread. I haven't heard too many good things about their receivers elsewhere but I think we have to keep in mind that a lot of people go to forums to try to fix their problems or complain about them. There could be and probably is hundreds or possibly thousands of VOOM customers completely happy with their set up.






SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

[Dan Heath]

Lex and Sonnie,

Thanks for your input. I currently have DirecTV with TiVo. And I'll have to stay with them for another 10 months. Being that I took advantage of their TiVo offer. The DishNetwork offer doesn't sound too bad. I've started looking through Sound&Vision Mag, HomeTheater Mag, this forum, etc... I'll post back when I decide on something. Thanks again

Dan

[Chris D]

I personally own two HD receiver/tuners for DirecTV that I got SUPER cheap. Good Guys was having a deal where you could get the Hughes E86 complete system with dish installed for only $199, so I picked that up, and when I bought a plasma TV it came with the Zenith HD520 receiver free. Both receivers are also HD OTA tuners, so I get all local channels too, without a separate tuner. The E86 has some bad reviews, with some people having channels "drop out" of the unit and not be able to pick them up. But I haven't had a single problem with the unit yet, and am quite pleased.

The Zenith 520 is the next generation from the E86 and better, including a DVI output. It gives me better performance, so I've got this one in my theater, but I think I like the on-screen channel guide and word search features better in the Hughes.

Both models are being replaced with new models that are better, so I'm already outdated. Thankfully, not obsolete, though. I really like my HD package on DirecTV, and new channels are being added to it.




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[CWD]

I have DirecTV and use the Sony SAT-HD200 HDTV tuner with my satellite service and with my antenna for the local over-the-air HD channels. I had to buy it on my own given HDTV was new to DirecTV, so I bought it at Circuit City and, yes, it was pricey. I am very happy with it, though. Programming guide is very similar to my Hughes TIVO DirecTV unit in my family room. The unit automatically searches for stations and configures both the satellite and antenna inputs when asked. Picture quality is great...although I use the DVI output to my Toshiba RPTV, not the component or S-video ouput, so I can't speak to those outputs capabilities. Signal strength meter is handy...and readily demonstrated why I had to buy an antenna amplifier to get all my local over-the-air HD channels.

Only quirk I don't like is that once you select which channels you want to keep in your active channel list, you need to leave the box on and never turn it off. Once you do that, everything is back, which means you have to go back and delete the analog over-the-air stations all over again from the channel list.

This unit has been replaced with the Sony SAT-HD300 which doesn't have the problem I mentioned above, or so I am told and is cheaper.