# R15-500 or R15-300



## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

I currently run a stand alone Series 2 Tivo and I'm looking to add an R15. I was wondering if I should go with the R15-300 or the R15-500. Any input would be a great help, thanks.


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

I think your fine going with either. The only difference that I've hear is that the 300 is smaller and the 300 has been getting the updates after the 500 but it still gets them.


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## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

That's pretty much what i gathered by going through and reading as many posts as i could. I just never came across this particular question that I had. I'll be picking up my first R15 in a week or two. Thanks for the help!


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

NP, glad I could help.

BTW, Welcome to the forum.


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## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

Thank's. And I'm glad I finally joined. I've been meaning to join for a while now and I finally got around to it. It's a great forum!!


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## qwerty (Feb 19, 2006)

Spicoli said:


> I currently run a stand alone Series 2 Tivo and I'm looking to add an R15. I was wondering if I should go with the R15-300 or the R15-500. Any input would be a great help, thanks.


Are you sure you'll be able to choose one or the other?


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## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

No... I'm not sure about that. But if I had a choice between the two I was wondering which one I would be better off with.


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## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

And I just wanted to add that from what I've seen in this forum everyone here is extremely knowlegable and helpful. You guys are the best!


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## Clint Lamor (Nov 15, 2005)

I think many of the issues have been on both the 300 and 500 series. The 500 seems to get updates first but that may change. I don't think they are different enough pieces of hardware to have it really affect your choice. The 300 is a tad smaller though from what I have read here.


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## PlanetBill (May 8, 2006)

I'm getting ready to put a 300 (2nd DVR) in service this weekend. I have had 2 in the past and currently run a 500. I did have problems with the 300's, it could have been just software. I'll find out once I activate it. Not a problem with the 500, it's a little bigger, it'll hold more empty beer cans on top.


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## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

Let me know how things go with the new 300. It just seems that people more disappointed with the 300's rather than the 500's. Maybe it's the lack of extra space for empty beer cans.


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## TheTooleMan (Apr 9, 2006)

Spicoli said:


> I currently run a stand alone Series 2 Tivo and I'm looking to add an R15. I was wondering if I should go with the R15-300 or the R15-500. Any input would be a great help, thanks.


DON'T DO IT! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!
:nono2:


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## jonaswan2 (Oct 29, 2005)

TheTooleMan said:


> DON'T DO IT! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!
> :nono2:


Why you posted this in this thread, hopefully the world will never know.


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## SamRoza (Jun 1, 2006)

While I might not agree with the tact taken here, I agree with the sentiment. Why anyone would switch froma TiVo unit to ANY hardware version of the D*+ units I cannot fathom. 

I would have posted something like the above post, had I not been such a classy and courteous person. 

Sam


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## qwerty (Feb 19, 2006)

Spicoli said:


> It just seems that people more disappointed with the 300's rather than the 500's.


What do you base that on? I haven't seen any kind of meaningfull comparison in this forum.


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## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

SamRoza said:


> While I might not agree with the tact taken here, I agree with the sentiment. Why anyone would switch froma TiVo unit to ANY hardware version of the D*+ units I cannot fathom.
> 
> I would have posted something like the above post, had I not been such a classy and courteous person.
> 
> Sam


I'm not going to "switch" from Tivo. I absolutely love my Tivo. I just want to add an R15 in another room.


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## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

qwerty said:


> What do you base that on? I haven't seen any kind of meaningfull comparison in this forum.


Deffinately no meaningful comparison for sure. But that's why I created this post. To find out if there are any differences that I could possibly avoid before I purchase my new R15, even assuming I would be able to chose one or the other at Best Buy or the like.


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## Scoots (May 15, 2006)

The 500 unit I have is good sized. Almost too big to comfortably fit on top of my RPTV. I personally would exchange it for the smaller 300, so if space is at all an issue, or you plan to make it a set-top box, you might lean towards the 300.

