DirecTV 2K5
Posted January 17th, 2005 @ 10:52pm by Erik J. Barzeski
DirecTV sent me an email (no doubt everyone else got it to, no, I don't think I'm special) announcing some plans for 2005. They include:
- Four new HDTV satellites (for over 1500 channels)
- New 100-hour DVR with more interactive capabilities
- Mover's connection
- Refer a friend, get a free month of service
- Better website
In other words, I care only about the first two. The second will be interesting - DirecTV is preparing to split on its dependence on the TiVo. In many ways, the TiVo is an awesome machine - easily hacked, nice features, awesome remote, great UI - but it's starting to show its date. It's sometimes SO SLOW I finish a chapter in a book waiting for it to schedule or delete a schedule or a recording.
Donate Life
Posted 18 Jan 2005 at 12:38am #
I'm not sure what the cost is to get DVR and HDTV, and considering that I don't have an actual Hi-Def television I probably won't be getting it anytime soon. I am curious, though, as to if you feel it's worth the added cost. Maybe one day I can afford such cool toys.
Posted 18 Jan 2005 at 12:48am #
I don't have a high-def TV either. My TiVo costs all of $4.99/month.
Posted 18 Jan 2005 at 1:41am #
i have been wanting to get a tivo for the last year... but i haven't bucked up on the $$$ even though its small really
in the next few months i will finally buck up
Posted 18 Jan 2005 at 3:39am #
I'm HDTV-capable (b/c my only TV is a Mac with an EyeTV-box), but the only HDTV channel on my satellite (Astra 19.2E) is a demo channel which plays the same (great looking) 30sec tape over and over... 🙁
Back on topic, a real computer is the best DVR you'll ever be able to get. Mac mini + EyeTV + bluetooth keyboard/mouse would be a great combo.
Posted 18 Jan 2005 at 9:47am #
DTV showed off the new DVR and other new technologies at CES. check out places like DBSTalk and the tivo community for more info.
The most interesting thing they were showing off was the new Home media Center that comes out at the end off the year. It's going to be a master DVR with 4 tuners (and the ability to link to another one and have it act as one) and somewhere in the neighborhood of 300GB of space, with small tuner-less client boxes that connect to the master, allowing you to have full DVR, music, and picture functionality anywhere in the house. It even has the ability to let you pause a show and move it to another box. Really sweet stuff that lessens the blow of losing TiVo 🙂
I honestly can't wait for the new HMC and Hi-def locals (what the new sats are being used for) this year. I've been holding off on buying an HD set until there was more viable content, and it looks like that will be by the end of the year (Happy holidays to me!)