# So, is anyone happy with the HR20?



## bluesman40220 (Jul 13, 2006)

I'm not trying to be funny or sarcastic. I am honestly considering the upgrade to the DVR and need to know if it is worth it or not. I called and was offered the HR20 for $99. Sounds like a good deal, but after reading all the problems everyone has had I am starting to get second thoughts.

I understand the OTA is working now. I live in Louisville, KY and the local HD channels have not been activated yet. So this would be an important part of my decision. 

I could probably do without the DVR, but my wife really wants one. We bought our first HD television about 15 months ago and she loves it. I thought that she would be unaccepting of the new technology, but she has proved me wrong. I have upgraded our surround sound system as well and she took to that too. Will the DVR put her over the edge? Thanks for any input here.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

I am happy with it.. it does what I ask it to...needs some cleanup in areas but has worked fine for me


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## mgcsooner (Dec 18, 2004)

bluesman40220 said:


> I'm not trying to be funny or sarcastic. I am honestly considering the upgrade to the DVR and need to know if it is worth it or not. I called and was offered the HR20 for $99. Sounds like a good deal, but after reading all the problems everyone has had I am starting to get second thoughts.
> 
> I understand the OTA is working now. I live in Louisville, KY and the local HD channels have not been activated yet. So this would be an important part of my decision.
> 
> I could probably do without the DVR, but my wife really wants one. We bought our first HD television about 15 months ago and she loves it. I thought that she would be unaccepting of the new technology, but she has proved me wrong. I have upgraded our surround sound system as well and she took to that too. Will the DVR put her over the edge? Thanks for any input here.


Yes, absolutely. You will however get a mixed review here as some people have had a lot of problems, while most have had a few as some claim not a single problem in months. Because this will be D* flagship DVR, you can count on it doing everything it should. Very likely it is the most successful initial HD DVR in any market. Even so, we delight as it not only gets better, but knocks off bugs one by one.


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## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

Other than the closed captioning being imperfect, I'm happy. Once they fix closed captioning, I'll be thrilled.


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## baimo (Sep 8, 2006)

needs work but its great. dtv is constantly upgrading the box which is kind of fun to see if your that kind of person


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## say-what (Dec 14, 2006)

I'm happy.... can't say I've had any more - or serious - problems than I've had with my H20, and that's not much.....


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## eatswodo (Nov 20, 2005)

I'm pleased with mine. After all the hassles I had getting it installed (9 cancelled appointments!) it's performed very well. Bugs I've seen:

1) negative times on recordings - once
2) BSB - twice since 0x10b. Mine was the 'black screen but still responsive to the remote' variant, so I've never had to do a RBR.

I was a long-time TiVo user (back from Series 1 14hr version days) and still have a DVR40 upstairs in the bedroom. There are things I like about the TiVo interface over the HR20, and vice versa - none is enough to make me curse one or the other. The only things I'd really like are:

1) some further assurances that bugs I may eventually run into are being addressed. So far, I'm pretty confident that this is the case)
2) official support for external storage. I'm recording a lot more HD content than I expected to, and have to shuffle things around more than I'd like.

Now OTA is here, I appreciate it even more - with heavy snow this afternoon, the dish was out of action for a while, but I was still able to watch the Vikings game via the antenna. Yes, I know that an HR10 would have given me the same ability, but I don't have one of those.

Quite *why* I watched the Vikings game is another matter, entirely unrelated to the equipment being used


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## trgonz (Sep 26, 2006)

I am happy...

I have had mine for 2 weeks and so far smooth sailing. No shows lost. Everything I asked it to record I, it did.

I will admit I am not all that picky. I just wanted a DVR that worked. And it does.

There is always room for improvement and any product, I downloaded 0x10b on the first night it was available (Santa night).

The only "bug" I have encountered so far is "pinky", and it is the only one I have looked for.

I have used a Tivo, and find this interface just as easy, and having the same look and feel as the other HD D* units (2x H20) is a plus for my household.


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## Knon2000 (Nov 20, 2006)

Our family is very happy with them. Our youngest, a 5 yr girl, is thoughly versed on it already, and is very confortable finding her shows on it now. It passed the ease of use test after showing them how to use it a few times. The kids were used to the tivo interface, but now, the actually preffer the HR20's due to the ease of setting up season passes, but they do not like the time it takes to change channels (5 to 6 seconds)
Simple answer, I highly recommend.


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## Tyrod (Nov 1, 2006)

I like mine. It's not the rock solid performer as my TIVO DVR40, but it pretty much does what it's supposed to do. Most of the time. Kinda.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

I'm very happy with mine. I have two of these things and can record pretty much everything that I want to watch in High Def ..


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

I will be happy with the HR20. I've had several stability problems, missed recordings, and lockups. While they seem to be mostly gone, I'm still very gun shy after two week long trips had lockups on the first day, missing all the recordings those weeks.

My standing suggestion is to be aware you might have problems, call Directv until you get the offer you just can't pass up, and keep whatever system you are using today as a backup. Especially if you don't want to face spouse or kids should something they want get missed... 

You might be lucky and have an environment that is stable right away. 

So there it is in a nutshell. Yours is to decide how to manage the risk you might be facing. Someday, perhaps immediately, you will like the HR20. DVRs are fantastic and the HR20 has some nice features.

Either way, have a very Happy New Year,
Tom


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## Cyrus (Oct 22, 2006)

I have been very happy with hr20 so far.


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## shaun-ohio (Aug 24, 2002)

i am well pleased with the hr20, i have had mine since they came out


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## bidger (Nov 19, 2005)

I enjoy my HR20 and have had very few issues.


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## wyatt9696 (Jun 27, 2006)

i'm relatively(93%) happy with mine. there are definitely a few bugs crawling around still, but all in all, it does what i ask it to do. i really can't complain, i paid nothing for it. it's worth it even though it messes up every now and then. i'm going to network it this week, we'll see how that goes. good luck.


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## qlanus (Sep 22, 2006)

Yep, happiness abounds here. I even have two - so I'm twice as happy!


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## bidger (Nov 19, 2005)

wyatt9696 said:


> i'm going to network it this week, we'll see how that goes. good luck.


Just networked mine, worked fine. Didn't even have to restart the HR20. Did the slide show, have to add Music later.


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## S. DiThomas (Oct 8, 2006)

bluesman:

I was happy until 0x10b.
Since then the random black screens of death and failures to boot have taken my happiness from 90% to 50%. Happy with one box, disappointed with the other. If it happens a third time to me I will be calling D* and seeking my black replacement. If that does not work I can tell you I will be returning both boxes to them and seeking a different provider for HD DVRs.

