Any suggestions for replacing my DirecTV?

[jjsmd]

I have 5 DirecTV series 2 at home, all are hacked and are networked but are beggining to fail here and there (about 5 years old).

My question is if I would want to replace them as they fail, what should I get? I understand that if I get any of the newer Tivo's the software will not be compatible with my networked Dtv's? Do I have to replace them all at once? what do I replace them with?

I loved the simplicity of having a DVR and satellite rThankseceiver in one unit, is something like that still possible? or is it preferrable to have some other setup at thtime?

any suggestions appreciated.

Joe

[scottjf8]

Get some new Series 2's at ptvupgrade.com or other vendors that still have them.

[Dkerr24]

Why not just replace the hard drives in the units that are failing?

[jjsmd]

I could either replace the HD or get some other series 2's, but if I'm going to be spending money , does it pay to spend on old technology or should I buy something that will last me into the future?

also in the future I guess I would need High Def.

Thnaks

[Bonanzaair]

I could either replace the HD or get some other series 2's, but if I'm going to be spending money , does it pay to spend on old technology or should I buy something that will last me into the future?

also in the future I guess I would need High Def.

Thnaks

Sit tight. The Sat/Cable/Internet world is evolving quickly. The next six to nine months should shed some light as the Dish/Tivo court cases are resolved and the new DirecTV management finds their way forward.

Until then....you can pick up a used DTivo on Ebay for anywhere between $50 and $75 bucks. Just verify with the seller and DirecTV that the Reciever ID on the box your bidding on can be added to your account. When you add a new Receiver to a DirecTV account be aware of the two year commitment and you are actually leasing the new box., though I'm sure DirecTV won't want the DTivo back.

Bonanza

[rock_doctor]

You could go to dish. While their hardware is supposed to be below DTV, they do allow hard drive upgrade via external HD's and you can dump programs onto portable hand-held players (dish to go)... Not that I am really suggesting going to dish but am a little peeved that DTV does not seem to be showing any foresight in their hardware... If it was me, I would put new HD's into the units. Then you have increased capacity, no two year commitment and still own the hardware. Unless you go HD your series 2 units are "basically" the most up to date standard definition technology.

Mark

[CrashHD]

if I'm going to be spending money , does it pay to spend on old technology

When the old technology is better than the new technology...yes!

[snickerrrrs]

Everyone here has good ideas.

1. If you want to save money buy some new hard drives and copy the os to the new hard drive. Go to http://tivo.upgrade-instructions.com/index.php for instructions.

2. Wait to switch until things settle down: (Tivo and Comcast dvr, Tivo and the Dish lawsuit, Directv finally gets the new HD satellite up and running. S3 price drops. Too many unknowns right now.

3. Purchase new Tivo drives from weaknees.com or dvrupgrade.com

4. Stay away from the Directv R15 and HR20 (and a new 2 year commitment).

Right now nothing is better than Tivo.

[wolflord11]

Stick with Directv. As people have said, things are changing fast.

Directv is beta testing a New Splitter unit, for those that have One Feed and which to feed a Dual Tuner with it.

Directv is also testing a Software program similar to Tivo To Go.

New receivers are coming in. The New Standard one is the D12. It is far better than the D11.

Right now as snickerrrrrs has said, nothing is better than Tivo. While this may be the case, with Directv, NOTHING is better than a Stand Alone Directv/Tivo unit. They are the kings of the DVR world.

[GreenWave]

I am seriously at the junction of ditching DTV and going with ComCast and S3. But, the problems of cost are prohibitive... I have 4 DTivo Series 2s and 2 of those DTV DVR HR20 pieces of junk. My Lifetime Sub that was taken over by DTV ages ago, so I would need to repurchase the TIVO subs. So, 6 Tivo boxes and 6 subs! Let's see... 2 S3s, 4 S2s, a main sub, and 5 additional subs. Comeon.. somebody help a guy out! I got into this hole because I loved Tivo.. not the DTV DVR. I am in a hole, and I want out. Please Tivo! Help me! I want to come back!

[TonyTheTiger]

You could go to dish. While their hardware is supposed to be below DTV, they do allow hard drive upgrade via external HD's and you can dump programs onto portable hand-held players (dish to go)... Not that I am really suggesting going to dish but am a little peeved that DTV does not seem to be showing any foresight in their hardware... If it was me, I would put new HD's into the units. Then you have increased capacity, no two year commitment and still own the hardware. Unless you go HD your series 2 units are "basically" the most up to date standard definition technology.

