DirecTV HD is fantastic, and the HD TiVo is even better.

However, keep in mind the following:

- There are only about a dozen HD channels, other than the sports stuff (NFL Sunday Ticket), which you have to pay extra to see in HD anyway.
- In about 2 years, the constellation of new HD sats will be up and you will need new equipment and a new dish to receive the programming.  The upside is that all channels will have HD capability, and most channels will have converted to HD by then.  There will be some charge to swap out the equipment, but how much is unknown at this point.  All DirecTV subscribers will have to change over at some point.

One other thing: the broadcast networks, who are legally required to broadcast (free, over-the-air) HD signals, managed to get some protection for themselves.  What that means is that, by default, you won't be able to receive those channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox) in HD, even though they are part of the HD programming package.  The reason for this is because the networks want you to receive those channels using an off-air antenna, which means you would be watching the signal THEY control, which means that they have control over the commercials.  If you get those channels via DirecTV, then DirecTV gets some of that ad space.  Because HD customers are considered a "premium demographic", that ad time is especially valuable, and the networks don't want to give up their ad sales.

Make no mistake, though: you CAN get those channels via DirecTV.  But due to the federal regs, you have to sign some paperwork that basically says that you are specifically requesting to see your local networks in HD via DirecTV.  It will take about 45 days to process this paperwork from the time you return it, and then DirecTV will be allowed to turn them on for you.

One other point: DishNetwork does not seem to have any real HD upgrade program underway.  Part of the reason they were trying to buy DirecTV was due to the HD infrastructure that DirecTV has been investing in.  What will happen with Dish regarding HD is still in question.

-Troy