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DirecTV HD question?

I am thinking of buying a new HD rear projection television. If I did this I would probably want to upgrade my DirecTV service to include HD programming which would require me to change my round dish to an oval dish with a triple LNB. However, I recently heard that DirecTV is planning to launch a couple of new satellites in the next year or so. Would this mean that the triple LNB oval dish would have to come down in a year or so and be replaced with some new bigger dish with the capability of receiving signals from four or five different satellites?
mchd1
9 responses Add your response
spectral
3 posts
 
I do not claim to be an expert, but from a marketing point of view it would be a disaster to make their customers change their dishes. Although they are supplyinmg free dishes when someone moves, it would be far too costly to replace all existing dishes, even though HD is not in 100% of their customer base.

Try this link http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ there are some very knowledgeable people here.

Cheers
mejames
986 posts
 
probably not
avguygeorge
2,300 posts
 
My opinion is:---I don't think so. To many people would be shut out.--God knows they don't have that much anyway. With the 3 lnb;most of the programing is on just 2 of them.---BTW I just ordered Voom,I got tired of hearing this/ that channel is in HD--that I don't get.---In the 80's it was "I want my mtv; now it should be "I want Voom;now".---I won't drop D* completely 'cause I need FOX sports chanels.
czapp's avatar
czapp
126 posts
 
There is a short article about this in the latest Perfect Vision. It does say that they are planning to offer as many as 150 HD channels and unfortunately it will require a change to a five LNB dish, and a change of HD receivers. A pain, but certainly worth it.
Regards
Carl
amrik
10 posts
 
I recently spoke with one of their technical persons regarding getting telecast of cricket matches and he mentioned I would need a NEW dish (over and above my 3LNB current Oval dish) and the channel numbers for cricket coverage is 2021 and 2022 (in thousands)! So obviously new dishes are already requred especially to carry the new asian programming which Sky (is this parent company now?) owns in Asia. I am about to order the new dish also and will have more info later.
mchd1 OP
93 posts
 
Just read the short article in The Perfect Vision. Doesn't look like this would be the right time to upgrade to DirecTV HD. I am not interested in putting a new dish up in 6-12 months or taking the risk of having to trash a $1000 HD TIVO DVR box.
maineiac
649 posts
 
I am upgrading the DirectTV HD this week and will use my current SD Tivo but be able to watch HD programming as well. I figure most HD watching will be live sports and movies so the lack of Tivo for HD for a while should be tolerable. I think the feature I will miss the most is the back button. I wish I could have it for everyday conversation.
avguygeorge
2,300 posts
 
I get it now--duh// If you want the newer impeg 4 ; --yes--you will have to change out the dish and receiver. But the old stuff will still get what you have now.
mrvordo's avatar
mrvordo
151 posts
 
I saw the Perfect Vision article too, and have up graded to DirecTV's HD service for my new plasma. It's great by the way, just not extensive. According to DirecTV, (I asked several different people at different levels)they will be launching 3 sat.s this year and didn't think it would require another dish if you have the 3lnb dish now. I know how this stuff goes, but maybe the 3 lnb will handle it.
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