Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - HD question w/satellite

If you have either a LCD or plasma TV with an integrated HDtuner, do you still need a seperate HD receiver to view HD channels? I have DirectTV now. Once the service is upgraded to HD, I was wondering if the tuner in the tv itself was enough.
Thanks,Bill

Still need the Satallite receiver to get the signal. You won't need it for over tha air signal.

None of the cable and sattelite companies are going to provide you with free HD. All of them require upgrading to an HD receiver to decode their signal and to subscribe (pay more) to get HD channels.

With a built-in HD tuner, you can hook up an HD capable antenna and get the local HD channels just like the old days before cable.

The HD tuner in the TV is useless except for over the air reception and possibly cable but I doubt it. Your DirectTV box needs to be HD and you need the HD option on your subscription. Same thing for cable.

There are two possible types of integrated HD tuner, ATSC and QAM. ATSC will allow you to receive digital signals Over-the-Air through an antenna. The antenna you need will depend on where you are located. Some of these local OTA stations will probably be transmitting HD signals.
A QAM tuner will allow you to receive cable channels. Some cable companies send some of their HD channels (usually the local stations) unencrypted so if that's the case you would be able to see some HD using the QAM tuner.
For other HD you need DirecTV, Dish, Verizon FIOS or an HD digital cable box.

Many DirecTV and Dish Network markets offer local channels in HD. Something I wish the sales staff at the box stores would tell customers is that if they have a DSS or they use a cable box and the locals are transmitted to them in HD over those media, buying a tuner is just redundant. You could have skipped the tuner and gone for a bigger TV. Also the HD DVR for DirecTV seems to have a lot of issues. I used to install DirecTV awhile back, and I don't like what I'm reading about the H20 either. Anyway, why direcTV? Dish Network has a lot more HD Channels.

Robert Pope

Many DirecTV and Dish Network markets offer local channels in HD. Something I wish the sales staff at the box stores would tell customers is that if they have a DSS or they use a cable box and the locals are transmitted to them in HD over those media, buying a tuner is just redundant. You could have skipped the tuner and gone for a bigger TV. Also the HD DVR for DirecTV seems to have a lot of issues. I used to install DirecTV awhile back, and I don't like what I'm reading about the H20 either. Anyway, why direcTV? Dish Network has a lot more HD Channels.

Robert Pope

These days Tuners are dirt cheap: My 3 yr old 50" LCD Proj.Sony w/o tuner went up only 50 bucks when they added the tuner.

Dish Network : 28+ HD channels

fred

Besides, I believe the "gummit" now requires ALL HD sets over 26" to include an HD tuner.