DIRECTV HR34 Home Media Center

[zim2dive]

Was using the Hr34 last night while it was recording something.. OUCH.. it got even MORE sluggish... press 5 keys.. wait for the guide to scroll... press some keys again... wait...

Did they recycle some old calculator CPUs for these things???

 

[rickwhoo]

It was slow at times for me too yesterday.

 

[MattQuinlan]

SD and HD simultaneous on HR34?

Yes, that is possible. I have four TV's hooked up to my HR-34. One is a HDTV that I have hooked up via a HDMI splitter that powers the TV in the living room and one above my bar in the basement. Two other receive a SD-TV signal through a whole home modulator. You can either split the signal that powers your current TV or use two different outputs of your DirecTV receiver.

I'm very interested in how you did that. I just purchased an HD TV and upgraded to the HR34 from an old DirecTivo R10. My old DVR had coax SD output which I amplified and split into the main junction for the entire house (I had no HD TVs back then). I had planned to run my one HD TV via the HR34 HDMI output and the rest of the SD TVs by running the composite outputs through an RF modulator (to get the signal through the coax) and then amplify the resulting coax SD signal. I have the RF remote so I figured... "I'm golden". Then I clicked the remote while watching the TV upstairs and got the dreaded "Your TV or its cables are not HD. On the remote control, press and hold the EXIT key, until you see a confirmation your receiver is set for standard definition".

I realize that this is a result of the new HD user interface. And I realize that I can switch it down to 480 in order to watch on the remote tv. But I want to watch the same program in HD on my HDTV and simulataneously allow my wife to watch it in SD upstairs (without purchasing another receiver). You seem to have solved this riddle. Please oh wise one... share your knowledge

 

[harshness]

The most common solution is to use an HD component to SD composite converter.

For only $37.80 each when QTY 50+ purchased - Component (YpbPr) to Composite Converter | Analog Video Converters

 

[MattQuinlan]

Just ordered it. THANKS!

 

[jscott70]

DirecTV should be horsewhipped for releasing the HR34 to the public. I've already bent the ear of two customer service case managers who called me with my tirade on the subject. Considering I came from Dish network, who I was with for 4 years, and had almost zero problem with receiver speed and stability, the fact that I've had to reboot my HR34 once a day EVERY day since I've had it (installed on 6/13/12) and sometimes more than once per day, I think something is terribly wrong. Of course they agreed, gave me the obligatory 10 bucks per month for six months off plus free sunday ticket max (in addition to the free sunday ticket I got with the promo) but whoop-dee-doo. I told them to get their developers asses in gear and focus solely on performance and stability as nothing else matters right now. Who gives a flying fart if Pandora is there if I have to reboot this thing incessantly, sometimes resulting in lost recordings. Seriously? How did this thing fly the coop and get out to the public?

 

[whitewolf8214]

I have had no problems since I got my HR34

 

[gadgtfreek]

Other than the guide and handshake quirks (small issues), mine has been working well to date. I don't use MRV or a lot of the other stuff, I just have it on a EHD and record a lot of crap.

 

[lsilvest]

DirecTV should be horsewhipped for releasing the HR34 to the public. I've already bent the ear of two customer service case managers who called me with my tirade on the subject. Considering I came from Dish network, who I was with for 4 years, and had almost zero problem with receiver speed and stability, the fact that I've had to reboot my HR34 once a day EVERY day since I've had it (installed on 6/13/12) and sometimes more than once per day, I think something is terribly wrong. Of course they agreed, gave me the obligatory 10 bucks per month for six months off plus free sunday ticket max (in addition to the free sunday ticket I got with the promo) but whoop-dee-doo. I told them to get their developers asses in gear and focus solely on performance and stability as nothing else matters right now. Who gives a flying fart if Pandora is there if I have to reboot this thing incessantly, sometimes resulting in lost recordings. Seriously? How did this thing fly the coop and get out to the public?

I haven't had any problems with performance on mine other than the occasional sluggishness. I downloaded the latest CE last night and that speeded up my scrolling to where it is completely responsive. You might try downloading the next CE update and see if that helps. I have noticed that it will get sluggish but if I download a new CE it perks right back up. Or, you may just have a bad unit since I haven't seen this amount of vitriol from anyone else.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Glad to hear it on speed. I noticed Ive not gotten a NR in awhile, was kinda hoping we'd be getting an update soon. I got off the CE one the HD Gui was national and stable, mostly.

