Hope for a Tivo-DIRECTV HD DVR?

[harshness]

Besides two active tuners on simultaneously, name one thing that is better about the TiVO when compared to Direct's DVRs.

How about starting with the simple things like an accurate and fully functional CIG?

There are still many rough edges on the HR2x series that DIRECTV seems to be occasionally nibbling at, but they've never really made the problems go away. Look at the release notes for any release and see how they use the term "improved" much more often than "fixed".

 

[runningretarius]

Now you've got me nervous. With my HR10 Tivo I can record two different channels simultaneously and watch something pre-recorded from the hard drive. I had assumed that this was a standard feature. Am I dreaming?

 

[rad]

Now you've got me nervous. With my HR10 Tivo I can record two different channels simultaneously and watch something pre-recorded from the hard drive. I had assumed that this was a standard feature. Am I dreaming?

With the DirecTV branded DVR's you can do the same thing, record two programs while watching a perviously recorded program. If you have a HD DVR or the R22 SD DVR and you connect it to the internet you can then also download a DirecTV on Demand program, along with recording two other programs for a total of three concurrent recordings.

 

[Jhon69]

Now you've got me nervous. With my HR10 Tivo I can record two different channels simultaneously and watch something pre-recorded from the hard drive. I had assumed that this was a standard feature. Am I dreaming?

It's the same with DirecTV's DVR+'s.

 

[bidger`]

Not everybody worships at the Directv Altar.

And not everyone worships at the TiVo Altar. The folks who restrict themselves to one DVR platform are DVR-tarded, IMO.

 

[stogie5150]

And not everyone worships at the TiVo Altar. The folks who restrict themselves to one DVR platform are DVR-tarded, IMO.

Well I am a 'tard then. But I am a funny guy. Don't try to sell me something better that hasn't proved that it is. I really don't care whose name is on the front. TIVO just happened to be the platform that directv had that worked 100% for me, SD and HD. D*'s own DVR's just were inferior to anything I had experienced before. And still are. I have one friend with a SD DTIVO and it is STILL so far ahead of D*'s own crap SD boxes its almost isn't debatable. If D* still offered both, its own boxes would be sitting in warehouses gathering dust. because those of us that use a DVR for its intended puropose, you know, recording and playing back programs, KNOW that TIVO is the superior platform when compared with D*'s lame offerings. I am not interested in castrated VOD, or watching pictures on my DVR. I wanted a DVR FIRST,LAST, and BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. HR20/21/R15 isn't it. By a LONG shot.

Directv has been urinating down its DVR users backs and calling it rain for about two years now. They keep telling the CE'ers that they are working hard to FIX things, and all they are doing is working hard to introduce things to take more money from YOUR pocket. They haven't really fixed a danged thing. The SAME gray screen bug that was there in December 2007 is still there. The same blank recordings are still there. Yet Directv STILL adds more and more 'features' and STILL hasn't fixed the basic functionality.

Its bordering on criminal, if I am the prosecutor.

I was SO excited to be trying the new equipment when it was finally offered, and when I saw how it actually worked, I could not BELIEVE that people were duped into accepting it as a replacement for what they had.

 

[joed32]

Well I am a 'tard then. But I am a funny guy. Don't try to sell me something better that hasn't proved that it is. I really don't care whose name is on the front. TIVO just happened to be the platform that directv had that worked 100% for me, SD and HD. D*'s own DVR's just were inferior to anything I had experienced before. And still are. I have one friend with a SD DTIVO and it is STILL so far ahead of D*'s own crap SD boxes its almost isn't debatable. If D* still offered both, its own boxes would be sitting in warehouses gathering dust. because those of us that use a DVR for its intended puropose, you know, recording and playing back programs, KNOW that TIVO is the superior platform when compared with D*'s lame offerings. I am not interested in castrated VOD, or watching pictures on my DVR. I wanted a DVR FIRST,LAST, and BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. HR20/21/R15 isn't it. By a LONG shot.

