# Direct2Go, anyone?



## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

I had heard rumors about possibly, FINALLY, getting to use the USB ports on the R15 for Direct2Go, but it seems the entire conecpt of Direct2Go has vanished from cyberspace. Does anyone have a status of either the Direct2Go feature or if/when the USB ports will ever do something other than catch dust?


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

DirecTV2Go is still a product that is planned to be release.

The most recent items on it, where the press releases on the Portable Video Players that are tapped to use the service.

But there are plans for the USB Ports.
(VOD via Broadband, external storage for example)


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

By any chance, do you have any dates/specifics/prognostications/tea leaf results for some of these goodies? Do you have any links to these press releases?

Obviously, I'm somewhat eager to take my 'home entertainment experience' to the next level... and hopefully buy a third unit.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

It has been "quiet" on the DirecTV2Go front..

The latest press release that metions it
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_6267.html

There are some others out there..... but it is sparse.

My guess is that we will start to see more about in Q3


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

Does anyone know how it's suppose to work? Will it xfer the whole video file or will it compress since it's only showing it on a smaller screen?


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

I'm taking a wild stab in the dark here, but since the article says it's capable of multiple video formats and will come with a USB interface, I'd say it just transfers the program, lock-stock-and-barrel, over. My PDA is currently capable of playing a full .avi file without so much as a hiccup.


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## dvrblogger (Jan 11, 2005)

KevinPublic said:


> I'm taking a wild stab in the dark here, but since the article says it's capable of multiple video formats and will come with a USB interface, I'd say it just transfers the program, lock-stock-and-barrel, over. My PDA is currently capable of playing a full .avi file without so much as a hiccup.


see CBS early morning show 5/23 they have a special on Pocket TVs


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## dodge boy (Mar 31, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> It has been "quiet" on the DirecTV2Go front..
> 
> The latest press release that metions it
> http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_6267.html
> ...


how much extra each month is 2go going to cost? do you need to lease the mobile players for $5/ month like a mirroring fee?


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

No ideas on cost.

My guess though on the mobile players, as it would fall under the same argument as the new LCD/TV combo units. Not LEASED. As they are not "exclusive" DirecTV2Go products (aka... they will work with other methods of getting content onto them)

But, we will know more when the service is formally released


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## dvrblogger (Jan 11, 2005)

Earl Bonovich said:


> No ideas on cost.
> 
> My guess though on the mobile players, as it would fall under the same argument as the new LCD/TV combo units. Not LEASED. As they are not "exclusive" DirecTV2Go products (aka... they will work with other methods of getting content onto them)
> 
> But, we will know more when the service is formally released


Here is a link to CBS early show about portable TVs. Lyra 3000 will have DIRECTV 2GO capability thru a firmware update (according to RCA)
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/23/earlyshow/main1644395.shtml


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## dodge boy (Mar 31, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> No ideas on cost.
> 
> My guess though on the mobile players, as it would fall under the same argument as the new LCD/TV combo units. Not LEASED. As they are not "exclusive" DirecTV2Go products (aka... they will work with other methods of getting content onto them)
> 
> But, we will know more when the service is formally released


It sure would be real sweet if there ws no monthly cost to download shows to a portable device, just BUY the hardware. Are you listening D*?


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## Clint Lamor (Nov 15, 2005)

dodge boy said:


> It sure would be real sweet if there ws no monthly cost to download shows to a portable device, just BUY the hardware. Are you listening D*?


This is how it's done on other hardware. I don't see why D* would tink to do it any other way. I also think the hardware isn't going to be just for D* I think from what I have seen on them that you could tke video from other sources.


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

Clint Lamor said:


> This is how it's done on other hardware. I don't see why D* would tink to do it any other way. I also think the hardware isn't going to be just for D* I think from what I have seen on them that you could tke video from other sources.


That would make sense. If it was D* only it would be a big reason not to buy it. I hope that the device will allow you to hook it up to any TV and play back the Recordings. It would be nice to be able to put a couple shows on the Togo and hook it up to the kid's TV or bring it on travel and hook it up to the hotel TV.