Compare others hardware with yours. If you have a known configuration problem - some DVI, some HDMI (search for your TV and see what you find here) avoid the box like the plague for at least a few more months if you can.

Put it on a UPS or good power filtration system.
Be sure your dish has a powered muti-switch.
Pray the next update fixes the BSOD issues.

That is all you can do should you chose to jump. :uglyhamme


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## btmoore (Aug 28, 2006)

Happy I can do some time shifting of HD content.

Unhappy about the quality of the HR20.

IMO the box has issues, if you are ok dealing with issues and you need a way to time shift, the HR20 is sort of a DVR. That means I can't trust it to work to record what I tell it to.95- 98% of the time it will work, but it may lock up on you are just not successfully record a program. If you are ok with that, go for it.


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## Mixer (Sep 28, 2006)

I can safely say I am happy with the HR20. There are obviously people here that have had major issues with it as well. My advice to you while this unit is still in it;s vry early stages is to continue to havea backup DVR. Althugh I have only missed one recording with my HR20 since 10/27 there have been people that have experienced a lot more problems with recordings. I only use mine to record HD. For all SD recordings I use a T* unit. 

If you have D* and an HDTV I would say go for it. You could get an HR10 but there will be no upgrades for it and when all of the channels move to MPEG4 it will be useless. 

Good luck in whatever you decide.


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## glennb (Sep 21, 2006)

I like mine.


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## Starrbuck (Jun 25, 2004)

Mine rocks. No issues. Absolutely love it.


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## uncrph90 (Aug 29, 2002)

S. DiThomas said:


> I was happy until 0x10b.


Me, too. I had issues with loss of signal and a few missed recordings possibly related to signal strength/weather issues fairly early on, but my HR20's had been running great for the last month or so--until 0x10b. Now I have to RBR every 2 or 3 days due to a lockup.

I also have issues with remote (trick play) input not being recognized--the light on the receiver blinks, but it ignores the command--something running in the background? Sometimes simply powering down and back up "wakes" it up, sometimes a reboot is needed. My wife even used the dreaded "POS" phrase unprompted by me when she couldn't 30 second slip through her recording of The Young and the Restless. (In case you care--after about 30 seconds of ignoring remote commands--I hadn't even cycled the power yet--it was fine again)

I've learned to try and slow down--I locked up and had to reboot today when; I stopped a recorded program, deleted it, went to my playlist, selected another episode of the same series, pressed play--all within 10 seconds--I assume I just jammed the poor thing up. But, I usedtacould (love that word!) do similar sequences with no problems. I remain optimistic that the next series of updates will improve the situation, but there are definite problems.

I'm still happy with it, but disappointed in the last update. I have confidence that stability will improve however--at least we got OTA--that was my biggest reason to not recommend to my friends--now I am actively recommending the HR20 to my "HD enabled" friends.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

uncrph90 said:


> Me, too. I had issues with loss of signal and a few missed recordings possibly related to signal strength/weather issues fairly early on, but my HR20's had been running great for the last month or so--until 0x10b. Now I have to RBR every 2 or 3 days due to a lockup.
> 
> I also have issues with remote (trick play) input not being recognized--the light on the receiver blinks, but it ignores the command--something running in the background? Sometimes simply powering down and back up "wakes" it up, sometimes a reboot is needed. My wife even used the dreaded "POS" phrase unprompted by me when she couldn't 30 second slip through her recording of The Young and the Restless. (In case you care--after about 30 seconds of ignoring remote commands--I hadn't even cycled the power yet--it was fine again)
> 
> ...


For what it's worth... a little house cleaning might improve it. If you've watched all your recordings, I would suggest a "reset everything" from the setup menu. This will reset all of the chips & clean the disk. It will not remove the software, so it will be like restarting with the new software & just might solve your RBR issue.


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## cybermonkey (Dec 1, 2006)

Mine works great. I do not have the issues others are seeing.....


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## ecdc (Dec 14, 2006)

I'm very happy with mine. I've had to reset it once in three months and I'm pleased with OTA.


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## bluesman40220 (Jul 13, 2006)

I just wanted to take a sceond to thank everyone who took the time to post here. It seems that the HR20 isn't as bad as I thought. I will make the plunge today and order it. I think that I can deal with the chances that the new technology may give me a few problems.

Thanks again everyone!:grin:


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## gr8reb8 (Aug 21, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> For what it's worth... a little house cleaning might improve it. If you've watched all your recordings, I would suggest a "reset everything" from the setup menu. This will reset all of the chips & clean the disk. It will not remove the software, so it will be like restarting with the new software & just might solve your RBR issue.


Doing this made no difference for me whatsoever. Still need a red button reboot ever few days. Usually it will lock up when you are showing it to other people. Makes you look really smart. :nono2:


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

Mine has had several reboots--probably ten in four months--but it has neve failed to record or deleted any recordings.

No real complaints.


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## Spanky_Partain (Dec 7, 2006)

I like mine! But I am comparing it to VHS. Yes, I love mine and very HAPPY! No more real rewind!

How quickly we forget!


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

I've had mine for 14 or so weeks. I have only had very few and minor issues. I like it a LOT. OTA is very important to me, and it works quite well, but can be finicky to get working right. You also may be missing some of your channels, as the HR20 is "Guide-Centric". If your OTA station is not in the guide, because the data that D* uses is incomplete (and this happens a LOT), then you can't receive that station until the guide data is corrected by D*. There is no "manual" or "scanning" tune in the HR20. I get all the major networks OTA on the HR20 including PBS, and the pix is just "the best". I am missing some sub-channels (weather radar), CW and another digital channel that don't show in the Guide.

The OTA tuner in the HR20 has some real issues. It doesn't handle the low VHF channels well, it is can be sensitive to line-length feeding the tuner (you might have to play with the line length to get the best signals on all your available channels), and it is a bit picky about signals that are either too strong or too weak...the margin for a signal that will decode properly (called dynamic range) is not what it should be.

That said, I use my OTA all the time and it works quite well. The tuner in it is not as good as the tuner built into my Sammy HDTV, but since I get al the major networks and the pix is fantastic, I'm able to live with it and be happy.

As far as the other aspects of the HR20:

I'm VERY pleased. If you need CC or Caller ID to work reliably, and that's a big thing for you, then you might not be happy. 

