# Should I return the HR20-700?



## Rick Sass (Jul 12, 2004)

The hard drive on my HR10-250 died and DTV sent me a HR20-700 as a replacement. Am I better off sending the HR20-700 back and replacing the hard drive on the HR10-250? I have read the various posts regarding the difffernces between the two units and the main issue is the lack of dual buffering on the HR20-700.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

If you are addicted to Dual Bufferring... and simply can't live with out it.
Send it back.. and fix the HR10-250..

If you want any of the new features in 2007 from DirecTV (such as any of the MPEG-4 HD networks)... keep the HR20, and adapt to it's differences.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Well, I had to just make the decision between the two as our family is going to get HD as a christmas present.

Even with the problems of the HR20, I would say go for it as the new HD channels will only work with the HR20. Plus it is not all crap, it does still work and is constantly being worked on to get more and more stable.


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## jheda (Sep 19, 2006)

Rick Sass said:


> The hard drive on my HR10-250 died and DTV sent me a HR20-700 as a replacement. Am I better off sending the HR20-700 back and replacing the hard drive on the HR10-250? I have read the various posts regarding the difffernces between the two units and the main issue is the lack of dual buffering on the HR20-700.


Im a DLB addict, but i would not give up all the future hd channels, i would get the hr20 and cross my fingers they add it..........


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## jbrasure (Oct 9, 2006)

The same thing happened to me. The hard drive on my HR10-250 crapped out, and I ordered an HR20 to replace it. After 3 months I just can't stand the HR20. Last week I replaced the hard drive in my HR10-250, and now it's my main DVR again.


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## TomF (Sep 20, 2006)

I'd keep the HR10 and replace the hard drive, and I'd keep the HR20. 

250GB and larger hard drives are relatively inexpensive and you can get a copy of the HR10 software for about $20. Or you could just pay a little more and buy a hard drive with the software already installed. Your HR10 will still record local OTA channels in HD even after DirecTV switches their HD content to MPEG-4 and it will continue to record SD channels for a long, long time with lots of storage for those channels. Plus, you'll have dual buffers.

Keeping the HR20 will allow you receive all of the new HD channels that DirecTV will offer later this year. Having both should virtually ensure that don't have any missed recordings and also allows you to record those time slots where you may have 3- or 4-way conflicts. Best of both worlds.

If you don't already have the 5 LNB dish, call DirecTV and tell them that you need it to use your HR20. They should install it for free, and the HR10 will work with that dish just fine.


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## Rick Sass (Jul 12, 2004)

TomF said:


> I'd keep the HR10 and replace the hard drive, and I'd keep the HR20.
> 
> 250GB and larger hard drives are relatively inexpensive and you can get a copy of the HR10 software for about $20. Or you could just pay a little more and buy a hard drive with the software already installed. Your HR10 will still record local OTA channels in HD even after DirecTV switches their HD content to MPEG-4 and it will continue to record SD channels for a long, long time with lots of storage for those channels. Plus, you'll have dual buffers.
> 
> ...


Not sure who you're directing your repsonse to, but I'm the OP and I cannot keep both STB's. The H20 was sent to me as a replacement for the HR10. So either I return the H20 or keep the HR10 and replace the hd.


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## snickerrrrs (Jan 20, 2007)

Fix the HR10-250, who knows when the new Directv HD channels will come online. If you get the OTA channels you are already way ahead of what Directv offers. If you take the HR20 you'll be locked in for 2 additional years. A year from now you may decide to switch to a Comcast Tivo or a Dish Tivo. 

Add the biggest hard drive you can afford into the HR10-250 and you'll be in great shape. I've loved having a Directivo over the last 4 years but they keep raising prices and getting rid of Tivo was kind of the last straw. If you're out in the sticks then you're stuck with D* or E* but here in the city I can go with any number of tv choices including Verizon fios (still can't choose my cable provider, darn monopolies). I'll stay with Directv till I move to HD or they go back to Tivo. Good Luck.