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## mikewolf13 (Jan 31, 2006)

cabanaboy1977 said:


> That would make sense. If it was D* only it would be a big reason not to buy it. I hope that the device will allow you to hook it up to any TV and play back the Recordings. It would be nice to be able to put a couple shows on the Togo and hook it up to the kid's TV or bring it on travel and hook it up to the hotel TV.


From 2006 10-k SEC filing:

_In addition, DIRECTV U.S. announced an agreement with Intel Corporation, or Intel, to enable remote viewing of DIRECTV's entertainment services and programming to PC screens, laptops, portable media players and televisions through Intel® Viiv™ technology later in 2006. DIRECTV U.S. and Microsoft Corporation, or Microsoft, announced an agreement to develop new opportunities to expand the reach of digital music, television and movies throughout the home and to portable devices. *Under the agreement, DIRECTV will work with Microsoft to enable the flow of digital content between Windows PCs, DIRECTV's set-top receivers, PlaysForSure devices and the Xbox 360*, allowing subscribers to experience DIRECTV programming and digital content stored on their Windows PCs in a variety of new ways._


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## yachtdr22 (Jul 29, 2006)

mikewolf13 said:


> From 2006 10-k SEC filing:
> 
> _In addition, DIRECTV U.S. announced an agreement with Intel Corporation, or Intel, to enable remote viewing of DIRECTV's entertainment services and programming to PC screens, laptops, portable media players and televisions through Intel® Viiv™ technology later in 2006. DIRECTV U.S. and Microsoft Corporation, or Microsoft, announced an agreement to develop new opportunities to expand the reach of digital music, television and movies throughout the home and to portable devices. *Under the agreement, DIRECTV will work with Microsoft to enable the flow of digital content between Windows PCs, DIRECTV's set-top receivers, PlaysForSure devices and the Xbox 360*, allowing subscribers to experience DIRECTV programming and digital content stored on their Windows PCs in a variety of new ways._


Hi Mike,
I am a newbee and was wondering if there has been any progress in the ability to record / transfer files directly from the R15 thru the USB port into another computer / laptop?

thanks
Drew


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

no, there has been no new information regarding transfering videos to any devic.


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## yachtdr22 (Jul 29, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> no, there has been no new information regarding transfering videos to any devic.


i have spent the last couple of hours reading this board.... wow! you guys know your stuff.

thanks for helping the newbees!

I guess i will buy a DVD recorder and play it out of the R15 until they figure something out. 
i read on here where someone took a standard seagate drive and installed it into it? i am assuming the individual programs are stored on the drive as a file of some type of format and there is currently no way of retreving said file or playing it's file format?

i have had my unit for 6 weeks with out the issues others have been discussing.

thanks again for the information

the newbee!


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

Okay, my R15 just bit the dust yesterday morning. While on the phone with 'advanced technical support' to get a replacement unit (I'm still ticked that all my recorded stuff is gone after having the unit for only 8 months) she informed me of some new services that were coming available for the USB ports of the R15.

Something in particular she mentioned was something called 'Play for Sure'. Apparently, it will allow an R15 to hook to a PC. It was announced at some tech convention in Vegas. Does anyone know anything about this????


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## mikewolf13 (Jan 31, 2006)

mikewolf13 said:


> From 2006 10-k SEC filing:
> 
> _In addition, DIRECTV U.S. announced an agreement with Intel Corporation, or Intel, to enable remote viewing of DIRECTV's entertainment services and programming to PC screens, laptops, portable media players and televisions through Intel® Viiv™ technology later in 2006. DIRECTV U.S. and Microsoft Corporation, or Microsoft, announced an agreement to develop new opportunities to expand the reach of digital music, television and movies throughout the home and to portable devices. *Under the agreement, DIRECTV will work with Microsoft to enable the flow of digital content between Windows PCs, DIRECTV's set-top receivers, PlaysForSure devices and the Xbox 360*, allowing subscribers to experience DIRECTV programming and digital content stored on their Windows PCs in a variety of new ways._


Kevin, please see quote above.

