DVR Newbie question

[aec4]

We were thinking of getting a DVR. I've never had one. My question is a simple one (or at least I think it is).

If there is a hard drive in the unit, and the unit does all the taping to this unit, why is there a monthly charge for DVR? Also, why is a phone line required?

My thoughts are you are paying extra (even if you get it for free, the initial cost of the unit is more than a regular receiver) because you need hardware that can handle the taping of the shows to the hard drive. I would think that would be enough, and I am curious to what benefit you get to paying the $6.00 per month?

 

[JustBob]

That's always bugged me too. With a stand-alone Tivo you need the phone line so the Tivo can call in every night to get an updated program guide. I believe that's their justification for the $12/month charge on stand-alone Tivos, because Tivo has to maintain those guides including local channels from around the country. However with the DirecTV DVRs, they get their program guide from the satellites. Plus it's something that we're getting anyway with DirecTV. I believe the Tivo guide goes out 2 weeks so you're getting the ability to search future programs better. However I still don't see this as worth $5 or $6 per month. I agree that the box does the work and you've paid for the box. It's just something they've found they can charge a fee for having and people are willing to pay it. With the DirecTV DVRs you could argue that you've got a second tuner built in so it's like having an extra receiver which also costs you $5/month. But I don't think they're going to take that charge off my bill if I promise not to use the second tuner.

-JustBob

 

[Ilya]

I think the monthly charge is there to compensate for the extra time the CSRs spend on the phone answering all those DVR-related questions!

 

[Ez_1321]

its an optional service so they are going to charge you. if you have the premium package, dvr serivce is free of charge.

if you had time warner cable, they charge 8 dollars additional per tivo box.
so if you had 2 tivos with cable thats $16 extra a month

with Directv, if you have 2 tivos its just 5 bux extra a month, and if you have that premium package they are both free.

still a better deal than cable....just some food for thought

 

[GeoFan49]

You will get hooked on the TiVo search capabilities... want to see all the movies by a particular director? Stuff like that. After you have a TiVo for a few months, you won't be able to live without one.

The two tuners means you can grab two shows while watching a third that you prerecorded... how often? At least a few times a week, I'll bet. :

 

[joedekock]

I think the charge has more to do with paying the department that keeps the software running to get it available on the satellites for downloading guides to your system.

I think its worth the cost. DVR is in my opinion one of the greatest inventions man-kind has ever created!

 

[Bogar1t]

curious about phone line

I'm currently a DTV subscriber and have recently purchased the Directv +. It's still in the box because I want to know if it requires a phone line to use it. I do not have a line hooked up to my current receiver. I also do not have a home phone anymore either because of I have VOIP. Is it essential for use? How does it download software updates?

 

[100144618]

I'm currently a DTV subscriber and have recently purchased the Directv +. It's still in the box because I want to know if it requires a phone line to use it. I do not have a line hooked up to my current receiver. I also do not have a home phone anymore either because of I have VOIP. Is it essential for use? How does it download software updates?

All DirecTV DVRs require a phone line. The DVR (regardless of model) - like any other receiver - gets its software updates from the satellite. However, the phone line is required to connect to the DVR Service - the "uber super cool" features like Showcases, Season Pass (on the R10) - and all that fun crap. Without it, it will basically function without those features. It'll maintain its dual tuner capability, and still allow to record two shows at once, and all that jazz, but the extra stuff won't work.

Oh, and I think I saw a question addressing the HD size for the R15? 100 hours, approximately.