Just an FYI for anyone with DirecTV.
Someone had told me a couple years ago about DirecTV's AM21 off-air tuner module which I'd called about back then but it didn't at that time work with the model of HD DVR that they had given us. Apparently the software has been updated so it now will. Once installed, the off-air channels are integrated right into the guide and behave just like satellite channels.
Also, DirecTV has a new "whole house" DVR capability that will let any additional HD recievers access shows from the main DVR.
I called DirecTV on Friday and asked for "customer retention" and was able to negotiate upgrading to both of the above for almost free (I had to pay a $19.99 service call fee and had to agree to an additional 2 year commitment.) We've been customers since 2003 so they are interested in keeping us around. Monday a service guy came out and installed a new head on my dish, replaced the multiswitch in the basement with a splitter, replaced our ancient SD receiver with an HD receiver in the bedroom, and installed a couple adapter boxes behind the DVR. Later in the day Fedex came with the tuner which was just a matter of connecting power, antenna, and a USB cable to the DVR.
Woodworking related because now I can DVR the various woodworking shows off the Toledo PBS station's Create channel. Even though I live 8 miles from the city limits of Toledo, OH and around 40 from Detroit, they say I live in the Detroit market so I can't get Toledo locals over satellite. And DirecTV doesn't carry any of the .2, .3, etc channels, at least in our market anyway. Detroit PBS carries very little in the way of woodworking and they are usually months delayed over everyone else. And when LOMLjr is watching iCarly (all you parents of tweens know what I'm talking about!) or LOML is watching one of those awful reality shows, I can escape to the bedroom and watch something equally awful in their eyes.