Playsforsure devices are ones that use specific digital rights management (DRM)software. For example some MP3 players can be used with Napstertogo whicha llows yoto download as many songs as youwant to your MP3 player, and you can hear them as long as you have an active naptster subscription. If you cancel you canno longer play them. The DRM they use is I believe a Microsoft product. Not all mp3 players are Playsforsure compatible.

Of course god only knows when this will actually be available... I do not believe Direct2Go was mentioned once yesterday in the 2Q earnings webcast. but we can only hope.


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

Okay, I read the announcement twice. Can I assume, from the quote, that a PC would have to be directly connected to the DVR? That would seem to be fairly restrictive to me. I don't suppose DirecTV would ever consider opening the USB poprt to an 802.11b/g network adapter so content could be wirelessly sent to/from it...


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## mikewolf13 (Jan 31, 2006)

KevinPublic said:


> Okay, I read the announcement twice. Can I assume, from the quote, that a PC would have to be directly connected to the DVR? That would seem to be fairly restrictive to me. I don't suppose DirecTV would ever consider opening the USB poprt to an 802.11b/g network adapter so content could be wirelessly sent to/from it...


I don't think we know how it will connect. Certainly the network adapter is a possibility ( i do this now with a hacked Tivo). it may be via USB directly to PC...either way the data acould only be played on a playsforsure device (portable or WMP on PC).

I think the master plan involves networked R15s but who knows what D* is planning, and if or when they can even pull it off.


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

You know, I passed on getting a couple of R-10s that, supposedly, I could have hacked to get networking capability on a recommendation from the sales guy at Best Buy. He told me I needed to get the R-15s because they also had USB ports and were newer, better technology that would allow networking.

I'm starting to wish I could trade someone for their R-10s...


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## walters (Nov 18, 2005)

KevinPublic said:


> You know, I passed on getting a couple of R-10s that, supposedly, I could have hacked to get networking capability on a recommendation from the sales guy at Best Buy. He told me I needed to get the R-15s because they also had USB ports and were newer, better technology that would allow networking.
> 
> I'm starting to wish I could trade someone for their R-10s...


The R10 is not hackable (at least not without some very difficult work). You'd need a pre-R10 Series 2 DTiVo (HDVR2 or similar) to do a software-only hack.


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## mikewolf13 (Jan 31, 2006)

walters said:


> The R10 is not hackable (at least not without some very difficult work). You'd need a pre-R10 Series 2 DTiVo (HDVR2 or similar) to do a software-only hack.


Yes i have 2 HDVR2 and one phillips. It was easy and I an not very tecnknowledgeable

Extraction and MRV is very slow and not terriblly exciting for me. I am not smart enough to make faster.

But i do like my large drives and veing ablet o use my PC to delete dozens of programs at a time.

I hear the R10 is much more complicated to hack.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

mikewolf13 said:


> I hear the R10 is much more complicated to hack.


Just a little ... you have to physically remove a chip from the mainboard... and update/replace it with a new one...


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Just a little ... you have to physically remove a chip from the mainboard... and update/replace it with a new one...


Since I already signed up for DirecTV's DVR service for two years, getting a TiVo is probably out of the question. Earl, IF I was to backpeddle and find an R10, do they come with USB ports? How would I acquire one of those 'new' chips you're talking about?

I'm very knowledgeable about computers (programming and hardware), mildly knowledgeable about networking, and virtually clueless with DVRs...


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## walters (Nov 18, 2005)

It's not like replacing a PCI card or adding memory. It involves soldering. It really would be easier and cheaper at this point to get an HDVR2 or similar on eBay.

But all the information you're after is in the forums at www.dealdatabase.com (is it OK to link there on this forum? I know they have to do all sorts of stupid obfuscation at TCF to direct someone there)


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

It is fine to link to DDB 

They are a fine board on how to "enhance" your system via hacking, but they don't tollerate any discussion on theft of service...


