Upgrade Receiver advice needed for DirecTV user, very important to me!

[DanofTroy]

To all,
I currently have a "refurbished" DirecTV HR-20 HD DVR with a manufacture date of April 2007.

Last week I saw the commercial on TV about free upgrade on equipment with DirecTV so I called. As it turns out my two-year committment has run out, so they said they would send me a "new" receiver if I agreed to a two-year extension.

I am fine with that. I have been a DirecTV customer since 1997, off and on, mostly on.

When I got the "new" equipment yesterday by FedEx I was very disappointed. It is an HR-22, also "refurbished" with enough scratches on the unit to look like cave art.

I called and called about three times and they basically told me that what I get is what I get, and they can promise me nothing. They are sending me a shipping label and box to return the item, which I am happy to do so. I am staying with DirecTV but waiting for hopes of either purchasing outright my own DirecTV HD DVR that will be a nice upgrade or wait 6 months or so to see if my luck improves on them sending me something better if I do upgrade.

I have not got to my point yet, so thank you for bearing with me.

I do not know enough about the equipment between an HR-20, which I have, and the HR-22, which they sent me. Should I try to purchase something better in the near future (3-6 months)?

Is the HR-22 (which has a manufacture date of 2009) a very good receiver for today? I do not want old technology, if you understand my point.

I do experience many things with the HR-20 that concerns me, such as very, very slow response time on the menu screen and constant loss of audio for a second or two, and especially loss of audio if I hit rewind and replay a video segment.

I would sincerely appreciate your advice,

DanofTroy

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys!

The biggest difference between the HR20 and HR22 is the hard drive size, and the ota tuners in the HR20. Directv considers them the same, though. The newest model is the HR24. It's much faster than the previous models, but the new hd gui that is being rolled out makes all of them much faster. You can get an HR24 from online vendors, but you will not be buying it, only leasing.

 

[DanofTroy]

Thank you Chip, and a dumber question, but if it were you, what would you do? I want a faster hd gui, but I really know nothing about these units other than date stamps, and as you said, what I have read about hard drive space.

 

[raoul5788]

I have an HR20 and an HR24 both with the new hd gui. The 24 is a better unit in speed and storage, but the 20 works just fine with the new gui.
It will be out nationally soon. I'd wait until you get it and then reassess how it works.

 

[Jimbo]

Dan,
If you don't think it's better once the new HD Gui comes out, I would either try D* again, or get a HR24 from Claude (member here) at Dish Store or get one from Solid Signal.