When I first decided to buy satellite TV, one of the problems I encountered was choosing what type of receiver would best suit me and my family. I thought I’d try to give others a better idea of what the satellite receiver options are. They’re available
Today there are many types of receptors. Each company has different types of receivers. I love my double box. First, a dual receiver controls 2 televisions at the same time. That means no box and no cable mess for the second TV. You can watch different programs on both TVs at the same time. It’s not like when you use a splitter from a cable box to use 2 TVs and have to watch the same show on both TVs. Each TV is separate, but they share common features of whichever set-top box you choose, we’ll get to that later.
There are different types of receivers, the first one I would like to talk about is the SD (Standard Dual Receiver) receiver box. It works like most other receivers you’ve used in the past except that it controls two TVs instead of one. You can access account information, program guide, choose the program you want to watch. Like I said, it’s pretty basic and easy to use. They also offer a standard single set-top box for those who only use one TV.
Another type is an HDTV (high-definition TV) receiver that has all the same features as the SD receiver with one very different exception; You’ll see your favorite shows in crystal clear clarity. If you have never watched HD TV before, I encourage you to go to a local TV store and ask them to turn off your HD feed on 1 TV and leave the next TV on and see the difference for yourself. The difference in image quality will surprise you.
Then we have the DVR (Digital Video Recorder) receiver which are a bit more advanced than the standard receiver. Once again, there are different variations of DVR.
The Standard Definition DVR Receiver (SD DVR) has all the same features as the standard box and much more. It works much like a VCR except that it records internally. No more VCR tapes, no more DVDs to scratch, nothing to put on at all. You can skip back and watch the part of the show you missed on live TV, then skip ahead to miss those annoying commercials. Automatically record your favorite shows, there are 4 different types of timer options but my favorite has to be I can record example House on TV #2 (in my bedroom) and watch Sponge Bob on TV #1 (in the living room) . Later, when my kids are asleep, I can watch House on TV No. #1 or on TV #1. #2 is my choice because those two TVs share the same box. I have 55 hours of recording time on my Dual DVR and most of it is used with pay per view movies that we have rented they have the last chance channel that rents movies for $1.99 for an all day pass but that’s another subject.
There is a High Definition DVR (HD DVR) receiver, it includes everything that the Standard Definition DVR has and High Definition quality to optimize your LCD and Plasma televisions. This receiver combines the functionality of a DVR and the precision picture of HD to create a superior television experience for everyone. You can watch, pause, rewind, rewind and record in high definition. These receivers are becoming more widely available and affordable for customers.
There are external hard drives for those who want more recording space, which can enjoy almost unlimited recording. These can be purchased at most consumer electronics retailers. They are connected to your receiver box via a USB 2.0 cable. It allows you to transfer recorded movies or shows from your DVR to your external hard drive. From this external hard drive you can store shows, watch them, pause them, or even send them back to the DVR.