Hold on to HR10-250?

[NickIN]

I know this is pure speculation at this point. Should I hold on to the HR10-250? I'm just wondering if there will be an exchange program or discount or something for those of us that have one and want to upgrade to the new TiVo box when it's available?

[Citivas]

I know this is pure speculation at this point. Should I hold on to the HR10-250? I'm just wondering if there will be an exchange program or discount or something for those of us that have one and want to upgrade to the new TiVo box when it's available?

There is already a fresh thread on exactly this topic here:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=404298

No one can answer that for certain. I doubt there will be any better program for exchanging then than there is now to the HR2x series. Right now they are giving you a deal so ou can't claim to be forced to lose your HD channels when they discontinue the MPEG-2 feeds. Once you elect to keep the HR10-250 even after the MPEG-2 channels are gone and it becomes an SD-only receiver, I'm not sure what obligation or incentive they have to give you a special deal later to upgrade, above or beyond that they might be offering any loyal customer at the time probably in exchange for a new membership commitment. But who knows...

[JimSpence]

I'd hold on to it. In fact, I have both on my account.

I don't know of any current or upcoming exchange program, but, you could call now and see what DirecTV will do for you.

[kcmurphy88]

Once you elect to keep the HR10-250 even after the MPEG-2 channels are gone and it becomes an SD-only receiver...
It also makes a dandy HD OTA receiver for those stuck with the HR-21 & HR-22

[Citivas]

It also makes a dandy HD OTA receiver for those stuck with the HR-21 & HR-22

True, for those who can get OTA. A lot of people can't. I even had one of those newer integrated-with-the-dish antenna's installed a while back and it was no good -- not even a remote whiff of a signal.

[Citivas]

I don't know of any current or upcoming exchange program, but, you could call now and see what DirecTV will do for you.

I called to get a free HR22 and they offerred it no problem. When I called back to challenge whether they could guarantee the HR22 would show up and not something else and they couldn't, I canceled the free delivery and got enough credits from them to offset getting the HR22 locally. No commitment. And I kept the 10-250. But I didn't leave it on the account though it is still plugged in for old shows. And I still have my "lifetime DVR subscription" in effect... This was just a couple weeks ago.

[JimSpence]

True, for those who can get OTA. A lot of people can't. I even had one of those newer integrated-with-the-dish antenna's installed a while back and it was no good -- not even a remote whiff of a signal.Did you try a REAL antenna instead of those clip on the dish pieces of garbage? :)

[Bob_Newhart]

How do you get guide date without a subscription? How can I record OTA on my hr10 then?

[stevel]

You can't record without the satellite dish set up and the box active with DirecTV with DVR service. Offline, the HR10 can serve as an OTA tuner with a 30-minute buffer - no guide data that way.

[Citivas]

Did you try a REAL antenna instead of those clip on the dish pieces of garbage? :)

Nope, but there are restrictions against them here anyway. I did some research though and based on my location and found that it was not very hopeful anyway...

[STL]

Did you try a REAL antenna instead of those clip on the dish pieces of garbage? :)I totally agree! What you likely need is quad (or maybe even larger) bowtie antenna. Mine is mounted in my attic and still works fine. Depending on how long your cable run is, you might need a pre-amp too.

[Citivas]

I'm sure if I got a huge, very powerful antenna and power boost I might get some signals but it's just not personally worth the trouble and investment for me. And I could only do it if I hid it in the attic. In general no one around here uses an antenna (except, ironically enough, the nearby Sarnoff Institute where they did all the early work on the U.S. HD standards -- but they have a 200+ foot antenna!). We're just not near any signal -- at least 60 miles away, with natural obstructions.

And I get all the locals in HD from D* anyway (except the CW), so no big deal.

[Dirtfarmer]

OK, I'm a newbie here. I have a HR10-250. The only HD I get is from my over the air antenna. Why are they pestering me to get rid of the HR10-250 and "upgrade" to something not TIVO? I haven't looked in a while, but last year when I got the HR10-250, very little DTV programming was in HiDef.

[stevel]

t last year when I got the HR10-250, very little DTV programming was in HiDef.
There's quite a bit HD available now from DirecTV - if you have one of the new boxes. Dozens of national channels plus regional sports networks, PPV and of course locals. Within the next few months, all of the current handful of HD channels an HR10 can get will cease to be viewable on the HR10.

[dcslowman]

It also makes a dandy HD OTA receiver for those stuck with the HR-21 & HR-22

I've seen this discussed a few times here and on AVS Forum, but it's still not clear to me whether this means that the HR10-250 can be used as a substitute for buying (or getting DTV to supply for free) the AM21 for the purposes of incorporating HD OTA with an HR21/22. If so, is there a write-up somewhere that outlines both the physical connections and any configuration settings required to integrate the OTA signals into the HR21/22 guide data?

Thanks,

Dave

[JimSpence]

There's no way you can use the HR10 as a substitute for the AM21. It can however, continue to record OTA on its own.

[stevel]

There is no way to "integrate the OTA signals into the HR21/22 guide data" That is, DirecTV already provides guide data for OTA channels in your market. This is the same as for the HR10. The difference is that the HR10 can do a channel scan and perhaps find OTA channels DirecTV doesn't list, but the HR2x cannot.

[dcslowman]

There is no way to "integrate the OTA signals into the HR21/22 guide data"...

Thanks for the replies Jim & Steve. Not to beat a dead horse, but just so I'm clear on this: My goal is to have the same content appear in a single on-screen guide using my HR22 as I had with my HR10 (which combined HD locals supplied from DTV with additional locals not available from DTV, HD & SD, supplied from my OTA input). It sounds as if the only way to get to this point is to add an AM21, and that my old HR10 will not be of use toward this goal. Correct?

Dave

[stevel]

Correct, but the guide data on your HR10 also came from DirecTV and not from the OTA stream.

[dcslowman]

Correct, but the guide data on your HR10 also came from DirecTV and not from the OTA stream.

OK, that's the part on which I wasn't clear, but I've got it now. Thanks for the clarifications. Looks like my next call will be to DTV to try and cajole them into giving me a couple of AM21s.

Dave