buying used HR10-250 for non-HD use?

[y2k_forester]

I have an SDTV DirecTivo unit for the last 4 years and now find I need a 2nd tuner/DVR so my kids can watch one program while we watch another.

Does it make any sense to try to get an HR10-250 if I don't have an HDTV?


My thoughts are...

It's a Tivo....so it will be familiar to all of us in the family...
I don't need to lease an R15...
I don't need to sign up for another 24 month commitment with DTV...
I can use it with OTA HD if we did upgrade to an HDTV in the next 12 months...
It will give me more than 30+ hours of SDTV on the main set with s-video cable, and I can use the other Hughes unit I have now with RF out for the kids set in the basement? (We use the IR/RF pyramids for remote).

Any comments on this idea?

[joed32]

It would give you 200 hours of SD recording. Much better than an R15. I still have 2 HR10s and I use one of them for SD only, I love the extra space.

[TyroneShoes]

When they were $800-$1000, it was cost-prohibitive to get them just for SD. When they dropped to $199-$299 it suddenly became an excellent idea. When DTV started giving them away as replacements, it became a no-brainer. Even if you move to HD or have HD, having it then as a 2nd or 3rd PVR makes it a viable option for the next 2-3 years.

[poppagene]

Why not just get a regular directivo on ebay? I believe the new DirecTV pricing schedule is set up such that if you add a hd capable receiver such as the HR10-250 to your account you will have to pay a monthly fee for HD service regardless of whether or not you are using the HD channels.

[EJ]

i would get one just to have access to local ota and channels like HBO in widescreen. We have an HR20 for HD, but my wife prefers the tivo interface, so we have the 10-250 hooked up via s-video (my wife doesn't care about HD) But it looks suprisingly good in 480i.

[CrashHD]

Curious here...It is known that 6.3x from the HR10 would run on SD Tivos. Would 6.2a from the SD Tivos run on the HR10? I'm thinking, if it would, it would loose OTA functionality, and HD functionality, but, if hacked, could gain MRV.

[mr.unnatural]

MRV is not available on the HDTivos, no matter what software you try and load onto the drive. Believe me, if it could be done the folks at DDB would have figured it out by now.

[Tivo_60]

Why not just get a regular directivo on ebay? I believe the new DirecTV pricing schedule is set up such that if you add a hd capable receiver such as the HR10-250 to your account you will have to pay a monthly fee for HD service regardless of whether or not you are using the HD channels.
I believe that would only be the case if you paid the monthly HD subscription fee. If not, you can't receive the channels so they wouldn't charge you. right?