HD and lifetime subscription basic questions

[TexARC]

My hacked SA is still operating under the original life-time subscription I got, back 5 or so years ago. It's on my home network, with an old version of tytools that I use to occasionally dump video to a PC's dvd writer or my daughter's IPOD.

I'm ready to get an HD TV, and wondering what else I will have to do besides just getting the TV.

My directTV will have to be upgraded, to receive HD signals. That looks like it won't be too painful - $10 per month increase in subscription, but has a no-cost HD tuner at this point.

Will I lose the use of the SA Tivo completely and if so, I am guessing I have to get a HD Tivo? I went into shock at the per month charge on the TiVo website just now - I had no idea it has gotten so expensive! I guess there is no longer a lifetime subscription at Tivo?

If anyone has already gone this route and can give me advice, I would be very grateful!

[laserfan]

You won't "lose the use of" it, but you probably won't want to anymore--once you have gotten an HDTV, and hopefully you have local stations broadcasting in HD, you won't tolerate the quality anymore.

I have gone exactly the route you are pondering, and found the following:

1. Don't ever want to use the Tivo's analog tuner for capping programs ever again (quality is too bad)

2. The Tivo CAN be used to grab the output of your new digital tuner, via its S-Video inputs, and it looks fairly good, but....

3. The Tivo's guide data doesn't know about digital stations and programming, and so the Tivo won't control your new digital tuner. You lose the value of the guide data.

You may decide to keep using it in a room where you have an SD TV. In my case I gave it to a relative who still has all Std. Def stuff and she is happy with it.

p.s. I still visit these boards cuz I now have to provide lifetime tech support! ;)

[TexARC]

Thanks for your help and reply.
Do you see any downside to me getting and hacking a Hughes HR10-250 DirecTv HD TiVo, as far as quality of HD from DirecTV signals and possibly off-air from Austin broadcasters (15 miles away)?
Any known shortcomings of this unit, concerning HD operations?
I think this unit connects to larger dish with two coax (RG-6) leads, also to cat 5 network drop, and allows recording on two HD channels at the same time?
Does it need a TiVo subscription and is there any way to get a lifetime sub. ?
Appreciate your lifetime devotion! :D
(I'd post this on a different forum but since I have a live person hepping me, don't want to neglect you :)

[laserfan]

Sorry, I don't know anything about HD Tivo, nor do I know even if Tivo still offers lifetime subs AT ALL (I thought I read somewhere that they do not). I'd fully expect an HD Tivo to need a subscription.

BTW regarding my "you won't like SD after seeing HD" post, I thought about it again in the context of screen size: I went from a 41" analog RPTV (SD Tivo good), to a 60" digital HDTV (SD Tivo notgood). If you buy a smaller set e.g. maybe 50" or below, your Tivo MAY still look OK to you; you shouldn't take my word for it! ;)

Austin has all the digitals I need (I live 40mi west myself) and for FREE! We don't watch enough TV ourselves for a satellite to be worthwhile... :p

p.s. You should consider an MDP-130 HD Tuner PCI card (I have two). Record HD OTA for free. See here (http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/mdp130.asp)