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Has picture quality improved over the last 2 or three years?For the last 2 years, I've been using an older model DD5.1 direct tv sat receiver from RCA (DRD515RB). I was wondering if moving up to a current date satellite receiver would yield any picture improvement worth while. Any thoughts?
Follow Ups:
Not exactly an answer to your primary question, as I have only had Direct TV for a month (and thus can't offer comments on pic quality now vs. before). However, another thing to consider might be features, specifically the DirectTV & TiVO combo boxes. I have the Sony, which I find very nice. Have to admit it is much easier to use than the old VCR (don't have to worry whether I set it up properly, if it has a blank tape, etc.). Something to consider at least. Plus right now they're offering $100 - $200 rebates if you buy between Jan 01 and April 01 (darn, bought mine in Dec), and sign up for 1 year of premium movie channels.
Chuck-If anything the picture quality has diminished in the last 2 years as a result of DirecTV adding all of those local stations. They've had to compress the MPEG-2 video even more to enable the satellite to carry the extra channels. I think the normal channels look like crap, with the only exception being some of the PPV channels. The only improvement a new box would give is if you have the HDTV box, and a set capable of displaying it. Even there, there are only 2 channels of HD content. Conclusion: Keep your old box, and only buy a new one if HD becomes a more viable reality.
Mike
... the situation in the USA is the same as here but here the market seems to have split into the cheapies, which are much the same, and the more expensive (like Lowe) which have concentrated on larger screen size rather than increased resolution etc. I doubt if there has been much improvement in circuitry, only in new ICs to reduce the number of components and associated cost.We recently sold our Sony Profeel made 15+ years ago (in Germany BTW) and it is built like a tank, easy to service (although has only required one minor job done) and gives a breathtakingly clear picture still. A technician complained that the latest crop of TVs available here are a nightmare to service as everything is packed in so tightly. This is an aspect we rarely think about when purchasing, probably in the hope it will never need attention. And if you look at their complexity, they generally ARE very reliable.
Apologies for the rambling
John
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