Mark

Actually, so does the HR20 from D*. You can use an eSATA external HDD in stead of the internal drive just by plugging it in. Not my area of expertise, but you can find more information over at dbs.com.

I have two HR20s and I, personally, curse them every day for not being TiVos! That being said, there are many out there who are happy. Personally, If I didn't want locals in HD, I'd stick with the series 2 or HR10. My recommendation - put new HDDs in your existing S2s and keep the advantage of all the hacks!

[rminsk]

Actually, so does the HR20 from D*. You can use an eSATA external HDD in stead of the internal drive just by plugging it in.This is not offically supported at this time. It does work but it is not supported.

[GreenWave]

Attaching the eSATA device causes the HR20 to utilize ONLY the eSATA device, and ignores the OEM internal - and as mentioned, not yet supported by DTV. From what I understand, utilizing the eSATA is almost as simple as attaching the new drive - as the HR20 will recognize it, format it, and start using it - losing sight of the internal drive, recordings, etc.

[Grantbo]

Right now as snickerrrrrs has said, nothing is better than Tivo. While this may be the case, with Directv, NOTHING is better than a Stand Alone Directv/Tivo unit. They are the kings of the DVR world.

Yep! My Hughes SD-DVR40 DTV/TIVO recently had a hard drive failure. DTV gave me two options:
1. Enroll in the DTV monthly ($$) protection plan
2. Spend $75 for an on-site tech visit (enven though they admitted over the phone that there's nothing they could do!). The $75 would cover a new DTV unit (non-TIVO) and I be bounced into their 2 yr commitment trap.

The solution was easy...I ordered a new HD from DVRupgrade. It is invisible to DTV, so I avoided a new 2 yr commitment, I doubled my recording capacity, and I still have TIVO!! Yahoo!

[Stanley Rohner]

Get the HR20.

It's not a TiVo but who cares.

It does a great job.

[CrashHD]

It's not a TiVo but who cares.


I do.

[Stanley Rohner]

I do.

Why ?

The software is different, but not awful, just different.

Apparently DIRECTV didn't care.

[CrashHD]

very different.

A tivo, an R15, and an HR20 are all dvrs.
A ford grenada, chevy vega, and dodge viper are all cars.
Differences...well, they make the difference.

When the other dvrs do the same things tivo does, I won't care which one I have. The dealbreakers for me are:
1) HMO/MRV.
2) Ease with which hard drives can be upgraded
3) That thing we don't talk about here.

I'm not calling the software in the other dvrs awful. Truth be told, I have not tried one, but I have read that they do not do the things I want my dvr to do.

[wolflord11]

After reading all about the R15, and having one myself, I can say the R15 is not as bad as many make it out to be.

But each to their own.

[PrimeRisk]

Get the HR20.

It's not a TiVo but who cares.

It does a great job.

GAH! I care. I have the HR20 and it's the biggest POS since Dish released the 521.

I'm not standing behind the "If it's not TiVo is sucks" school of thought, it is the simple fact of performance:

Interface: Frustrating, very frustrating to use. Not intuitive.

Recording: Not reliable. Maybe it will record something, maybe it won't.
Oh, and it won't tell you either. The "to do" list is merely
a recommendation, not a list of things it will record.
Oh, and mine has reported that it recorded a PPV and
it even shows it in the list, but it's not there.

Lockups: 3 boxes, same old lockups. Problem resolution "Sometimes
you just have to reboot it".

Interface: Frustrating, very frustrating to use. Not intuitive.

Search: The search function is just broken as far as I'm concerned.
Search for a show, say "Lost", and you'll get 30 results.
You have to dig into each result to find out if it is the channel
or time you want it to record from.

[Parradox]

very different.

A tivo, an R15, and an HR20 are all dvrs.
A ford grenada, chevy vega, and dodge viper are all cars.
Differences...well, they make the difference.

When the other dvrs do the same things tivo does, I won't care which one I have. The dealbreakers for me are:
1) HMO/MRV.
2) Ease with which hard drives can be upgraded
3) That thing we don't talk about here.

I'm not calling the software in the other dvrs awful. Truth be told, I have not tried one, but I have read that they do not do the things I want my dvr to do.


..........What is the "Thing we don't talk about here?" now you have piqued my curiosity! Just give me a hint or a link.

Thanks

[PrimeRisk]

..........What is the "Thing we don't talk about here?" now you have piqued my curiosity! Just give me a hint or a link.

Thanks

We don't talk about that thing here, but you can talk about it at the Deal Database forum. That's all we can say...

[John T Smith]

Go here http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24

Look at the red words in the forum descriptions (on the left side) beginning with "NOTE...No talk of"