I've given up on HDtv for now

[tenaya]

First, let me mention a interesting website where people can make public their rotten neighbors. www.rottenneighbor.com/ I was cruising the posh areas to see what sort of bad habits people complain about.

A techie rambling about electronic toys:
Anyway, as far as I can figure out, if one has satellite tv, one doesn't need to have HD hardware after 2009. I was thinking about getting a HD Tivo, but I understand that the DISH HD hardware can't be used with Tivo. So, if I want to keep Tivo--which I do--I need to find another provider. I can't stand cable though. Verizon keeps sending me FIOS ads, but then their automated/web stuff states it's not available in my area. If so, why do they send me stuff about once week, then? Why did someone dig up my front yard to put fiber optics in it? Why can't I find a real human to talk to? I followed a bread crumb trail of phone numbers and never got anywhere after being referred to at least six phone numbers.

I will wait for FIOS to see what they offer. Or maybe DISH will change their receivers to be Tivo compatible. Anyway, it sounds like Tivo ran out of their Series 3 boxes. Hopefully the next model will have a big honkin' hard drive!

So, I went out tonight and bought a little TV to replace the one in the front room that died a few months ago. Our original Tivo is in there happily grinding away even though we couldn't see all the eps of Bones that had been taped. But tomorrow is the Superbowl and I want to see the commercials. Mom will be watching ice skating so, I had to get a tv tonight. The nice thing is that this is the right time of year to buy one with all the sales that are on. And apparently this tv will accept HD whenever we decide to go that route.

The really funny part was when I brought in the TV tonight. I had Mom stand guard on the door so Brindle wouldn't run out. I bought in this cardboard box that was about 15x19x4. Mom looked perplexed and said, "I thought you bought a tv?" "I did." "Where's the rest of it?" "This is all we need!" She was very impressed; I think it was one of those "the world is changing by leaps and bounds before my very eyes" moments for her.

The bottom line is I've put off the big technology change over for at least a year. If I can keep using the stuff I have, I will continue to do so until something valuable breaks.

Comments

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

I am soooo wanting not to have to use Time-Warner or any other cable TV service. I haven't been motivated yet to switch from AT&T to Verizon for FIOS, but AT&T's version of FIOS will apparently never arrive in LA. I share your frustration at being sent adverts for the "U-Verse", and then being told "oh sorry, we don't offer it in your area". That PISSES ME OFF! It's been something like 2-3 years they've been dangling it in my face.

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

That's frustrating. Unbelievable that they can throw money away like that by flooding advertising to places that they don't service. Idiots!

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

I am in a similar bind with the HD stuff. I use DirecTV and I hate the cable company in this area. Also, toolman does not want to switch from DirecTV because he gets the sports package things that the cable companies don't have.

I wanted a Series 3, because the HD Tivos are so ugly, but I can't see the purpose of buying one if I'll never be able to sue. Toolman mentioned that maybe we could get cable *also* downstairs, but we really can't afford that. Maybe once the kids are out of college, but that's many years away.

I think I'm just going to continue using my Series 2 Tivos even when everything is HD. That's what the guys do upstairs, though most of their channels are not HD. The Tivo recordings look just fine on the HD TV, though.

We have an HD TV upstairs, and we are planning to get one for downstairs before the end of next year. I want to get one for my office, too, but we'll see.

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

It's good to hear Tivo looks good on the HD sets.

I must admit to some curiosity: "I wanted a Series 3, because the HD Tivos are so ugly, but I can't see the purpose of buying one if I'll never be able to sue."

Sticky key? Sue?

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

**giggle** I read that when I was reviewing my comment before reading yours, and... WTF? I honestly have no idea what I was trying to write. Maybe I meant "use it"? That seems to make sense. I need to have some idea that I'll be able to use it, though it was tempting when the prices came way down.

For the next year or two, I'm willing to see how it goes. It sucks that I'll rarely see most things in HD, because I never watch anything except what I've recorded or what's on DVD.

We record mostly at "high quality" and that looks good on the HD TV. I've also downloaded from Amazon Unbox a few times. Those files are of a better quality than "Best Quality " on the Tivo and they look quite nice IMHO.