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Post by xzi on Feb 22, 2008 1:15:48 GMT -5
I am a bit confused, someone please help follow this. If most of the people on this chat page have a cable tuner from tW and a cablecard why not just watch the new hd chs on the cable tuner? I use the 8300 and it works on the sdv stuff mentioned. My tv had cablecard as well. I rarely use it and it only costs me a couple bucks so I don't feel too left out. My thought is its a old tech now. I read the fcc forced tv companies to incorporate cablecard into the sets maybe abit too early in the HD world. I read the tru2way devices that are being dev now are all going to be compatible with sdv and would be able to get these new chs. Looking around at the local stores I don't see new tvs having the cablecard since the manufacturers seemed to have abandoned the tech. Now will going to dish or Verison allow me to use my cablecard to pick up channels? It seems that I would need a receiver from them to get the chs just like I do from cable. I would rather get these new hd chs than not personally. If it means death to this cablecard then so be it. With my tail between my legs, back in my dog house for a cold night... Yup, they essentially killed cable card so now you're back to spending $8/mo for each TV again. For my money, the dish is only $5/mo per TV and you get 4x the HD content--and not just premiums.
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Post by xzi on Feb 15, 2008 17:23:25 GMT -5
The fact that the baseball package will be on SDV just seals the deal for me. I'm so glad I'm just reading about all this, and not actually DEALING with it anymore. Frustrating, for sure.
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Post by xzi on Jan 29, 2008 17:04:32 GMT -5
I'm telling ya, I ditched the CableCard thing and I'm never looking back... As hard as TW may be working to get more HD, it sucks that it's at the cost of a decent technology like CableCard so I figured if I have to go back to STBs, I'm NOT doing it at $8/ea with a $10/mo DVR fee.. I'm going DirecTV. I ended up taking the extra step of hiding the boxes in a closet and all of sudden my no-STB dream came true again. As another bonus, their HDMI look GREAT unlike TWs boxes anyway. You can see my setup at www.xzi.com/my-rig and see what I was able to put together to avoid DVR fees and what not, too. If you can do it, their $20/mo. deal is on again for a few more days, I say get it done. Matter of fact, sign up with my account number (PM me for it) with www.directv.com/refer and you'll get another $10/mo off for 5 months, too.
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Post by xzi on Dec 4, 2007 16:37:11 GMT -5
Ugh. I don't miss this at all. I loved my CableCard... now I love my D* dish! I'm glad I never made the investment into CableCard Tivo and Media Center after all. Sucks.
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Post by xzi on Mar 18, 2008 16:23:11 GMT -5
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Post by xzi on Oct 9, 2006 21:04:54 GMT -5
Has everyone noticed "TheTube" on 45-2? Like MTV the way it was...
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Post by xzi on Dec 15, 2005 21:04:22 GMT -5
Also....I'm not picking up UHD with cablecard...must be an authorization problem again... It's working on my CableCARD just fine so it doesnt seem to be a "global" issue.
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Post by xzi on Mar 7, 2008 19:26:23 GMT -5
I don't think Universal HD (1860) is part of the $3.95 HD Tier anymore. I've been getting it w/ my CC and my STB for some time now. (I formerly subscribed to the HD Tier when YES HD was included.) Could be, I know they recently added commercials to UHD.
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Post by xzi on Mar 12, 2008 9:34:04 GMT -5
Does your HD Tivo allow for a separate guide for the kids? I know my ReplayTV didn't, and I know Media Center doesn't. Only place I've ever seen this is on Dish and I have it now with DirecTV too--even the "Only What I Subscribe To" option which is great. Not sure why people don't include it, it's a great idea.
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Post by xzi on Feb 27, 2008 10:51:55 GMT -5
First off,very nice and infromative site, Thank You. I havent had any problems w/ my 8300HD Dvr, but what is 'season pass- firsr runs', does that skip previously airred epsiodes? If so I just make sure when I set up a recording I tell it to record in the particular time slot the "new" epsiode is on. It's a shame for those that think the TW DVR is "how it's done". I've had ReplayTVs and now use Media Center and taken for granted from day one that you just type in "Lost" and say "Record Series, First Runs" and they can move the show to Wednesday--I don't care. They can have late golf coverage move it an hour, I don't care. They can play a re-run in the time slot, I don't care. The TW DVR is JUNK. And for those of you who had ReplayTV 5000s, and now use Media Center, just so you know I'm still automatically skippping commericals, too
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Post by xzi on Feb 19, 2008 21:58:50 GMT -5
Those DirecTV issure are definitely a thing of the past. USSB is LONG gone, and so is Hughes. Last time I had DirecTV I had a local company servicing it too, Pegasus another practice they no longer have.
All equipment is now leased only, and all made/branded as DirecTV so no more Sony, RCA, Philiips recievers etc.
Also, the new 5-lnb dish (Slimline they call it) is so huge, it only goes on the roof these days, and you are required to get it professionally installed (free, ofcourse). I'm sure they are well aware that installing your own dish and buying third-party receivers was a recipe for disaster, and they used the 5-LNB/MPEG-4 conversion as an excuse years ago to force those practices out.
Also, the new Ka signals and spotbeams are less susceptible to rain fade than the older stuff-- much like XM and Sirius' S-band which is not susceptible at all, because they are stronger and wider signals
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Post by xzi on Feb 19, 2008 18:28:52 GMT -5
I'd like to know, too, how many other DIRECTV people we have here. I am definitely one, but I feel alone. I was a CableCard guy until I bought my house in November and cut down a tree for the dish I was so frustrated. You can read my review of DIRECTV after I switch from TW a few months ago here if you'd like: www.whatthedeuce.com/2008/02/technology-and-gadgets/directv-satellite-televisionI'd actually be curious on some feedback, although it does cover all these topics for sure. As for problems, well if you do want to see them, head over DBSTalk or Satelliteguys.us--they are out there but with DIRECTV's CE program, they are usually fixed pretty quickly actually. Once DIRECTV turned up albany locals, I haven't had much to say about them in a while, it's just sit back and wait for them to light up 10 more national HD channels--seems like we get a new 10 every month. I'll also be checking out HD MLB Extra Innings this year for the first time, and I'm psyched.
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Post by xzi on Mar 13, 2006 15:49:38 GMT -5
Also, any idea where "27.5" came from OTA? All of a sudden I get it, labelled "East" and it's just the same as 23.1 as far as I can tell... weird. I didn't expect 27 since it's on VHF-7 I believe.
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Post by xzi on Mar 13, 2006 15:46:13 GMT -5
I noticed that... I think I'd rather have the digital version, was it just "testing"?? Either way, it did have a nasty side effect on my TwinView since the Sony can only show 1 digital source--the right side has to be analog. I can live with it either way I guess since neither is perfect.
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Post by xzi on Mar 8, 2006 20:36:02 GMT -5
I don't have a Sony DVR. I have a Sony TV but it doesn't support the guide data unfortunately, just the XDS data on an individual channel which I'm going to assume will stop working now as well since they don't work on the 480i digital channels, only the NTSC ones and OTA HD.
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