Customer Reviews

RCA DS4280RE Dual LNB DIRECTV System with Free Pro-Installation

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I had initially purchased the Sony SAT-A55 receiver with the idea it would be what most Sony products are. Let's just say that it was not close to be what it was cracked up to be. After a little research (which I should have done to begin with) I purchased the RCA DRD480RE.

The hook up was very simple, with a good instructional manual for the dish and receiver. First thing I noticed excellent picture clarity and color reproduction. Using the S-Video connection gave the best picture just short of component. The digital 5.1 optical works great with awsome sound. The 32 bit processor does a good job in surfing, and the different choices of menus and favorite channels is handy. This receiver and two other RCA's have the WINK (tm) Interactive chipset. With this you get downloads from the satellite, and view certain interactive programming. You can watch a show, and get bio's, more information, and even place an order of so inclined. Last but not least, the receiver is vented well, and does not run very hot at all. The Sony almost melted my program card.

The RCA DRD480RE is a very good receiver, at a fair price. Don't let the brand put you off, an EXCELLENT receiver.

This unit was quite easy to install. The on-screen utilities told me where to point the dish, and the included installation directions werequite easy to follow. It took about 2 hours to get the mast bolted to my house, leveled, attach the dish, and point it. (Routing cables to the right spot took a bit longer...) As the manual says, if you've installed a garage door, you can install a satellite dish.

I'm getting about 96% signal strength, picture quality is good, on-screen menus are easy to use and the rf remote is very nice. This unit has a nice feature called "scout" which will go out and locate programs that match a keyword that you enter. It's not TIVO, but it does come up with some relevant shows.

The only bad thing I've had happen is that occasionally when I change channels, the digital fiber optic audio output looses integrity. I have been able to work around this by resetting my receiver. When I first started using the unit with a digital RCA jack, I did not have this problem.

The dish is well made, and if you have the right stereo equipment, the digital auto capability of this dish is well worth the extra money. Direct TV is great. I would give the equipment and Direct TV 5 stars. But I would give the "free installation" 0 stars. I guess it's o.k. if you don't care when the equipment is installed! (...) It isn't rocket science. The really irritating part is that the dish purchase doesn't include the required installation kit! (...)

I purchased this system over the entry level system because of the Dolby Digital optical output. It's worth the premium price for great sound. The system is great and setup is easy. I opted for the professional install wich was completed in about two hours without any problems. Picture and sound qulaity are outstaning using the s-video connection. I would reccomend this system to anyone who wants high quality video and sound.

I'm convinced that any RCA product out on the market is bottom feeder equipment. I've been burned twice by RCA and will never purchase any of their products ever again! Once by a satellite receiver like the one displayed here, and another time by a Proscan (high-end RCA) DVD player. Both of which I've had to scrap due to the fact that there was no hope in repairing them. Also, I need to mention that customer support is horrible. I was told by an RCA technician that they knew of the problem with my DVD player, and that there was basically nothing he could do. However, they did offer to send me the exact same DVD player with the exact same defect!!! STAY AWAY from RCA!!!!

I must say that I've been extremely happy with my new Hughes/DirecTV TIVO receiver. If you're thinking about any satellite receiver, definitely check into TIVO. You won't be disappointed. In fact, you'll wonder what you ever did without it!

I got the system in the mail on time. It took over three weeks to get the free installation. The contract company did not show up as scheduled causing me to miss a half day of work. This deal was a rip-off. Recommended not do this. I could of saved $70 by doing it myself. All the person did when He showed up was install a cable and left me with the work of burying the cable and drilling hole in the side of the house to install it. I could of done this and saved money. Recommend to buy from local source so you can enjoy sooner.

The RCA receivers and equipment are flimsy, 3rd rate, and basically pieces of junk. If you are looking for quality for your money, the flagship of the industry is the Hughes receiver which leads the field in their technology. They set a standard that RCA can not compete with.