Bell vs Rogers and HD PVR

hirjialy · 06-13-2007, 08:12 PM

Greetings...i've looked some of the forums and got my questions partially answered but am still looking for a bit more info...

1) Im a Rogers HDTV customer in Toronto ON.
2) Im thinking of switching to Bell Express Vu. What do you recommend?
3) My main reason for switching is the lack of full use of my TV! I have a 40" Sony Bravia and most of the channels that are not HD TV are shown with those stupid black bars to the left/right of the picture. I cant seem to get it in full screen mode - im using the HD8300 box provided to me by Rogers...
4) I've heard that the picture quality and overall features with Bell are a lot better than Rogers but the customer service at bell sucks the big one...
Any help/thoughts would be appreciated!

gmiterek · 06-19-2007, 12:55 PM

I have the 9220 from Bell, really great receiver. Picture quality is superb on the Movie Network, HDNET, RUSH HD, OASIS. EQUATOR and PBS.
For the other channels, ie NBC, ABC, FOX, CBC, etc... when the shows are broadcast in HD, they are stupendous (ie : Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, ER, CSI, Bones, etc...)
But when it's their newscasts, old reruns (pre HD), I get the bars on the side (4:3), it's really annoying, but there is a feature that you can zoom with the PVR (press #). Then it just doesn't seem as bad, and from what I noticed. I also think it remembers that that channel needs to be zoomed or not. The problem with that is that when the channel is broadcasting an HD channel, its zoomed too much.
But besides those little hicks, the channels are actually pretty nice, especially the ones I mentionned above. I only lose the channels (and not all) if it is a very heavy rain or snow fall.
My brother just went with bell, and they have a promotion to get a free HD receiver (not pvr, does not have HDMI) and 2 months of free programming. Good time to convert.

XBOX 360 Games : 20
=p~ HD DVD Movies : 16
<:-| DVD's : 300+
All displayed on a beautiful Panny TH-58PZ700U Plasma received 06/08/2007=p~

USASatelliteTV · 07-13-2007, 12:41 PM

ExpressVU HD beats Rogers HD all around. I would recommend you switch.

skyg · 09-17-2007, 08:43 AM

[1) Im a Rogers HDTV customer in Toronto ON.
2) Im thinking of switching to Bell Express Vu. What do you recommend?
3) My main reason for switching is the lack of full use of my TV! I have a 40" Sony Bravia and most of the channels that are not HD TV are shown with those stupid black bars to the left/right of the picture. I cant seem to get it in full screen mode - im using the HD8300 box provided to me by Rogers...
4) I've heard that the picture quality and overall features with Bell are a lot better than Rogers but the customer service at bell sucks the big one...
Any help/thoughts would be appreciated![/quote]
------------------------------

I have a few warnings you may heed
a) Rogers is using a Pace HD desktop that has a HDMI output for top quality picture, however, there are some reliability problems with the unit, and Rogers appears to be reverting back to the Std. Atlanta unit that uses either DVI or composite outputs. So, just because you get HD does not mean you will get HDMI outputs on your unit. ASK before you commit.

Bell units do not offer any HDMI outputs on their receivers - only on their PVR unit.

As far as HD programing is concerned, HD is HD on any system, it is how they are packaged. But the reality is that there is nothing in HD worth viewing, except if you like sports. And just because a program it is broadcast in HD does not mean one can get wide screen display.

IF the source is wide screen so is your picture, but may stations broadcast in HD but have only a few programs in HD

Finally those black bars indicate a non-Hd program source. That is the way it is supposed to be. Most HD tvs have a wide screen button that lets you view the picture in full screen size, but there is so much distortion that i just use the regular setup and when HD comes on I get my wide screen display (Another indicator of the lack -(or presence)of an HD source. AND as far as selecting a service provider, they are all the same -lousy to pure deceptive. ALthough, Rogers gas recently introduced a "fulfillment " dept to handle your complaint (after extremely negative reputation so much that no one will deal with them). Good luck on that Bravia- good Tv but over priced - and they are currently upgrading their units. But hey what's the diff - the signal sources are very poor?

