DirecTV Sunday Ticket subscribers

[Fiasco]

The new HR-20 MPEG-4 HD Tivo's are getting ripped by some of the people who have them. Programming your recordings is an out an out pain in the arse. On DBStalk one guy claimed that the installer had to open up HR20 boxes before he found one to install that wasn't DOA.

For your HR10-250 there is a software update coming down the pipe. You may have gotten a message about it on your Tivo. The new software has a much faster guide/menu.

If you go to messages/setup and force a daily call, if it says "succeeded" when done you do not have the update yet. If it says something about "rebooting" reboot the system and it will install the software update.

 

[JC_AZ]

The new HR-20 MPEG-4 HD Tivo's are getting ripped by some of the people who have them. Programming your recordings is an out an out pain in the arse. On DBStalk one guy claimed that the installer had to open up HR20 boxes before he found one to install that wasn't DOA.

That is not good news...I have mine scheduled for installation next Tuesday...after waiting for a month since my order I will be pissed if it doesn't work!

 

[sly fly]

Guess I'm considered A-lister, but still an idiot in phone negotiations. BTW, here's a direct #: 1-800-824-9081. That will get you a "live" voice immediately.

Let me know if I can improve upon this (even though I placed the order)...

- I upgraded to the HR-20 for $150.00 plus tax. Includes installation (not until Nov. 3).

- They reversed/credited my $99.00 Super Fan package.

- Lady said that the issue is caused by incompatible HDMI cables and HR20 software.

 

[Fiasco]

Incompatiible HDMI cables? Sounds like a bunch of BS to me!

 

[john h]

After a year of promises and delays on the HR-20, I finally have an installation date of 11 Oct to replace my HR-10...I am behind a mountain so I have HD local since I installed the HR-10 even though I was assured the HD local would be 'on the dish'...anyway, I got the upgrade for $0.00 but was not offered the Superfan.. damn I missed that one. I may have to call back and have them throw it in for all my grief

My new 5 LNB Antenea and HR-20 will be installed Sunday. I did not know they did Sunday installs but they do. I have a HR-10 in one room now and am installing the new HR-20 to replace a Sony HDTV Direct Receiver in my bedroom. My cost for the new HR-20 receiver, 5LNB dish, additional free receiver and instllation is $198. I do not know how I got this price and I did not ask for anything special. The girl on the phone said she looked my name up on the computer and that price was by my name. I have been a Direct customer since 1994 and was given a Card that said I was a "Special" or some such customer. When I call them I am always told that "we see you are one of our best customers"?? I like being Special!

 

[gusmahler]

Instead of griping about my DirecTV in a new thread, I'll use this one:

I have two of the new DirecTV DVRs. One of them (in my Bedroom), has worked flawlessly since I switched to DirecTV in August. It records what I ask it to record. It does what it's supposed to on live TV, and has never disappointed me.

The other unit has disappointed me, however. The first month, it worked fine. Then it started acting quirky. It wouldn't pause/FF live TV. A reset cured that problem. But then the problem started happening more and more frequently. Then I'd get other problems. It'd record a program, then lose it. It wouldn't record things on the To Do list. Then it all got shot to hell. It would stop changing channels. It would lock up with no picture at all.

Finally, I was forced to do the hard-reset yesterday. It seems to have solved all the problems. But it also erased everything I recorded. And since this was my "main" unit (the one hooked up to the stereo), I had my important stuff recorded there, like all the episodes of The Wire (I was saving them so I could watch them all in one sitting).

Most importantly, it erased all the Short Cuts that I had recorded (each of the Cards games). But I'll just look at it as a new beginning. When would I ever want to watch a 1-4 start anyway. I'll just be happy to record the next 10 Cardinal victories in Short Cut form (the MNF game will not be available in Short Cuts).

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

Instead of griping about my DirecTV in a new thread, I'll use this one:

I have two of the new DirecTV DVRs. One of them (in my Bedroom), has worked flawlessly since I switched to DirecTV in August. It records what I ask it to record. It does what it's supposed to on live TV, and has never disappointed me.