Directv has been urinating down its DVR users backs and calling it rain for about two years now. They keep telling the CE'ers that they are working hard to FIX things, and all they are doing is working hard to introduce things to take more money from YOUR pocket. They haven't really fixed a danged thing. The SAME gray screen bug that was there in December 2007 is still there. The same blank recordings are still there. Yet Directv STILL adds more and more 'features' and STILL hasn't fixed the basic functionality.

Its bordering on criminal, if I am the prosecutor.

I was SO excited to be trying the new equipment when it was finally offered, and when I saw how it actually worked, I could not BELIEVE that people were duped into accepting it as a replacement for what they had.

Are you still with Direct?

 

[stogie5150]

Are you still with Direct?

No I left when it was obvious they weren't interested in fixing what was wrong. I still get to experenice the latest 'features' though, my best friend still has his HR20. He's waiting on his two years to be up so he can split too. I bit the bullet, paid the ransom, and left before my contract was up.

 

[JeffreyDJ]

Now you've got me nervous. With my HR10 Tivo I can record two different channels simultaneously and watch something pre-recorded from the hard drive. I had assumed that this was a standard feature. Am I dreaming?

You can defintely do that no issue. What you can't do well is have a LIVE show on two active tuners and pause one and go watch the other until a commercial break and then switch back. That is what I miss the most

There is a workaround, but it doesnt quiet work the same way.

 

[Jhon69]

You can defintely do that no issue. What you can't do well is have a LIVE show on two active tuners and pause one and go watch the other until a commercial break and then switch back. That is what I miss the most

There is a workaround, but it doesnt quiet work the same way.

Let's discuss that.When DirecTV decided to go with the DirecTV DVR+ platform it did not support DLB.But The DirecTV software engineers are working on the problem.As long as DLB does not interfer with their plans for the DirecTV DVR+ I believe we will see something better than DLB.

Right now depending which software your running there are 2 workarounds.You can record both channels then go back and forth with the PREV button on the remote control or record one channel then go to another channel and go back and forth with the PREV button on the remote control.This of course is not the same,but this does prove the DirecTV software engineers are working on this problem.

 

[DodgerKing]

Just one? Okay, in the year and some change I had the HD TIVO, it never missed a recording. The HR20 missed at least one a week religously, in the 9 months I had it. Add to that constant grey screen recordings, its no TIVO. Not even close.

That is an issue with your individual receiver, not a defining characteristic of function between the two. For me it is the opposite. My TiVO is constantly missing recordings even though it is clearly defined in my season pass manager, while my HR20 has never once missed a single recording ever.

 

[DodgerKing]

How about starting with the simple things like an accurate and fully functional CIG?

What is CIG?

 

[harshness]

But The DirecTV software engineers are working on the problem.

Elements of the latest CE seem to point in this direction, but more towards the idea that both programs are going to have to be recorded.

As long as DLB does not interfer with their plans for the DirecTV DVR+ I believe we will see something better than DLB.

As DVR features go, which are the most important? The bar was set by the HR10 and DIRECTV said they could do it better. D* has spent an enormous amount of resources tinkering with non-DVR features in the ensuing two years and while many users are pleasantly surprised and appreciative, they still long for a fully functioning DVR.

All the while, the HR2x series continue to crank out non-recordings for a significant number of subscribers. As it is elsewhere, 5% of the problems take 95% of the resources and D* seems to be substantially avoiding the 5% that might well make everyone ecstatic.

 

[harshness]

What is CIG?

Channels I Get: the feature that allows automated recording features to know what channels are available in your programming suite so that it doesn't try to schedule a recording on a channel that you don't have available.

It is also used in restricting what appears in the some of the guides to only channels that you have available. Imagine how nice it would be to have a guide that shows exactly what is available to you without having to manually maintain it.

