New TIVO user with DTV

[JCDANFORD]

I apologize if this question has been answered many times before but I couldn't find clear reference to this in past posts. I have been a DTV subscriber for many years and want to add a DVR service. However, after reading about the new DirectDVR, I would much rather use the TIVO receiver. When I call DTV, they will only send me the non-TIVO receiver. Is there anyway I can get a hold of a DTV-TIVO at this point and have DTV activate it for me? It sounds like the standalone TIVO with DTV will work but the combination system is better. Is that correct? Thanks for your help....

[JimSpence]

You will be happier with the DirecTV DVR. You'll have to buy either online or a regular store (some still have R10's or older units) to get anything other than an R15. Check the forum sponsors for these units.

[MikeekiM]

Yup...get one at one of the sponsors here... I know friends who have bought from Weaknees successfully...

[MikeekiM]

You will be happier with the DirecTV DVR. You'll have to buy either online or a regular store (some still have R10's or older units) to get anything other than an R15. Check the forum sponsors for these units.

Agreed... Don't go with a standalone...

There are many benefits to going with the combo unit...among them:
* dual tuners
* direct capture of mpeg content (no need to recompress and decompress and deal with having to strike a balance between quality and storage)
* one box saves space (no need for an SA TiVo as well as a DirecTV settop box)

[jesseb]

Look for one on ebay. And you want one that is a Dtivo boxes like a r10 (not R15) thats is 80 hrs. A lot of guys on here have extra that they might get rid of. I just did a quick check on ebay and found alot search for direct tv tivo

[dshinnick]

Just to be redundantly clear: you want an R10, NOT the R15, which is the new non-Tivo DVR sold by Directv. You could also get a Series 1 Directivo unit (don't know the official nomenclature) which is Tivo-based, and has the advantage of being hackable, which the R10 does not.

[Guindalf]

Just to be redundantly clear: you want an R10, NOT the R15, which is the new non-Tivo DVR sold by Directv. You could also get a Series 1 Directivo unit (don't know the official nomenclature) which is Tivo-based, and has the advantage of being hackable, which the R10 does not.

Actually, you want a Series 2, not a Series 1 to get all the hacking features (hacking is modifying the TiVo for extra features as opposed to the highly illegal "cracking"!).

I would never give someone the advice to buy from eBay unless they know exactly what they are buying. I've seen too many stories on here from people who have bought only to find out that the box is locked into another account and can't be activated, has outstanding dues that must be paid before it can be used or, quite simply, requires a $25 access card before it can be activated. I've also heard of them arriving DOA and there's little or nothing you can really do about it apart from swallow it and buy a new hard drive!

[JCDANFORD]

Thanks for all the quick advice. It seems like I need to go with the R10 purchased through one of the sites sponsored here or ebay. Will I be able to upgrade my existing card used in my current receiver or will Directv have to send me a new card? Also when ebay posts they have a card with the R10 will Directv activate those cards for me?

[ForrestB]

Regarding purchasing a used DirecTivo on ebay - there was an ebay source that was selling more than 20 factory reburbished 2nd generation DVR40 DirecTivo's last week. This a is good choice IMHO if you're unsure about the previous history of the unit.

[bama0906]

Is the R10 unit a Series 2 tivo?

[Guindalf]

Is the R10 unit a Series 2 tivo?

Yes.

Well, if you want to be absolutely precise, it's a S2 DirecTV receiver/DVR with TiVo service and not actually a TiVo.

[ForrestB]

I wouldn't buy an R10 because you can't hack an R10 with the Tivo Zipper. See the top of this page for all series 2 DirecTivo's that can be hacked http://www.mastersav.com/tivo_zipper.html