Is HR20 the latest HD DVR?

[ChrisClearman]

I got the standard RCA HD box back in October 2004. Finally adding another HD TV and want to replace my SD TiVo.

Is this HR20 I'm reading about the latest one that ships with the upgrade?

Any reason to wait? Another box coming out soon, etc?

On the RCA HD I had to have an OTA ant. Do I still need/want that for this box or are the HD locals included (I'm in a market that supports it).

Thanks.

 

[raoul5788]

I got the standard RCA HD box back in October 2004. Finally adding another HD TV and want to replace my SD TiVo.

Is this HR20 I'm reading about the latest one that ships with the upgrade?

Any reason to wait? Another box coming out soon, etc?

On the RCA HD I had to have an OTA ant. Do I still need/want that for this box or are the HD locals included (I'm in a market that supports it).

Thanks.

The HR20 is the latest, and with a 5 lnb dish, you will get your locals in hd, if they are available.

 

[BillygOat]

Skip the HR20 for now

I got the standard RCA HD box back in October 2004. Finally adding another HD TV and want to replace my SD TiVo.

Is this HR20 I'm reading about the latest one that ships with the upgrade?

Any reason to wait? Another box coming out soon, etc?

On the RCA HD I had to have an OTA ant. Do I still need/want that for this box or are the HD locals included (I'm in a market that supports it).

Thanks.

Yes the HR20 is the latest HD DVR from DirecTV. Based on my experience with the HR20 I would recommend waiting to upgrade. You can read a lot of user reviews at CNET for a fair picture of the HR20. In a nutshell, I upgraded to the HR20, spent the next few days rebooting the thing and found that 7 out of 8 recorded programs up and disappeared from my available list (neat feature). I called to tell them I wanted to return the DVR, go back to my Tivo and continue my old programming package, they told me I was stuck with a 24 month contract (first I ever heard of this) and returning it was not an option. In all the reading I have done I have determined that it is unreliable at best and junk at worst, DirecTV knows they have a problem machine and are trying to buy time by forcing customers into lease contracts. I basically feel threatend into keeping the HR20 or having collection action initiated for $300 that I would never pay just on the principal of the matter. I have loved DirecTV for over a decade, but this is by far my worst customer service experience ever with anyone from phone companies to utilities to cell phones. My advice, for what it is worth, is to stay away until these issues are resolved.

 

[wneilson82]

I would agree with Billy but say that D*'s newest updates have helped a LOT in the last week

They are improving the HR20

 

[ChrisClearman]

I would jump to Dish in a second, but that dang NFL Sunday Ticket....

 

[ZawNH-VT]

They can keep their MPeg 4 or 5 or 6 or 10 or what ever with local HD!!
I'm staying with Tivo!!

Sorry DTV I'm going to where ever Tivo is going.

Every DVR out there trying to do Season pass feature like how Tivo got but they all failed so far. I seen them all, non of them work smooth as Tivo! I'm sorry everybody should have adopt Tivo in first place.

 

[Jimbo]

They can keep their MPeg 4 or 5 or 6 or 10 or what ever with local HD!!
I'm staying with Tivo!!

Sorry DTV I'm going to where ever Tivo is going.

Every DVR out there trying to do Season pass feature like how Tivo got but they all failed so far. I seen them all, non of them work smooth as Tivo! I'm sorry everybody should have adopt Tivo in first place.

Have fun finding it ....
TIVO will be gone from D* in the next several years.
I think I heard they have a new contract with some cable companies.

 

[Jimbo]

Yes the HR20 is the latest HD DVR from DirecTV. Based on my experience with the HR20 I would recommend waiting to upgrade. You can read a lot of user reviews at CNET for a fair picture of the HR20. In a nutshell, I upgraded to the HR20, spent the next few days rebooting the thing and found that 7 out of 8 recorded programs up and disappeared from my available list (neat feature). I called to tell them I wanted to return the DVR, go back to my Tivo and continue my old programming package, they told me I was stuck with a 24 month contract (first I ever heard of this) and returning it was not an option. In all the reading I have done I have determined that it is unreliable at best and junk at worst, DirecTV knows they have a problem machine and are trying to buy time by forcing customers into lease contracts. I basically feel threatend into keeping the HR20 or having collection action initiated for $300 that I would never pay just on the principal of the matter. I have loved DirecTV for over a decade, but this is by far my worst customer service experience ever with anyone from phone companies to utilities to cell phones. My advice, for what it is worth, is to stay away until these issues are resolved.

Billy,
Sorry about your problems,
CNET is not exactly reliable, seeing they did a report on it when it first came out, and NOTHING since, seeing D* is working with the HD DVR every week and getting it very reliable at the moment .... I for one have had very few prolems with mine.
Have you kept up with the updates D* has been sending out ?
What version software were you running ? If you have had it connected, you NOW have the most reliable update to date .... If you just hate the thing and don't want it to work right, thats one thing.
IF you want to see if it is working correctly now... Check and see if you have software version Ox 11B on it now. If so, do one more reboot, just hit the red button behind the access panel. When it's done, see if you are still having problems. If so, and I would be suprised, report them back here and we will see what we can do, there are many here that are willing to help you out.
IF you want to get this working.

Jimbo

 

[wneilson82]

Agree with Jimbo that one should keep up with the updates.

The DVR gets better every update.

Most of my problems went away after the latest 11b update