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2. I understand there is a slightly bigger oval dish for DirecTV that is needed for some services. I know it's required for HDTV broadcasts (I'm not on HDTV yet) but I also read somewhere that it's required to pick up local channels. True? If so, the above deal is just for a regular dish, so I'd have to look elsewhere.

You only need the 2-3 position oval dish if you want HDTV or your locals are not on the 101º bird. In NY, they are, so you only need a round dish in the NY metro area. 119º is used for the spanish channels, NASA channel (free as long as your dish can see it), some locals, and HDTV. 110º is used for some locals and some HDTV (or will be in the future). I would get an oval dish. I actually have an extra one if you want it, but usually tell them you want an oval dish with the triple-position setup and they will give it to you. If that doesn't work, just tell them you're thinking of subscribing to the spanish stations.

Oh yeah, the new-gen oval dish is barely bigger than the round one. It's only 20"x18".

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3. I have two ReplayTVs, and am not willing to give them up for a DirecTiVo or similar. So I need a DirecTV receiver that has serial input so I can control it with my ReplayTV. Do all DTV receivers have serial input? Most of them?

Very few new receivers have serial ports. And, aparently, some new RCA models with a serial port aren't yet compatible with ReplayTV.

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4. Any particular brands of receiver I should look for? Other than brand name, what are the things that differentiate the various DTV receivers?

If I were to buy a non-DirecTiVo receiver, I would buy a Hughes box. They generally have serial ports, and are generally built better than RCA boxes. My parents have a Sony receiver that seems to work nicely, but no serial port...

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5. Any reason I should let them install for me? I am sure I can handle installation myself, but are there any advantages to letting them do it?

"Standard installation" means drilling through outside walls wherever you want a receiver hooked up. If you have 4 receivers in your house, you will have 4 new holes in it...

I have had the installers come over twice, but I never let them do that. The first guy was nice enough to run the cables from the dish to the basement of my condo without complaining.

The guy that recently did my house was not too happy to run the cables to my basement. I don't know why. It cost him less cable and he didn't have to walk all over my roof. He eventually did it like I wanted, but gave me attitude like he was doing me a favor. Both times I tipped the guy.
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-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736