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## walters (Nov 18, 2005)

I think it was the extraction talk that got them blacklisted on TCF. Come to think of it, didn't we have a thread here locked essentially for extraction talk?


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## mikewolf13 (Jan 31, 2006)

KevinPublic said:


> Since I already signed up for DirecTV's DVR service for two years, getting a TiVo is probably out of the question. Earl, IF I was to backpeddle and find an R10, do they come with USB ports? How would I acquire one of those 'new' chips you're talking about?
> 
> I'm very knowledgeable about computers (programming and hardware), mildly knowledgeable about networking, and virtually clueless with DVRs...


Kevin, so you know you are committed to Directv for 2 years, not to the DVR, you can disconnect it tomorrow and use another DVR or a standard receiver if you like. You are under no obligation to use the DVR..or you could get a DTivo, use both to compare..you don't have to pay an additional dvr fee just the additional reciever (nothing if you replace and existing receiver with the Dtivo).

THe only cost in this case is the cost of acquiring the DTivo


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

walters said:


> I think it was the extraction talk that got them blacklisted on TCF. Come to think of it, didn't we have a thread here locked essentially for extraction talk?


 Yes....


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

mikewolf13 said:


> Kevin, so you know you are committed to Directv for 2 years, not to the DVR, you can disconnect it tomorrow and use another DVR or a standard receiver if you like. You are under no obligation to use the DVR..or you could get a DTivo, use both to compare..you don't have to pay an additional dvr fee just the additional reciever (nothing if you replace and existing receiver with the Dtivo).
> 
> THe only cost in this case is the cost of acquiring the DTivo


That's how much of a newbie I am to this. I was assuming the transmission from DirecTV was somehow coded or encrypted so that only a DirecTV box could translate it. My bad...


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

walters said:


> It's not like replacing a PCI card or adding memory. It involves soldering. It really would be easier and cheaper at this point to get an HDVR2 or similar on eBay.
> 
> But all the information you're after is in the forums at www.dealdatabase.com (is it OK to link there on this forum? I know they have to do all sorts of stupid obfuscation at TCF to direct someone there)


Actually, I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron. I'll check that site out. Thanks!


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

KevinPublic said:


> That's how much of a newbie I am to this. I was assuming the transmission from DirecTV was somehow coded or encrypted so that only a DirecTV box could translate it. My bad...


You are correct... it is encrypted and encoded so only A DirecTV box can receive it.


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> You are correct... it is encrypted and encoded so only A DirecTV box can receive it.


So, any DVR I purchase (whether R10, R15 or the like) will have to be compatible with DirecTV, right? I suppose I could get a standard DirecTV receiver then buy whatever DVR I wanted. But... if I want to have the combination of receiver and DVR, it has to be compatible with DTV...


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Yes.... 

If you want an integrated unit... yes it would have to be a DirecTV one.

You could use a DirecTV non-dvr receiver to decode the signal, and then push that to a non integrated DVR (such as SA-Tivos)


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

And if you get a non-combo you'd only be able to record on channel at a time. With a D* DVR you can record two channels at the same time.


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## Clint Lamor (Nov 15, 2005)

cabanaboy1977 said:


> And if you get a non-combo you'd only be able to record on channel at a time. With a D* DVR you can record two channels at the same time.


You could use two receivers and the new SA Dual Tuner DVR. :lol: Before I got my R15 I had 2 receivers and 2 SA Tivos in my bedroom.


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## Scoots (May 15, 2006)

I've read from the MS side about a D* "blade" (menu screen) on the Xbox 360's, which are supposed to be able to stream data from a D* device. I can already do it from a media center PC and my regular PC. That would be nice (very VERY nice, actually) to be able to connect it to my R15 via wifi and watch content on my other big-screen TV via Xbox 360.

I would assume the USB connection would be to a USB wifi adapter. 802.11g is easily capable of streaming broadband video (with a decent wap anyway)

In these cases, the entire program isn't pushed down - they're streamed.