It seems that there are two distinct experiences out here with the HR20:

a. A few minor issues and people love it. (appears to be a significant majority)

b. A few, to quite a few major issues that the users can't resolve (appears to be perhaps 1 in 4 of the people responding to a poll I did about 6 weeks ago). 325 people responded at that time.)

So, if the HR20 has to work perfectly for your first time, every time, you are taking a big chance. If you can tolerate some minor problems, you might fall into the 75% of somewhat to very satisfied users. 

The poll was far from scientific, but it did reveal relative satisfaction with the HR20 and optimism that the problems that users did have would be fixed.

I'll tell you what bothers me. It may be that you have a 1 in 4 chance of having some very annoying problems. If you have a box/system (as there are other causes for the problems including cables, dish alignment, multi-switched, TV incompatibility (HDMI)) with problems, you will have to be patient. Evn though the firmware is updated regularly, it does take time and each fix is incremental. By that I mean, two or three steps forward, maybe one step back. (fixes some problems, may introduce others).

It may come down to your answer to a simple question:

How important is it that the HR20 work perfectly or near perfectly nearly all the time? If it is very important, then you might be better off waiting. 

I'm glad I didn't wait. I like mine a lot. It has been nearly problem free, and none of the problems have been "major" or "significant". I also consider myself a beta tester on this box. It is not ready for "casual consumer" prime time, unless you get lucky.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Ya'll already know my HR20 is super here...but since someone asked....another weekend of perfect scheduled, recorded and played-back NFL and college games. Happy 2007!


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

I'm happy. I trust it 100% to record what I tell it as I've never missed a recording other then one to the partial bug a couple months ago.

I've had a couple recent lockups though but that doesn't bother me. Unless it becomes a daily thing of course.


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## dwenn (Oct 26, 2006)

Very happy.
100% record success and no lost playbacks.
Looking for improvements withthe networking but have patience for that.
I think the OTA tuner may have some issues as my signals are steady good but I have had some break up that is otherwise unexplained.
See how th ebowl games go and heavy HD OTA records coming up in two weeks with the new shows.


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## uncrph90 (Aug 29, 2002)

veryoldschool said:


> For what it's worth... a little house cleaning might improve it. If you've watched all your recordings, I would suggest a "reset everything" from the setup menu. This will reset all of the chips & clean the disk. It will not remove the software, so it will be like restarting with the new software & just might solve your RBR issue.


Unfortunately, that isn't really an option. I've got several shows archived for my son, so I don't want to reset except as a VERY last resort, ie. try that as the last step before exchanging for a new one.

I do want to make sure that I accurately convey my feelings. Now that it doesn't miss recordings (hasn't in 2 or more months) and I don't think I've ever had the "partial" bug, I greatly recommend the HR20.  I've recently had the lock-up issues, but the reset fixes them, so no big deal, just annoying.


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## jtm (Dec 14, 2006)

Buy it. You'll like it!


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## Blitz68 (Apr 19, 2006)

Starrbuck said:


> Mine rocks. No issues. Absolutely love it.


I agree 100%


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## jheda (Sep 19, 2006)

overall very happy with the hr20, some little bumps which this site holds your hand through. My caveat is I sorely miss dual live buffers to switch between two live broadcasts back and forth...but my fingers are crossed it will be incorporated one day..........


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## Milominderbinder2 (Oct 8, 2006)

_I posted this last week in answer to a similar question..._

When going to an HR20, Installation is key. Make sure you get your free professional installtion with *new* cables, proper grounding, etc. The _HR20 Installation Tips_ has more details. Make sure you have good surge and UPS protection.

If you are a TiVo lover, you may be miserable with anythig but a TiVo. The _TiVo to HR-20 Survival Guide_ helps translate the terminology. It also tells some of what you will lose and gain.

If you are considering the HR20...

Check out the _Catalog of Bugs_ to see some of the problems HR20 users are having. The _HR20 Troubleshooting Guide_ helps deal with some of those problems.

The _UNOFFICIAL HR20 Tips and Tricks_ gives 46 undocumented featues of the HR20.

One thing that you will not have is a backup unit. If you check out the _Results of the Wish List Survey_ you will see that some of the features detailed in the manual do not work right or at all. For instance, the HR20 program info is often bad so it does not know that a show is first run and may not record it.

Whether or not you should take the plunge is as much a question about you as the HR20. Do you like adventure? Do you find testing a new product fun? Will you be excitedly waiting for the next software release? If your answers are YES, get your HR20 installed!

They would probably add-in a TiVo SD recorder for free. Bleeding edge technology needs a backup. For a few bucks a month it is worth it to have a backup.

- Craig


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## jheda (Sep 19, 2006)

Milominderbinder2 said:


> _I posted this last week in answer to a similar question..._
> 
> When going to an HR20, Installation is key. Make sure you get your free professional installtion with *new* cables, proper grounding, etc. The _HR20 Installation Tips_ has more details. Make sure you have good surge and UPS protection.
> 
> ...


great advise .......... i backup everthing with my directivo r10


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## islesfan (Oct 18, 2006)

It depends on what you want it to do. If you want to just watch series TV, and you don't care if it misses a couple of episodes here and there, then go for it. If I read your name correctly, and your location, I surmise that you probably have NHL Center Ice (I would think that the Predators would be the local team in Kentucky, not the Blues) they you might want to reconsider. The HR20 is a disaster with extended sports packages. It is getting much better, but it is still not ready for release.


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## Dave_S (Jan 7, 2006)

We have three of them, and we are very happy. We have had a few issues, but mostly minor. The unit still needs a bit of work, but it is coming along nicely. It already has more features than the Hr10's (that are in the closet). Hopefully the next couple of releases will straighten it to a "perfect" status.


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> Ya'll already know my HR20 is super here...but since someone asked....another weekend of perfect scheduled, recorded and played-back NFL and college games. Happy 2007!


I am glad! I haven't been testing the NFL ST as much lately. Been able to watch what I want directly, too busy with holidays to run that series of tests again.

I did have one experience I want to ask you about. Did you record Saturday night's Giants/Redskins game on chan. 95? I noticed that the guide on my HR20 was very much in flux right at the start of the game and would most likely have failed to record--I think. Hard to be sure.

Happy New Year,
Tom


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

tibber said:


> I did have one experience I want to ask you about. Did you record Saturday night's Giants/Redskins game on chan. 95? I noticed that the guide on my HR20 was very much in flux right at the start of the game and would most likely have failed to record--I think.


Nope. Sorry. My interest was in several other teams (that I recorded). I have recorded on that channel (95) before, however, without a problem, even though the NFL network has some work to do in terms of getting enough HD cameras to properly cover a game compared to other major networks (with more HD cameras).

