boredsilly

So I'm finally ready to upgrade to a satellite provider since my local cable company blows. For the last few years our USA looks like a scrambled ppv channel at least 40% of any given week, and I love me some Dead Zone, so digital cable has got to go.

Here my question though - What is the difference between Direct Tv with a seperate Tivo box and Direct Tivo? Reason why I ask is because you have to plunk down more money to get a Direct Tivo box up front. Is it just better intergration or what?

My plan is to just buy an old refurbished 14 hour Tivo box for 100 bucks (thanks to another thread on this board for pointing it out) and upgrading the time if there isn't that much benefit to direct tivo outside of having everything in one box.

Also is there a big difference between series 1 and series 2 tivo's? I don't want to get an older model only to lose a ton of funtionality.

Deftones

get the DirecTivo. There are a ton of deals out there where you can get it for $99, a second receiver free and free installation.

Chew

There are all kinds of threads answering your question, but you should go with the DirecTiVo. The picture quality will be better as it records digitally (standalone receives analog, stores digitally). You'll also get 5.1 with the DirecTiVo, you won't with the standalone.

Y2K Falcon

Oh!!! The horraaaaaa!!!






On a serious note, for $100 (plus shipping, sorry), and a new directv subscription (sounds like what you want) you can (disclaimer: probably) get a series 2 tivo and another receiver (or two) installed. Here is a link to the current "deal" (which isn't very good) at the place I got mine (installed last monday):
http://www.valueelectronics.com/directv_sys.htm

But if your haggling skills are good, call them and ask for Robert or Wendy. Mention you hearing from them at "the tivocommunity forums" and ask for their best price for what you want (one room tivo only, additional receiver, round or oval dish, etc.). I will say that I received my Philips DSR7000 (35 hour), two additional receivers (hughes GEBOA), and a Triple LNB dish for about your 14 hour price.

So you can see who I am talking about, here is a thread about valueelectronics.com (since you are a 'member' there):
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...hreadid=122526

Their website sucks ass, but their CS is great. Give them a ring. YMMV.

Normally at this point, Huzefa will mention the 'myrate' promo code special at expertsatellite.com for $99 for one tivo receiver (and I'm assuming the dish as well) for a new customer.

Just understand that directv will subsidize in payments to whoever you buy from most of your first tivo, but your second one may be alot more if you need one.

johnglad

The DirecTivo is the best integrated satellite PVR box available by most accounts (I won't link anything to back it up, so you will have to trust me as I have 4 of them). If you can get your local channels with DirecTV, this isn't worth a 2nd thought - just buy one and you'll feel great about it in 1 month (probably 48 hours). You can get 2 inputs, DD 5.1, 2 outputs, etc. etc. etc.

kantonburg

I thought SA's didn't work with DirecTV. Just the DirecTiVo boxes?

Chew

Standalones work with DirecTV in the same way they work with DishNet.

WhattheFFF

My dad currently has DTV & wants to upgrade to D Tivo, he lives by himself so only needs one reciever but he wants to be able to watch the Tivo in multiple rooms. Currently his DTV is wired throughout the house & he has an RF remote that will work from any room. What is the best way to have a simialr setup with D Tivo? & with the Tivo being able to record multiple channels at the same time do you have to pay the mirroring fee?

huzefa

You can also get it for $99 from www.expertsatellite.com fo.... I don't know what it is about that website but it just makes me want to shill for them.

huzefa

He should get an A/V sender (available at any radioshack, bestbuy, CC, etc.). It sends the a/v signals to any room of the house and comes with somekind of connection so that you can control the receiver from any room in the house.

As far as the mirroring fee goes, there is none. The 2 streams count as 1 receiver.

Y2K Falcon

Before I experience the hassle known as radio shack customer service...

Is this similar to those 'rabbit/bunny/whatever' those things were that sent the signal throughout the house? How much would one be? I'd like to catch some of the recorded DTivo stuff in the bedroom occasionally.

Now... The folks in the living room would have to be watching the same thing, no? This could help if someone is playing a video game there at the same time though, or if I just want to watch something while in bed. *coughskinemaxcough*


And, Huzefa, did I miss why you like to 'shill' for Expert? My jump from digital cable to full blown triple lnb/premiere package satellite was quite fast and I might have missed a thread or so. Email me if you don't want to say it publicly.

huzefa

I don't really care about 'expert'; I'm just on a Directv kick for the past month because Dish has been breaking my heart from the start. And of course I can't say enough good things about the Directivo because it truly is one of God's gift to mankind.

Yes, it's the rabbit things that send the signal throughout the house. I think it's about $30 for one set.

The folks in the living room WOULD have to be watching the same thing. So skinemax is out of the question until everybody is tucked in for the night.

Y2K Falcon

Oh well... THAT wouldn't help then. I mean since we have to wait until after kiddie bedtime, it's better to catch skinemax in the living room cause my wife would be in the bedroom.



I may still look into it for that price just for the video game solution, or just for the option of catching something tivoed when I'm in another room.

That being said...





...a 14 hour tivo!?!?!?!?!?!

* passes out *

boredsilly

Thanks for all the help. That being able to record two shows at once really sold me. Know I know what has to be done, but first I must give Comcast Cable the big elbow from the top rope!

Mark Holtz

You got to get a DirecTivo. Trust me. There are instructions for even upgrading the hard drive. Also, it is HIGHLY advisable that you get a triple LNB dish instead of the round dish. The best deals are when you get the system. However, there is a minimum one year commitment at Total Choice or above.

If you are a football fan, then DirecTV's current promotion has you paying $60 for four months. That gets you both NFL Sunday ticket and Total Choice Premiere for four months (and waives the TiVo fee). After the four months is over, you can downgrade to a Total Choice Plus plan.

A good web board is www.dbstalk.com (but then I'm biased).

Jadzia

Can you run coax from the out on on your receiver into another TV and watch a mirror image of the satellite on the other TV?

Or is that not possible to do?

BenCJedi

Yes, That is exactly what I am doing, but with a standalone TiVo. If you get a Turbonet card for a series 1 TiVo, you can put the TiVo on your network and install the TiVoWeb . There's an interface for a remote control to control the TiVo in another room through the web. It's most convenient when the second TV is in the same room as the computer.

Jeremy517

If only there were HD-DirecTivos...

PacMan2006

I actually have a quick question:

What is the significance of One Thumbs up/down compared to three? If I give ONE thumbs down to a show like Home Improvement, how will Tivo interpret this differently compared to two or three thumbs down? How does it affect the suggestions and what it records for me in the future?

Y2K Falcon

I think if you give Home Improvement one thumbs up, it might 'suggest' more family-based comedies, or other shows with Tim Allen, like his stand-up show on Comedy Channel.

If you give it three thumbs up, however, I believe it shoots an electrical shock through the keypad to punish you for giving three thumbs up to a show like Home Improvement.






Actually, I don't spend much time on my thumbs. The thumbs up it puts when I record something combined with the thumbs down I put on some of the crap it puts on my suggestion list is all I do.

Joe

DAC

There is a thread in the Hot Deals forum right now for a D*Tivo for $49 after $50 mail in rabate from CC.

Check it out.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=321281

PacMan2006

I said thumbs down for Home Improvement, not thumbs up...hehe