Satellite Receiver, Cable Box and HD DVR Reviews
Every HDTV needs a satellite or cable receiver of some kind. In today’s market our satellite and or cable providers tend to include the hardware but where do you go for honest reviews of the latest components? Right here is the answer. Whether you are using Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, Dish Network, DirecTV or any other national service – you will find reviews of their HDTV receivers here.
DirecTV HR24 Satellite Receiver and HD DVR Reviewed
Reviewer Adrienne Maxwell decided to upgrade her system with the DirecTV HR24 Satellite Receiver and HD DVR, and it proved to be quite the upgrade according to her review.... Click Here To Read The Full Review
AT&T U-verse DVR and Service Reviewed
U-verse is a fiber optic based broadband service capable of supplying high speed Internet, phone service and digital TV to residences. Overall reviews of the picture quality, especially in HD, were not very favorable and there was little to separate this product from the competition...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
TiVo Premiere HD DVR Reviewed
There are two models to consider here: the TiVo Premeire and the TiVo Premeire XL. It features a 320GB hard drive and provides up to 45 hours of HD recording. You can record up to two shows at the same time or watch one show while recording another. There are a ton of Web and networking friendly features...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
Moxi HD DVR Reviewed
Moxi has been making a name for itself in the DVR industry and we can see why. There are two and three tuner configurations available and this model features a 500GB hard drive with the ability to add more storage. It permits access to Netflix, Rhapsody, Hulu and many more and the service is free once you pay for the box...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
DirecTV HR23 Satellite Receiver and HD DVR Reviewed
This is the next step up from DirecTV's HR21. It has a larger hard drive which allows for about 100 hours of HD recording and 400 hours of SD recording. No BBC box is required to get the full HD lineup. However, even through you pay to "buy" this DVR, DirecTV still owns it and charges monthly equipment fees...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
Home Theater Review 2009 Best of Awards
Home Theater Review Editors have searched high and low, near and far, for the best products of 2009, from HDTVs to receivers, speakers to Blu-ray players, and more. Check to read the best in LED and LCD HDTV reviews here on HomeTheaterReview.com.... Click Here To Read The Full Review
DirecTV H20 Satellite Receiver Reviewed
Like DirecTV's television signal, the HD picture quality is better than many cable services. This box is easy to set up and easy to use although you still have to pay monthly rental fees after acquiring the box. Overall, this receiver gets high marks from out editors...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
DirecTV HR21 Satellite Receiver and HD DVR Reviewed
DirecTV's primary HD DVR features a 320GB hard drive and gives you the ability to record two shows at once or watch one show while recording another. Some VOD programming is available. This interface is not quite as intuitive as the TiVo interface and does not offer as many services as the TiVo does...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD Cable Receiver Reviewed
This receiver allows you to easily add external hard drives if you need to increase storage capacity and it permits the recording of two shows simultaneously. The biggest drawbacks are that it takes time to switch between standard and HD channels and it sometimes freezes up and rebooting takes about 15 minutes...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
Humax DRT800 DVD Recorder with TiVo Service Reviewed
This unit combines a DVD recorder with a TiVo DVR and provides the best of both worlds. You can use the 80GB hard drive to store shows and then determine whether or not you wish to record them on DVDs. TiVo's user friendly system is a benefit but downloading the TV guide takes a little bit too long...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
ViewSonic NextVision HD12 Reviewed
This product is designed to bring in the highest quality HD picture via the old fashioned rooftop antenna. Both the sound and picture quality this unit provides are excellent although programming the channels does take a bit longer than most users would like...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
ReplayTV Series 5500 Digital Video Recorder Reviewed
RePlayTV allows users to digitally record their favorite shows without having to use videotape. This DVR also allows you to fast forward through commercials and pause live TV if you have to answer the telephone or use the facilities. There is also a seven-second replay feature and features an extensive on screen electronic program guide...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
HR10-250 DirectTV HD Tivo DVR Reviewed
The TiVo system functions like a VCR without videotape which can fade or even break. Instead, this saves television programming on a hard drive. This unit acts as a receiver and a recorder in one. Two shows can be recorded at the same time or you can watch one show while recording another. Storage capacity is 30 hours of HD programming or 200 hours of SD...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
LG LST-3510A HDTV Tuner and DVD Combo Reviewed
It's both an HD tuner and a DVD player in one unit. The picture quality from this third-generation LG unit (LG is the parent company of Zenith) is spectacular according to our reviewer. There was no problem handling wide screen programming and the DVD playback was also top notch...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
Voom HDTV System Reviewed
Voom is Cablevisions HD satellite service and it is already serving up 37 HD channels for its subscribers and that number continues to grow. There is a wide range of HD programming to choose from as well. Voom is simple to operate and has brilliant picture quality...... Click Here To Read The Full Review
Satellite Receiver & HD DVR Reviews Wiki
1.0 Overview2.0 Satellite Access Cards
1.0 Overview
The satellite receiver is the same basic kind of component as the cable box, but is designed specifically for use with satellite HDTV systems. In the early days of satellite TV, DirecTV had other companies making their hardware. One of these companies was Sony, which used the very popular TiVo operating system for their early, standard-definition sat receivers and recorders. Once News Corp took over DirecTV, they abandoned technical support for TiVo, thus relegating the device to world of aftermarket cable boxes. Some of the early DirecTV HDTV recorders used TiVo, much to the pleasure of the end users. Today, MPG4 compressed satellite receivers (you need MPEG4 to get all of the 100-plus HDTV channels from the satellite providers) come with their own proprietary operating systems. Competing Dish Network DVRs also come with their own operating systems; they never used the TiVo system.
2.0 Satellite Access Cards
Unlike most cable boxes, a satellite receiver comes with a highly sophisticated access card that must be plugged into the front (or back, for older units) of a satellite receiver in order to get a signal. The code from the satellite receiver needs to be given to the satellite provider so that it can track the usage of the system and activate the signal. Years ago, hackers found a way to crack cable cards, allowing those feeling frosty to get any and every channel, movie and sports program. Satellite companies quickly caught up, leaving these users frequently missing all of their channels. Today, most users don't find it's worth playing the cat and mouse game of trying to cheat the satellite company out of some free channels, considering the legal and logistical ramifications.
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