The guide only showed the game on that channel (when I satisfactorily recorded previously) on the same day as the recording, as opposed to other channels with more lead time.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Milominderbinder2 said:


> _If you are a TiVo lover, you may be miserable with anythig but a TiVo. _


_
Heck no....I have gladly migrated from the H10-250._


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> Nope. Sorry. My interest was in several other teams (that I recorded). I have recorded on that channel (95) before, however, without a problem, even though the NFL network has some work to do in terms of getting enough HD cameras to properly cover a game compared to other major networks (with more HD cameras).
> 
> The guide only showed the game on that channel (when I satisfactorily recorded previously) on the same day as the recording, as opposed to other channels with more lead time.


Hokay, just curious. I've recorded and watched there too, without problem since 0xFA, but this was remarkable in how the three different guides in the HR20 did not agree for several minutes: GUIDE-GUIDE, BBG, and status bar Guide, showed lots of different things during the first 10 minutes of the game. They all settled on the same, right thing when I turned to 98 and back. (on a commercial break, of course! ) 

Happy New Year,
Tom


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## tstarn (Oct 1, 2006)

I think Directv's launch of the HR20 is just about the most wonderful experience a person can have, short of God and family. Who doesn't like constantly guessing what tomorrow will bring (black screen, missed recording, freeze up, trick play frustrations)? Gives life a sense of purpose, a real feeling of wonderment.

In all seriousness, if gambling is in your blood, by all means, go for it. If you land up on the "mine works" side, you are in business. If not, you will be posting about your POS experiences soon enough. And the best part is, you can be on one side one day, the other the next (following the latest download).


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## bluesman40220 (Jul 13, 2006)

islesfan said:


> It depends on what you want it to do. If you want to just watch series TV, and you don't care if it misses a couple of episodes here and there, then go for it. If I read your name correctly, and your location, I surmise that you probably have NHL Center Ice (I would think that the Predators would be the local team in Kentucky, not the Blues) they you might want to reconsider. The HR20 is a disaster with extended sports packages. It is getting much better, but it is still not ready for release.


I am indeed a Blues fan. Columbus is my regional hockey team and the Reds are my regional baseball team. I think I will go ahead and get the HR20 even though your post makes me worry about recording my Blues when I'm not at home. It shouldn't be that big of a deal. I try to catch most of the games when I can and if I miss one or if the DVR doesn't catch it I believe I can live with it.

Maybe by the time the Blues are a playoff contender the DVR will have all the kinks worked out of it. That's a scary thought! :eek2:


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## ChromaTick (Sep 2, 2006)

Put me in the camp of very happy. I have two HR20's and they both have worked almost flawlessly for me.

I get the "pinky" issue (which has no affect on how the unit works) and I've had two lockups which required a reset.


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## GoLaLakers (Oct 12, 2006)

The box is great. We have two and aside from the occasional problem the box has not let us down. The guide data is much faster then the old HD Tivo I had, and when I use the SD Tivo I still have I actually get frustrated with the multiple commands you need to enter to record/delete a program. Love the one touch record, and the one touch delete function on the HR20. Once Direct TV gives me more HD this year, I will be a happy camper.


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## jheda (Sep 19, 2006)

..............and dual buffers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## petergaryr (Nov 22, 2006)

I guess a praise report is in order once in a while. I set the HR20 to record the Tournament of Roses parade on Discovery HD, then went out shopping and then to lunch with my wife. I thought I should set the HR10-250 as a backup but didn't.

When we got home, there was the TORP in all its glory. No surprises, dropouts, glitches, black screen or freezes. See, it CAN be done!


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## nikwax (Jan 1, 2007)

my question is, how do you get it for $99 ???? Is Customer Retention the best route to go? I've priced it at the D* site at $299 for existing customers (I've been a customer since series A1 days).


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

Welcome to the forums, nikwax! :welcome_s

There are threads in the installation, etc. subforum that talk directly to your question, but my basic suggestion is to call a couple times, try customer retention, and have been a larger subscriber for a few years. Like Total Choice premier(?) and/or sports subscriptions, lots of PPV, etc. 

Good luck,
Tom


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

nikwax said:


> my question is, how do you get it for $99 ???? Is Customer Retention the best route to go? I've priced it at the D* site at $299 for existing customers (I've been a customer since series A1 days).


Talk to whomever answers the phone at D* about competitive offers from cable and that they are making offers that you are considering accepting and leaving D*. Be realistic, don't make outrageous claims. If you have been a long term customer, they will (eventually) cut you a deal. If you don't get what you want the first time, call again, keep trying. You will get someone who will give you a decent deal, if your experience is anything like the most of the rest of us.

I've been a customer for over 13 years (I think) and have been an NFL-ST subscriber most of that time. I have 3 receivers, only one of which is HD (the HR20). I got my HR20 for twenty bucks about three months ago. I have no doubt I can call back and get an H20 free. I'm going to wait a few months (probably spring), and try to get another HR20 and new dish for my 2nd dish position on the garage. It will be interesting to see how persistent I have to be.

If I can't get the HR20 dirt cheap, I'll settle for a free H20.


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## DishDog (Nov 10, 2006)

Another thing to consider is how many features you will be using. 

If you are a power user vs an average user, you may have to put up with some glitches until D* catches all the bugs.

If you don't use bookmarks, OTA, ethernet, maunal series recordings etc, you will probably be very pleased from day one.


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## HDTVsportsfan (Nov 29, 2005)

tibber said:


> Welcome to the forums, nikwax! :welcome_s
> 
> There are threads in the installation, etc. subforum that talk directly to your question, but my basic suggestion is to call a couple times, try customer retention, and have been a larger subscriber for a few years. Like Total Choice premier(?) and/or sports subscriptions, lots of PPV, etc.
> 
> ...


I beleive this is the thread tibber is referring too.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=62089


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

I use OTA a LOT (it is more important to me than even satellite stuff) and I'm getting along with it just fine. I get all the major networks, but am missing some subchannels and CW network. Whether OTA is good for someone probably depends on just what channels are missing from the data stream (database) that D* uses. I've actually had one channel added since they started working on it, but I'm still missing three others (only minor carriers or sub-channels, not major networks)

It also depends on whether the OTA they want is on VHF-low or all on UHF. All UHF is pretty good. Low VHF is problematic for lots of people.


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## nikwax (Jan 1, 2007)

thanks folks, you likely saved me a pile of $$$$.


