Directv HD: Any good?

[Mr_Bester]

I have DirecTV and I see more issues with OTA CBS during Letterman(macroblocking) than I see on any of the other channels. There is currently no way to tell what the bitrate or resolution on MPEG4 channels is, so, if you see any numbers, they are referring to MPEG2. There are only a small handful of MPEG2 that will be switched over to MPEG4 most likely within the year.

I don't know about Dish.

Also, as shitty as their HDM threads are, the local threads are good at AVM$. I frequent the St. Louis thread, and aside from a couple of cable trouble makers, we haven't had any problems. (Not all of the cable people were troublemakers, there were 2 that caused most problems)
Dug

[Sling]

Originally Posted by Spankey

How many? 3 out of 70+? HDNet and HDNet movies have looked spectacular lately.

Mpeg2 Channels
70 , 71 ,72 ,73, 74 ,75 , 76 , 78 ,79
I also believe that NFL & NHL ticket channels still fall into mpeg2 as well..

[Nick Graham]

We just switched to DirecTV, and got HD service. PQ is generally really good, but you can still get some pretty atrocious compression on rare occasions (the end of Blade on Starz HD last weekend was a mess of pixels - it contains a lot of flashing lights and tons of fast movement, so it really brings the bitrate to its knees). Overall I've been really impressed. If you order over the net now, you can pretty much get the hardware and installation free ($99 if you want HD-DVR) and three months free of all the movie channels. I've been enjoying some movies that likely won't hit BD for a while, such as From Dusk Till Dawn and Batman Returns over the weekend. Empire Strikes Back looked excellent in HD as well.

A word of warning though: the movie channels generally crop or open up 2:35:1 movies to 1:77:1 to fill up the screen. I'm anal about such things when it comes to packaged media, but on mainstream channels like HBO I figure it's par for the course. FX and TNT have had some reall solid HD transfers of movies as well (although they are still edited for content unfortunately).

I'm currently pulling distant feeds of Fox and NBC in HD, and will hopefully have ABC and CBS soon assuming the FCC waivers get approved. I'm hoping they get an HD feed of CW soon.

[GarettP]

The DirecTV HD Channels that are broadcast MPEG4 look awesome. Smithsonian HD, MHD, the NFL Network games that are broadcast HD are great. TNT and TBS need to work on their HD Content, as well as Spike and Speed, but I say go for the DirecTV.

[Spankey]

They may be MPEG2 but at least two of those are 720P channels. They are not downrezzed. HBO and Showtime are also among those channels. However, if you subscribe to HBO or Showtime the full res channels are available at their usual channel designation. At the very least, the West feed of both is MPEG-4. Cinemax and Starz are full res.

Something is going on with HDNet and HDNet movies as they look better than they have. I wouldn't be surprised if they have been given a bit rate boost. MPEG-2 is broadcast standard.

[Sling]

Channles that really need some big time work are,

Crappy refresh SQ out of sync
247 TBSHD
518 STZKHD
520 STRZHD

[conradjohnsonfan]

Originally Posted by MozartMan

Cable.

See link in my previous post.

my charter cable looks like crap. Don't assume because it is cable that it automatically is better. Cable companies have limited bandwidth, too, and unless you are privy to live in an area where you can get Fiber to the home or SDV, you are likely to get more of the same crap from your cable provider. My HD cable is macroblock city, and with the promising reports of MPEG-4 channels on dish, I am contemplating the switch.

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Spankey

They may be MPEG2 but at least two of those are 720P channels. They are not downrezzed. HBO and Showtime are also among those channels. However, if you subscribe to HBO or Showtime the full res channels are available at their usual channel designation. At the very least, the West feed of both is MPEG-4. Cinemax and Starz are full res.

Something is going on with HDNet and HDNet movies as they look better than they have. I wouldn't be surprised if they have been given a bit rate boost. MPEG-2 is broadcast standard.

While ESPNHD and ESPN2HD are not downrezzed, they could use a little more bitrate.

HBO-HD (70, 501) and Showtime-HD (71, 537) are among the WORST downrezzed/bit-rate starved channels on DirecTV... but DirecTV now offers MPEG4 versions of the West Coast feeds, so you can always DVR the WC feeds.

I haven't seen HDNet Movies recently, so I can't comment on them, but they are the other MPEG2 HD channel that DirecTV bit-rate starved the worst, so it could certainly use a boost!

~Alan

[Paden]

I've been an DirecTV guy for years and I'm still very happy with their service and quality. The picture I get isn't up to Blu quality levels but it's a great picture and the number of HD Channels is outstanding.

I'd NEVER go back to cable.

Think of it this way, when a new national channel comes out, say NFL Network, they have one point of contact to negotiate with and BAM! DirecTV has the channel. Contrast that with all the cable operators out there who have bandwidth limitations, quality issue with the feeds they already provide, mom and pop deals they have to satisfy. There's no reason to put up with that crap from cable if you have a clear view of the SW sky. And if you're a football fan, the NFL package can only be found on DirecTV.

