# HDTV/TIVO receiver update



## RFMan (Nov 23, 2003)

I have read several general references made about new DirTV HDTV/Tivo integrated receivers in development , but I cannot find any specific information regarding specs. or release dates. Any help out there?


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

RFMan said:


> I have read several general references made about new DirTV HDTV/Tivo integrated receivers in development , but I cannot find any specific information regarding specs. or release dates. Any help out there?


Hi RFMan and welcome to DBSTalk.Com! :welcome_s

The latest about the HD-DirecTivo is that it will have 4 HD capable tuners (2 DirecTV HD and 2 ATSC OTA). It will only be able to record 2 HD streams at one time but can do any combination of the 4 (2 DirecTV, 2 OTA, 1 OTA/1DirecTV).

It will ship with at 250MB hard drive and will cost somewhere around $800. The latest reliable info is that it should get released in the March-April time frame.


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## RFMan (Nov 23, 2003)

Chris Blount said:


> Hi RFMan and welcome to DBSTalk.Com! :welcome_s
> 
> The latest about the HD-DirecTivo is that it will have 4 HD capable tuners (2 DirecTV HD and 2 ATSC OTA). It will only be able to record 2 HD streams at one time but can do any combination of the 4 (2 DirecTV, 2 OTA, 1 OTA/1DirecTV).
> 
> It will ship with at 250MB hard drive and will cost somewhere around $800. The latest reliable info is that it should get released in the March-April time frame.


Who is the manufacturer(s)?


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## timf (Apr 21, 2002)

No manufacturer has been announced yet. It wouldn't surprise me if there are multiple manufacturers branding the same basic hardware like the current DVRs.


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## motomatt (Nov 16, 2003)

> should get released in the March-April time frame.
> seems like forever


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## Lije Baley (Dec 7, 2003)

I asked this in another thread, but it may be more appropriate to ask here: 

As an E* subscriber contemplating switching to D* should I wait to change providers until the HD Direct/Tivo is available? 

Are there likely to be discounts on the unit available to new subscribers that I'd miss by switching now?


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## paulh (Mar 17, 2003)

It's tough to tell. Currently, there are some deals that'd get you the best deal on a standard D*Tivo as a new customer, but it seems as though the best deal on a HDTV receiver is to existing customers.


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## Lije Baley (Dec 7, 2003)

If I bought the regular direct tivo now, and two non-recording receivers, I'd want to sell one of the latter when I got an HDTV Tivo.

How easy is it to sell those things on e-bay? What happens to my access card?

Thanks.


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## tivosmart (Sep 14, 2003)

Lije Baley said:


> If I bought the regular direct tivo now, and two non-recording receivers, I'd want to sell one of the latter when I got an HDTV Tivo.
> 
> How easy is it to sell those things on e-bay? What happens to my access card?
> 
> Thanks.


Commenting on the post above yours, yes, DTV traditionally doesn't offer a lot of discounts on HDTV packages for new subscribers. HD is viewed more as an upgrade to existing subscribers, and not as an entry level package.

About your post, if you buy a package as a new subscriber you CANNOT sell your receiver before the one year commitment is due. Sorry, this is the way it works. DTV looses some money for each of these special priced receivers, so they expect you to hold it for at least one your of they will charge it's full value to your account.


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## Jtater (Jun 24, 2003)

tivosmart said:


> About your post, if you buy a package as a new subscriber you CANNOT sell your receiver before the one year commitment is due. Sorry, this is the way it works. DTV looses some money for each of these special priced receivers, so they expect you to hold it for at least one your of they will charge it's full value to your account.


That isn't quite correct. Yes, you are required to have minimum service for one year. To qualify for minimum service you need to have at least one active receiver. I upgrade receivers like some people change socks, to give you an idea I currently have 3 active receivers but in the last year have activated a total of 7 receivers, 4 of which are sitting in a closet right now. I have never been penalized in any way for the deactivation of a receiver. The receivers have come from different vendors to include Directv, Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.

Also, to clarify the ETF. If you were to deactivate all of your receivers entirely you would be charged an ETF, but this is a set value for the account not per receiver. The ETF is determined in the following manner. 150.00 ETF divided by the length of the contract 150.00/12 = 12.50/month * number of months remaining in your contract, so if you cancelled after 6 months you would be charged 12.50 * 6 = 75.00 and this is for the account not per receiver.


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## Lije Baley (Dec 7, 2003)

Another question:

If I understand what I've seen on this board and others, the requirement to have a phone line connected to the recieivers need not be followed with regular receivers if there is no PPV or similar use of the receiver. But, with Tivo, the user does need to have a phone line regularly (how regularly?) connected.

How effective are those wireless phone jacks (operating through the house electrical wiring?) sold for about $60?


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## paulh (Mar 17, 2003)

According to other user reports, The Direct Tivo only needs to be hooked up to a phone line after activation, as it needs to dial out to get some updates. All further updates are received by satellite. (Some people will bring their DTivo to a friend's home for that call, as it does not need a sat connection for that initial call) You will get a daily nag message if a phone line is not connected.

Most (if not all) of the wireless phone jacks do not work with the Direct Tivo's, as the wireless jacks do not support the BAUD rate needed by the DTivo's modem. If possible, just get a phone or ethernet wire run at the same time as the sat cables to use as a land based phone line...


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## scottchez (Feb 4, 2003)

Will the new HDTV Direct Tivo be out in time for the Jan CES coference>?

Thats where they mentioned it last time.


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

Well, according to a group of people in the Bay Area that saw and played with one (the report is over at AVSforum) at TiVo's HQ and the rumors of the beta starting or going on right now, it would sure seem like they would have one or 2 to show even if they are not quite ready to sell them then.


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## scottchez (Feb 4, 2003)

I am new to Direct TV (been with Dish), in the past how have they announced new product releases?

With Dish you would watch the Charlie chat?

Do you just have to wait for a press release or is there sometimes so insider type of info like with Dish?


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## paulh (Mar 17, 2003)

The above report is pretty much the most insider info you'll hear about, as the Tivo group seems to be more open with the customer base. D* seems to be much more secretive about future plans (Plus other manufacturers make the hardware so it's not all in D*'s control) Some people see secrecy as positive, as D* appears to have a consistent and reliable public voice.
It seems that in the case of several new receivers, not much info was known until Circuit City began selling them (i.e. the newer line of RCA SD receivers, the Hughes HTL-HD..)


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

Scott, pretty much wait for the press release when it comes to D*. But I think it works better for them. How many times in the past 2+ years has Charlie said the 921 will be released "next month"? He's still saying it. D* won't announce anything until it's actually ready and shipping to the stores. I hate waiting, but I'm very patient knowing that I will get a stable box that works out of the box and will be top notch.

For the latest lowdown on DirecTivo's, you'll want to go to the TivoCommunity and the DirecTivo forum there. Any leaked info will be posted there for sure.


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