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## bluesman40220 (Jul 13, 2006)

nikwax said:


> my question is, how do you get it for $99 ???? Is Customer Retention the best route to go? I've priced it at the D* site at $299 for existing customers (I've been a customer since series A1 days).


Well, I have been considering upgrading for a while now. Decided I would call D* and ask what the costs were. I did not call the retention number--I just called the 800 number.

The first lady I spoke with told me that it would be $299 and I said that was too much for me at the moment. I was nice and explained to her that I have been a D* customer for years and couldn't justify spending another $300 for tv. She said wait a moment (I believe she checked my status as a customer) and said that she would transfer me to retention to see if they could work out a better deal. She did so and when the man said $99 I went for it.

A couple of things I think that I had going for me.
1.) I have been a D* customer for almost ten years now.
2.) I have never been late with a payment.
3.) I subscribe to sports packages (such as NHL Center Ice).
4.) I also have subscribed to multiple movie channel packages as well.
5.) Multiple HD receivers in my house (mirroring fees).

D* has not lost any money on me! LOL Bottom line--I was nice, but firm in what I was willing to upgrade to. Your experience may vary.


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## spidey (Sep 1, 2006)

Very Happy here. recording fine , pausing live TV so that I can synch NFL ST video with sirius audio same for NHL. Have rebooted unit less that my windows XP machine


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## tbone526 (Nov 22, 2006)

In terms of reliability, I would say it's no worse than most people's home computers. I think most people experience lock-ups on their PC's from time to time, the occasional call to tech support, and challenges and frustrations getting new software or peripherals to work properly. Fortunately this board has so many resources goodjob:Earl is THE MAN) that I've been able to work through the minor issues I've had.

I too have been 95% satisfied with the unit. A few minor glitches, a couple RBR's, and it's the sole DVR on "my" TV, no backup. The wife is still using a HDVR2 TiVo unit upstairs and has threatened me with great bodily harm if I were to attempt to switch it out. No dual live buffers is a deal breaker for her. The HDVR2 I was using down here is now tucked away as a backup anticipating the day that hers gives up the ghost.

I was able to get the unit for $99 in one call. When I was told $299, I simply said that there was no WAF for paying $300 and started to end the call. Rep had me hold for a minute, came back and gave me everything (HR20, dish, install, 4 months of HD programming) for $99. No threats to cancel or other drama.

If you've got HD, it's worth the upgrade. It's definitely NOT a TiVo, but I'm not sorry that I switched.

EDIT:
....Sorry to smeek Spidey...was still typing while he posted.


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## fwlogue (Dec 6, 2006)

We love our HR-20 in fact we just ordered a second one to be installed on the 20th. We havenot had any issues with ours I believe in the 3 months we had 1 lockup and 1 black screen recording for the black screen we just FF a few seconds and it came right in. Good Luck,


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## bobojay (Jan 26, 2004)

Happy except for the first one we got in September..........


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## directvfreak (Feb 1, 2006)

I love it! Mine has yet to miss a recording (I've had it for 2 months), it has yet to freeze or anything. Haven't restarted it. Off-Air input is great. I like it better than my TiVo.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

Attention DirecTV Development Staff. From this thread it's obvious the great majority of HR20 users are happy. So, why not take some staff from the HR20 side a redeploy them to the R15 side to fix all of those bugs that still exist on the R15 which have been fixed on the HR20.

From this thread I would say the HR20 is perfect (other than those folks that constantly complain). So no need for more HR20 updates, move back to the R15.


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## HDTVsportsfan (Nov 29, 2005)

Wolffpack said:


> Attention DirecTV Development Staff. From this thread it's obvious the great majority of HR20 users are happy. So, why not take some staff from the HR20 side a redeploy them to the R15 side to fix all of those bugs that still exist on the R15 which have been fixed on the HR20.
> 
> From this thread I would say the HR20 is perfect (other than those folks that constantly complain). So no need for more HR20 updates, move back to the R15.


Nothing like a little sarcasim to start the year off right.


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## Dsru (Nov 23, 2006)

Only been here since I got the HR20, and to be quite frank, if I found these forums BEFORE I received my HR20, I probably would have been very hesitant about getting one. Since the day I received, I have only had to press the reset button 2 times, and that was for Santa's software gifts. It has performed flawlessly in my house since installed. The reason I found these forums was because of OTA (DTV even credited me 5 a month when I called because it was not active yet), I really wanted that and after a Google search, some posts from here came up. I wanted like everybody else for DTV to "update" software and when they did, again, simple flawless install. Granted, I only watch at night, and did little recording, but every time I used it worked as it should.

Now I have had off from 12/19 (saved vacation for holidays) and now have DVR'd 7 episodes of Enterprise, a couple of Firefly's, and wife did some MDK's (murder,death, kill) from Lifetime. Every one of them recorded, no audio or picture issue at all. I went in and checked every single option in menu, changed to what I wanted, and still not one issue. Hell, I even plugged in the Ethernet port into my network, downloaded Twonky, and in 5 minutes was listening to music and looking at pictures from my PC. Came home one night and wife was showing her friends how "cool" this is (this statement really makes me happy)

My wife is deaf, has a cochlear implant which works well, but for the past 21 years (married) I have CC on all TV's. If you HAD to use CC over the years you WILL know that it is a channel deal if it works or not. By working I mean right words, in sequence, yada yada. The CC on the HR20 is working just like always, depends on what channel we are watching. I can even say its better than previous devices I have had to have CC on. I set it up for transparent box and now we only see the CC, no black box. Wife even said, "That is cool". Now if I could talk my insurance into dual Cochlear implants, I would have a better chance of upgrading my sound. :eek2: :hurah: 

For me, the HR20 has been great and more. Every new update of possible features coming is gravy. I try and read every post after family goes to bed because I find these forums to be informational and entertaining. I know that some have serious issues and feel their frustration, but I am sure it will all work out soon (for better or worse).


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## RobertSeattle (Aug 27, 2006)

I'm starting to think that if you reboot the HR20 each night before you go to bed you'll be happy with it. It's like we are back in the Windows 3.11 days - if you shut your machine down each day it ran pretty good. But if you kept it on for more than a day or two, funky things started to happen.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

RobertSeattle said:


> I'm starting to think that if you reboot the HR20 each night before you go to bed you'll be happy with it. It's like we are back in the Windows 3.11 days - if you shut your machine down each day it ran pretty good. But if you kept it on for more than a day or two, funky things started to happen.


:righton: Or at least once a week. Couldn't hurt.


