HR54 - 4K Genie FIRST LOOK

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IF (very big IF) the IRD doesn't support it natively, it will still require it to deliver the streams to compatible clients, which will then process the streams and output 4K. Until someone says otherwise, though, I'm going to go on believing that the 54 will also support 4k at the reciever.

How is your HR54 connected, are you using a client, and what brand and model of television?
 
I am taking it that the most the Transponders can handle is 2K.
Not true, a regular transponder can handle up to 2 - 4K streams, however with transponder bonding they can get up to 5 channels using just 2 transponders.

When I learned yesterday that the HR54 couldn't output 4K, it surprised me, but now thinking about it it makes sense. With a bunch of new 4K TV's coming out it the HR54 will allow people using RVU to continue using it in the future. I was wondering how those TV's would support the transponder bonding and this appears the be the solution.

I am guessing that the C64K will be a lot like the DISH 4K Joey client, a small box that will be completely silent (no fans) which would give you the ultimate home theater experience. The HR 54 would go in a different room.

I am told I will see the C64K in July and will also get a chance to use one a well. I am looking forward to that.

I see the other site is talking crap again about us. But they don't understand or want to acknowledge that I have beat them to the punch over the past year and my information is 100% spot on. I don't think they can handle that and its making them upset. I don't think they know how closely I am working with DIRECTV to get this information... but shortly they will see that when I can reveal more.

Also with AT&T getting ready to move in on DIRECTV, I already have a number of AT&T contacts who will be heavily involved in taking over at DIRECTV. I think going forward you will see a lot more DIRECT news here before you see it anyplace else.

I see some people calling this a review, its not a review its a first look. A first look is just that a first look, seems as though some people over there are too dumb to know what FIRST LOOK means. It did what it was supposed to and that was give you a First Look of the upcoming hardware. When its time for a review of one we will have one of those to. I do not like doing reviews based on beta software, as beta software is just that beta, there will be bugs in it and possibly there will be some features which do not make it to the release version of the software. Its not fair to anyone to post a review from beta software.

BTW rumor alert... I am hearing that a popular Kids Channel will be uplinked in HD shortly on DIRECTV and soon will be made available in a few weeks. :)

Thanks for reading SatelliteGuys, proud to be your DIRECTV information source. :)
 
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IF (very big IF) the IRD doesn't support it natively, it will still require it to deliver the streams to compatible clients, which will then process the streams and output 4K. Until someone says otherwise, though, I'm going to go on believing that the 54 will also support 4k at the reciever.[/QUOTE

I was kind of surprised that It didn't and it wont as well. I think there was much confusion on what the boxes could do initially as DirecTV was still figuring out how to do 4k. Now that we know how DirecTV is doing it, I actually kind of like the solution. Have a server in a separate room with the ability to expand the hard drive and mini clients capable of doing 4k. Basically the HR 54 is the meat and bones, doing all the heavy lifting on the back end, and the clients are a dumb terminal with a polished up front end.
 
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How is your HR54 connected, are you using a client, and what brand and model of television?

I don't yet have 4k capabilities. I'm using an HR24 and a wireless client (C41, nothing special) in conjunction with the 54. I haven't tested the 54's internal WVB yet (yes, mine has one), but I can confirm that there is one physically present in my unit (again, first thing I did was rip the hood off), and someone I know who has had his slightly longer than me says that his is working with internal wireless. I plan to disconect my wvb this weekend and see if I can get the client to pair.
 
I believe they do. The wireless capabilities aren't impressive enough to raise the cost of the box significantly, so I believe that they will probably make it to the production units. I see wireless as the future of products for ease of installation/customer satisfaction (I say that. The first time I ever installed a wireless system, it took me three hours for two rooms). I can speculate that RVU tvs may eventually support wireless, too, creating a more seamless experience.
 
My only issue is that by having the hr54 as Media Hub, is that it still can do TV. That means I will have to pay a 2 room fee. Also does this mean I can use C64K with a HR44 and get 4k? Since the HR44 does RVU 4k already.
 
My only issue is that by having the hr54 as Media Hub, is that it still can do TV. That means I will have to pay a 2 room fee. Also does this mean I can use C64K with a HR44 and get 4k? Since the HR44 does RVU 4k already.
Not necessarly, you could put it in the room with the 4K TV, but would need to use RVU.

As far as your second question goes, the answer is hard to say. As even though they probably won't launch 5 4K live channels initially, the may use the bonded transponders from the get go which means RVU clients coming off a HR 44 would not be able to see those transponders.

We are just starting to learn about these things. Many folks got them last week, however most still do not have the HR54 activated. Also at the moment there is no 4K content (live or VOD) So in this case we have the cart in front of the horse. And DIRECTV is not saying anything about these HR54's on the record yet.

I got to admit its kind of neat finding stuff and learning as you go.
 
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My only issue is that by having the hr54 as Media Hub, is that it still can do TV. That means I will have to pay a 2 room fee. Also does this mean I can use C64K with a HR44 and get 4k? Since the HR44 does RVU 4k already.

I agree. I would want to keep an existing DVR with another TV and put this with my 4K TV where the Genie is now. So if I understand this correctly, I would need a 4K client also. That would add another fee.
 
