HR10-250 Questions, did i make a mistake

[Ruikee]

Just bought a unit off of Ebay. Activated last night and to my surprise, i do not get all the HD channels i had with the latest DTV HD Box. Man on the phone said its too old to pick up all the new HD Channels. I did connect the SU-2400 from the other box. Also, DVR service is active, but i can not record because it has not made a phone call out. I am dreading that because i have vonage, and have always had a problem dialing out with my other tivo box. Can anyone give me some insight on any of these issues?

[shibby191]

1) A Tivo box must make a phone call to set it up the first time. No way around it unless you hack it to use Ethernet via USB.

2) I guess you might be out of the loop but all of the HD from DirecTV is in MPEG4 now which the HR10-250 cannot decode. It is also on 2 new satellite locations which the HR10 cannot receive from. Been that way going on 4 years now. There were 9 or so old MPEG2 HD channels in the 70s and 80s that the HR10 could still get but they are being shut down quickly and half of them are already gone. Been the plan for a few years now and actually surprising it's taken this long to do it.

Bottom line is that if you want HD from DirecTV then you need a DirecTV DVR (HR20, HR21, HR22, HR23) which are not Tivo.

[whitepelican]

Also, you don't want to connect the BBC (SUP-2400) module to an HR10-250. I'm amazed at how many people I've seen selling HR10-250s on ebay and including BBCs with it. The BBCs do absolutely nothing for that receiver.

[Ruikee]

Thanks, i was surprised as well, i guess i should have no problem getting rid of this one....Should have researched first.

[JimSpence]

BTW, the HR10 will record OTA HD just fine.

[Jon J]

I guess you might be out of the loop but all of the HD from DirecTV is in MPEG4 now which the HR10-250 cannot decode.Actually, there are still a few MPEG2 HD channels but they probably won't be there much longer. But, recording OTA HD usually works very well.

[TyroneShoes]

Actually, there are still a few MPEG2 HD channels but they probably won't be there much longer. But, recording OTA HD usually works very well.And those channels will be MPEG-2 probably forever, or at least long after the last HR10-250 bites the dust.

[stevel]

Eh? I don't think the MPEG-2 HD channels will be around all that much longer, though the few left seem to have had several reprieves.

[whitepelican]

And those channels will be MPEG-2 probably forever, or at least long after the last HR10-250 bites the dust.

That would be nice, but it's just as much of a guess as saying they will be gone soon. (I believe the "official" end dates for those remaining channels was about six months ago.) I would assume those MPEG2 channels will be gone eventually, but personally I'm hoping they last at least until the new DirecTivo units are available.

[MeStinkBAD]

1) A Tivo box must make a phone call to set it up the first time. No way around it unless you hack it to use Ethernet via USB.

No, you just need to dial in for PPV and software update activation. Everything else is obtained via satellite.

2) I guess you might be out of the loop but all of the HD from DirecTV is in MPEG4 now which the HR10-250 cannot decode. It is also on 2 new satellite locations which the HR10 cannot receive from. Been that way going on 4 years now. There were 9 or so old MPEG2 HD channels in the 70s and 80s that the HR10 could still get but they are being shut down quickly and half of them are already gone. Been the plan for a few years now and actually surprising it's taken this long to do it.

The 70s are reserved for MPEG2 nationwide stations (HBO, ESPN, HDNET). The 80s are reserved for MPEG2 east and west coast feeds of the 4 major networks. 99 was also HD MPEG2 PPV. I see no reason why to remove all MPEG2 HD stations. MPEG4 uses 50-60% the bandwidth MPEG2 does, but the DTV MPEG4 stations mainly benefit from the two additional satellites.

Bottom line is that if you want HD from DirecTV then you need a DirecTV DVR (HR20, HR21, HR22, HR23) which are not Tivo.

I left DTV because of how awful the HR20 was. I've also tried the HR21 (HR20 w/o OTA support). HR22 and HR23 I have not used but I'm sure they are just as awful.

[stevel]

No, you just need to dial in for PPV and software update activation. Everything else is obtained via satellite.

shibby191 was correct - a DTiVo needs to call in once for initial activation. After that, it's as you say.

[Matt L]

I left DTV because of how awful the HR20 was. I've also tried the HR21 (HR20 w/o OTA support). HR22 and HR23 I have not used but I'm sure they are just as awful.

They all use the same software so they are functionally equal.

What is so bad about them? I fought the switch for so long and finally gave in and truth be told it's no big deal. That is with the CE software. It's got everything but suggestions and i can live without that.

I programmed my Harmony remote to match buttons and all in all I'm happy with a lot more HD to choose from, now I wonder why I waited so long.

[shibby191]

No, you just need to dial in for PPV and software update activation. Everything else is obtained via satellite.

Ummmm, I said a phone line was needed for the first call (activation) and that is true. You simply cannot activate an HR10-250 without the initial phone call. After that it's not needed other then PPV and software activation as you said, but that wasn't the question by the poster.

The 70s are reserved for MPEG2 nationwide stations (HBO, ESPN, HDNET). The 80s are reserved for MPEG2 east and west coast feeds of the 4 major networks. 99 was also HD MPEG2 PPV. I see no reason why to remove all MPEG2 HD stations. MPEG4 uses 50-60% the bandwidth MPEG2 does, but the DTV MPEG4 stations mainly benefit from the two additional satellites.

The plan for 5 years now has been to shut down all the MPEG2 HD channels. Reason: Lots of bandwidth recovered for other things. They would all have been shut down 2 years ago but the MDU (apartments) haven't gotten ready in time in terms of switching out dishes and switches. That is not mostly taken care of which is why half of them are now finally shut down and the other half will be shut down by year's end if not much sooner. They are no longer needed, all HD channels are available in MPEG4. It's just getting the MDU hardware upgraded that is why it has taken this long.

I left DTV because of how awful the HR20 was. I've also tried the HR21 (HR20 w/o OTA support). HR22 and HR23 I have not used but I'm sure they are just as awful.

Rock on. As noted they are all the same software, just minor hardware differences. And the software certainly isn't anything like it was 3 years ago. Heck, we are nearing a time where the whole line will be replaced with the next gen, probably next year if I had my guess. The new whole home DVR server is due in 2010 so I'd expect all new receiver line to go with it. In addition to the new DirecTivo, assuming it ever ships.