# DirecTV DVR vs Dish DVR?



## Kevin Brown (Sep 4, 2005)

I have the 522 DVR from the Dish Network. Love the DVR part, don't like all of the audio and video dropouts. (I think it has a problem properly buffering audio and video from the hard drive.)

How are the DirecTV DVRs in this regard? I'd specifically want a 2 tuner model. Thanks !


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## n8dagr8 (Aug 14, 2004)

not too many a/v drop outs on my HR10-250 (HD TiVo). ESPN is really the only channel that I have problems with and it appears to be just that - ESPN. It only a blip in the video, audio stays constant.

I'm a big fan of my DVR. I don't have any major problems with it. In fact, the only problem I have is that it reminds me everyday that I haven't made my daily call in over a month (don't have a home phone). I guess that's my own fault anyway. Oh, the guide is slow but once you get use to season passes you stop using the guide and just watch what was on the day before.


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## Kevin Brown (Sep 4, 2005)

N8- Cool. If it's specific to ESPN, then it's not a systematic problem with the DVR.

One more question. One thing that I liked about Comcast cable, but not about the Dish, is there was this guide function that allowed you to look at many shows on just one channel.

For example, every week I scan ahead on a few channels for stuff I want to record. (Sci Fi channel!). On the Dish Guide, I have to forward through each and every show. Pain in the butt. With Comcast, they have a mode where it showed maybe 8 shows at a time on just the one channel. Page down, 8 more shows. Made it really easy to look at every show for days at a time. Does your DVR/DirecTV have anything like this?


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## buckyp (Dec 17, 2003)

I have both the 522 and the direct Tivo. 
The only benefit I like about the tivo is that if Im watching a show that has already started and I decide to record it, it records the entire show from the beginning. The 522 doesnt do that. Other than that I think the 522 is much better. 
I love the two outputs. The tivo has two tuners, but only one output. I have my 522 hooked to a TV downstairs and one upstairs. The tivo cant do this and it does not have an IR remote anyway. I think the interface on the tivo is slower. Maybe i'm just used to it, but prefer the 522 interface.


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## reddice (Feb 18, 2003)

I had a Tivo and I hated it the entire year I had it. Back with a Dish PVR and much more happier.


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## Kevin Brown (Sep 4, 2005)

> if Im watching a show that has already started and I decide to record it, it records the entire show from the beginning.


bp- You can do this with the 522 too. While watching the show, press the record button. When you do that, there is an Options button. Press that, and if you've been watching the show from the beginning, it does give you the option to record the entire event. (You do have to have watched it from the beg though.) Funny, but I actually prefer the RF remote for the 522. Don't have to point it at all. 

red- What didn't you like about DirecTV/TiVo?


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## buckyp (Dec 17, 2003)

Kevin Brown said:


> bp- You can do this with the 522 too. While watching the show, press the record button. When you do that, there is an Options button. Press that, and if you've been watching the show from the beginning, it does give you the option to record the entire event. (You do have to have watched it from the beg though.) Funny, but I actually prefer the RF remote for the 522. Don't have to point it at all.
> 
> red- What didn't you like about DirecTV/TiVo?


hmmm. I'll have to try that options on my 522. As for the rf remote. Thats what I meant. I like it. I use it upstairs even though my 522 is downstairs. I don't like the tivo non rf remote.


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## Kevin Brown (Sep 4, 2005)

TiVo non-RF remote: Got it!


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

One advantage of the TiVos (both standalone and DirecTiVo) is that you can perform a drive upgrade procedure yourself. Within two months of purchasing my unit, the 40GB hard drive was updated to a 160GB hard drive for more recording time. Four months later, a second hard drive was added.


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## Kevin Brown (Sep 4, 2005)

So you can have 2, one a slave and one a master? That would be nice. I have a 100 hr Dish DVR, and I already have 80 hrs saved on it!


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## DTivoFan (Jul 30, 2005)

Kevin Brown said:


> N8- Cool. If it's specific to ESPN, then it's not a systematic problem with the DVR.
> 
> One more question. One thing that I liked about Comcast cable, but not about the Dish, is there was this guide function that allowed you to look at many shows on just one channel.
> 
> For example, every week I scan ahead on a few channels for stuff I want to record. (Sci Fi channel!). On the Dish Guide, I have to forward through each and every show. Pain in the butt. With Comcast, they have a mode where it showed maybe 8 shows at a time on just the one channel. Page down, 8 more shows. Made it really easy to look at every show for days at a time. Does your DVR/DirecTV have anything like this?


Yes, you can switch between the "list guide" which looks like Comcast, and the "grid guide" which is arranged like on the 522.

Also, the menus will be noticeably faster than on n8's HD model, as the SD DirecTivo's have a software revision which has speeded up the menues considerably. (It will probably still seem a bit slower than the 522, though.)


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## n8dagr8 (Aug 14, 2004)

DTivoFan said:


> Yes, you can switch between the "list guide" which looks like Comcast, and the "grid guide" which is arranged like on the 522.


yeah, what he said. The "list guide" is supposedly the prefered way of view the guide from what I hear. It does what you are sking about.



DTivoFan said:


> Also, the menus will be noticeably faster than on n8's HD model, as the SD DirecTivo's have a software revision which has speeded up the menues considerably. (It will probably still seem a bit slower than the 522, though.)


oh yeah, the software running on the HD TiVo is what makes the guides slow. It was fixed on the other series 2 TiVos (software 6.2 I believe), so "mine (HR10-250) is the only one that has that problem any more.


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## n8dagr8 (Aug 14, 2004)

Kevin Brown said:


> So you can have 2, one a slave and one a master? That would be nice. I have a 100 hr Dish DVR, and I already have 80 hrs saved on it!


yep, you can add a drive or replace the drive (smarter to replace if a hack is planned - activate features). I'm in the process of replacing my drive with a larger one but I might go back and add the old one back into the mix. We had a sponsor on the top of the page that sells upgrade kits that make it even easier (weaknees).


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