06-13-2007, 08:12 PM	#1
hirjialy What is HD? Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1	Bell vs Rogers and HD PVR Greetings...i've looked some of the forums and got my questions partially answered but am still looking for a bit more info... 1) Im a Rogers HDTV customer in Toronto ON. 2) Im thinking of switching to Bell Express Vu. What do you recommend? 3) My main reason for switching is the lack of full use of my TV! I have a 40" Sony Bravia and most of the channels that are not HD TV are shown with those stupid black bars to the left/right of the picture. I cant seem to get it in full screen mode - im using the HD8300 box provided to me by Rogers... 4) I've heard that the picture quality and overall features with Bell are a lot better than Rogers but the customer service at bell sucks the big one... Any help/thoughts would be appreciated!

09-17-2007, 08:43 AM	#4
skyg What is HD? Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2	Rogers vs Bell, etc: [1) Im a Rogers HDTV customer in Toronto ON. 2) Im thinking of switching to Bell Express Vu. What do you recommend? 3) My main reason for switching is the lack of full use of my TV! I have a 40" Sony Bravia and most of the channels that are not HD TV are shown with those stupid black bars to the left/right of the picture. I cant seem to get it in full screen mode - im using the HD8300 box provided to me by Rogers... 4) I've heard that the picture quality and overall features with Bell are a lot better than Rogers but the customer service at bell sucks the big one... Any help/thoughts would be appreciated![/quote] ------------------------------ I have a few warnings you may heed a) Rogers is using a Pace HD desktop that has a HDMI output for top quality picture, however, there are some reliability problems with the unit, and Rogers appears to be reverting back to the Std. Atlanta unit that uses either DVI or composite outputs. So, just because you get HD does not mean you will get HDMI outputs on your unit. ASK before you commit. Bell units do not offer any HDMI outputs on their receivers - only on their PVR unit. As far as HD programing is concerned, HD is HD on any system, it is how they are packaged. But the reality is that there is nothing in HD worth viewing, except if you like sports. And just because a program it is broadcast in HD does not mean one can get wide screen display. IF the source is wide screen so is your picture, but may stations broadcast in HD but have only a few programs in HD Finally those black bars indicate a non-Hd program source. That is the way it is supposed to be. Most HD tvs have a wide screen button that lets you view the picture in full screen size, but there is so much distortion that i just use the regular setup and when HD comes on I get my wide screen display (Another indicator of the lack -(or presence)of an HD source. AND as far as selecting a service provider, they are all the same -lousy to pure deceptive. ALthough, Rogers gas recently introduced a "fulfillment " dept to handle your complaint (after extremely negative reputation so much that no one will deal with them). Good luck on that Bravia- good Tv but over priced - and they are currently upgrading their units. But hey what's the diff - the signal sources are very poor?

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06-19-2007, 12:55 PM	#2
gmiterek HDDVD (VHS) vs BR (BETA) Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rigaud, QC Posts: 7	I have the 9220 from Bell, really great receiver. Picture quality is superb on the Movie Network, HDNET, RUSH HD, OASIS. EQUATOR and PBS. For the other channels, ie NBC, ABC, FOX, CBC, etc... when the shows are broadcast in HD, they are stupendous (ie : Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, ER, CSI, Bones, etc...) But when it's their newscasts, old reruns (pre HD), I get the bars on the side (4:3), it's really annoying, but there is a feature that you can zoom with the PVR (press #). Then it just doesn't seem as bad, and from what I noticed. I also think it remembers that that channel needs to be zoomed or not. The problem with that is that when the channel is broadcasting an HD channel, its zoomed too much. But besides those little hicks, the channels are actually pretty nice, especially the ones I mentionned above. I only lose the channels (and not all) if it is a very heavy rain or snow fall. My brother just went with bell, and they have a promotion to get a free HD receiver (not pvr, does not have HDMI) and 2 months of free programming. Good time to convert. XBOX 360 Games : 20 =p~ HD DVD Movies : 16 <:-\| DVD's : 300+ All displayed on a beautiful Panny TH-58PZ700U Plasma received 06/08/2007=p~

07-13-2007, 12:41 PM	#3
USASatelliteTV Satellite TV Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Windsor/Detroit Posts: 5	ExpressVU HD beats Rogers HD all around. I would recommend you switch.