I have a big screen RCA HDTV with a built-in Directv receiver. I also have a Panasonic Showstopper. I like to buy a second satellite receiver to hook to the Showstopper. The idea is that with this setup, I will be able to watch live TV while another program is being recorded. What is the best receiver to buy? Of course, I don't expect to have HDTV quality recorded.
Thanks for any help.
-Rene

I have sony's and RCA's and the Sony locks up in the guide all of the time (which I see from the forums is a regular part of the machine) the RCA's get software updates to get new features all the time. For the money get a nice RCA. I have tried Huges also. I have not tried the Panasonic.

I investigated this a bit more, and found out that there are recorder/receiver combos available. The advantage is that the digital signal from the satellite is recorded as is (bitstream) on the recorder (TIVO in most cases). Therefore, there is no or minimal signal loss. In my original setup (separate recorder and receiver), I believe that the receiver converts the digital signal from the satellite into an analog signal, and then the recorder converts it again to digital so that it can be recorded. That's a verry inefficient way of doing this.

On the other end, disadvantages of the combo are:
- All combos that I looked at cannot record a cable or antenna signal (it's just pass-through; they don't contain an MPEG encoder)
- Some or all of the combos have two tuners, but in some, the second tuner is't active (is waiting for a software upgrade).
The first one is really the biggest advantage to me since I don't have local channels on my satellite, and besides movies, there are a lot of shows on these channels that we like to record.

I have the RCA DTC-100 as the HDTV capable receiver, and use a Sony SAT-855 as a second channel, and works great with the Showstopper! I didn't want the monthly $$$ that TIVO requires.

I Love my TOYS!

Carl

Are any of you all using the low speed data port connection between your Showstopper and DirecTV receiver?

I'm also looking to take the DirecTV plunge and already have a Showstopper. Although the emitter eye works fine most of the time, I still don't trust it and would rather use the low speed data connection.

My Showstopper's low speed data port is connected to my RCA receiver's serial port. Works with no problems. After activating this connection in the Showstopper, nothing else needed to be done. I was pleasantly surprised that this communication appeared to be standardized across receivers.

I also use the data port between my Showstopper and Sony B-55 receiver, on Direct TV, and the "low speed" works pretty fast!