Regarding the Tivo comment - I had a D-Tivo for a week, and promptly returned it for an UltimateTV, which in the opinion of my entire family, was more user friendly and overall a better unit. 

Maybe since then the D-Tivo's have improved with updates, but from what I see of our off-air Tivo, I'd still prefer UTV, and IMHO the R-15 works and behaves more like a UTV than a Tivo.


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## ApK (Mar 6, 2006)

Two seperate polls currently running (by Toole and myself) so far suggest that there is no meaningfull difference tween the 300 and the 500, and you won't have a choice anyway, unless you buy one in a store or on eBay or something and choose your own.

We have an SA Series 2 and an R15-500.


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## Jim Reid (May 30, 2006)

got a R-15 300 a few week ago.NIB!. runs fine... I leave it on all the time (don't know if that good or bad - so to say) saw it in a post somewhere, that it didn't matter?
Still waiting for the software updates... it still has the original 0x103F 
JR


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## Spicoli (Jun 7, 2006)

ApK said:


> Two seperate polls currently running (by Toole and myself) so far suggest that there is no meaningfull difference tween the 300 and the 500, and you won't have a choice anyway, unless you buy one in a store or on eBay or something and choose your own.
> 
> We have an SA Series 2 and an R15-500.


It's good to know that both units perform about the same. I do have a gift card from Best Buy that I'm going to use to purchase the R15. So I thought by going directly to the store it may be possible to pick a 300 or 500. And the good news seems to be that it doesn't matter which one I end up getting after all.


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## ApK (Mar 6, 2006)

Jim Reid said:


> got a R-15 300 a few week ago.NIB!. runs fine... I leave it on all the time (don't know if that good or bad - so to say) saw it in a post somewhere, that it didn't matter?
> Still waiting for the software updates... it still has the original 0x103F
> JR


103F is the current version.
And accordig to this thread, it's not original:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=59071


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

ApK said:


> Two seperate polls currently running (by Toole and myself) so far suggest that there is no meaningfull difference tween the 300 and the 500, and you won't have a choice anyway, unless you buy one in a store or on eBay or something and choose your own.
> 
> We have an SA Series 2 and an R15-500.


The only difference I see is that more people on this board seem to have the 500.


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## santoshm (Sep 26, 2006)

One difference I can tell between the two.
I have an international dish and 2 DVRs plus 1 standard receiver. One DVR is R15-300 and the other R15-500. The R15-500 picks up the international satellite 85 during auto configure in less than 5 minutes. R15-300 takes 15 minutes to run auto config and does not pick it up at all. Professional installer tried without success for 8 hours total over 2 days and swapped the R15-300 out 3 times.
My standard D11 receiver also picks it up in less than 5 minutes after an auto config. 
D-TV Advanced Tech support has not clue about this, but are sending me an R15-500 to replace the R15-300 in 2 days.
Anybody else have this problem! This is the solution.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

Did you try physically swapping the two R15's (so the one that wasn't working was connected to the cables that ran to the other dish)? This would rule out a wiring problem, which could be contributing to your problem.

Carl


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## BattleScott (Aug 29, 2006)

Spicoli said:


> It's good to know that both units perform about the same. I do have a gift card from Best Buy that I'm going to use to purchase the R15. So I thought by going directly to the store it may be possible to pick a 300 or 500. And the good news seems to be that it doesn't matter which one I end up getting after all.


As a secondary DVR, the R15 would be fine. Just don't use to record shows that you would be really upset to miss. Let the TiVo handle those for now, until they get the R15 straightened out.

Just out of curiosity, what is the cost to add another TiVo DVR to the service versus getting the DTVPlus service?


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

BattleScott said:


> Just out of curiosity, what is the cost to add another TiVo DVR to the service versus getting the DTVPlus service?


Monthly cost would be the same either way - a $4.99 mirroring or leasing fee.

Problem would be getting your hands on a DirecTivo.

Carl


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