[Moefiz]

I am in central PA and I have Direct TV HD. Most of my local channels i get In HD, so far I am happy,once in awhile especially with Fox, I get voice sync problem but nothing major.They do off alot of Hd channels but you have to subcribe to it.

[Maxell]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Anyone know how many HD hours the DVR can record? And is it possible to transfer to hard disc or a pc?

[Paden]

Originally Posted by Maxell

Thanks for the quick replies!

Anyone know how many HD hours the DVR can record? And is it possible to transfer to hard disc or a pc?

I think 30 of HD and 80 of SD.

[mgonzo2u]

I've had DTV for over 10 years. Never had a billing issue and service is prompt when you call and request it.

I've had DTV HD for over 3.5 years now and love it.

No, its not 1080P but it sure beats any SD feed by a mile and that makes my family TV entertainment all the more enjoyable.

I also have the latest from DTV HD DVR in the HR20-700 (records 30 HD hours or 200 SD hours). HD sports look great.

I don't know how anyone can knock DTV HD as it has the most useable HD channels around and it looks great (although your paired HDTV is important for the best picture).

Good luck with your decision.

[jsteinhauer]

I've never had Dish, so I have no comparison, but customer service for DirecTV has been phenomenal compared to any experience I have had in the past with cable companies, and I subscribe to Sunday Ticket, so I have the service I need.

I will contribute that if HD local programming is important to you, an OTA antenna is the best way to go. It's completely uncompressed.

[MozartMan]

Originally Posted by Maxell

Thanks for the quick replies!

And is it possible to transfer to hard disc or a pc?

Yes, it is possible to transfer video to PC without re-encoding from cable HD DVR via firewire. I don't think it is possible with DTV. With Dish, as far as I know, you have to buy additional hacked hardware. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

There is a huge thread on AVS about:

How to record via IEEE 1394 (Firewire) to Windows XP

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=403695

Here is another good guide:

http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/index.html

[japuva]

On DIRCETV you can get 200 hours of standard record and up to 50 hours of HD to record

[gearyt]

Been a DirecTV customer since giving up on cable, many years ago... never going back

The new "21" Series receivers & DVR's are out
they are Black instead of silver

[BluDomain]

Originally Posted by mgonzo2u

.....I also have the latest from DTV HD DVR in the HR20-700 (records 30 HD hours or 200 SD hours). HD sports look great.
.........

I think the HR21-700 is the newest, but it does not do OTA. If you
rely on OTA for broadcast stick with the HR20-700. And the HR20-700
merges OTA programming scheduling flawlessly. Free also, but my
local channels screw up now and then. Not so much now as
a year plus ago. Learning curve for everyone.

That said I have had DirecTV for some time and the HR20-700 for
over a year. I wouldn't be without it.

DirecTV contracts out installation, and some of them are not
well versed in showing you how to get the most out of the
equipment. I'd recommend you go to BestBuy and have
Magnolia do it. Their installers know much more than the
even their own store clerks do.

I have an expensive Universal Remote, but I find that
the HR20-700 remote does so much I rarely use the
Universal except for to control the curtains, house lights
and etc. It's small, fits you hand, and really easy to
use blindly.

You have to pay extra for some HD channels like $10
for HD access and another $5 for HDNet Movies and
UniversalHD, but well worth it. I just watched "Chariots
of Fire" which was good quality considering. But not on any release
schedule so far. There are others. The HD PPV has a fair
selection of new releases which you can record for
30 days. Outside of PPV your recordings are permanent
unless you run out of space. I pay $117 per month and
have everything except subscription Sports. I don't even
watch the free ones [Sports] and there are plenty. Also, they
have a variety of ethnic subscription channels like
Chinese, Persian and etc if that is your thing. Big on
alternate Spanish channels. I get about 600 channels,
but only have about 140 marked in my guide of which
40 are HD out of about 100 HD available.

I have no idea how DirecTV compares to cable or DISH
as I've never had them. I suppose you'll get bashers
from all sides, but read the contract carefully as with
all providers it is expensive to switch back and forth
every few months. So you bill goes up, but the
opposition is not far behind.


I love the TIVO-like recording as I don't get time to
sit down and watch primetime until 9 or 10PM. No
worries or missing an episode. In five years one storm
knocked out reception for about 30 minutes. And if
you live in snow country don't mount the dish on the
roof. Rarely happens that wet snow that sticks comes
from the right direction, but at least once each Winter
I have had to go outside to clear the snow off. Not about
to get up on the roof in a blizzard, so mine is mounted
on the side of the house with access by a small, light ladder
6 foot household ladder. I see most on roofs though.

The only downside is the DirecTV website. Not friendly
and slow, but once you get the hang of it you can
maintain your account fairly easy.

The very best website for satellite information is
http://www.dbstalk.com/ Don't waste your time
on AVS

[DViper2399]

Abssoloute Best ...you will not get better HD anywhere else!!!

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by BluDomain

DirecTV contracts out installation, and some of them are not
well versed in showing you how to get the most out of the
equipment.

Yeah, and don't let them come and install the dish without YOU being there. They will F it up, because your wife won't pay enough attention to tell them what dumbarses they are. I practically have a seizure every time I look at the side of the house.