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## KevinPublic (Mar 31, 2006)

Scoots said:


> I've read from the MS side about a D* "blade" (menu screen) on the Xbox 360's, which are supposed to be able to stream data from a D* device. I can already do it from a media center PC and my regular PC. That would be nice (very VERY nice, actually) to be able to connect it to my R15 via wifi and watch content on my other big-screen TV via Xbox 360.
> 
> I would assume the USB connection would be to a USB wifi adapter. 802.11g is easily capable of streaming broadband video (with a decent wap anyway)
> 
> In these cases, the entire program isn't pushed down - they're streamed.


I'm actually wanting to go a step further. I'd like to be able to push recorded shows from one source to another. If I record a show on my R15 upstairs, I'd like to be able to push it to the DVR downstairs so we could watch it later. Better yet... push it to one of the computers. Techno-geeks RULE!


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## walters (Nov 18, 2005)

Clint Lamor said:


> You could use two receivers and the new SA Dual Tuner DVR. :lol: Before I got my R15 I had 2 receivers and 2 SA Tivos in my bedroom.


No, you couldn't. That box can only control one external box. It expects the feed for the second tuner to be of the analog cable TV type. In fact, I'm pretty sure satellite isn't even supported on the DT.


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## Clint Lamor (Nov 15, 2005)

walters said:


> No, you couldn't. That box can only control one external box. It expects the feed for the second tuner to be of the analog cable TV type. In fact, I'm pretty sure satellite isn't even supported on the DT.


Ahhh sorry I didn't know it could only control one device. Just figured it could do two of them as I think having the second tuner and no way to control a device is about useless.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

KevinPublic said:


> Better yet... push it to one of the computers.


This is very unlikely. If DirecTV (or any other distributor) wants any hope of getting the content providers to work with them, they're going to have to maintain fairly tight control on what happens with the recordings.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Clint Lamor said:


> Ahhh sorry I didn't know it could only control one device. Just figured it could do two of them as I think having the second tuner and no way to control a device is about useless.


The impact will be especially hard when analog goes away and the second tuner will be utterly useless.


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## mikewolf13 (Jan 31, 2006)

harsh said:


> This is very unlikely. If DirecTV (or any other distributor) wants any hope of getting the content providers to work with them, they're going to have to maintain fairly tight control on what happens with the recordings.


When/if Direct2Go is enabled you should be able to view video content on a Windows PC via WMP (see 2006 10-k) whether it is streamed or downloaded is TBD.


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## Fygg (Oct 15, 2005)

I hate to poke what may be a dead horse, but with ces this week and five months since the last post,

Any word yet?


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Nope


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## d0ug (Mar 22, 2006)

Fygg said:


> I hate to poke what may be a dead horse, but with ces this week and five months since the last post,
> 
> Any word yet?


Wasn't it lastyears CES where they announced DirecT2GO? I thought it was suppoted to be out late summer/fall 06. Im pretty sure this product/idea is dead.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

There was mention in some background CES noise, but nothing remarkable.

I guess it comes down to what you're expecting. If you're expecting the mikewolf13 version of DirecTV2Go, you're almost certainly going to be disappointed. If you're looking for something like being able to download to an Archos handheld, it shouldn't be too far down the road.


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## d0ug (Mar 22, 2006)

Well I have my solution to "Direct2GO". A Slingbox, Sling Player Mobile, and a Qtek 9100 with T-Mobile unlimited GPRS


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## mikewolf13 (Jan 31, 2006)

harsh said:


> There was mention in some background CES noise, but nothing remarkable.
> 
> I guess it comes down to what you're expecting. If you're expecting the mikewolf13 version of DirecTV2Go, you're almost certainly going to be disappointed. If you're looking for something like being able to download to an Archos handheld, it shouldn't be too far down the road.


wow..i am honored to have a "version" named after me...but it was based on their SEC filing not what I dreamed up...nonetheless it may be 2009 before we see it at this pace


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