New to forum, HELP! Direct TV and tivo

[zelda0816]

Hi Everyone,

New to this forum, hoping someone can help- I have had direct TV and Tivo (seperate) for a number of years now- loved it! We got HD TV's last week and when new HDTV direct TV box came- and HDTV we found out, can't hook up Tivo anymore- the horror! we got the direct tv DVR for downstairs, but i wanted tivo upstairs (2 floor house) the direct tv people said they could not put there DVR upstairs because of wiring, AND the Tivo DOESN'T work with new direct TV! ACK. I just ordered: DirecTV TIVO HR10-250 HDTV RECEIVER 250GB 200 Hour DVR from ebay. When it arrives, will i be able to simply swap out my old tivo box with new one? Am i in for a headache? I can NOT be without my tivo!!!! I thank anyone for there help in advance! :eek:

[Da Goon]

*sigh*

You should be able to get Directv to activate the HR10, but be aware, you won't get very many HD channels with it. If you're deadset on having a TiVo dvr with HD, you'll need to switch to cable and get a TivoHD or Series 3 TiVo with CableCards. Directv is supposedly going to release a newer HD TiVo in the future, but we all know how quickly Directv gets things done (other than charging people's credit cards).

People have been pissing and moaning about this ad nauseum for some time now, even yelling at each other about it. Have a look in the HDTV TiVo forums for some petty arguments mixed in with some information on your situation.

Sorry.

[shibby191]

Basically the HR10-250 you got is a quite old model no longer made for about 3 years now. DirecTV has over 100 HD channels, the HR10 only gets about 7 of them and they are going away in just a few short months. DirecTV changed the method the HD channels are sent going on 3 years ago now and you need a newer DirecTV HD receiver to get them.

So as noted above your choices, if you plan to stay with DirecTV are:
1) You *have* to get the DirecTV DVR (HR20/HR21/HR23) to get the DirecTV HD channels. There is no Tivo unit that will work at this time.
2) DirecTV and Tivo announced a new Tivo HD unit for DirecTV to be released in the 2nd half of 2009. Knowing the delays both companies have had in the past, don't count on anything before early 2010. Anything before that would be gravy. So you could just hang out and wait until then. The HR10 in the meantime will still work fine for SD channels and for OTA HD if you have an antenna. It won't get DirecTV HD other then the 7 that will be shut down soon.
3) If you have to have Tivo and you don't want to wait then cable/Fios are really your only options at this time.

Good luck.

[zelda0816]

OK, thanks for the info- to be honest, i don't care about recording HD- All i want is my tivo w/ dir. tv... This is a stupid question but i have to ask it to know, when my new-old device arrives, do i replace my direct tv box or my old tivo box, and also- when i do the swap, will i have to contact either direct tv or tivo for anyting or will set up ok- Sorry if you guys have answered a million questions like this- thank you kindly for the help.

[stevel]

You will have to call DirecTV to activate the HR10, and then cross your fingers that the seller didn't leave an account balance on it or else your're screwed.

[shibby191]

Guess I'm confused why you'd get HDTV's but not watch any HD on them, but hey, to each his own. Good luck.

[BajaBoy]

OK, thanks for the info- to be honest, i don't care about recording HD- All i want is my tivo w/ dir. tv... This is a stupid question but i have to ask it to know, when my new-old device arrives, do i replace my direct tv box or my old tivo box, and also- when i do the swap, will i have to contact either direct tv or tivo for anyting or will set up ok- Sorry if you guys have answered a million questions like this- thank you kindly for the help.

If all you want is to record regular programming then the HR10-250 will work just fine for you. I still have mine in my room and love it. You will however need to make sure that you have at least a triple LNB dish as the HR10-250 will not work without one, at least it would not work when I bought mine a few years back.

Unless you want more than one unit on the TV for your new/old HR10-250 you should probably just hook up the Hughes unit to your TV.

And as long as you already have RG-6 cable running from your dish to the TV your Hughes unit will have a very simple set up and be easily activated by DirecTV.

[zelda0816]

Guess I'm confused why you'd get HDTV's but not watch any HD on them, but hey, to each his own. Good luck.

My husband bought the tv's without researching if tivo would still work- so yes, it sucks to be us regarding that- I am worried that my new-old box is going to be a pain to set up, so i might just end up selling it back on ebay, and suck it up and be without tivo- in the event i do manage to install- do i cancel my tivo p'cript for it is thru d.tv? As the last poster, i do not not about the cords and dish- i am not good with tech stuff, so i do not know and this is even more reason to believe i will just have to try and sell the new-old box. Ah Well. Its going to be a long time till the last half of '09. Sucks.

[zelda0816]

If all you want is to record regular programming then the HR10-250 will work just fine for you. I still have mine in my room and love it. You will however need to make sure that you have at least a triple LNB dish as the HR10-250 will not work without one, at least it would not work when I bought mine a few years back.

