RCA DS4120RE DIRECTV System

by RCA

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 12.2 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 16 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00004SSRA
• Item model number: DS4120RE
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,407 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #22 in Electronics > Televisions & Video > Satellite Television > Systems
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

RCA's DS4120RE DIRECTV system incorporates an 18-inch dish and a room receiver to bring digital picture and sound quality into your home. DIRECTV has a wide selection of basic channels, premium movie channels, pay-per-view choices, and music networks for you and your family. The satellite dish has a single LNB (low-noise blocking) converter output, which provides digital audio-video signals and connects to the back of the receiver.

The RCA DS4120RE transmits digital audio and video through your existing home theater system. Digital MPEG-2 compression provides a sharp, clear, analog-converted picture. An interactive channel banner lists five channels of programming at once. It also includes Scout, a search that scans the program guide based on keywords you enter. Parents can lock out certain channels and set rating and spending limits with the Guardian feature. The universal remote control has color-coded buttons for easy operation. RCA offers a one-year limited warranty for parts and labor.

There are some terms and conditions with the purchase of this product. There is a limit of one DIRECTV system purchase and installation per customer. Only new residential DIRECTV customers may purchase a system. Buying this item signifies agreement to sign up for one year of DIRECTV programming. receivers must be activated within 45 days by calling (800) DIRECTV [[phone]]. Failure to activate service (or canceling service within one year of subscribing) may result in a $250 charge to the credit card used for the purchase. All returned systems and receivers will be inspected for original parts and access cards. If a receiver is returned without its access card, a $125 restocking fee may be charged to the credit card used for the purchase.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stick it to THE MAN!, February 25, 2001

By 

Derek G (North of Cyrodiil) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: RCA DS4120RE DIRECTV System (Electronics)

Outside of the Napster vs. Record Companies debate, probably nothing generates accusations of greed and profiteering more than a simple mention of your local cable company. Yes, all the accusations are true! My "last straw" so to speak was when I ordered cable thru one of those free-installation specials offered on TV. I waited and waited and never received the call I was supposed to from the ONE cable company servicing my area (so competitive!) After calling them personally to ask why, the order taker simply said "oh, we don't honor those offers because we don't need to." "Because you're a monopoly, right?", I asked. "Yes", was the response.

So I bought and alternative and I must say the picture and sound quality of Directv is nothing short of amazing - so good in fact that it shows the limitations of my recently purchased tv where I sacrificed picture quality for a larger screen size and lower price. Directv to cable (even digital cable) is like comparing dvd to vhs quality. There is only one local channel is my area that Directv doesn't carry and I can feel my eyes going "ahhhh..." as I switch from the grainy local broadcast back to their crystal clear picture.

If you just want "Basic" television with only the major cable networks, monthly service runs about $25/mo and gets you about 50 channels. The best deal of the bunch, Total Choice, costs $10 more and you get twice the channels as well as music channels in about every category you could imagine. The selection of music is mediocre at best, but music buffs will like the commercial-free radio. Directv probably has the best lineup of sports networks available including subscriptions to college football and basketball packages, but it's gonna cost you and you still get the same blackouts you'll experience on cable and local tv. If you have absolutely no life, you can get the Platinum package with everything for $82.99/mo.

PPV movies went up to $3.99 from $2.99 recently but I'm sure most people's salaries also went up 30% last year to compensate (sarcasm intended.) The movies offered usually hit the video store about a month or two before they're available on Directv but the most recent additions are usually on about 5 different channels at various times. Directv claims their satellites support surround sound technologies such as pro-logic and AC3 if you have the necessary decoding equipment, but I've had problems getting it to work on all movies. I'm still unsure if it's Directv, my stereo equipment, or the way I have it all connected.

Mom's got the Dish Network so I've had a chance to compare the two. The picture quality is great on both, but personally I prefer Directv's menu guide as it's more intuitive and you can still watch the current channel in the corner of the screen as you scan the guide for other offerings. The channels also seem to be arranged better as well, news channels are near each other, premium channels are in the same general area, etc... Although a special Directv edition of TV Guide is available, you really don't need it. Another nice feature is the ability to "block" certain channels so men can remove lame channels like Lifetime or Oxygen (just kidding ladies, sort of...)

Installation isn't too difficult in my opinion. Mounting the dish isn't difficult and you just have to cut a small hole somewhere to run a cable line into the house. From there it's a two person job as one shouts out the window as the other moves the dish to where the signal strength is at maximum. (Los Angeles and New York residents will have difficulty accomplishing this task without the use of cellphones, Nextel, or satellite enabled laptops with instant messenger.)

Finally, the only point of confusion I have found is deciding which Directv dish to get. It seems like they have a million different models available and I don't understand why. From what I gather, if you plan on getting HDTV or using Tivo or Ultimate TV (Microsoft's competing product) in the near future, you will want to invest in the 18x24" oval dish. If you want local channels but don't live in a major metropolitan area you may need this dish as well (check the Directv site or ask one of their sales reps on what you'll need for your location). Other than that, I say get the cheapest. That's what I did and I've been really happy - it is just tv, you know.

Hope my review helped!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars My advice: call Dish Network, May 9, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: RCA DS4120RE DIRECTV System (Electronics)

The consumer comes last at DirecTV. The last time DirecTV changed the cards in our receivers they sent a DEFECTIVE product. The rep in tech support told me the first round of MASSIVE FAILURES occurred weeks after the cards were shipped. Despite the hundreds of calls from irate consumers, the company refused to issue a recall. Now they are experiencing yet ANOTHER round of failures, but management stubbornly refuses to issue the necessary recall. I thought corporate America had finally learned the importance of customer service; I stand corrected.

5.0 out of 5 stars The best, April 20, 2004

By 

Ron Atkins "Ron" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: RCA DS4120RE DIRECTV System (Electronics)

I have owned this system for over 2 years without a single problem. As an earlier reviewer stated so well, anything that frees you from the local cable company is a Godsend. I love Direct TV and my RCA system that gives me access to it.

The system was easy to install, and only required a simple plumb line (string with a weight attached)and a few basic tools to install. Buy with confidence. You won't regret it.