Is current free AR D* DVR offer a series2 tivo?

[DirectvNoob]

First, is it a tivo? Seems like you guys say it is. If it is, do you have to pay the $12.95/mo fee that Tivo charges ON TOP of the $5.99/mon fee that DirecTV charges?

Also, is the current DVR offer a series2? because I need to be able to connect the DVR (tivo) to my network since I dont' have a phone line.

THANKS!

 

[Neutron]

Welcome to Satelliteguys!!

The fee you pay is $5.99 unless you have the TC Premier package which the fee is included.

You don't pay the Tivo $12.95 fee. That's only for stand alone Tivos, not DTivos.

As far as I know you cannot connect your DTivo over a network and it use the network. You still need the phone line to get software updates.

 

[DirectvNoob]

Thanks for the welcoming! and thanx for the reply about the fee

About the network connection though, if D-Tivo is anything like regular Tivo, then I'm assuming the tv1164.htm (google it ) article on tivo customersupport "should" apply, which is why I was wondering if D-Tivo is a series2 or some hacked-up version of Tivo

 

[Hogarth]

Also can't be connected via ethernet.

You -=MUST=- have a phone line for initial setup.
Don't have a phone line?
First, connect the TiVo and set it up at your house, with DirecTV. Second, take the TiVo over to a friend's house with a phone line.
It only has to successfully call in once.

Not much value to it being able to be used "only as a VCR", as the DirecTV TiVos are useless without DirecTV service. (They can't record off cable. They have no MPEG2 encoders inside.)

My vote?
Pay the $5.99 a month. It's so totally, completely worth it.

 

[Hogarth]

First, is it a tivo?

It's a TiVo until they come out with the R15 model.

 

[DirectvNoob]

You -=MUST=- have a phone line for initial setup.
Don't have a phone line?
First, connect the TiVo and set it up at your house, with DirecTV. Second, take the TiVo over to a friend's house with a phone line.
It only has to successfully call in once.

Thanks for your comments!.

Also, what kind of connections can be used between:
DVR->TV?
HD receiver (non-dvr)->TV?
Dish->(DVR/HD receiver)? I imagine just coaxial
I ask because I only have 1 HDMI (used by dvd player) and 2 component (1 used by computer). I have composite, but who uses those? It's gonna suck once I get the new Xbox.

The same CSR said that if I wanted, I could get regular DVR and HD receiver at same time (so, just no HD recordings). If this is true, how would those two and the tv be connected and by what?

Sorry again for such newbie questions! Much appreciated!

 

[Hogarth]

SD DVRs can be connected by SVideo, max.
HD Receivers are HDMI or Component.
Dish -> Receiver is, indeed, Coaxial -- but RG6 is recommended over RG59.

I solved this problem by getting a switch.
I can change between HD H10, DVD, Xbox, Playstation for Component, and Svideo for SD TiVo.

http://www.dealtime.com/xPC-PELICAN_PRO_SYSTEM_SELECTOR
It's a good piece of hardware.

So with a push of the button, I can switch between my H10 and my R10. Granted, I also have to change my TV, but it works.

Note, you have to pay $4.99 a month for each receiver beyond the first.

You can get HDMI switches, (Value Electronics, I know, carries them.)
but they're almost an order of magnitude more expensive.

 

[DirectvNoob]

Pardom the ignorance, but what do you mean by "SVideo, max."? I know what SVideo is, but the max part I don't get. Guessing some kind of expression I dont' know of Thanks for the other connection info!

From the sounds of it, there doesn't seem to be a way to connect the HD10 to BOTH the R10 and the TV (ie. two outputs) - even if there is, i dont' think i'll get both since you brought up a good point about the $4.99 charge - forgot that it applied to multiple receivers, not just TVs. Maybe I'll just get the HD receiver and buy my own HD DVR somewhere (i imagine this would be doable: Dish->H10->DVR->TV)

Thx again!

 

[billbillw]

He just means that is the best quality connection available to the SD Tivo/DVR.

 

[Hogarth]

From the sounds of it, there doesn't seem to be a way to connect the HD10 to BOTH the R10 and the TV (ie. two outputs) - even if there is, i dont' think i'll get both since you brought up a good point about the $4.99 charge - forgot that it applied to multiple receivers, not just TVs. Maybe I'll just get the HD receiver and buy my own HD DVR somewhere (i imagine this would be doable: Dish->H10->DVR->TV)

Thx again!

The R10 DVR can't record from any source but the satellite anyway.
So hardly any point to trying to output the H10 to it.

Your own HD DVR might work -- but it will reencode the video, be very expensive, and generally not meet your needs. (They generally are in excess of $600.)

I would suggest either buying an H10 and an R10 and connecting them each directly to the TV through a switch, or bite the bullet and buy an HR10-250.

Even when D* moves to MPEG4 locals, HR10-250s will still be able to record local OTA MPEG2 signals for at least 5 years.

H