The other unit has disappointed me, however. The first month, it worked fine. Then it started acting quirky. It wouldn't pause/FF live TV. A reset cured that problem. But then the problem started happening more and more frequently. Then I'd get other problems. It'd record a program, then lose it. It wouldn't record things on the To Do list. Then it all got shot to hell. It would stop changing channels. It would lock up with no picture at all.

Finally, I was forced to do the hard-reset yesterday. It seems to have solved all the problems. But it also erased everything I recorded. And since this was my "main" unit (the one hooked up to the stereo), I had my important stuff recorded there, like all the episodes of The Wire (I was saving them so I could watch them all in one sitting).

Most importantly, it erased all the Short Cuts that I had recorded (each of the Cards games). But I'll just look at it as a new beginning. When would I ever want to watch a 1-4 start anyway. I'll just be happy to record the next 10 Cardinal victories in Short Cut form (the MNF game will not be available in Short Cuts).

As I have already mention in an earlier post in this thread...

The HR20 is the biggest Peice of shiznit EVER!!
2 of the 4 the guy had on his truck were DOA, the one in my bedroom got so hot my wife thought it was going to catch on fire (the fan was running (loudly btw) for hours after the unit was shut down, we finally unplugged it.

The one in my family room has mysteriously erased 3 of the 4 games I recorded 30 seconds after the game ends, they are non intuitive to set up recording, season pass type programming is a complete joke... and last but not least... It missed the whole first quarter of the game against KC because DTV had not titled the game in the guide.

GD ! I waited a year for this POS to be the savior to my buggy, sloppy slurring HR10.

I count the days till someone else (Hopefully Verizon Fios) picks up NFL ticket.

I was happy w/ DTV since launch.. but their answer to HD recievers has just been total crap.

 

[gusmahler]

As I have already mention in an earlier post in this thread...

The HR20 is the biggest Peice of shiznit EVER!!

I hate to hear that. My DVRs are the SD versions (The R15). But we'll be getting a plasma soon, so I was going to get the HR20.

 

[bratwurst]

I think a lot of these issues are why DTV decided to reup their relationship with Tivo.

 

[Lloydian]

Actually, the re-upping with Tivo was more of a continuation of the old box and not a commitment to put out new Tivo boxes. It also settled an issue with the patent lawsuit.

Keep trying for a better price if you already have the Tivo and have been a customer for a few years. My install is eight days away, and my price is $0.

As to the HR20, I've heard lots of good about it recently, even addressing issues I had with the R15 (same show on multiple channels, 30 second skip), so I'm actually hopeful here. I will, however, have to endure a learning curve.

By the way, the reason to upgrade to the HR20 is for the new cable HD channels being added in the coming months.

 

[Derm]

I just bought a Sony HD300 (ebay) for a second hdtv...
except for its inability to capture hd on the local channels (I know I can get them with an antenna), I really like the features, remote and overall response. I'm even thinking about using it for the main tv rather than D*'s
H20 box.

 

[john h]

The new HR-20 MPEG-4 HD Tivo's are getting ripped by some of the people who have them. Programming your recordings is an out an out pain in the arse. On DBStalk one guy claimed that the installer had to open up HR20 boxes before he found one to install that wasn't DOA.

That is not good news...I have mine scheduled for installation next Tuesday...after waiting for a month since my order I will be pissed if it doesn't work!

My HR-20 and 5 LNB Dish were installed Friday. It works great. I have a HR-10 in another room and have had it for a year and never had a problem with it. New 46" Samsung LCD being hooked up tomorrow. HDMI to HDMI sure saves a lot of cords. Use the same on my DVD.

 

[john h]

I just bought a Sony HD300 (ebay) for a second hdtv...
except for its inability to capture hd on the local channels (I know I can get them with an antenna), I really like the features, remote and overall response. I'm even thinking about using it for the main tv rather than D*'s
H20 box.

I sold an HD-300 on ebay last year. I now have another HD-300 on ebay as I replaced it with the HR-20 HDVR. The HD-300 is one of the best pure receivers available. My first one cost around $700 and I think the one I sold last year sold for around $250. I started this one off at $35 but have no idea what it will sell for. It has about 5 days to run.