 

[harshness]

That is an issue with your individual receiver, not a defining characteristic of function between the two. For me it is the opposite. My TiVO is constantly missing recordings even though it is clearly defined in my season pass manager, while my HR20 has never once missed a single recording ever.

It likely has more to do with what is being recorded and how the recording is being set up as opposed to being tied to a specific machine.

By and large, the DirecTiVos seem to have much less trouble performing their basic DVR functions. You may well be the lone HR2x user that has a zero failure rate on HR2x recordings. Most who used to chime in religiously (because it is a religious issue), have fallen by the wayside at this point.

 

[DodgerKing]

Channels I Get: the feature that allows automated recording features to know what channels are available in your programming suite so that it doesn't try to schedule a recording on a channel that you don't have available.

It is also used in restricting what appears in the some of the guides to only channels that you have available. Imagine how nice it would be to have a guide that shows exactly what is available to you without having to manually maintain it.

Why would it record something on a channel I don't get anyway? I have yet to have this problem on any of my receivers. When you select a program you tell it which channel to record the program from.


Let me give you a list of features I prefer on the HR20:

1. One button to turn the turner (and TV and Tuner off simultaneously) off and on without having to navigate a menu to simply turn the thing off.

2. Changing settings requires fewer steps

3. Colored short cut buttons.

4. More interactive features, especially with sports programming.

5. Networking

6. VOD

7. OTA tuner

8. Using the "Previous" button to go back and forth between two recorded programs and a recorded program and live TV without having to hit the "list button" and navigate through folders

9. Able to list all previously viewed channels with the yellow button to navigate between more than 2 channels

There are several others, I just cannot think of them from the top of my head right now.

 

[thomas_d92]

I have my HR20-700 for 13 months now and it has never missed a recording.

 

[gondwana321]

No I left when it was obvious they weren't interested in fixing what was wrong. I still get to experenice the latest 'features' though, my best friend still has his HR20. He's waiting on his two years to be up so he can split too. I bit the bullet, paid the ransom, and left before my contract was up.

Man you must have too much time on your hand to come here and type all this.

 

[stogie5150]

Man you must have too much time on your hand to come here and type all this.

I'd like not to have folks repeat the mistakes I made.
I care about my fellow man, something that is lost all too frequently these days.

And I will make time to help people out. And someone considering D*'s product NEEDS to hear BOTH sides. :up

 

[Jhon69]

I'd like not to have folks repeat the mistakes I made.
I care about my fellow man, something that is lost all too frequently these days.

And I will make time to help people out. And someone considering D*'s product NEEDS to hear BOTH sides. :up

I totally agree let's discuss that.TIVO basically had DirecTV by the nads.Any feature that DirecTV wanted Tivo could either say yes we can do that but it will cost you this much and it will be ready when we say it is.So now enters Rupert Murdoch who not only owns NewsCorp but also NDS a DVR company.So it is easy to see why DirecTV would like to have it's nads back and be able to call the shots.

So the DirecTV+ DVR is born the first in house DVR for DirecTV.First comes the R15 whose software is updated by NDS.Then the HR20 whose software is managed by DirecTV.Now because of issues and problems with the R15 and HR20 a new program is born with the help of Earl Bonovich of DBSTalk and DirecTV,it's named"The Cutting Edge".

A program designed to let DirecTV subscribers beta test software and have a voice concerning which features they would like in their DirecTV DVRs.It is also explained that as long as the features don't conflict with features that DirecTV wants those features will be added.

Now with the addition of the HR21/22 and the R22-100 DirecTV's first MPEG4 SD DVR gradually all software upgrades will be controlled by DirecTV.The R22's have access to VOD,MediaShare,a more complete guide,30 second skip,200 hours SD recording and will receive updates and the features of the HR series.Before DirecTV restricted the R22 to be used in MPEG4 locals areas only.But now the R22's are being released for all DirecTV's SD subscribers.

The future is indeed looking brighter at DirecTV.