 

[Jimbo]

DirecTV should be horsewhipped for releasing the HR34 to the public. I've already bent the ear of two customer service case managers who called me with my tirade on the subject. Considering I came from Dish network, who I was with for 4 years, and had almost zero problem with receiver speed and stability, the fact that I've had to reboot my HR34 once a day EVERY day since I've had it (installed on 6/13/12) and sometimes more than once per day, I think something is terribly wrong. Of course they agreed, gave me the obligatory 10 bucks per month for six months off plus free sunday ticket max (in addition to the free sunday ticket I got with the promo) but whoop-dee-doo. I told them to get their developers asses in gear and focus solely on performance and stability as nothing else matters right now. Who gives a flying fart if Pandora is there if I have to reboot this thing incessantly, sometimes resulting in lost recordings. Seriously? How did this thing fly the coop and get out to the public?

You've chose to jump in on the NEWEST recvr available ... you want all the glamor of it, but none of the quirks of the unit while it's bugs get worked out ....

Yes, they may have released it a little soon, but the public doesn't want to wait for things once they hear about them.

All recvrs have issues when the first come out, to some degree.

Btw, Dish is no different as far as new equipment goes.

 

[whitewolf8214]

You've chose to jump in on the NEWEST recvr available ... you want all the glamor of it, but none of the quirks of the unit while it's bugs get worked out ....

Yes, they may have released it a little soon, but the public doesn't want to wait for things once they hear about them.

All recvrs have issues when the first come out, to some degree.

Btw, Dish is no different as far as new equipment goes.

Amen very wel said

 

[Hutch1814]

DirecTV should be horsewhipped for releasing the HR34 to the public. I've already bent the ear of two customer service case managers who called me with my tirade on the subject. Considering I came from Dish network, who I was with for 4 years, and had almost zero problem with receiver speed and stability, the fact that I've had to reboot my HR34 once a day EVERY day since I've had it (installed on 6/13/12) and sometimes more than once per day, I think something is terribly wrong. Of course they agreed, gave me the obligatory 10 bucks per month for six months off plus free sunday ticket max (in addition to the free sunday ticket I got with the promo) but whoop-dee-doo. I told them to get their developers asses in gear and focus solely on performance and stability as nothing else matters right now. Who gives a flying fart if Pandora is there if I have to reboot this thing incessantly, sometimes resulting in lost recordings. Seriously? How did this thing fly the coop and get out to the public?

I know several people that would love to see pandora on the 34. I've also seen people with not a single issue and some in the same boat as you. You paid for "elite" receiver, why? Because its the NEWEST and we all know what comes with new, headaches and a learning curve but we also want the newest thing out there. Jimbo nailed it, it's new and is being worked on. Sorry for your problems, I too would be mad if I had to deal with the same issues you're dealing with but you could always drop the 34 and pick up an HR24

 

[gadgtfreek]

Every DVR I've owned since 2006 that was "new" has been released to early lol. Add bluray players, phones and tv's to that list lmao

 

[Hutch1814]

Every DVR I've owned since 2006 that was "new" has been released to early lol. Add bluray players, phones and tv's to that list lmao

+1,000,000,000,000

 

[lsilvest]

I know several people that would love to see pandora on the 34.

It is on the 34. I thought it was on the last national release, but it's on the CE for sure.

 

[Winston2000]

So i am switching from Dish to DirectTV. 1. Because of AMC. 2. I want to be able to record more than 2 shows at once. 3. I want 3D content.

Anyway, does the HMC have 3D capability? Also i have 5 tv's in my house. Can the HMC work with 5tv's?

 

[raoul5788]

It does do 3D, but you can only connect 3 remote televisions to it.

 

[harshness]

It does do 3D, but you can only connect 3 remote televisions to it.

Typically, these televisions won't be able to pause live TV but will have a fully functional satellite tuner connected to them.

DIRECTV's client-server system hasn't really arrived yet.

 

[zim2dive]

It is on the 34. I thought it was on the last national release, but it's on the CE for sure.

Pandora is not on the NR. Being on the CE doesn't count. <1% of customers would even know about the CE.

Its one thing to say the HR34 might have been released 4-6 weeks too early.. I could forgive that... but we're at 4-6 months too early now. That's a bit too much.

Dish caught bloody he|| for the 922.. and DTV deserves no less for the current condition of the HR34. My 4+ year old Dish 622 had better performance (just not as many tuners)