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## upnorth (Jun 21, 2006)

Very pleased here. 
I am not a power user but it has worked flawless for me.


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## intharuff (Nov 25, 2006)

Just a very few minor hiccups, but I am very pleased with it.


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## mecohen (Dec 3, 2006)

I had many problems for the first two months, but this was mainly due to a wrong switch.
After reformatting the HR20, haven't has any problems!


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## Canis Lupus (Oct 16, 2006)

Just got back from vacation to find the box had recorded and managed everything I asked it to with no probs at all. I left the house in the hands of "the kid" and it appears he didn't have any parties or crash the car while I was gone.  
Very pleased.


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## dustyzz (Oct 26, 2006)

upnorth said:


> Very pleased here.
> I am not a power user but it has worked flawless for me.


The HR20 is no UTV, but I have never missed a recording and I have only had to RBR twice since the end of September... all in all I am very pleased with the HR20's performance and my wife LOVES being able to look at her digital photo archive on the big screen TV.

/dusty


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## solo1026 (Mar 21, 2006)

I'm about 80% happy with it. I would be 100% if all my recording got recorded for real and not get the "Delete this recording YES or NO" 

I hope the next update fix this problem.


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## St Louis Cardinals Fan (Oct 22, 2006)

I'm Happy. No lock-ups until 10B ( then only three lock-ups).
Have not missed a recording ( yet ).


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## Mike770 (Mar 1, 2004)

I am happy with mine. No missed recordings, no BSOD. All good.


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## liltalkm (Jan 2, 2007)

I just installed 2 new HR20's this past Friday.

I have kept my 2 HR10-250's installed as well since I have 4 DTV feeds going into the master bedroom and family room (in hopes of the media center dvr solution). I have 12 feeds in all from two AT9 dishes.

Anyway, I was an Ultimate TV user before going to the HR10-250 and gotta say that the move was not an easy one for me at first, but I got used to Tivo.

After living with the HR20 over the weekend I already prefer the speedier menu, easier season pass set up, etc. I am happy to be able to avoid the infamous *Please Wait* from the HD Tivo and also hope not to have silly reboots now as well. The HR20 does remind me of the UTV and I expect this to be an easier transition.

I am also happy that there are constant updates to the HR20 software and understand that it is still in its infancy. 

Now, if they would just give us more HD content, life will be nice.

Later

btw; is there a way to set the HR20 to default to *first run* instead of *both* when setting up a season pass?


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

liltalkm said:


> btw; is there a way to set the HR20 to default to *first run* instead of *both* when setting up a season pass?


When you are editing a series link, click the menu button and you can setup all the defaults for all new series links that you set from that point on.


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## liltalkm (Jan 2, 2007)

bonscott87 said:


> When you are editing a series link, click the menu button and you can setup all the defaults for all new series links that you set from that point on.


Awesome!!

Thanks bonscott87

Later


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## toy4two (Aug 18, 2006)

I'm just happy its finally out. I'd rather have what I have now with a few bugs, then nothing. At least they finally got it out. You have people moaning when it keeps getting delayed, and then people moan when its out prematurely. If I can put up with HD Lite I can live with a few annoyances provided the future is brighter (MPEG 4 national HD).


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## Radiation Vibe (Nov 6, 2006)

I have had mine for 3 months, only 2 lock-ups and no missed recordings. I do miss the TIVO interface though.


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## Spazzman (Oct 8, 2006)

Radiation Vibe said:


> I have had mine for 3 months, only 2 lock-ups and no missed recordings. I do miss the TIVO interface though.


I am not happy.

I am on my third unit. Two hard drive failures.

My third unit has BSOD issue and is unreliable.


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## jedster (Sep 20, 2006)

Yes, someone is happy with the HR-20. What a stupid question.

Clearly, all of D*'s competitors are thrilled. It may be sold out everywhere, but just about anyone with a clue who uses it realizes what a piece of crap it is. Even when it is working well (which it doesn't always do) it has a clunky UI and it is noisy as hell.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

jedster said:


> Yes, someone is happy with the HR-20. What a stupid question.
> 
> Clearly, all of D*'s competitors are thrilled. It may be sold out everywhere, but just about anyone with a clue who uses it realizes what a piece of crap it is. Even when it is working well (which it doesn't always do) it has a clunky UI and it is noisy as hell.


So jedster, just courious, which are you more happy with....your 3 HR20s' or your 2 HR10s?


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## jedster (Sep 20, 2006)

Wolffpack said:


> So jedster, just courious, which are you more happy with....your 3 HR20s' or your 2 HR10s?


that's a dated signature i need to update it. anyway, i've turned off my hr10s and no longer use the hr20s as dvrs; i use their s-video out to my htpc for cable channels (they do very good SD, much better than HR10). then i use a vbox atsc tuner for OTA. works much much better than HR20s. On Sundays I actually use the MPEG2 HD from the HR20s for NFLST which is awesome, except the day when the HR20 hooked up to the tv decided to crash at opening kickoff.

i am likely to switch to h20s for my htpc as they are much quieter than the hr20s unless i can figure out how to open up the box and put a quieter hard drive in there (or remove the HD entirely and just enclose it in a scythe enclosure).

i can't wait until D* releases its tuner card for vista. i hope they have reasonable DRM restrictions (like HD content can only be watched on a PC with a D* card and active subscription). if they use the cablecard model (which will break your right to watch recorded content if you are forced to reinstall windows on the same PC) then i'll be SOL.

anyway, short story long, media center is light years ahead of D* when it comes to interface. and it's much more stable.


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## jfolliard (Oct 17, 2006)

jedster said:


> Yes, someone is happy with the HR-20. What a stupid question.
> 
> Clearly, all of D*'s competitors are thrilled. It may be sold out everywhere, but just about anyone with a clue who uses it realizes what a piece of crap it is. Even when it is working well (which it doesn't always do) it has a clunky UI and it is noisy as hell.


sorry to disappoint you but I'm very happy with my HR20 - have had it for 3 months now - no problems at all.


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

Capmeister said:


> Other than the closed captioning being imperfect, I'm happy. Once they fix closed captioning, I'll be thrilled.


What is the problem with the closed captioning? That could be a deal breaker for me. It is an important feature in my household.


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## jedster (Sep 20, 2006)

jfolliard said:


> sorry to disappoint you but I'm very happy with my HR20 - have had it for 3 months now - no problems at all.


That's good; it actually reminds me that I've begun to wonder if the problems withe HR20 are more hardware than software. I can't think of another reason why some people have a good experience and others have bad experiences. It's the same software and same programming source on each box; it's only the hardware that is different.

