I've been watching my < href="http://marcolson.net/blog/archives/000142.php">new teevee quite a bit lately and I really like the HD content that is available over the air. Thankfully I live in the Chicago area and get quite a good number of digital stations (check this and search for zip 60056), many of which broadcast in HD (although some stretch their normal broadcasts [boo]). I do miss tivo (or tivo like functionality) on the HD stations, and I also would like to have some of the non-OTA statiions in HD (ESPN, HDNet, etc.).
Here are the options as I see it, although one is pretty much out of the question. See if you can figure out which one...
DirecTV
Cost for HD: ~$300 for standard HD receiver, or ~1000 ($600 on eBay) for HD TiVo, $10/mo on top of current service
Pros:
- Great picture quality
Cons:
- DirecTV is changing the encoding of their HD stations within the next year from mpeg-2 to mpeg-4. I don't want to buy a doorstop for a grand.
- TiVo lacks modern functionality (no usb ports, no HMO, etc.)
- No locals in HD
Comcast
Costs: ~$47 + 5 (HD) + 15 (DVR)/mo for 16 months for switching from DirecTV. May switch my cable modem to them too ($46/mo 6Md/384ku)
Pros:
- cost. they have a great deal for those switching over from satellite. that cost is for digital cable, with one premium channel and on demand content.
- Motorola 83xx HD DVR with firewire port enabled
Cons:
- I've heard pq isn't that great--Comcast gets their HD OTA signals with a large antenna, instead of directly from the stations over fiber (like they do for the SD stations)
- Not impressed with the dippy do that answered the phone last night--after 10m on hold
Wide Open West
Cost: ~$140/mo with all the movies (~110 w/ no movies), HD, DVR, and current cable modem
Pros:
- good PQ. WOW gets their broadcast signals over fiber from the stations. No interference.
- already a cable modem customer
- I've had great luck with their customer service--usually < 1m hold times
Cons:
- no deals to switch over from satellite, or to keep an existing customer (customer support girl said "yeah, oh well...")
Did you find the one that's out of the question (that is unless a HD box comes falling out of the sky)? I think the other option may be to see if I can get *just* the HD and DVR service from WOW (like $15/mo).
I don't like the idea of losing my TiVo, nor do I not like the idea of not being able to build a MythTV box to record "encrypted" HD stations (espn, hdnet, etc.). TV is changing, but I'm still on the early adopter side of things. I know that things will be different in a year or two (comcast DVR w/TiVo, etc.), but I want an oompaloompa now!
