I want to switch from cable but I'm unsure which system to go with. I do want HDTV and I currently have a Tivo if that matters. In addition which reciever is the reciever of choice at this point? Thanks in advance for any information.

First, Echostar, which is the parent of Dish Network, has recently bought DirecTV. As with any merger, it's probably at least a year or two away from having any impact on what the consumer sees. The deal won't even close until the second half of next year (assuming FTc approval, etc)

Dish has more HD right now. HBO, Showtime, and a CBS HD feed, which may or may not be available in your area. DirecTV has HBOHD and a new channel HDNet (www.hd.net).

For HDTV with Dish, you'll need two separate 18 inch dishes. Your limited to only one choice for your receiver, the Dish 6000.

For HD with DirecTV, you can choose from about half a dozen receivers from different manufacturers, and you'll need one oval dish, with multiple LNB's.

If you have any interest in sports packages like NFL, Major League Baseball, NBS, or NHL, DirectTV is the way to go, since they are the one with these packages availalble (not in HD though)

Picture quality is about the same with each.

Let's not forget the DirecTiVo unit, the Philips DSR6000R, for $99 at Circuit City.

Larry

I'll add that there currently is not a receiver on the market that will record HDTV. There are solutions to this but none are desirable in my opinion. Bottom line is, you mentioned you have a Tivo box that will not record HD feeds.

Dave

To correct steve13, Echostar and Hughes have agreed "in pricipal" to a merger. Before that happens, several different agencies will need to aprove the merger. FCC, SEC, FTC to name a few. What will happen is, the DirecTV name will remain, no matter which format is decided upon. Also, both systems will continue operating until ALL hardware for the system that is turned off is replaced. NO ONE will need to incur costs for new hardware. But, this will take 2-3 years to accomplish, should the merger be approved.
Read here: [Link: directtv.com].

The CBS HD feed can be received with any off-air antenna, you dont need a dish for that. so basically, Dish and DirecTV have 2 channels. HBO is upconverted, I dont know about showtime, i would assume that it is also upconverted. BUT, here's the difference, HDNet. Incredible!!!!

Buy DirecTV. Also, they are putting a 3rd satellite in the air next spring to increase their HD feeds.

"The CBS HD feed can be received with any off-air antenna, you dont need a dish for that."

Depends on where you live. You can't get ANY HDTV channels in my area with the execption of PBS which runs a demo loop every once in a while. I think my locals are suppoes to start broadcasting digitally in may of 2002.

I chose the DirecTV Hughes HD Platinum system but It's been raining almost every day here so I haven't got the dish up yet.

As of now they do not make an HD reciever with Tivo built in, and If you already have a Tivo box then you have to make sure that you're DSS receiver is not in the HD mode or nothing will be output to your Tivo box (they will only put out HD or SD, not both at the same time).

Luke

I have just replaced my dish networks with DirecTV,
I had a 2* 4700 recievers and I wanted to start recieving HDTV, I compared a number of systems and decided the SONY HD100 was the way to go, which forced me to go with direcTV, although I was concerned about a bad review I had read on the HD100, it turn out to be a great reciever, living in the SF Bay area I have installed a small external antenna. I now recieve 8 local HDTV channels. The picture definetly looks better I have a projector in my home theatre with a 120inch screen, you can definetly see the difference. The image from the sat might be the same but the decoder makes the differance. Both the 4700, and the 6000 where no where neer as good.

Les