Anyway, I'm very happy for you that you enjoy your HR20. It's not for me, and clearly a lot of people have had a lot of problems with it. Count your blessings!


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## mrshermanoaks (Aug 27, 2006)

I was 95% happy with mine a few weeks ago. Now it's bordering on being returned with service cancelled. Tonight mine is in rare form, going no more than 15-20 minutes at a stretch without doing something really annoying - audio/video dropping out, recording unwatchable, locked up on pause/instant replay/etc. 

I'd reboot it on a more regular basis, but I find it maddening having only 12 hours of program guide to work with as the "spring season" approaches.


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## hasan (Sep 22, 2006)

jedster said:


> That's good; it actually reminds me that I've begun to wonder if the problems withe HR20 are more hardware than software. I can't think of another reason why some people have a good experience and others have bad experiences. It's the same software and same programming source on each box; it's only the hardware that is different.
> 
> Anyway, I'm very happy for you that you enjoy your HR20. It's not for me, and clearly a lot of people have had a lot of problems with it. Count your blessings!


Here are the reasons its much more likely software/firmware than hardware:

It may be HOW YOU USE your HR20 that is causing problems and that has NOTHING to do with hardware. How many computer programs have you used wherein a certain combination of keystrokes cause the program to crash or the OS to freeze? Think of the HR20 the same way. We do have the same box, but we interact with it in hundreds, if not thousands of ways. That is why we have such a variation in bug experience. Once you have experienced a freeze it is possible, if not likely, you have written a corrupt file to the hard drive...more problems to follow!

IT IS NOT the hardware that's different...the hardware isn't different, and real hardware failures (other than hard drives) appear to be rare. Software (even UPDATE) generated failures are obvious...the latest upgrade has produced a dramatic increase in black screen failures...do you really think everyone's hardware went bad at the same time?

In addition, some people have different I/O ports in use:

HDMI (known to be a cause of a variety of problems)
Ethernet (known to cause some reboot problems)

So, please stop saying we have the same software therefore it's hardware....it's just as silly to say we have the same hardware, therefore it's just the software. The problem is INTERACTION. The hardware does NOT appear to be outright failing or causing failures. The software has BUGS and those bugs MANIFEST in at least two ways:

1. They show up right after an upgrade with increasing frequency and severity.

2. They show up more slowly as a result of HOW THE USER INTERACTS with the HR20. What features they use, when they use them, in what combination, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

This is why it is hard to fix things wrong in the HR20, (and why we have to stop looking for one-stop shopping explanations).

We need the conditions wherein the bug manifests identified. Speculation on whether it is hardware or software won't help a bit.

When does it happen. How is the HR20 configured. What was the activity immediately prior to the malfunction. These are DETAILED requirements for troubleshooting. Failing to provide them gives hints at what might be wrong, but also leads people down nearly an infiinite number of blind alleys because so much critical information that may affect whether the bug appears or not is left out.

Anyone who thinks finding and fixing bugs on this box is easy doesn't have a clue.


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## Spazzman (Oct 8, 2006)

jfolliard said:


> sorry to disappoint you but I'm very happy with my HR20 - have had it for 3 months now - no problems at all.


I have a feeling that you will. And I sincerely hope you are paying for the D* protection plan. You will be SOL otherwise.


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## Andrew_J_M (Feb 11, 2005)

I'm very happy with mine - I don't have ST nor do I watch sports at all but I use OTA a lot, record MPEG4 and MPEG2 channels and last night played back all 600+ 2MB jpeg photos from my vacation while playing mp3 audio. Not a glitch. It is not as slick as the hacked XBox but is still very usable. 

As Bluesman will be new to DVRs with no preconceptions as to how it should work, I would say go for it.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Spazzman said:


> I have a feeling that you will. And I sincerely hope you are paying for the D* protection plan. You will be SOL otherwise.


Every party has a pooper.....


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

My wish for everyone (aside from true world peace) is that everyone gets a stable system VERY soon and that it stays stable for a very long time. 

I don't wish anyone experience the problems I've had; I thank those who have sympathized with my problems without directly experiencing them; and I thank Directv for working hard to fix the problems. I've been fairly good since 0xFA. 

Cheers,
Tom


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## islesfan (Oct 18, 2006)

bluesman40220 said:


> I am indeed a Blues fan. Columbus is my regional hockey team and the Reds are my regional baseball team. I think I will go ahead and get the HR20 even though your post makes me worry about recording my Blues when I'm not at home. It shouldn't be that big of a deal. I try to catch most of the games when I can and if I miss one or if the DVR doesn't catch it I believe I can live with it.
> 
> Maybe by the time the Blues are a playoff contender the DVR will have all the kinks worked out of it. That's a scary thought! :eek2:


The HR20 will become as reliable as a TiVo just in time to record the Islanders v. Blues in the Stanley Cup Final!


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## islesfan (Oct 18, 2006)

jedster said:


> That's good; it actually reminds me that I've begun to wonder if the problems withe HR20 are more hardware than software. I can't think of another reason why some people have a good experience and others have bad experiences. It's the same software and same programming source on each box; it's only the hardware that is different.
> 
> Anyway, I'm very happy for you that you enjoy your HR20. It's not for me, and clearly a lot of people have had a lot of problems with it. Count your blessings!


I think that if I had the HR20 with 0x10b, and all I wanted was to watch Lost every week, I would have "no problems" as well. The problem occurs with different usage. In my case, I primarily have D* for NHL Center Ice, so for me, this unit is not ready for release. It has gotten MUCH better, but without autorecord features, the HR20 is no more than a glorified receiver. For others, trick play is essential, and it is very unstable. So, it all depends on what you use it for...


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## jedster (Sep 20, 2006)

very nice post well thought out. i have no idea if you are right, but you very well might be. i certainly have no idea what it is. the bug rate with the HR20 is quite spooky. I will say that I have 3 of them. A few months ago, I was using all of them in different rooms, mostly recording the same stuff (faux MRV). Each box at different times would have different problems. Ture, they were hooked up to different TVs (a westinghouse and 2 different sonys.)

But you are right. It is obviousy hard to figure out what thebugs are and where they come from. But it is easy to see there are a lot of them, at least for some people.

