Newbie needs help on hardware for HD

[Satrina]

Hi! Hope to find the help I need here!

I want to start receiving HD programming from DirecTV,

I have a Akai PDP 4294 42'' Plasma TV

FEATURES You might need to know (that I don't know much about!)

* 42" 16:9 WideScreen EDTV Plasma Monitor
* 852 x 480 native resolution
* HDTV compatible- accepts 720p and 1080i input signals
* High Contrast (1200:1)/High Brightness (700 cd/m2) Panel
* Progressive Scan (Faroudja DCDi)
* 2 component video inputs, 1 S-video input, 1 composite video input, 1 VGA computer (15 pin D-Sub RGB) input, 1 HDCP compatible DVI input (DVI-D)
* Picture In Picture with dual NTSC tuners
* Digital Comb Filter
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So my question is, the TV is HD compatible, does that mean I need to first buy an HD tuner, before I upgrade my Directv service to get the other dish and their HD receiver?

Hope that makes sense, so if that is the case, can someone recommend an HD tuner, I got very confused reading about them, some were cheap and some where a lot more, what is the difference?

So once I have an HD tuner (assuming that this is what I need), I can then upgrade my directv service, and when they come to install it will they know how to connect all that to the HD tuner to the TV?

Now if I do all that, and get the monthly HD service from them, will that get me all my local channels in HD (those that offer some shows in HD)? Something I read made it sound like you wouldn't, and then I was lost from there!

Any information related would be wonderful!

thanks in advance!

-Marie

 

[mwgiii]

Welcome to satellite guys satrina.

Yes, you will need a HD receiver to go with your HDTV to receive HD programming. Since you currently have DirecTv you should go with a DirecTv HD receiver.

You have two options:
1) a standard Direct HD receiver.
2) a Direct HD Tivo.

The Tivo will allow you to record programming, pause TV ect.

Both will connect to your HDTV and give you HD shows. As for local HD, you will need an antenna connected to your receiver.

Go to http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx and enter your address to see what stations are available and what size antenna you need.

BTW, you might want to PM one of the mods and ask them to move this to the DirecTv forum. You will get alot more receiver specific info there.