Scott, Correction there is VOD content and that's available to anyone now with an HR44 and above. You have to have a Samsung TV that is capable of doing 4k RVU in order to watch it. The content has to be downloaded to the Genie first, then you can stream it via RVU to your 4k set. The C61K, when that will come out later will allow this VOD content to go to any 4k tv as well as live 4k when that is launched later on.
 
We will see how it works out. I got the 4k tv and 4k receiver. Now I just need content. Netflix has 15 or so things and Amazon has pay movies for $30 each. The issue with streaming is bandwidth. At 30Mbps you will chew through your data and with Sat broadcast you dont have to worry.
 
Scott, Correction there is VOD content and that's available to anyone now with an HR44 and above. You have to have a Samsung TV that is capable of doing 4k RVU in order to watch it. The content has to be downloaded to the Genie first, then you can stream it via RVU to your 4k set. The C61K, when that will come out later will allow this VOD content to go to any 4k tv as well as live 4k when that is launched later on.
You are 100% correct, I forgot about the VOD stuff that was already up there.
 
My only issue is that by having the hr54 as Media Hub, is that it still can do TV. That means I will have to pay a 2 room fee. Also does this mean I can use C64K with a HR44 and get 4k? Since the HR44 does RVU 4k already.

No one knows for sure. I am in the same boat as I have my genie and AM21 hooked up where my 4k location set is. Now I would like to move that genie and use it as a server as well, but because I'm not going to use it with an actual TV, I dont want to pay the additional location fee as I am using it for something else. I don't mind having to put a client in the location where the 4k tv is. (C61K) is the right client as the C64K is not the correct name unless Scott knows something more than we all do! :) I just want the ability to put something in my wiring cabinet with an AM21 or small tuner module and forget about it.

The other issue that I have is that the 4k RVU client on the samsung tv, my model HU8550, is very buggy and super slow. I wish they would get that working and get the speed up to the point where the actual boxes are. Hopefully the update with Tizen will help that issue.
 
No one knows for sure. I am in the same boat as I have my genie and AM21 hooked up where my 4k location set is. Now I would like to move that genie and use it as a server as well, but because I'm not going to use it with an actual TV, I dont want to pay the additional location fee as I am using it for something else. I don't mind having to put a client in the location where the 4k tv is. (C61K) is the right client as the C64K is not the correct name unless Scott knows something more than we all do! :) I just want the ability to put something in my wiring cabinet with an AM21 or small tuner module and forget about it.

The other issue that I have is that the 4k RVU client on the samsung tv, my model HU8550, is very buggy and super slow. I wish they would get that working and get the speed up to the point where the actual boxes are. Hopefully the update with Tizen will help that issue.


My LG 65ub9200 does not have RVU support. I really dont want to support Samsung if I dont have too. Main issue is updates. Samsung always wants you to buy the new model and they hold off on updates.
 
With the limited number of initial 4k customers, it's logical that the HR54 be manufactured as an HD receiver and that most of the extra decoding be done on the client. The HR54 would just be an addition/replacement for the HR34/HR44.
 
The fact that it cannot output 4k video, does that have to do with the HDMI and HDCP specification? Is it still not ready for mass deployment and integration into the box?

Regarding the alpha box using 7 tuners and now this only has 5... do you think that had something to do with transponder bonding? Do you think it really can tune to 7 transponders, but they reserve two tuners so you can be tuned to two "bonded" transponders and 3 regular transponders at the same time? Or maybe its just a hardware revision where bonded transponders took up more SWM slots, but the new version does not?
 
While the alpha boxes were marked swm-7 the firmware only allowed 5 to be used. And all the testers were left in the dark as to why. Lg was officially announced as the next 4k partner for directv. Then they pulled support due to the way they were trying to do rvu over an app. We never got word on it coming back. As an avid lg fan-kitty (fanboy) and owning 4... this really pissed me off... but whatcha gonna do. Id be ok with swapping my hr44 to a 54 and moving it to my bedroom, putting the c61k in my living room and moving the hr24 in my bedroom to my sisters room, who has a mirror from my daughters room now. Assuming i can get human resources to approve 5tvs on my account
 
While the alpha boxes were marked swm-7 the firmware only allowed 5 to be used. And all the testers were left in the dark as to why. Lg was officially announced as the next 4k partner for directv. Then they pulled support due to the way they were trying to do rvu over an app. We never got word on it coming back. As an avid lg fan-kitty (fanboy) and owning 4... this really pissed me off... but whatcha gonna do. Id be ok with swapping my hr44 to a 54 and moving it to my bedroom, putting the c61k in my living room and moving the hr24 in my bedroom to my sisters room, who has a mirror from my daughters room now. Assuming i can get human resources to approve 5tvs on my account
Ya not having 7(active)tuners is a major disappointment but oh well.
 
Ya not having 7(active)tuners is a major disappointment but oh well.
Reread scotts initial post very carefully, i need to watch exactly how i word this because in not sure what he was told or what he was allowed to say publically....

But what i will say is 5 tuners will not be a hard cap for the "ird-advanced whole home dvr"

And i have been complaining about a particular "feature" lacking from the system for a few months now.

Only time will tell, but think super joey,
 
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