HR20 Features???

1301 Views 16 Replies 8 Participants Last post by RS4, Sep 19, 2007

theatomictoyguy

Discussion Starter · Sep 18, 2007

OK So with the big roll out of HD channels on DirecTV I am considering getting an HR20 so I can record all of this wonderful programming in HD. I was wondering though, I couldn't seem to find the answer on DirecTV's site, can you do the following with the HR20:

1.) Manually Record By Time and Channel - I use this for shows like the "Daily Show" that would record, something like 4-5 times a day if I do it with a season pass.

2.) Only record "First Runs" using a season pass like feature.

3.) Is there a way to get it to transfer a recorded program from one HR20 to another HR20 in an adjacent room?

4.) If not does the unit have multi-room capability?

5.) Can the hard disk be upgraded like you can with a TiVo box.

Thanks
Lucas

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

wallyj

· #2 · Sep 18, 2007

1. Yes
2. Yes, but.... So far, the guide data on my 2 HR20's is not accuratley showing new/first run. Currently I'm recording all and hope it gets better later.
3. Not Yet, but maybe later
4. See # 3
5. I upgraded the HD in both my units to 750GB Seagates. This I'm sure voided my warranty, so be careful. You can also use e-sata external drives. If you do this it ignores the internal drive and just yuses the external.

Go to dbstalk for all teh info you ever wanted on the new unit. So far I'm really happy with the new units.

cowart

· #3 · Sep 18, 2007

theatomictoyguy said:
does the unit have multi-room capability?

Not exactly, but it does let you have 2 outputs going at the same time. You could use the second output to feed a set in another room.

Example - I have my TV connected with component, doing 1080i, and my DVD recorder connected with S-Video, doing 480i.

milominderbinder

· #4 · Sep 18, 2007

1.) Manually Record By Time and Channel
We use it every day without a flaw.

2.) Only record "First Runs" using a season pass like feature.
Had problems until about 4 months ago. Solid now.

3.) MRV
Promised EDIT: Date not firm.

4.) If not does the unit have multi-room capability?
All outputs are active all of the time.

5.) Can the hard disk be upgraded like you can with a TiVo box.
No, there is nothing to tear apart. Plug in a $200 Seagate Freeagent 750 eSATA or other eSATA drive.

Here are 100 of the best features

- Craig

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tfederov

· #5 · Sep 18, 2007

For a side by side comparison check my sig. Hope it helps.

RS4

· #6 · Sep 18, 2007

tfederov said:
For a side by side comparison check my sig. Hope it helps.

The biggest problem with that comparison is there is nothing on usability - is the box intuitive, easy to use, etc. Also, nothing on the learning curve going from one box to the other.

stevel

· #7 · Sep 18, 2007

I suggest that you check out the TiVo to HR20 Survival Guide (PDF)

If you're expecting the HR20 to be just like a TiVo, it isn't. In some ways it's more intuitive than TiVo, some ways less. You'll figure it out.

bigpuma

· #8 · Sep 18, 2007

milominderbinder said:
5.) Can the hard disk be upgraded like you can with a TiVo box.
No, there is nothing to tear apart. Plug in a $200 Seagate Freeagent 750 eSATA or other eSATA drive.

You can replace the internal hard drive but it is more difficult than a TiVo and it breaks the lease agreement with DirecTV. Adding an external eSata drive is much easier although probably more expensive.

tfederov

· #9 · Sep 18, 2007

RS4 said:
The biggest problem with that comparison is there is nothing on usability - is the box intuitive, easy to use, etc. Also, nothing on the learning curve going from one box to the other.

I learned the HR20 in a matter of hours. I find it less frustrating and easier to use than my old HR10-250s.

RS4

· #10 · Sep 18, 2007

stevel said:
I suggest that you check out the TiVo to HR20 Survival Guide (PDF)

If you're expecting the HR20 to be just like a TiVo, it isn't. In some ways it's more intuitive than TiVo, some ways less. You'll figure it out.

Intuitive means that it figures out what you want ahead of time and the flow is obvious

tfederov

· #11 · Sep 18, 2007

RS4 said:
Intuitive means that it figures out what you want ahead of time and the flow is obvious

I must have magic ones then because I've never had a fight with any of my boxes.

RS4

· #12 · Sep 19, 2007

tfederov said:
I must have magic ones then because I've never had a fight with any of my boxes.

Well hey that's pretty good. I knew there had to be somebody out there that thought it was intuitive... course those guys are few and far between

, especially when you look at the surveys.

bigpuma

· #13 · Sep 19, 2007

RS4 said:
Well hey that's pretty good. I knew there had to be somebody out there that thought it was intuitive... course those guys are few and far between , especially when you look at the surveys.

Could you please post a link to these surveys. Even my wife picked up the HR20 within minutes and she is definitely not technologically savvy.

milominderbinder

· #14 · Sep 19, 2007

RS4 said:
Well hey that's pretty good. I knew there had to be somebody out there that thought it was intuitive... course those guys are few and far between , especially when you look at the surveys.

RS4,

I have never seen these surveys. Who conducted them? When were they all conducted? How many users were sampled in each of these surveys?

I know you would not claim that there are surveys unless they truthfully existed.

Could you please post the links to those surveys or post your copies that you look at?

- Craig

RS4

· #15 · Sep 19, 2007

I posted the link a month or so ago. The last survey I read was at engadget, I think. It showed that last then half the responders thought the HR20 was ready for prime time. Most Tivo users agree that Tivo is the box they like best, so this survey tells me that the HR20 is not even close in its acceptance when compared to the Tivo.

I read another article on cnet that said one of there reviews brought more complaints then any other box they had reviewed.

Another article from SkyReport showed that last year DirecTV's ratings had fallen the most of any of the major video suppliers - yes they are still at or near the top, but they have fallen in customer approval.

I saw some items at dbstalk that said as many as 20% of the HR20's were failing out of the box and had to be sent back.

Then of course the opposite is true - when I first joined this sight and for years afterwards people raved about the DTivos and how many of the friends, etc had signed up for DirecTV. I don't read that about the HR20, even over at dbstalk. Instead, I see what I consider to be mediocre endorsements at best. Yes, I do see some strong endorsements but those are few and far between. I read a lot more over there about folks saying they wished DirecTV would come out with and HD Tivo and they would grab it in a flash.

So, all told, my opinion is that the HR20 is probably better than some of the cable boxes, but not of the standard that folks rave about it, and actually call it a Tivo replacement.

And of course the best impressions come from all of the anecdotal evidence here and at dbstalk - things like the CIR still not working after a year, not being able to set up autorecordings from searches, autorecordings not working for kids shows and others. The list goes on and on, but again, I see large numbers of folks still having what I consider to be basic problems. Yes, there are Tivo folks still having problems, but not nearly to the extent that they are having with the HR20 - hence probably one of the reasons the 'not-ready for prime-time' survey numbers were so low.

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milominderbinder

· #16 · Sep 19, 2007

RS4,

I searched for your links to the different surveys but could not find them.

Could you post the links to these surveys?

- Craig

RS4

· #17 · Sep 19, 2007

milominderbinder said:
RS4,

I searched for your links to the different surveys but could not find them.

Could you post the links to these surveys?

- Craig

I'll try to find them later - work is getting the way of my fun.

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

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