What's the difference between D*TiVo and the new D* DVR's?

[saberry]

I've got an HR250 and a standard D*TiVo. Prior to that, I've had two standalone TiVo's. Needless to say, I'm a devotee. I'm getting another DVR from D* to go in my daughters room but it will be the type without TiVo.

I tried TW cable for a while and HATED their HDDVR. Please tell me the D* model is similar to TiVo's basic functionality. What are the major differences?

TIA.

[JimSpence]

I know nothing of the cable DVR's, but those here don't care for the new non-TiVo DVRs offered by DirecTV (R15 and HR20).

Check this forum for info on those units.
http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=112

[ebonovic]

"Basic" functionalities... yes they are similar.

Basic in the sense that they will both record two programs at once, and they work with DirecTV.

After that, they are fairly different.
The GUI is 99% different (with the only similartiy being the grid guide)

See www.dbstalk.com for a lot of discussion on the DVR+ series

[willardcpa]

"Basic" functionalities... yes they are similar.

Basic in the sense that they will both record two programs at once, and they work with DirecTV.

After that, they are fairly different.
The GUI is 99% different (with the only similartiy being the grid guide)

See www.dbstalk.com for a lot of discussion on the DVR+ series
Earl is NOT a shill for DTV. ;)
He's a PIMP for dbstalk!! :eek: :D

[saberry]

Thanks. Lots of complaints over at dbstalk - but that's to be expected on a forum. People usually come to bash, not praise.

It sounds like the basic functionality is the same - Season Pass like feature, etc, so it should be OK. I'll use the one in my daughters room as the testing ground for the rest of the house.

I'd be apt to stick with TiVo if they'd charge a reasonable flat fee for the whole house like D* does. I actually tried to set up one of my old series 1 standalone units earlier this year for my daughter, but TiVo wouldn't give me the multi-room discount since my others TiVo's are with D*. Let's see...pay a one time $99 charge for a D*Tivo with no additional fee or $13 a month forever to TiVo - duh. I'm not really sure what they are thinking over there at TiVo headquarters. They'd rather have $0 a month than $6.00 for doing nothing - the infrastructure is already in place. All they have to do is keep the phone line open.

Unfortunatley I waited and now the D*TiVo option isn't available. Oh well, I'll struggle on. ;)

[ebonovic]

Earl is NOT a shill for DTV. ;)
He's a PIMP for dbstalk!! :eek: :D


:D Considering it is a Sister site of this one....
And I reverse PIMP the TiVo disucssion back to here....

I am working both sides of the street.

[goony]

Let's see...pay a one time $99 charge for a D*Tivo with no additional fee or $13 a month forever to TiVo - duh.
...
Unfortunatley I waited and now the D*TiVo option isn't available. Oh well, I'll struggle on. ;)Not sure what you are referring to here... the "lifetime" D* DVR fee or getting another DTivo? If you managed to get the lifetime D* DVR fee (only offered for a short time) it is for your D* account, not the DVR box(es). This is unlike the SA Tivos in which the lifetime fee was per box.

Currently, if you don't have the "lifetime" D* DVR fee deal the DVR fees with D* are $5.99/mo. for however many DVRs that you have on your account. I have 4, so it's like paying $1.50/mo. per box.

D* no longer makes new Tivo-based DVRs available, but you can still find them new/used/NOS in stores, eBay, web outlets, etc. and D* will still activate them.

Check out this topic: Where do I get a DirecTivo? (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=316297).

[saberry]

Not sure what you are referring to here... the "lifetime" D* DVR fee or getting another DTivo? If you managed to get the lifetime D* DVR fee (only offered for a short time) it is for your D* account, not the DVR box(es). This is unlike the SA Tivos in which the lifetime fee was per box.

Currently, if you don't have the "lifetime" D* DVR fee deal the DVR fees with D* are $5.99/mo. for however many DVRs that you have on your account. I have 4, so it's like paying $1.50/mo. per box.

D* no longer makes new Tivo-based DVRs available, but you can still find them new/used/NOS in stores, eBay, web outlets, etc. and D* will still activate them.

Check out this topic: Where do I get a DirecTivo? (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=316297).

I never said "lifetime." I said a one time fee of $99 - that was the cost of the DVR at the time I was looking a few months ago. Already having a DirecTiVo, I am already paying the monthly service charge of $5.95, so I would have seen no increase in my bill by adding an additionl D*TiVO, whereas using my SA TiVo was going to run me an additional $13 per month.

I'm going to give the new D* DVR a try and see how that goes. I'm not getting rid of my TiVo's anytime soon though - especially my HR250.

[OLdDog]

Well adding a DVR, DTiVo or not, will increase your bill by 4.99. That is the fee you pay for each additional receiver DRV or not.

But it is still much less expensive that TiVo's fee for an SA TiVo.

[Jerry_K]

Daughter? Does that also imply wife? If I decide to keep my lovely wife for a bit longer, then it better be TiVo. Since D* has no real long term TiVo answer to HD DVR they are slowly going to lose all my business. I am switching over to S3 Tivo and OTA HD right now. HD DVD for movies, other options will surely follow. Rupert made a very very poor decision in dropping the TiVo interface on the DVRs. I am in the thousands per year with DirecTV now, he will lose much of that soon.