DirecTV HD DVR question

[Jimbo]

does the D* or E* provide the same thing as the Comcast boxes-watching one live HD program while recording another live HD program at the same time?

Yes you can watch an HD program while recording another HD program ....
Been that way since the beginning. (of HD recorders, that is) ...

 

[atp1313]

ummm...yes I can, I can record one in HD and while recording, watch the other show live, I can flip between tuners if I wish, the Comcast DVRs always has dual tuners running live in HD(or SD if you wish).

I feel like I am getting different answers, does the D* or E* provide the same thing as the Comcast boxes-watching one live HD program while recording another live HD program at the same time?

The downcoverting mentioned is for watching two shows simultaneously on two seperate tv's. The E* DVR can only output one HD (or SD) signal to the main TV (TV1) at a time, and the second output (TV2) is always in SD (either native SD or downconverted HD). But that goes to another TV presumably in another room.

Yes, you are getting different answers but they are talking about different things. Your Comcast DVR is outputting only one HD "signal" at a time, though that signal can be coming from Tuner1 or Tuner2...it's all still ONE signal from the box to the TV. This is the same as the E* and D* DVR's.

There are ways to "trick" the D* DVR and use it as a modified Dual Live Buffer, like your Comcast box. But it requires setting your DVR to record the two programs you are going to be flipping back and forth between. Once you have the two programs recording, you can start one from the playlist, hit pause, start the other show from the playlist, and when you want to flip back to the other program, simply hit "previous channel" on the remote, and the first show starts where you left off. and back and forth as many times as you want. I may have one of the steps wrong, but you can treat it as a DLB if you want.

Bottom line: D*, E* and Comcast DVR's can all record at least two shows at the same time in HD and allow you to watch one of them - either recorded or live - in HD without interfering with the HD recording that you are not watching.

Hope this helps...oh and one last thing: Never, ever, trust a CSR 100% of the time. Most are working from scripts and if your question isn't on their script, they tend to freelance their answers and may not have the knowledge to answer your question honestly/truthfully.