Confused?

[PanamaGixxer]

I currently have 4 TIVOs (S2) with Qwest Cable. I will be moving into a new home once it is built in a few months. I was thinking of getting "TIVO" Direct TV HD Boxes, but am confused they are going to discontinue them. Can some on set me straight?

[stevel]

The TiVo-based HR10-250 is being replaced, in DirecTV's view, by the non-TiVo HR20-700. For some months, though, the HR10-250 will continue to be sold as the HR20 is not available everywhere yet. The HR10 may be discontinued, but that doesn't mean it stops working. The HR10 does not receive the HD locals from DirecTV, but does get them from an antenna and many find that a preferable solution (better quality and more channels.)

I'd expect that by the end of this year, a "new" HR10 will be hard to find.

[TonyD79]

The HR10 (the Directv HD unit with TiVo) is no longer made but can be bought and installed. It will record SD Directv channels and older (including national) DirecTV HD channels.

The HD locals are now in MPEG4 and cannot be recorded with the HR10. They need the new HR20 which is being rolled out slowly (only in California right now) which is not a Tivo based box.

Eventually, the national HD channels will be moved to MPEG4 and will require the HR20 to see them but that will not be until sometime next year at the earliest.

[Sunapee]

Will the HR10-250 be able to handle MPEG4? Is MPEG4 even an issue with Boston locals?

[rlj5242]

Will the HR10-250 be able to handle MPEG4? No. Discussed in detail in the HD Tivo section.

Is MPEG4 even an issue with Boston locals? Only if you can't get them in HD via antenna.

-Robert