Samsung SIR-TS160 Multiple Platform DirectTV Receiver
Excellent HD Receiver
This receiver exceeded all my expectations. The integrated guide (with OTA channels and DirecTV) is outstanding, and responsive. I have 4 digital/HD OTA channels and the DirecTV HD package. Also, I have this device connected to a Hitachi 57UWX20B using the DVI cable, and the HD picture is unbelievable! I am using this out on a patio / porch, with no air conditioning (in the heat of FL), so I can promise there are no issues with heat causing lock ups (something I had heard about this unit on different forums). This device shipped with the .10 firmware, so this probably resolved all the issues for earlier users. Only prob I had with my setup was the stretch modes, or the lack thereof. Using DVI, my TV only allows me to use the 16x9 modes, so I can't adjust modes on my TV. On the 160, I can switch between different modes, but they don't seem to overide the 16x9 mode of the TV, meaning the 4x3  images are shown as 16x9, and a little &quot;squashed&quot;. That being said, I found a workaround. Option 1 is to change the 160 installation settings to 4x3 instead of 16x9, but that was not good enough for me. My preferred workaround is to hook up the s-video out to another input on my TV, and switch between input 1 (DVI) and input 3 (s-video) when I want to watch 4x3 material, and utilize my TV's stretch modes. The fact that the 160 allows for multiple connections to be active makes this workaround possible. All in all, the picture quality and features of this receiver are excellent, and the box is very stable. One other important feature of this TV, if you're using the DVI hookups, is that it has a monitor installation setup that allows you to shift the picture left or right, which is cool, as some Hitachi owners report that the DVI connector seems to shift the picture over to one side a little bit. It was a good buy, and I'm glad I bought it.