Upgraded my DirecTV HD box
DirecTV is offering a $200 rebate on their H10 and H20 HD boxes (which retail for $199), so I figured it was a great time to upgrade my 2 year old Hughes HIRD-E86 receiver.

I was able to get a DirecTV H20 which will decode both MPEG-2 (DirecTV's current standard) and MPEG-4 (DirecTV's future standard). It also has an HDMI output which I will connect to my TV's DVI port.

The Hughes I have now is not a great HD box. It has problems with overheating. Plus, it only supports component out, so I'm not getting the best possible HD picture. I purchased it before I got a TV that supports DVI, so it's overdue for the upgrade. I haven't decided if I will hook it up to the HDTV in my bedroom or just retire it altogether.

Both the H20 box, which I ordered from Circuit City, and the HDMI-to-DVI cable are scheduled to arrive on Friday. I should have a review of the new box by early next week.