I was told by a co-worker that if you have a HD TV, then you do not need a HD box from your cable provider.
What is needed for a HD TV. do you have to get digital cable?? if you have a HDTV or one that is “HD Ready”, do you need a HD box from comcast, or can you just order HD, and they change the signal???
Some HD channels are broadcasted on air. Your ABC, NBC, CBS, WQED. If you want to watch things like Discovery, ESPN, TNT, HBO, etc. then you would need a cable box
I think it depends the provider. I have a dish and when i got my HDTV I was told I need to upgrade my box and pay $20/month. From what I understand/was told for cable you just have to pay $5/month. I could be wrong tho.
I have a digital package and dvr from comcast… when I got my HDTV TV, I just had to plug it in (using the right cable) and it was already there… the basic cable box upstairs (on a non HDTV) doesn’t have any HD…
You must have the HD box to get HD programming period.
Comcast offers an HD box for the same price as a regular digital box. If u want the dvr, it’s $10 more. Number of HD channels depends upon where you live, if you count the premium channels we currently get 24.
Over-the-air HD is supposed to be even better picture than cable or satellite. I haven’t tried it so I don’t know for sure.
From what I was told…Dish has more HD Channels…is this true?
i heard the same thing, my comcast only offers me like 10-14 channels in hd, the picture is amazing tho. especially discovery hd.
i love my hd
dish does have more… whats funny is that direct said by 2008 they would have over 150+ HD channels… luckily i haven’t started to hold my breathe. Comcast has an alright package but dish is ‘better’ from a mere selection and package deal… they buy into packages of deals to push HD, dish just got new TBS and something else… i think i have 26 channels now?
i also use over the air… the benefit is that dishTV does not produce local channels in HD yet… they claim they will but haven’t … ask showtime about it! i use the radioshack over the air antenna just so that i can watch steeler games in HD and be able to sync it to the radio… the quality of hd is a resolution so it’s not better or worse if it’s true HD… its’ all equal.
some tvs have over the air antennas but they have been said to not be as strong as an external… my cheap over the air processes it into coaxle whereas my HD dish box has an HDMI connection… they seem to be the same as far as quality is concerned… my Fox HD channel over the air is equally as crisp as any movie channel on dish.
i 
HD
my tv has a built in hd tuner to pick up hd channels thru air, and its really hit or miss. sometimes it looks really good then other times its grainy. i wanna get the channels but i’m so pissed at comcast i dont wanna give them anymore of my money
How much would it cost for a pretty basic package from comcast that would have DVR and HD programming? We are paying like 60 a month for dish w/ DVR and no HD and they said it would cost an additional like 30 bucks a month for HD and DVR which I don’t want to pay. I will switch to comcast if it is cheaper though. All I want is my basic channels plus NFL network and ESPN.
Where did you get your antenna and how much was it?
In some cases a paper clip is an acceptable antenna for HD service. If not then head to any electronics store and get a hd antenna
U have to check your local area because channel lineups and pricing vary.
I think what you asked for would be around $70 + $5 for NFL in my area.
I’ll have to call Comcast and look into it. Thanks!
here’s the deal.
if you have a HDTV with built in HD Tuner then you just need a antenna & you can get all the locals free if you get good reception. (abc, nbc, cbs, fox, pbs, etc… its about 7-10 total)
if your tv does not have a HD tuner then you need a box. to get the free over the air stuff ( i have a LG one for sale in teh classifieds thats an HD tuner & upscaling DVD player)
any provider you use will give you a box if you want HD from them (dish, direct & comcast)
all the providers offer HD locals but dish & direct might not be able to offer them if the Pgh locals are on a Satillite that is not viewable from your location (tree, hills, etc…) both Sat providers have the HD channels mirrored on mutiple satillites but the cities locals are not, so in my case a tree is blocking the view to the one with Pgh locals…so i have my atenna picking up the locals & the antenna is plugged into the Dish box & integrates the channel with the sat channels so they are all on the guide.
as far as picking a provider… its Dish or Direct hands down… Comcast is WAY behind is SUCKS!!