Unless you want more than one unit on the TV for your new/old HR10-250 you should probably just hook up the Hughes unit to your TV.

And as long as you already have RG-6 cable running from your dish to the TV your Hughes unit will have a very simple set up and be easily activated by DirecTV.

Thank you, very helpful- i guess i am just worried that d. tv is going to hassel mem about trying to activate such an old device- with questions like, where did you get it... blah blah blah- but thanks!

[shibby191]

My husband bought the tv's without researching if tivo would still work- so yes, it sucks to be us regarding that- I am worried that my new-old box is going to be a pain to set up, so i might just end up selling it back on ebay, and suck it up and be without tivo- in the event i do manage to install- do i cancel my tivo p'cript for it is thru d.tv? As the last poster, i do not not about the cords and dish- i am not good with tech stuff, so i do not know and this is even more reason to believe i will just have to try and sell the new-old box. Ah Well. Its going to be a long time till the last half of '09. Sucks.

Actually, if you don't care about actually get HD at all then you don't really have to do anything. You can use the same setup you have now with your HDTV. Now you should know that SD shows usually look like total crap on an HDTV. The HR10 really wouldn't help you much there other then it records the true digital stream vs. your stand alone Tivo which records at lesser quality. So it actually might help now that I think about it.

I'm assuming you have a regular DirecTV receiver now connected to a stand alone Tivo? If so in terms of install you can simply unplug your DirecTV receiver and Tivo and set them aside and just plug the HR10 in the same place. Call DirecTV and activate it, deactivate your other receiver you no longer plan to use. A bonus is if you can run a second coax cable from the dish to the location you can then take advantage of the 2nd tuner and be able to record 2 things at once.

Now to deactivate your stand alone Tivo you would of course need to call Tivo, DirecTV has nothing to do with them.

All in all I think if you care nothing about HD then the HR10 will be a better solution for you then the standard DirecTV receiver hooked up to the Tivo as you can record 2 things at once (assuming you get a 2nd cable to the unit) and it's quality will be much better. BUT, if you're happy with the setup you have now then why change, keep on doing what you're doing and don't worry about it.

Another option you have could be to get DirecTV to upgrade your sat dish to latest (for free) with install and get one of the current HD DVR's (not Tivo) from DirecTV. And keep using the setup you have now or use the HR10. The installer can run the extra cables as needed. Thus you can have the new DVR to watch HD, but keep your Tivo setup going for most of your viewing. Over time perhaps you'll like the new DVR, especially seeing as so many channels are in HD now. There isn't a single thing we watch in SD anymore with so many channels in HD now.
If anything that could tide you over until the new HD Tivo unit for DirecTV comes out.

[shibby191]

Thank you, very helpful- i guess i am just worried that d. tv is going to hassel mem about trying to activate such an old device- with questions like, where did you get it... blah blah blah- but thanks!

DirecTV could care less. So long as the receiver is "clean" (i.e. someone doesn't owe PPV's on it or it's actually leased) then they will happily add it on for you. They may try to upsell you to the new DVR but that's up to you to say yes or no.

[zelda0816]

They did install new dish with new DVR downstairs, The problem was, I wanted it installed upstairs and D. TV techs refused to try saying it was too difficult- So I said, okay-
1) just use the the new box (non DVR) and i can connect tivo to it- my husband said there is a lack of plugs, i could not do it- So I said, okay,
2) just put the old box in and i will use that and tivo and he said because we have the new dish, the old box would not work.
3) So i thought i would buy this new/old one in the hopes that would work, but now i don't know. If i can cancel my tivo script and then add this new-old d.tv tivo box, how will i have tivo?
I hate this because i am not tech savy am frustrated. But I thank everyone for trying and for suggestions.

[stevel]

The HR10 is a better bet to connect to a HDTV than a standard-def TiVo as what DirecTV sends is pretty good. Use the HDMI connection from the HR10.

[zelda0816]

:confused: Anybody know how much D. TV will charge for service for new-old HR10-250 to be activated... I know i am canceling my tivo (from old stand alone tivo) service- but was wondering if anyone knows what D. TV will charge for activation and this service? Thanx!

[stevel]

There is no charge for "activation" as far as I know - just the normal service charges. My understanding is that DirecTV won't allow you to start new service with used equipment, but you can add a used box to existing service.

[shibby191]

Correct, there is no charge to activate a receiver. If this will be your only receiver then there will be no monthly charge either. If this will be a second+ receiver then there is a $4.99 programming mirror charge to the account. I'm assuming you're already paying the DirecTV DVR fee, if not then that is $5.99 a month but it covers *all* the DVRs on your account so if you add 3 more there will be no DVR fee for them, just the programming mirror fee.