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## jklipa (Feb 5, 2007)

Forgive my ignorance on the subject but why does the HR20 not offer the Dual Tuner Buffering and is there any hope of them offering it in the future...?

Can we start a petition...? Would it do any good...?

I walked into B B on 1/24/07 and bought the HR20, not knowing that I would lose the ability to control which tuner I was watching...!!! I REALLY HATE not being able to build up on one tuner and return to a paused show... It makes it much harder to avoid the ads now...

I appreciate any discussion on the topic...

Thanks.


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## jklipa (Feb 5, 2007)

If I want dual tuner buffering AND HD can I buy a different unit...?



jklipa said:


> Forgive my ignorance on the subject but why does the HR20 not offer the Dual Tuner Buffering and is there any hope of them offering it in the future...?
> 
> Can we start a petition...? Would it do any good...?
> 
> ...


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## jbrasure (Oct 9, 2006)

jklipa said:


> If I want dual tuner buffering AND HD can I buy a different unit...?


There are plenty of HR10-250's for sale eBay. I think that's your only option at this point. Keep your eyes peeled, I might be selling mine in a couple of months.


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## jklipa (Feb 5, 2007)

jbrasure said:


> There are plenty of HR10-250's for sale eBay. I think that's your only option at this point. Keep your eyes peeled, I might be selling mine in a couple of months.


I willingly admit my ignorance on this topic. The technology changes so rapidly, if you're not paying close attention, you fall behind quickly... I have not been paying attention...!

Where can I find out what the differences are between the HR10-250 and the HR20-7something that I just bought... Are the HR10s still supported...? If I acquire one aftermarket will D* honor it...?

Obviously, my concern is that I want to exploit the HD quality capabilities of my LCD and I want to keep the dual tuner capability...

What is so hot about the HR20 and why can't I keep dual tuner capability...?
Will they ever offer dual tuner on the HR20...?

Thanks in advance...


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## Groundhog45 (Nov 10, 2005)

The HR20 has dual tuners. It just doesn't have dual buffers, so you are only saving one tuner (the one being viewed) in the buffer at a time. The other tuner can be used to record in the background. The dual buffers are largely used by sports fans to switch between two events to keep up with both. You can record two programs and watch a recording at the same time on the HR20. 

GH


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## jbrasure (Oct 9, 2006)

jklipa said:


> I willingly admit my ignorance on this topic. The technology changes so rapidly, if you're not paying close attention, you fall behind quickly... I have not been paying attention...!
> 
> Where can I find out what the differences are between the HR10-250 and the HR20-7something that I just bought... Are the HR10s still supported...? If I acquire one aftermarket will D* honor it...?
> 
> ...


DirecTV will be supporting the Tivos for another few years. I'm not sure of the exact number. DirecTV is putting up several new satellites this year to increase the number of HD channels. Unfortunately none of the new channels will be available on the Tivo.

In short, you have a very hard choice right now:

1) You can buy a Tivo and know that it will be obsolete in a year or two.

2) Or you can buy an HR20-700, which has potential for the future, but is a piece of crap right now.

3) Or, get cable and wait for DirecTV to fix the current problems.

I'm going with option #3, but obviously that's not for everybody. I hope that helps.


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## Hansen (Jan 1, 2006)

Groundhog45 said:


> The HR20 has dual tuners.
> 
> You can record two programs and watch a recording at the same time on the HR20.
> 
> GH


That's a nice plus for the HR20. But, I do like my HR10-250 TIVO.


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## jbrasure (Oct 9, 2006)

Groundhog45 said:


> You can record two programs and watch a recording at the same time on the HR20.
> GH


The Tivo does that as well.


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## jklipa (Feb 5, 2007)

Groundhog45 said:


> ...The dual buffers are largely used by sports fans to switch between two events to keep up with both. You can record two programs and watch a recording at the same time on the HR20.
> 
> GH


As jbrasure points out TiVo lets you watch a recording and record two new ones simultaneously.

