Dumb HDTV receiver question

[MikeF]

I have just purchased a 46F500 and have it hooked to Dish Network. Using DVD's the picture is great but the satelite feed is a different story. I know that to get the HD channels that Dish Net offers you have to change (or add) a dish. What I would like to know is this. If I was to purchase a JVC or Echostar 6000 receiver off Ebay can it just be used to enhance the signal off of my Dish500 dish? I also get all my locals over the Dish. I know that the signal gets upgraded somewhat by the HDTV receiver and just want to make sure it will be worth the dollars.

[LeeS]

New Dish receivers are due out shortly. Do a forum search for 'PVR921'. There are posts about the new JVC and the PVR921 STB's.

Its my opinion of course, but I don't think I'd buy the old unit (which requires add on modules) when the new STB's are close to being released.

I think you will be disappointed and it won't be worth the dollars.

IMHO,
Lee

[MikeF]

Thank's for the replay, Lee. I had read that thread before. Waiting on the 921 will not be something I need to do. For no more tv than I watch, I cannot justify $1000 for a receiver. The 801 maybe, but if I could get a 6000 in the $250-350 range, which looks possible, that I can justify. If it will improve the picture quality to the levels I saw in BestBuy. I had noticed 2 16:9 RPTV's sitting next to each other, one with a near-DVD quality picture and one with the PQ like mine. Both were showing the same CART race, which I doubt was a pure HD broadcast. I asked a Sales guy what the difference was and he said that one set was getting the signal from a normal sat receiver and the other from a HDTV receiver. He then changed the vid imput on the normal one to the HD and they both had the GREAT PQ. (I know BestBuy was using DirecTV and not DishNet). So if I can get that kind of improvement in PQ for under $500, that I can justify. I don't use PIP and the only thing I record is Nascar. Anything I need better quality I just capture with my computer and convert to SVCD.

[LeeS]

I'm with you on the $1000. The HD programming on DISH would have to get alot better.

I don't know how the 6000 receiver converts the 480i to 480p or what ever. I haven't been down that road. My tv coverts all 480i and 480p to 540p. Might be why I'm not having an issue with what I'm getting off my standard Dish receiver.

I do know that the 6000 requires an add on module to receive HD OTA transmissions, also a module to receive Discovery HD, but it didn't sound like that was what you were interested in.

What kind of a HD receiver were they using at the store?

Good Luck,
Lee

[MikeF]

I don't know the model as I am not familiar with DirecTV, but he said it was just the standard HDTV receiver. But I am going to take your advice and wait now. I watched the Tech Forum last night on chan#101 in which they discussed the Super dish and the new receivers. I also had a conversation with a DishNet retailer in my area about the same. He said he has been told September for the Super Dish and the 811 receiver. I can wait that long. I liked what they said on the forum about the cost of the 811 - $299.00. The dealer also told me that what would be the locals to me, Topeka, KS, would also be available early next year. I get my standard channels from Kansas City at the moment. He thought that I would need to have access to the 3rd satellite to get them though, hence the need for the Super Dish. I did clear up the PQ just a bit last night. I tried using an S-video cable instead of the RCA A/V cable that I was using. It is the one I use to connect to my computer so it is way too long, about 12'. I will pick up a 3 footer tonite and see what happens.