Direct beefed up thier lineup & has almost the same amount of HD as dish does. So you have to check to see which as the channels you like.
one catch… most of Dish’s lineup is 24/7 HD all the Voom channels are & most of the others are too. From what ive heard the channels that direct has that Dish does not have (FX, speed, scifi , etc…) they have limited HD…meaning they broadcast in HD when applicable. so if a show is not HD is just in regulalr SD.
where Dish’s channels are usually HD 100% of the time.
dish’s HD is growing…added TBS, animal planet, history, etc…within the past couple months, but since direct was so far behind they are at a rapid groth right now… i think they added 7 channels last week & 14 the 2 weeks before that.
just to give you an idea…i have a the silver pakage (gold is better) & i get about 40+ HD channels including locals. I think with either if yu max it out & get all the premium (showtime, hbo, etc…) you can get up near 60+
comcast is still under 20 last time i checked.
if you need any more info let me know
+$30 more seems high to me.
i have 3 Tv’s, 1-HDTV, 2 standard tv’s, 40+ HD channels, DVR dual tuner on the 2 standard tv’s & pay about $75
i have the silver package, there is bronze, sliver & gold. peep the PDF file with the differences http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/whats_on_dish/programming_guides/HD_Channel_Lineup.pdf
DVR service is just $4.99 per month. right now i think they have an offer where if you upgrade to HD service you get a HD DVR(dual tuner that can control 1 HDTV & one standard TV). thats what i want to get once i get another HDTV for my bedroom.
i bet you can get HD & DVR & star around 60-70 espically if you go with bronze package. thats at least $10 less then silver.
also check direct.
but if your intersted in HD, i would steer clear of comcast… lineup suck for the price you pay & the quality is not on point with the Sat. providers.
i’m curious to see what Verizon will over when Fios TV comes out.
one other tidbit…i keep reading rumors of Dishnetwork & AT&T merging.
I have dishnetwork as well…was told i need to pay $200 for a new receiver and will have to pay $20/mo for HD and $5/mo for DVR…is that what you pay? I think $20/mo for HD is a bit high
also another misconception
you don’t need an “HD” antenna
any antenna will do…do pay more $$$ cause the box has “HD” written on it.
i have 2… a amplified indoor trek antenna & a old crappy roof mount directional antenna that gearhead gave me off one of his old RV’s
both work pretty much the same…roof mount is usally better due to location but more affected by bad weather
obviously some brands & styles are better then other & you get what you pay for, but 9x out of 10 a $30 indoor is gonna do the same as a $50 indoor one labled “HD”
it all has to do with your location, type of house(brick, wtc…) if your getting an indoor. also there are regular rabbit ear type, other normal ones & then directional one. then they come amplified & non amplified.
unless your in a prime location less then 10 miles from all the networks, I would recommend a roof mount. cause you’ll get frustrated moving an indoor one all over the house trying to get the best signal.
i pay the $20 for HD.
io think Direct is around $16 maybe…i heard is “slighly” less.
as fas as the 200 for the new box… if you currently do not have HD, i think you can upgrade for free & get the incentives.
its all BS cause i hate how all the incetives are for “new” customers.
no matter what the product is, cel phones, TV service, etc… current customers get shafted “new” customer get all the perks
now since i have HD already if i decide to get the HD-DVR i have to pay $149 for equipment upgrade.
but i’d call & see what you can squeeze out of them, tell them you’re considering switching because of HD & maybe they will offer it to you @ a discount trail rate or discount the equipment fee. …they hate loosing customers.
if they don’t budge & if your not in the contract anymore…just switch to Direct so you get all the new customer perks.
directvs 100+ channels are coming in the 4th quarter of this year
still the big problem with that is that most of the channels don’t offer anything in hd content wise, its just upconverted from 480i so it still looks like ass
also directv compresses a lot of signal so some people have stated that compared to cable and ota hd satellite looks like crap