Alternative to R15?

[threetrees]

OK - here's my story. I signed up with DirecTV and got the POS R-15 DVR. IT worked OK for a while but after it hit about 85% full it started locking up, freezing, deleting stuff etc.

I tried to read up on what to do on the dbstalk forums but there is a lot of people with problems and very few if any real solutions.

I've tried all manner of rebooting, resetting, etc but the problems always return. Not to mention that all the shows we had saved were of course deleted.

Is there *anything* I can buy to use in the R15's place? Can I buy some sort of real Tivo box? I see that people are buying R10's from eBay, etc. Is this what I would want? If so, what are the details that I should pay attention to.

Sorry, I know these questions have been asked before and I did spend a lot of time reading, but I couldn't really figure out the straight answer. :o

[John T Smith]

This may help
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=316297

[wolflord11]

The R15 is not a Directv/Tivo unit but Directv's own in house DVR.

For alternatives, there are many Series 1 or 2 Directv/Tivo units around. These are perhaps the best that Directv and Tivo have ever produced.

The R10 isnt a bad unit, if you are not going to hack it. If you are into hacking the unit, avoid the R10.

So basically, look for any Directv/Tivo unit. When looking into them, all you need to get is the Receiver ID, Serial Number etc, and make sure there is no balance owed on the unit.

[threetrees]

OK, thanks.

My wife and I really like the dual tuner feature so it looks like a Series 2 w/dual tuner would work.

What do I have to do to get it activated if I find one of these? We just have the one R-15 on our account.

[bidger]

My wife and I really like the dual tuner feature so it looks like a Series 2 w/dual tuner would work.

If this (http://www.tivo.com/2.0.boxdetails.asp?box=series280hrDTDVR) is the Series 2 w/ dual tuner you're considering using with DirecTV, check out the entry with the asterisk (*) under "Product Details":
* Record from two basic cable channels, or one basic cable and one digital cable channel, at once. Does not support recording from two digital cable or satellite channels at once.

You need to make sure the product you get has "DirecTV receiver with TiVo" or "D-TiVo" in the description and there's select few retailers who still offer them.

[threetrees]

Thanks for pointing that out. I missed it. I did find a nice table which compares all the various Tivos etc at www.weaknees.com/tivo-guide.php and it also shows that.

So I think I have it now.

But I still need to know how to get it activated. Do I just call Directv and ask for activation of a box that I buy? Will I get roped into something I don't want?

[goony]

They should let you use the card from the R15 and put it into the DTivo - just tell them the R15 crapped out and you substituting the DTivo for really cheap. If the CSR gives you some static, hang up and call back and get another, they will probably do what you ask... we call this "CSR Roulette".

If you own the DTivo they shouldn't try to 'rope you' into an additional 2-year commitment as they might do with a leased unit.

DTivos are also easy to expand the recording capacity with commodity drives - a couple of mine have 300GB drives (DTivo recording hours are roughly calculated by multiplying the drive GB time 0.875 - for mine, that is 262 hours.) Also, the chart you are looking at doesn't tell the story when it comes to recording quality... standalone units have 4 different to chose from, but a DTivo has only one, and it is 100% identical mode as it records the compressed datastream directly to the disk.

If you get a non-R10 Series 2 DTivo you can 'enhance' them to add networked features (read about The Zipper (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=265929)).

[threetrees]

Goony - thanks. That was exactly the info I needed. :)

[wolflord11]

When you do call Directv make sure you tell them the New Unit is a Directv/Tivo unit and make sure they activate Tivo Service on it otherwise it will not work properly.

[JackS]

When you do call Directv make sure you tell them the New Unit is a Directv/Tivo unit and make sure they activate Tivo Service on it otherwise it will not work properly.


When you call to activate your Directv/Tivo unit make sure
that the CSR understands that YOU OWN it.
It is NOT LEASED.

In my own experience, the default condition is 'leased' unless
you tell the CSR that it is 'owned' and make that point very
clear.

-Jack
HDVR2, 140hr.
R-10, 70hr. (in retirement)

[wolflord11]

Considering the fact that Directv does not carry, nor has carried a Directv/Tivo unit for a few Years, it is pretty clear that any Directv/Tivo unit is owned by the person and not leased.

But you can make sure by just asking them.

[TonyTheTiger]

Considering the fact that Directv does not carry, nor has carried a Directv/Tivo unit for a few Years, it is pretty clear that any Directv/Tivo unit is owned by the person and not leased.

But you can make sure by just asking them.

It may be clear to YOU, but it isn't to D*! As previously mentioned, the default setting is Leased and any receiver you connect will be forever marked this way UNLESS you adamantly point it out to the CnSR (Customer non-Service Rep).