SONY SAT-HD300 DVI - HDTV Set-Top Tuner / Receiver

Rating:
Summary: Sony HD300 HDTV Receiver
Review: I just recieved mine in mail last week, and have had no problems with it so far. The picture is awesome and has 100% improved the look of my local broadcast channels, which I believe are broadcast in analog format by Direct TV (I don't have an antenna hooked up to the reciever but plan too if Direct TV doesn't get there act together soon and start broadcasting CBS [DISH offers CBS HD], NBC, and ABC HD TV shows). My old sat receiver (the freebee that comes with the base install)was not able to convert them (and along with other non-HD broadcasts) that well for viewing on my Sony KV34HS510 Widescreen. The picture was a little blurry. I am not sure if the other lower end HD sat receivers can "scale up" analog and digital broadcasts to be viewed on a HD TV set, but this sony handles the job nicely. I have had no problems with "bugs" and the program guide has some really nice functions--you just need to have it set up properly. The hassle of clicking the remote button 2 extra times to get to you custom channel or favorite channel list, should not be a reason to dissuade you from purchasing this fine product. The first time you watch a program in HD or even programs not in HD, you will be happy you shelled out the extra bucks to buy the more $$$ Sony.

Rating:
Summary: Audio Drop, Audio Drop, & Audio Drop
Review: I've had the unit for about 3-weeks now and find random audio drop (1-2 seconds). Contacted Sony Tech and they said it is because of a DTV. Sony also said all other Sat Receivers had the same problem. I cannot believe this. I upgraded from the SAT-HD200 (no-audio drop) because I couldn't split the signal to two tv's without watching both at 480. The HD300 alleviated this problem and also comes with an exented RF Remote Control. Overall for the money, very dissatified.

Rating:
Summary: good news and bad news
Review: Sony tells me they have new code that fixes the audio drops but, and it does, continously, but they say DirecTV hasn't decided to transmit it so shiping it back is the only way to get it fixed.
The Color is excellent on a HDTV station via Satallite and even better over air with my Sampo 42" Plasma Display on the DVI input. And you can record off the S-VHS while you watch DVI, the only problem there is that Sony reinvented channel numbers so you can't get it onto the local HDTV stations unless you can find a way to get yout TIVO or other DVI to punch in #.# (2.1,4.1,5.1,7.1,7.2,9.1) I can't even find a remote that can do that let alone a DVR or VCR. BetaMax all over again. Oh, sure the HD300 is suppose to be able to run a VCR, except DirecTV doesn't fill the program guide for anything but DirecTV so forget recording your local stations that way. The Documentation sez you can Edit the channel list, No, not really, you can't delete anything short of a full reset on the unit, good luck in trying to figure that out and once you do you have to setup everything from scratch. It has alternate program guides but they don't stick, you go back to all everytime you go there. They have a way to hide things except they don't really hide anything to the select by channel, only to the up/down button and if you use multiple feeds, DirecTV, Cable and Antenna, you will get multiple channels with the same number and no way to dial up any but the first one and step forward to the others. No way to remap channels, especially HDTV to numbers without dot's in them.
It's a box with everything and no way to use it, an experiment that has gone horrably wrong. I thought after the HD200 they would have done better but no, worse. Oh yes, I couldn't get the fibre sound to work with my JVC surround sound, so much for that. The Sony hotline is the luck of the draw, if you don't like the help you get call back and you may get better, my experiance was 1 in 3 calls was helpful, the rest were bull and go away I can't help you. I've run out of space to say more...

Rating:
Summary: good news and bad news
Review: This new Sat-HD300 receiver from Sony is incredible. I have it hooked up to my Sony 65in wide screen using the DVI connection and the picture is 100 times better. I have HD programming through Direc-TV and couldn't believe how "real" the picture looks. I was watching a hockey game in HD and it was amazing! (I'm not even a hockey fan!) The receiver also does a great job "up-converting" signals being broadcasted in 480i to 1080i or 720p which makes the picutre a lot better. Yes, the program guide is a little flawed but that should not be a reason to stay away from this product. I recommend it..

Rating:
Summary: Awsome!
Review: This new Sat-HD300 receiver from Sony is incredible. I have it hooked up to my Sony 65in wide screen using the DVI connection and the picture is 100 times better. I have HD programming through Direc-TV and couldn't believe how "real" the picture looks. I was watching a hockey game in HD and it was amazing! (I'm not even a hockey fan!) The receiver also does a great job "up-converting" signals being broadcasted in 480i to 1080i or 720p which makes the picutre a lot better. Yes, the program guide is a little flawed but that should not be a reason to stay away from this product. I recommend it..