 

[Sandan]

I think a lot of these issues are why DTV decided to reup their relationship with Tivo.

They have ?

 

[Lloydian]

They have ?

Not really.

The agreement was primarily to satisfy the patent settlement. DirecTV agrees to keep supporting the existing Tivo units, Tivo gets a bunch of money, and DirecTV gets to keep using certain Tivo patents in their products.

That said, I'd sure prefer that the new box was a Tivo Series 3, but I won't be too upset with the HR20.

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

Not really.

The agreement was primarily to satisfy the patent settlement. DirecTV agrees to keep supporting the existing Tivo units, Tivo gets a bunch of money, and DirecTV gets to keep using certain Tivo patents in their products.

That said, I'd sure prefer that the new box was a Tivo Series 3, but I won't be too upset with the HR20.

Dont't be to sure about that.

 

[Pariah]

My HR20 is okay. I prefer Tivo's interface, and there is a hickup when I'm trying to FF through commercials--it gets stuck sometimes and I have to watch a minute in regular speed.

Inferior product to tivo, but servicable--probably better than servicable when you factor in HD locals.

 

[MrY]

I'm clueless about all this stuff. I just bought Directv and due to this thread I looked at my receiver and it is HR 10-250 Tivo. Seems to work fine to me, but I have nothing to compare to.

 

[Fiasco]

One thing that the HR10 has going for it is a large community of people continualy making improvements to the operating system.

Throw in some massive capacity disks, disable decryption, dump video straight to your computer, ect.

 

[bratwurst]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but the season is close, has anyone with Sunday Ticket called dTV and tried to get superfan for free again this year?

Also, I'm probably going to finally make the jump and get an HDTV. So if anyone knows what to shoot for in a free giveaway for HDTV equipment from dTV, let me know! I'm a 5 or 6 year dTV subscriber, always had the NFL Sunday Ticket so they should jump through hoops for me.

Thanks

 

[JeffGollin]

Close But No Cigar

...I'm probably going to finally make the jump and get an HDTV. So if anyone knows what to shoot for in a free giveaway for HDTV equipment from dTV, let me know! I'm a 5 or 6 year dTV subscriber, always had the NFL Sunday Ticket so they should jump through hoops for me.

3 or 4 months ago, they offered to provide one HDTV/DVR unit, new antenna and installation for roughly $125.

I jumped on the offer, only to be disappointed. It turns out that the HDTV antenna is much more sensitive than the regular antenna to trees and other impediments. There were too many high trees in the southwest vicinity of my house to make it feasible.

They were nice about cancelling the order with no penalty but I it was still a bummer.

 

[bratwurst]

The HDTV stuff will require a new dish correct? Right now I have an oval 3LNB dish.

I'll do the install myself if it saves the $125. I'm a cheapskate. Only reason I might finally make the jump to HDTV is I found a 42" LCD for less than $900. I'm still not sure I'll do it yet though.

 

[Lloydian]

The HDTV stuff will require a new dish correct? Right now I have an oval 3LNB dish.

I'll do the install myself if it saves the $125. I'm a cheapskate. Only reason I might finally make the jump to HDTV is I found a 42" LCD for less than $900. I'm still not sure I'll do it yet though.

All of the new HD channels being added require the 5LNB dish which is just a bit larger than the old 3LNB dish.

As to cost, if you've been a DirecTV customer for years, call them up. They might just be willing to do the work for free.

 

[football karma]

Anybody have experience with the HR-20 for a while?

I am anxious to do the move up to HD (my tv is HD ready) but have put off moving up because I really love my Samsung Direct TV receiver with TIVO.

I have read nothing but horror stories about the Direct TV HD DVR house model, and it seems that even after having it out for a year, Direct TV has been slow in addressing all the bugs.

 

[DeAnna]

I tried the SuperFan for free last year. Not all that impressed with it (even tho I did like the Red Zone chanel).

This year I cancelled the Sunday Ticket all together (for budgetary reasons).