Directv HD dish and receiver advice

So, in celebration of the newly-acquired big-ass tv, we must investigate whether the above-mentioned option is more of a pain than anything.

The sticking point is that said equipment must be (cough, cough) imported. Brief research shows that this new required 3mnb or 5 mnb (or whatever) dish weighs about 35 points and has to be propped up on a tripod or something.

Has anyone acquired this technology without actually having an installation guy come over and set it up? And were you able to upgrade whatever services go with it online?

Thanks in advance. Our local digital cable offering has come a long way from the last time I ordered cable, eons ago, and there is some HD, but I'm thinking ESPN HD is probably not a bad thing.

Gracias.

 

Our charter digital cable offers us ESPN HD along with several other HD channels and we definitely enjoy them as much as the On Demand services.

 

Ah, yes. But this option is unavailable to me in my (cough) location, so the only way is via the dish.

 

First off, congrats on the HDTV. I'm telling you now that you have one you won't want to watch TV on anything else.

I have DirecTV HD and love it. I recommend that you just have them install it. If you are a new customer (which you will be) you might be able to get them to waive the installation fee. I originally had the 3LNB dish and it worked just fine. But I wanted to get my local channels and the local RSNs in Hd and needed the 5LNB dish. So if you want your locals in HD (which I higly recommend) then you should go with the 5LNB dish. It's a little bigger but it will be worth it.

 

I think they can't install it because there aren't Direct TV installers where they (cough) live.

Ballscribe: If you're going to set it on a tripod instead of mounting it on your house, check the web for instructions for RV owners, who often do it this way.

 

Thanks, finally someone able to interpret the (cough).

The current one is mounted on the house, and it's solid, but it's not as heavy as this fancy one is supposed to be.
Don't need the local channels on HD, because the local digital cable has that for most of them.
So I assume that means the 3LNB dish is enough.

 

Ballscribe, try this link:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/

Lots of good tech information on there--and I'm sure there's someone there who can give tips for installation for folks who (cough) live where you do.

 

Thanks for the tip (cough)

 

I had to wait about a week to get the HD-DVR receiver, but it's worth it. Just have the dude come over and install it. It shouldn't take more than an hour, and that's a liberal estimate. Get the HD package. If you're into the NHL, HDNet broadcasts NHL games, and it's phenomenal.