I use the dual buffers when I'm watching live TV (sports or not) so I can pause one tuner/buffer and switch to the other tuner/buffer in order to avoid watching the ads... I can watch two 1/2 hour shows in 40 minutes that way...!!!

Granted, even with a single buffer if I start watching an hour-long show at 15 mins into it I can watch the entire show without watching a single ad and finish watching the show exactly when it ends...

Besides not being able to switch between 2 buffers, the second most frustrating/irritating/sucky/(insert your own adjective here) thing about the HR20-700 is the fact that you cannot PAUSE and return to where you were in the buffer...!!! So if I pause the live buffer and go to the play list and come back 5 minutes later, I want my buffer cursor to be sitting right where I left it, dutifully waiting for me to issue a command for it to perform the next behavior I desire of it... The way it behaves now is absolutly useless...

I know you can place a bookmark in a recorded show as you watch it by pausing the show and pressing the green key but that is marginally useful at best... I want a pause in the live buffer...!!!

Am I alone in this perspective...?

Thanks for letting me rant...!!!


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## Hansen (Jan 1, 2006)

jbrasure said:


> The Tivo does that as well.


I think I may have misunderstood something as that has not been my experience with the Tivo unit. I can only record two programs at the same time and either watch one of the programs that is being recorded or watch a previously recorded program that has been stored on the hard drive. Is that what the HR20 does also, or does the HR20 allow you to record two progams at the same time and also watch a third program live (not via a previously recorded program stored on hard drive)?


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## jbrasure (Oct 9, 2006)

Hansen said:


> I think I may have misunderstood something as that has not been my experience with the Tivo unit. I can only record two programs at the same time and either watch one of the programs that is being recorded or watch a previously recorded program that has been stored on the hard drive. Is that what the HR20 does also, or does the HR20 allow you to record two progams at the same time and also watch a third program live (not via a previously recorded program stored on hard drive)?


The Tivo and HR20 behave the same in this regard. You cannot watch a third program live while two others are being recorded.


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## nyaboxer (Dec 3, 2005)

Well I am not sure if this is allowed or not, but here goes. I am looking to get my hands on a HR20, without paying the $299. I have contacted D* several times and they basiclly said that is the price and that was that. I do have a HR10 that I have am not using. I have no real loyalty either way, I guess I would prefer to get my locals over the dish instead of OTA. If interested pm me


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## jklipa (Feb 5, 2007)

I don't think I'll be selling or trading my HR20... I don't know enough about the HR10 and I like my locals over the dish and not ota too...

My tivo unit is a Phillips model ? from 2003...

I love the way the tivo remote feels in my hand and the smooth way the picture displays in FF or RW... Not to mention the dual buffers...!!! 

The HR20 remote is awkward and bulky, the buttons are not laid out in an ergonomically friendly way... I wish the buttons that are used the most were the largest and in a better place... And the herky-jerky way the picture jumps around during FF and RW is very annoying... And most annoying of all - no dual buffers...!!! I'm not even going to talk about the intermittent loss of signal (usually only sound) at least 3 or 4 times a night lasting about 10 seconds or so... And they always happen at the crucial moment in the dialogue.

I guess if I never knew what the tivo experience was like I wouldn't be so disappointed in the D* knockoff that is the HR20...

I saw that Costco has an HD version of a Tivo DVR on sale for $649... I wonder if I can use that on my D* dish...!!!

I used to recommend Dtv* to all my friends, I would not recommend them to anyone now, simply because of the poor quality of the tv viewing experience with the HR20 compared to the reliable tivo unit I've now relegated to the bedroom... I often find myself watching tv in the bedroom just because I miss my old friend...


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

There are numerous existing Dual Live Buffer threads. No need to hijack this one to discuss DLB.

Then again, there are numerous HR10 .vs. HR20 threads...


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## xandor (Nov 18, 2005)

> I saw that Costco has an HD version of a Tivo DVR on sale for $649... I wonder if I can use that on my D* dish...!!!


Nope, that one will only work with cable service..it has 2 cablecard slots.


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