Given that I have no idea why that is the case, I'm happy to report that I have basically given up on the HR20 except for recording premium HD, which it does pretty well. (I've only been forced to reboot once in the last month or so. WOo hoo!)



hasan said:


> Here are the reasons its much more likely software/firmware than hardware:
> 
> It may be HOW YOU USE your HR20 that is causing problems and that has NOTHING to do with hardware. How many computer programs have you used wherein a certain combination of keystrokes cause the program to crash or the OS to freeze? Think of the HR20 the same way. We do have the same box, but we interact with it in hundreds, if not thousands of ways. That is why we have such a variation in bug experience. Once you have experienced a freeze it is possible, if not likely, you have written a corrupt file to the hard drive...more problems to follow!
> 
> ...


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## Drewg5 (Dec 15, 2006)

I like mine, and if you buy it I think you will like it as well, after all it soulds like you did not have Tivo so there wont be the 'its not the same' growing pains


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## Dukie (Feb 7, 2006)

So far only 2 reboots required (1 BSOD and 1 remote lockup) since I installed the HR20 x-mas present. Considering the hell DTV put me through with the R15, I'm not compaining too loudly (yet).

The HD via OTA is nice with my setup and the fact that I can record HD is wonderful. 

Some of my Season Passes, er...Series Links will start recording tonight for the real tests. All "on-the spot" recordings in SD and HD have been fine so far. 
I'm using the Series 2 Tivo as backup for all recordings just in case...

Although I come from the TiVo camp, I can certainly get used to the UI paradigm shift. A lot of functions are a hell of a lot quicker with the HR20 UI. Stability is my biggest concern.

After I get DTV to credit my account for the beta testing, I'll be an extremely happy camper.


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## richlife (Dec 4, 2006)

Add me to the happy users. Minor to midlevel problems occaissionally, but nothing to throw the baby out over. 

Is there some way to get a count of all the unique positive replies made to this thread? Not impossible to manually count, but sort of intensive. As bluesman said, based on watching these forums, the HR20 is risky, but I've also seen the same people complaining all the time and have also seen lots of new names (to me) in this thread.


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## Rambler (Nov 9, 2006)

I've been quite happy with mine as well, for the most part. My only issues have been with trying to get the Menu's "Music & Photos" option going. I think I'm almost there though - will find out tonight after I install a pair of powerline ethernet converters. D* should be improving this feature in forthcoming FW updates.

Other than that - mine has been trouble free, and I'm quite happy with it!


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

Dukie said:


> So far only 2 reboots required (1 BSOD and 1 remote lockup) since I installed the HR20 x-mas present. Considering the hell DTV put me through with the R15, I'm not compaining too loudly (yet).


So as this being a Christmas present, are you okay with 2 reboots since you received it?


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## brittonx (Dec 26, 2006)

I have been very happy with my HR20-700S. Yes, there are some things I hope they continue to improve. The box has been stable and reliable. The ability to access all our music files we've got on a server here in the house is great (I do wish the window for browsing the music files was wider)

Given the relatively cheap price point compared to D*'s first HD DVR, I'm quite happy.
As others have said, things should continue to improve for those who have been having problems.


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## brittonx (Dec 26, 2006)

Spazzman said:


> I am not happy.
> 
> I am on my third unit. Two hard drive failures.
> 
> My third unit has BSOD issue and is unreliable.


*To all those who seem to have recurring Hard Drive failures:*

The biggest enemy of a Hard Drive is *HEAT*. The HR20 can get quite warm. You need to make sure it isn't sealed up in a cabinet. I'd also recommend not putting it on a shelf just above your amplifier as that shelf tends to be fairly warm. Excess heat can cause a Hard Drive to fail in a matter of hours.


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## kaminsco (Nov 27, 2006)

I also have been very happy with my HR20. 

I have not had the problems that many are reporting (knock on wood...). In the beginning I had some miss recordings but none in over a month. I have had only one RBR since downloading 10b just before Christmas and it happened while I was messing around switching some cables around so I was not sure if it was something I did to lock it up. There has been no BSOD or missed recordings. 

My only problem I have no is the fact that the unit cannot receive VHF channel 2. My local NBC affiliate uses this channel for the HD broadcast and is probably the strongest signal in town. I cannot receive it on the HR20 but, no problem on the ATSC tuner in the TV.

I do use the HDMI connection from the HR20 to the TV and then pass the audio back out of the TV to the audio system via RCA jacks. I have a full 1080i TV, have the HR20 native on and use a only a 3 LNB dish and OTA thru attic antenna.

Scott


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## kocuba (Dec 29, 2006)

My experience for the most part has been very good. I have been a D* customer since 97 or 98. And was still on my original boxes. The DRD420s. When I finally decided to bite the bullet and get at least the R15(Was tired of using the VCR) I also was going to just upgrade to the H20. I was not sure I wanted to pay $300 for the HR20. But surprisingly my wife suggested that we go ahead and do it. Shocking huh. I talked D* into giving me $100 in credits so it atleast brought the price down a little bit.

The Dish install went smooth and the R15 setup was good. But, here's the kicker, the serial number sticker on the HR20 that was in the box that I bought at Best Buy did not match the serial number sticker on the HR20. Was I livid. I took it back to Best Buy and they at first did not want to take it back, but on further review from the manager he could tell that I had not done anything illegal and did the exchange.

After that the setup went smooth and the wife and I love not having to worry about VCR tapes anymore. I have had some issues with pixelization on a few of my series links. And 1 of my college football games the audio and video were not in sync. But I have not missed any recorded programs and I have only been forced to do a unplug(Didn't know about the RBR) 1 time.

I guess my biggest issue is with my remotes. They are unable to turn off the power to the TVs without having to slide the control to TV first. I've tried all the available codes with no luck. But if that is my biggest problem I can say I am throughly happy. Had some issues withe status bar not moving when doing a FF on some shows. but no issue with A/V and it usually clears up on the next recording.

Now had I seen this site prior to getting my HR20 I might not have done it. I did not realize how "new" the unit was and would have probably waited on it. But since I already have it, I absolutely love this site. *You guys so totally rock.*

I love the recent addition of my OTA antenna. Just got to move it to a better spot. I just hooked up a full size antenna and shoved it in the closet in the basement next to the TV. But seeing as I'm only 2.1 miles from the furthest antenna that I care about. I get some really good signals. Just gonna trim it down a little and turn it horizontal at some point.

I am very interested in the ESATA option and will be looking in to that soon.

And can't wait for the next "present" from D*

I guess seeing as I am a computer programmer I can handle some minor glitches as long it doesn't make it worse, which is always my goal before I release a patch. And am always willing to test out some new releases.

So to sum it all up I am over 98% happy with my unit. And 100% happy with this site. Hope I can post more in the future.


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