Help me transition from DirecTV to cable...

linetest · 12-29-06, 08:12 PM

For years and years I had DirecTV (was Primestar first). We don't get cable here. So now I'm moving to a house that has cable TV, and can't get DTV unless a couple hundred trees come down. So, I have a Sony Series one, a Hughes Series 2 and a HR250-10 HD Tivo. Are these useless now? I had also purchased lifetime TiVo with the series one, guess that's out the window.
Is it possible to use the DTV HD receiver with cable? Is the 8300HD from the cable company decent? Or should I spring for the series 3 Tivo? (Ouch, I spent $900 on the DTV HD Tivo not but three years ago!).
Also, I'm in Raleigh Durham NC and Time Warner has cable cards for a couple bucks a month. Does this mean I can ask them for a card and it will work on the Tivo Series 3? Thanks! After ~12 years of satellite, the cable stuff is new to me.

PimpDadd · 12-30-06, 06:58 AM

Well I believe you can transfer the lifetime on the old Tivo to the Series 3 *but only until the end of the year.... (for a nominal $199 fee)

Run4two · 12-30-06, 04:33 PM

I too am transitioning from D* (Since 1993 or 94) to TW cable in SoCal. I too bought equipment at over 1K that will now be useless.

BTW the series 3 Tivo requires two cablecards for full function. I am researching this possibility.

avguygeorge · 12-30-06, 04:50 PM

I switched less than a month ago. I was with D* for 10 years and had good money tied up in equipment as well. I live in So. Calif. and here,we lose ESPN2. Beyond that my bill went up 10 per month.---I have Stars/C-Max/ INHD 1/ &2/ I see we have a new MTV-HD station. I have the SA8300 DVR with HDMI out plus an assorted 30/or more new channels that I never had.---Now I wonder what took me so long to change. I think the promise of mpeg4 giving us 30 hd channels---from a year ago--and never materializing did it for me.

ctxx24 · 01-01-07, 11:46 AM

good luck

gwsat · 01-01-07, 02:30 PM

If you can also get telephone service and high speed Internet from your cable company it will be a good deal for you because cable companies customarily offer package discounts. If you switch, you will then have to decide whether to buy TiVo Series3 or rent an HD DVR from your cable company.

I have used one of my cable company’s Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVRs for years but recently ordered an S3 TiVo to replace it. Doing so is expensive, the TiVo will cost you at least $600 (I paid $629) plus another $199 to transfer the Lifetime Subscription on your DirecTiVo to your S3. Nevertheless, it was worth it to me and to many others because TiVo’s software is dramatically better than the software on cable company furnished DVRs. I had an S1 so I qualify for the same $199 lifetime transfer offer that is available to you.

12-29-06, 08:12 PM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
linetest Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 101	Help me transition from DirecTV to cable... For years and years I had DirecTV (was Primestar first). We don't get cable here. So now I'm moving to a house that has cable TV, and can't get DTV unless a couple hundred trees come down. So, I have a Sony Series one, a Hughes Series 2 and a HR250-10 HD Tivo. Are these useless now? I had also purchased lifetime TiVo with the series one, guess that's out the window. Is it possible to use the DTV HD receiver with cable? Is the 8300HD from the cable company decent? Or should I spring for the series 3 Tivo? (Ouch, I spent $900 on the DTV HD Tivo not but three years ago!). Also, I'm in Raleigh Durham NC and Time Warner has cable cards for a couple bucks a month. Does this mean I can ask them for a card and it will work on the Tivo Series 3? Thanks! After ~12 years of satellite, the cable stuff is new to me.

12-30-06, 06:58 AM	#2 \| Link
PimpDadd Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Pasadena, Ca Posts: 77	Well I believe you can transfer the lifetime on the old Tivo to the Series 3 *but only until the end of the year.... (for a nominal $199 fee) __________________ Stephen

12-30-06, 04:33 PM	#3 \| Link
Run4two Vacation soon! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 683	I too am transitioning from D* (Since 1993 or 94) to TW cable in SoCal. I too bought equipment at over 1K that will now be useless. BTW the series 3 Tivo requires two cablecards for full function. I am researching this possibility. __________________ Jim Mow, fertilize, and properly water the grass and it will grow a nice deep green!

01-01-07, 11:46 AM	#5 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
ctxx24 New Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 13	good luck

12-30-06, 04:50 PM	#4 \| Link
avguygeorge AVS Special Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chatsworth,Ca Posts: 1,082	I switched less than a month ago. I was with D* for 10 years and had good money tied up in equipment as well. I live in So. Calif. and here,we lose ESPN2. Beyond that my bill went up 10 per month.---I have Stars/C-Max/ INHD 1/ &2/ I see we have a new MTV-HD station. I have the SA8300 DVR with HDMI out plus an assorted 30/or more new channels that I never had.---Now I wonder what took me so long to change. I think the promise of mpeg4 giving us 30 hd channels---from a year ago--and never materializing did it for me.

01-01-07, 02:30 PM	#6 \| Link
gwsat AVS Special Member AVS CLUB MEMBER Join Date: May 2004 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 6,851	If you can also get telephone service and high speed Internet from your cable company it will be a good deal for you because cable companies customarily offer package discounts. If you switch, you will then have to decide whether to buy TiVo Series3 or rent an HD DVR from your cable company. I have used one of my cable company’s Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVRs for years but recently ordered an S3 TiVo to replace it. Doing so is expensive, the TiVo will cost you at least $600 (I paid $629) plus another $199 to transfer the Lifetime Subscription on your DirecTiVo to your S3. Nevertheless, it was worth it to me and to many others because TiVo’s software is dramatically better than the software on cable company furnished DVRs. I had an S1 so I qualify for the same $199 lifetime transfer offer that is available to you.