[atlantadan]

Hi Folks

I'm having my new HR20 installed this week, and been trying to read up on it.

I see there are two different models of it our there, the HR20-100 and HR20-700

Question (and forgive me for asking such a basic question) which is the latest model? and should the installer have these units ready to install? If I'm not getting the latest model, I'm thinking I should not let him do it.

Also, is there a particular software/firmware release it should have?

As always, any help is greatly appreciated....

 

[JimSpence]

We on this forum don't really know the detailed differences between the HR20 units. But, I believe the -100 and -700 just indicate different manufacturers.

More info can be found on the HR20 forum at DBSTalk.
http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=112

 

[atlantadan]

Jim

Thanks for the info. I've been reading that site and Earl's thread on that site

As far as the diff model numbers, I was wondering the differences or if one was newer than the other. I didn't read that it was one manufacturers, good info.

So, which one do I "want"? (assuming one is better than the other?)

 

[JimSpence]

At the top of that HR20 forum there are a couple of threads for discussion/issues on the 100 and 700. I'm sure you read those and there is where you'll get the most information. I suggest you ask this question there.

 

[tfederov]

They're basically the same. The -100 has two Ethernet ports (port 2 is disabled) but that's it, really. Anything else would be extremely minor. The -100 is made by Thompson/RCA and the -700 is made by Pace. It wouldn't be worth worrying over which one you got. Either one will do it for ya! :up:

 

[tds4182]

Jim

Thanks for the info. I've been reading that site and Earl's thread on that site

As far as the diff model numbers, I was wondering the differences or if one was newer than the other. I didn't read that it was one manufacturers, good info.

So, which one do I "want"? (assuming one is better than the other?)

The units are basically the same. The HR20-100s are the newer of the two models.

The HR20-700s are made by Pace. The HR20-100s are made by Thompson. Software upgrades from D* seem to come out more often for the 700 series units than for the 100s.

I have an HR20-700 and it's been pretty solid. Prior to that I had an HR10-250 for several years. It was a good unit, very stable and solid, but the OTA reception seems to be better on the 700.

Just my thoughts, hope it helps!

 

[joelq]

Probably the only major difference is if you plan on getting involved in the Cutting Edge (CE) program and download and help test early releases of the HR20 software. In the past, DirecTV has made available CE releases for the 700 first, with an equivalent version for the 100 coming out several weeks later. When DirecTV rolls out a CE release for the 100, they usually follow it with a National roll-out fairly quickly.

You can find out more about the CE Program here: http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=118.

If you're not interested in the CE Program, then as has been mentioned by previous posters, there's very minor differences between the two (slightly better RF remote performance with the 700, etc.)

 

[stevel]

There's two other differences. The -100 has a coaxial digital audio out and a slightly larger hard drive (320GB vs. 300GB). Oh, and the 100 is silver (mostly) where the 700 is black. The -100 is a newer design.

 

[atlantadan]

Folks

Thanks for all the great info on the two diff models, all good input, I appreciate it

 

[litzdog911]

There's two other differences. The -100 has a coaxial digital audio out and a slightly larger hard drive (320GB vs. 300GB). Oh, and the 100 is silver (mostly) where the 700 is black. The -100 is a newer design.

Actually they're both silver. There was a very limited production run of black HR20-100's.

It's not too often that I get to correct Steve

 

[sluudog]

Actually both the HR20-700s I have had 320 gig Seagate drives in them versus 300 gig drives. I swapped them both out with 500 gig ones.

 

[wolflord11]

Actually they're both silver. There was a very limited production run of black HR20-100's.

It's not too often that I get to correct Steve

The 100 or 700 are different manufacturers as already discussed.

Most of the differences are cosmetic. BUT the 100 is the Newer model and Black. The 700 is Silver.

Read all about the 100 here:

HR20-100

 

[ebonovic]

The HR20-100 BLACK, was a limited production run, and pretty much not available anylonger (Except maybe via eBay).

The -100 is still available in silver

 

[Ein]

From the inside picture, the HD in the 100 seems to be easier to get to.

 

[BOBCAT]

Earl,
Way back when I was reading all of the post in the HR20 forum, someone commented that the -100 ran cooler than the -700. Is that true?

 

[230]

The 100 has an external RF antenna, and from what I have read, don't work very well. The 700 has an internal antenna. I have 2, and both work well.

 

[ebonovic]

Earl,
Way back when I was reading all of the post in the HR20 forum, someone commented that the -100 ran cooler than the -700. Is that true?

Yes and No.

According to the system information screen, the -100 has a lower temperature then the -700.

But if you also look where the system fan is, in the -100 it is blowing right onto the temerature sensor (part of the hard drive), where the -700 is off to the side.

The -100 is a "little" cooler, to the touch, but nothing drastic.