DirecTV R-15 DVR

[lee78221]

I love the mini guide on the unit (page 25)

 

[asousa]

Man, in this day and age if it doesn't have an ethernet connection to D/L its updates and EPG or to off-load your programs to a PC for archiving, then it will truly be a worthless paperweight.

it has a USB port, maybe you can grab stuff of it that way?

 

[jamieh1]

this unit's interface looks a lot like the the D10's

All future directv recievers will have the same format.
Just like Dish!

 

[ad301]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ad301
If the upcoming DirecTV DVRs can't do batch searches, like TiVo wishlists, then they will be useless to me. I have over a hundred WishLists watching for movies or subjects I might be interested in, which I check every couple of days. If the new DVR's can't do the same type of global search then the find function becomes virtually useless to me. Am I supposed to check 100+ recent finds manually? And how many recent finds will it save? I can't believe they'd be stupid enough to take such a step backwards, but the manual at the posted link sure makes it look that way.

yes they can look on page 36 and 33

I don't see it, sorry. Can you quote from the manual, where it tells how to do a batch search, analagous to the TiVo command "View all upcoming WishList programs"?

 

[EEJay]

Man, in this day and age if it doesn't have an ethernet connection to D/L its updates and EPG or to off-load your programs to a PC for archiving, then it will truly be a worthless paperweight.

That's the #1 reason I won't own a TiVo until they step into the 21st century and get rid of that ancient phone line requirement.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

A phone line connection is not required. You do need to connect to a phone line to initialize the DVR service. After the service is activated you will not ever need a phone line again.

Even I resisted the DVR service until last year, now I can't live without it. I only watch the shows I like and fast forward through commercials. I almost never watch live TV and when I do I wait at least 15 minutes so I can fast forward through commercials. When ever I have the time my favorite shows are waiting for me so I never sit down and channel surf and can't find anything I truly enjoy.

Instant replays during political debates, sports and Julia Roberts love scens can't be beat.

-Robert

 

[Darrell S]

The one thing I'm curious to know is will you still have to do a daily call in like the Tivo's do. If they could get rid of that I think that would be really nice. Since it's a long distance call for me.

Do you have a DTIVO? You can call D* and they will give your box 800 number access if there are no local numbers in your area.

 

[lee espinoza]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ad301
If the upcoming DirecTV DVRs can't do batch searches, like TiVo wishlists, then they will be useless to me. I have over a hundred WishLists watching for movies or subjects I might be interested in, which I check every couple of days. If the new DVR's can't do the same type of global search then the find function becomes virtually useless to me. Am I supposed to check 100+ recent finds manually? And how many recent finds will it save? I can't believe they'd be stupid enough to take such a step backwards, but the manual at the posted link sure makes it look that way.




I don't see it, sorry. Can you quote from the manual, where it tells how to do a batch search, analagous to the TiVo command "View all upcoming WishList programs"?

Oh, I miss understood What he/she was saying
I thought he/she was saying NO WishList like Feature AT ALL
I never used that no big loss for me.

 

[lee espinoza]

Ps: I had to make a new user name (Lee78221) Because Lee Espinoza was not working at the time.

 

[Alan Gordon]

H20 won't be a DVR.

Yes, that was my point in stating that I may just not get an HD-DVR. I'll see what the HMC looks like, but if I don't care for it, I may just get an HD-TiVo next year off of EBay, and just use it for OTA, and cancel the HD package.

The R15 is not MPEG4 capable.

It will be interesting to find out for sure!

~Alan

 

[Hogarth]

The R15 is not MPEG4 capable.

It will be interesting to find out for sure!

~Alan

Here's finding out for sure.
An MPEG2 decoder ASIC runs about $0.50.
An MPEG4 decoder ASIC runs about $5.00.

DirecTV has specifically designed the R15 to reduce costs.
Thus, including anything but the cheapest chips makes no sense at all.

If it has an MPEG4 decoder, I'll commit ritual seppuku.

 

[Alan Gordon]

Here's finding out for sure.
An MPEG2 decoder ASIC runs about $0.50.
An MPEG4 decoder ASIC runs about $5.00.

If it has an MPEG4 decoder, I'll commit ritual seppuku.

Here's the deal. When I first started reading satellite message boards (In 2003), I did so because we were contemplating a switch to Dish Network due to having to put up with Pegasus, and I was interested in Dish Network due to the SuperStations and because I believed that Dish Network would have the most HD with the ability to broadcast 50 HD channels via the SuperDISH (we know what happened there), and I felt that Dish Network would add my SD-LIL before DirecTV got around to it (and they did, Dish Network has had my LIL for over a year, and DirecTV still doesn't offer it). I first went to DBSTalk.com, and then followed Scott over here because I liked his information for Dish Network. He (and a few others) are who I trust the most when it comes Dish Network.

However, I ended up staying with DirecTV, we no longer have to deal with Pegasus, I got a Phase III dish for $30 off of EBay, I got a Hughes HTL-HD for $249 (until I could afford an HD-TiVo), and have since replaced two receivers with DirecTiVo's. While Scott has had some good information regarding DirecTV, he's not quite as good as it as he is with Dish, and I've found that some of the people with the BEST DirecTV information is Bschneider, KenH, and my personal favorite, Dan Collins. He's been wrong before, but generally right (most of the time since I've read his posts, anyway!), and so when he says that DirecTV will make a BIG HD announcement after SpaceWay-2 is launched, I believe that DirecTV will make a BIG announcement after SpaceWay-2 is launched. When he says that "The SD NDS DVR will be MPEG-4 capable - that doesn't mean it is also HD capable. IOW, MPEG-4 does not automatically equal High Def. ", I have a tendency to believe him.

