I have DirecTV. I am very happy with it. Wife spends mucho time with VCR for soaps, etc. Would like to Christmas her with a DVR, but while I'm a techie by trade, I've purposefully stayed away from the entertainment center tech since 5.1 DD came out (way too tempting for me, would spend $TEXAS if not restrained).

What is my best option? I am on a budget, but at the end of the day, I want it to be worth the money, so cheapin' out is not my aim. I have a 50" conventional projection big screen that can do HD (up to 1080i, not p).

DirecTV sells their DVR unit for $99 with a $5.99/mo. program guide stuff. Is it the best option? What about other options (if possible)? Can I buy these second-hand, etc.?

11/7/2006 11:41:27 AM

You pretty much can only use the DirecTV DVR, because no other DVR will decode the DirecTV signal. It's your best option for the most convenience. You'll have to pay DTV another $5/month.

Your other option is to find a DVR with a little controller connection that can change the channel on the DirecTV as needed. The problem with this is that you lose the coolest features like pausing liveTV, and dual tuner recording.

11/7/2006 11:47:14 AM

ok, good info! Thanks!

What about the HD + DVR receiver? Can't find a straight answer on this on their site, but must you get an HD add-on service to take advantage of the receiver? I miss the TW HD receiver that could get the HD channels without the extra subscriptions. I need some HD NFL action this year without getting NFL Total Choice or whatever the hell they call it.

And do I have to have a phone line hooked up to this thing? I don't order PPV or stuff like that, but we use Vonage and the router's a ways away from the TV.

Used receivers a possibility? Ebay, etc.?

11/7/2006 11:55:03 AM

^ from what I understand you would only need the phone line to order PPV. The guide and all of that should come through the box from the statelite. Although I am not positive because I don't actually have it yet.

if you want to get away with no monthly fees you can look into Beyond TV (http://www.snapstream.com). They have tuner cards that can be set up to change the channels on ur DirecTV box and record to a computer which you can hook up to ur tv.

[Edited on November 8, 2006 at 3:10 PM. Reason : .]

11/8/2006 3:09:01 PM