# When Will the HR 20-250 Be Available



## tds4182 (Jul 17, 2003)

I have an HR 10-250 and really, really like it. I was one of the first adopters when the HR 10-250s first came out.

Does anyone have an estimate (other than a SWAG) on when the HR20-250 swap outs will begin to occur? I'm in Houston, which is one of the top 12 markets.

Thanks in advance!


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## DTV TiVo Dealer (Sep 27, 2003)

My contacts tell me February 2006. We expect to be taking pre-orders by mid January.

-Robert


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## carlsbad_bolt_fan (May 18, 2004)

DTV TiVo Dealer said:


> My contacts tell me February 2006. We expect to be taking pre-orders by mid January.
> 
> -Robert


I read that the next HD DVR will be like a media center, with remote receivers accessing a central machine. Is that true? Or is that something completely different?


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

DTV TiVo Dealer said:


> My contacts tell me February 2006. We expect to be taking pre-orders by mid January.
> 
> -Robert


Woohoo!

Sure you can't take them now? 

Any word on the HMC?

Cheers,
Tom


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## mya23rd (Dec 11, 2005)

This question has really been on my mind and I’m glad you broght it up. Because my contract is ending soon, and I was thinking about upgrading to the HD Tivo from the standard Tivo. I really don’t want to shell out the money for the HD Tivo and then have to buy another one within a few months. I’ve been trying to get that really good deal that a lot of people have been talking about where you get the box for 300 with the mail in rebate. Nfortunately the retention department CSR’s I’ve talked to won’t budge an inch and keep offering me no significant discount. But I’m assuming they will once I call back when m contract is over and really cancel if they don’t give me a deal. 

Back to the H20-250, while talking to one of the retention department CSR’s, I pressed him on when the new HD DVR would be available and it really didn’t sound promising. First he said it would be available in March, which is similar to what DTV execs have been saying and similar to what is generally believed. When I really pressed him on it, I mentioned that I don’t want to get the Tivo now and have to switch so soon, I asked him should I just wait, he replied that if you upgrade to the HD Tivo now you likely won’t have to switch over for a very long time. I asked if he thought the box will perhaps be delayed and he said he wouldn’t be surprised because they are working out some of the bugs from their new standard DVR that they want to correct in the HD version, makes sense. I guess. He also mentioned that they are very busy swapping out the standard DVR customers and installing the new non-DVR HD box, the H20. I wouldn’t let this guy off the hook until he gave me an answer and he finally said maybe it will come out in late spring or early summer. So it could potentially be another six months, which doesn’t really surprise me. 

Anyway, I don’t know how well informed this CSR was and he could have just been saying anything to lock me into another contract. You never really know until the boxes are in the stores so I’m not holding my breath. I was very suspicious of the early 2006 from the start, its so vague and leaves it open to being pushed back.


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## Crystal Pepsi Ball (Jun 29, 2004)

DTV TiVo Dealer said:


> My contacts tell me February 2006. We expect to be taking pre-orders by mid January.
> 
> -Robert


Anything Robert says, I would believe it.


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## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

DTV TiVo Dealer said:


> My contacts tell me February 2006. We expect to be taking pre-orders by mid January.
> 
> -Robert


Robert, this won't be a Tivo, but something based on the R15 software, right?


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## cheer (Nov 9, 2005)

Capmeister said:


> Robert, this won't be a Tivo, but something based on the R15 software, right?


I'm not Robert, but I can tell you that the answer is Yes.


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## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

Thanks. THen so far, I don't want it. 

::hugs his Tivo::


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## Terry740 (Nov 15, 2005)

DTV TiVo Dealer said:


> My contacts tell me February 2006. We expect to be taking pre-orders by mid January.
> 
> -Robert


 Robert ,is the the HR20-250 mpeg 2 or 4?


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

The HR20-250 will be an MPEG-4 based unit.

And another source (other then Robert) has told me that it will be Q1 of 2006. So that fits into the same time frame as Robert has been told.

It will be based on the same software platfrom as the R15

there has been no updated information on the HMC other then it is still a work in progress.


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## betsy c (Dec 16, 2005)

Hi All,

New poster, though I've lurked here for awhile. We don't have D* service currently, I really want to switch from cable soon, perhaps in the next several days (that decision has been made). Since we have HDTV, we will be going to a AT9 dish, an H20 receiver, etc. In addition to being a newbie to D*, we are also new to DVR's - I've seen them in use & like the idea. So my question is:

If I get a HR10-250 now and then later get the H20-250 later, will that be a free or low-cost upgrade?

If there is a significant cost for such an upgrade/replacement, I guess I can wait until the H20-250 comes out and not get the HR10-250 - I've waited this long. Of course the timing on this is a bit troublesome - I don't mind waiting a couple of months, but I can imagine it will be much longer. And as I understand it, the HR10-250 won't record and MPEG-4 programming, correct?

Thanks!
Bets


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

As of right now, we have no indications on what the cost would be to go from an HR10-250 to an HR20-250

The HR10-250 won't do MPEG-4


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

betsy c said:


> Hi All,
> 
> New poster, though I've lurked here for awhile. We don't have D* service currently, I really want to switch from cable soon, perhaps in the next several days (that decision has been made). Since we have HDTV, we will be going to a AT9 dish, an H20 receiver, etc. In addition to being a newbie to D*, we are also new to DVR's - I've seen them in use & like the idea. So my question is:
> 
> ...


Hi Betsy. Welcome and thanks for registering. :welcome_s

The actual release date for the HR20 is really up in the air. No one knows for sure when it will get released.