That doesn't mean that DirecTV is going to start switching all SD to MPEG4 (although I wouldn't be surprised if that happens sometime in the next five years!), but DirecTV could choose to do something with it, like download (MPEG4) PPV movies to one's R15 hard drive similar to what the recent article talked about, or DirecTV could offer new SD-LIL markets via MPEG4... since the Alaska and Hawaii locals are going to be on the SpaceWay satellite, the current DirecTiVo's will not work with the KA load, so I suspect that unless DirecTV wants to give every sub an HMC or an H20 in Hawaii and Alaska, the R15 will probably support the KA band, so why not offer MPEG4 decoding now at $5.00 and save having to swap out EVERYBODY's receiver in the future, should DirecTV ever NEED to switch to MPEG4.

So, again, I guess we'll see!

~Alan

 

[Loric]

Man, in this day and age if it doesn't have an ethernet connection to D/L its updates and EPG or to off-load your programs to a PC for archiving, then it will truly be a worthless paperweight.

It has a USB port instead. I don't know if it will be one of its 'future use'.

The R15 is going to provide a DVR with the united interface DTV has introduced on the D10...

 

[Loric]

When he says that "The SD NDS DVR will be MPEG-4 capable - that doesn't mean it is also HD capable. IOW, MPEG-4 does not automatically equal High Def. ", I have a tendency to believe him.

Theorically, you could imagine it would do a MPEG4 decoding by software.
My comment was about hardware decoding, even if I should check the specs of the Broadcom chips some manufacturers are using.

so why not offer MPEG4 decoding now at $5.00 and save having to swap out EVERYBODY's receiver in the future, should DirecTV ever NEED to switch to MPEG4.

My guess is no manufacturer has a MPEG4 decoder ready to be launched in the field yet.

oops Sorry for the double post.

 

[cobra55]

Also the language can be set to English or Spanish. ViewMarks will make it fast and easy return to a selected place. And most importantly are the Interactive features, like the MIX channels and the football interactive features are very cool.

As I understand the price will be $99 with a $100 DIRECTV mail-in rebate for new and existing customers (One $100 rebate per household).

I believe we will all love this DVR. Think we should start a forum pre-order list?

-Robert

is this HD or standard, i only want the standard

 

[Alan Gordon]

My guess is no manufacturer has a MPEG4 decoder ready to be launched in the field yet.

From what I've heard, the H20 is already in Beta mode.

~Alan

 

[madpoet]

Is the R15 an interactive receiver? For some reason I thought the R10 was, but I guess I was wrong .

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Yes, the only DVR that will have interactive services is the R15.

-Robert

 

[Hogarth]

Theorically, you could imagine it would do a MPEG4 decoding by software.

No, you can't.
These DVRs have CPUs which barely crack 200 Mhz.
Can you imagine trying to watch a DIVX video on a 200Mhz Pentium 1?

My guess is no manufacturer has a MPEG4 decoder ready to be launched in the field yet.

Guess again!
http://www.4i2i.com/MPEG-4_video_codec_ip_cores.htm
http://www.amphion.com/cs6750.html
http://www.faraday-tech.com/html/news/pressUpload/ENG_01_0094.htm

The amphion, in particular, can be ordered -today-.

 

[billbillw]

...and my personal favorite, Dan Collins. He's been wrong before, but generally right (most of the time since I've read his posts, anyway!), and so when he says that DirecTV will make a BIG HD announcement after SpaceWay-2 is launched, I believe that DirecTV will make a BIG announcement after SpaceWay-2 is launched. When he says that "The SD NDS DVR will be MPEG-4 capable - that doesn't mean it is also HD capable. IOW, MPEG-4 does not automatically equal High Def. ", I have a tendency to believe him.

That doesn't mean that DirecTV is going to start switching all SD to MPEG4 (although I wouldn't be surprised if that happens sometime in the next five years!), but DirecTV could choose to do something with it, like download (MPEG4) PPV movies to one's R15 hard drive similar to what the recent article talked about, or DirecTV could offer new SD-LIL markets via MPEG4... since the Alaska and Hawaii locals are going to be on the SpaceWay satellite, the current DirecTiVo's will not work with the KA load, so I suspect that unless DirecTV wants to give every sub an HMC or an H20 in Hawaii and Alaska, the R15 will probably support the KA band, so why not offer MPEG4 decoding now at $5.00 and save having to swap out EVERYBODY's receiver in the future, should DirecTV ever NEED to switch to MPEG4.

So, again, I guess we'll see!

~Alan

Alan, I'm sure Dan Collins is a good source, but I believe he is off on the R15 being MPEG4 capable.
According to the R15 block diagram (here ), the R15 uses an STI5528 decoder chip, which by all accounts is only capable of decoding MPEG-2.

I was unable to find any technical literature on the STi5528, but I did find this Press Release .

I think the debate is over now.