Does DIRECTV require a box?

DIRECTV is one of the leading satellite TV services in America. Many people who have subscribed to the DIRECTV service are asking whether they require a box for receiving the broadcasts or whether the signals can be transmitted directly to the television sets. The short answer is yes, Direct TV requires a receiver box to be able to tune to their service. Here’s a closer look at why DIRECTV needs a box and what can be done about it.

How DIRECTV Works DIRECTV offers programs in a manner that is different from other platforms such as Netflix or Hulu in that it transmits signals over satellites. It is essential to note that these satellite signals are encrypted, which implies that to get the TV channels and On Demand library, one has to use a decoder. This decoder comes in the form of a DIRECTV receiver that is fixed both to the satellite dish outside and to your television. The receiver demodulates the received satellite signal and sends out the video and audio information to your TV in a format that can be displayed. Without one of the DIRECTVs receivers, your TV would only display the encrypted signals that are transmitted from the satellite dish.

Another component of the DIRECTV receivers are the access card slots. Smart cards similar in appearance to credit cards are employed by DIRECTV to allow your receivers to access programming you have paid for under your subscription plan. These cards are matched to each receiver box and without them, one cannot be able to watch any channel even if the receiver is connected.

Is It Necessary to Have a Box If You Have DIRECTV TVs? No of receiver box you require for your home, each of the TV set needs at least one receiver box from DIRECTV if you want to have any program on that specific set. As a principle of operation, DIRECTV is closer to one box per TV concept rather than having one central receiver connected to the displays distributed across your home network. Thus if you wish to have DIRECTV on your bedroom television, living room television and basement television, it will call for three different receiver boxes and access cards all linked to it. DIRECTV does not currently have any apps, web access or central points to deliver their service without their receivers.

An example could be DIRECTV Ready TVs. A number of smart TVs are branded by manufacturers as DIRECTV Ready. This means they have the ability to hook up directly to a satellite dish and be able to receive the DIRECTV signals without a separate receiver box. However, you would still need an access card compatible with that TV and a professional installation of the DIRECTV satellite dish. In most cases, it is actually easier for the subscriber to acquire the DIRECTV receivers because the self-installation is possible.

Which DIRECTV Boxes are there? DIRECTV offers several models of receivers for accessing their service:DIRECTV offers several models of receivers for accessing their service:

DIRECTV HD Receiver (Model Genie Mini) – A basic high definition receiver that enables you to watch high definition programming and On Demand titles.

DIRECTV HD DVR (Model Genie) – This is their basic receiver that comes equipped with a Hi-Def DVR which can store up to 200 hours of the programs that interest you. You can simultaneously record several programs and at the same time watch an entirely different program.

DIRECTV 4K Genie Mini – A bit superior to the 4K Genie, it facilitates the customer to watch 4K ultra high definition resolution for the best picture quality that Directv has to offer. It also supports high definition and standard definition video formats.

These receiver models can be easily installed by subscribers and enable you to have access to the complete channel and service package depending on your subscription to DIRECTV. Other TV boxes enable one to get the same services as the main receiver. The only restriction is the total amount of storage space available in the DVR and total number of recordings that can be set at any given time in the main DVR receiver.

How Many Boxes Can I Get From DIRECTV? How many DIRECTV receiver boxes are allowed can also be partially determined by the type of DIRECTV package you have. Here are the details on how many TVs you can connect:Here are the details on how many TVs you can connect:

watch the DIRECTV CHOICE Package or above – Get up to four leased receiver boxes free of the mirroring fee, but for every other box, there is a $7 monthly mirroring fee. Other than leasing, owned receiver upgrades can also be purchased.

This one has only one included receiver but there is an option to add more for mirroring fees in the SELECT Package.

The basic packages such as SELECT are restricted to only 2 boxes at most. This means that you might need to upgrade your basic subscription if you wish to connect DIRECTV receivers to several rooms.

All together, you can use up to eight DIRECTV receivers in your home, no matter which package you have. However, only in the CHOICE package or higher, it enables up to 4 databases at a cost of nothing more than the general subscription price. If more TVs are to be connected with less cost, The CHOICE package or above is ideal.

Is an HD Receiver Necessary for an HD TV? To see DIRECTV broadcasts in High Definition, you require an HD capable receiver box. When using a normal DIRECTV receiver and hooking it up to an HDTV, programming will continue to work but in SD. Therefore, it is advisable to have at least the Genie Mini HD box if you own an high definition television to enjoy the video quality that DIRECTV is capable of.

In Summary Whether you have the newest 4K smart TV, or an older CRT TV, you will need some sort of receiver box from directv for each television. Without their satellite signal decoding boxes, all that gets through is programming that your TV cannot convert into a picture and sound. So while DIRECTV does have a one box per TV rule for accessing service on any screens in your home.