You are correct though, it might be worth waiting since you have waited this long. On the other hand, the first run of the HR20 might be pretty buggy so keep that in mind and be prepared for a possible bumpy ride at first.


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## Igor (Jan 3, 2005)

The H20 box is already available in the market. It has MPEG4 and is not a DVR unit. But I guess you mean HD DVR with MPEG-4


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Vitor said:


> The H20 box is already available in the market. It has MPEG4 and is not a DVR unit. But I guess you mean HD DVR with MPEG-4


Yes. Sorry. My previous post is corrected.


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## BillyT2002 (Oct 19, 2002)

I will hold out with my HR10-250 for as long as possible unless the XTV software becomes as reliable as the TIVO software and they really do fix the bugs and add all the enhancements to make it better than the TIVO unit. And, lastly Rupert will need to sign a legal and binding document in blood and in the presence of my lawyer stating for me that he will never remove my ability to skip commercials or save all programming indefinitely on the DVR. Until all of that happens, I'll be sticking with TIVO DVRs, thank you.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

Go Billy Go.

I've got my first HR10-250 coming Friday. Adding that to my 4 HDVR2's. Until I see a stable unit to migrate to I'm sticking with my DTivo's also.


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## tomertl (Jan 3, 2006)

betsy c said:


> Hi All,
> 
> New poster, though I've lurked here for awhile. We don't have D* service currently, I really want to switch from cable soon, perhaps in the next several days (that decision has been made). Since we have HDTV, we will be going to a AT9 dish, an H20 receiver, etc. In addition to being a newbie to D*, we are also new to DVR's - I've seen them in use & like the idea. So my question is:
> 
> ...


I am also a new member. I just started researching HD/Tivo for my DirecTV. After much research on the Internet and several lengthy phone calls to D*, I found some things out.

First, If you live near a metropolitan area (like DC) and you can receive over the air local channels, you never have to switch from the HR10-250 to the HR20-250. The MPEG4 functionality is for the local networks to be pulled through your dish. If you are happy with HD locals coming from the antenna, then don't upgrade.

Second, after pressuring a D* supervisor I was told the cost to switch out your 3LNB dish and HR10-250 to HR20-250 and 5 LNB dish will be between $149 and $199.

Hope this helps. If anything I have said is wrong, or if there is any mis-information I was given, please let me know.

Thanks,

Tom


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## sapo (Jan 3, 2006)

tomertl said:


> I am also a new member. I just started researching HD/Tivo for my DirecTV. After much research on the Internet and several lengthy phone calls to D*, I found some things out.
> 
> First, If you live near a metropolitan area (like DC) and you can receive over the air local channels, you never have to switch from the HR10-250 to the HR20-250. The MPEG4 functionality is for the local networks to be pulled through your dish. If you are happy with HD locals coming from the antenna, then don't upgrade.
> 
> ...


I really want a TiVo DVR. I had one for a couple of years when I was with D* and then didn't when I switched to cable when I moved. Needless to say, cable DVR sucks and analog cable channels suck. But they give me local HD channels.

So I called the D* CS line and spoke to someone to seemed to be pretty knowledgeable. Apparently Baton Rouge is definitely not going to have HD local channels in the first quarter. But he did tell me that if I went with the HD TiVo I could upgrade to the new MPEG-4 compatible DVR whenever it came out (and local HD was available for me of course) for only $99.

I just don't know if I want to go with the Tivo and lose recording of local channels. Most of my recording is not local channels, but when I need it it usually is a football game I want to watch. So I'd almost have to go out and buy a D-VHS for that eh? Although I guess if they have local HD channels available here by Sept '06 I would be OK. :grin:


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

sapo said:


> I just don't know if I want to go with the Tivo and lose recording of local channels. Most of my recording is not local channels, but when I need it it usually is a football game I want to watch. So I'd almost have to go out and buy a D-VHS for that eh? Although I guess if they have local HD channels available here by Sept '06 I would be OK. :grin:


The HR10-250 has 2 OTA tuners so you can record OTA HD and non-HD signals with that DTivo. The SD units (R15) do not have any OTA tuners.

EDIT: At least I think you can recod non-SD OTA, but maybe the tuners are HD only. Can someone verify that?


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## greywolf (Jul 13, 2005)

The HR10-250 can record any digital OTA channel whether it be 480i, 720p, etc..


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## terrylmc (Dec 22, 2005)

Will the New Directv HD-DVR be able to record OTA HD also? I'm in the Houston area, and from what I'm hearing CBS-HD is not being offered on the MPEG4 receivers at this time.. I don't know why it's not being offered, just what I've heard.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

I would expect the HR20 to support OTA recordings as well... Since not all "stations" are going to be available via MPEG-4 right away (just the BIG 4)

But more details of the HR20 are "supposidly" coming out this week at CES.

As far as I am aware, all areas that have MPEG-4 support, have all 4 stations available .


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## f300v10 (Feb 11, 2005)

ebonovic said:


> I would expect the HR20 to support OTA recordings as well... Since not all "stations" are going to be available via MPEG-4 right away (just the BIG 4)
> 
> But more details of the HR20 are "supposidly" coming out this week at CES.
> 
> As far as I am aware, all areas that have MPEG-4 support, have all 4 stations available .


I think some MPEG4 cities currently have less than 4. Dallas and Houston come to mind, I don't think D* has ABC yet in those cities due to contractual issues with the station owners.


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## terrylmc (Dec 22, 2005)

From what I read over at AVS, CBS in Houston is having some contractual issue or something.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Hmm... I stand corrected...

Gosh I am glad I am in a City where all 4 are O&O stations...


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Latest CES posting by DirecTV says mid-2006

Here's to hoping it is available in March for the Interactive March Madness package.


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