We certainly support anyone who prefers to stick with their TiVo dvrs instead of the in-house brands. I suggest you make the decision based on the programming. If you don't feel like you're missing much (on anything) by using the HR10 (ideally with an off-air antenna to tune in free local HD programming) then you should probably stick with the TiVo. If you do decide to go that route, you'll just shelve those HR20s and keep them somewhere until you're ready to use them. (Directv doesn't allow activated receivers to be resold.)

I talked to a person in the technical dept. at directv yesterday. I was also considering replacing my hr10 with an hr20. However, after speaking with the rep yesterday, I am going to stick with my hr10 for now. (She did say the switching between tuners issue was a problem with the hr20s.)

Here is what she suggested and I am going to do:
I am getting a new 5-LNB dish (I currently have the 3-lnb), so I can receive the new hd stations coming on line in Sept.
She is sending me (at no charge) two "2-B-Ban converters" (not sure about the spelling there) which she said WILL allow my hr10 to get the new hd stations. She said that TIVO and Directv have worked out a deal whereby a software upgrade to the hr10 will allow them to get the new stations with the converters.

I hope this works. From what I've read here, the hr10s won't be able to get the new stations in mpeg-4 format, but the rep at directv seemed sure that the in-line converters plus the software upgrades would do the trick. Maybe I'm confused about this. Are the local hd stations in a different format than the other new hd stations from directv?

I had to make this decision now because my hard-drive in my hr10 is getting pretty noisy and I either need to replace it or go with the hr20. I decided to replace the drive (from wk of course) and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this all works.

Sorry to say, this is a really misinformed DirecTV rep. The HR10 just can't use the B-Band converters to get those MPEG4 signals - it just doesn't work.

The HR10 can use the 5LNB dish, but it won't see any more signal from it than it would from a 3LNB dish.

We wish it all were true . . .

Thanks for the information. She assured me it would work. She said something about a software upgrade agreement between Directv and TIVO that would make it all work with the B-band converters.

I'm sure you're right, Michael. I'm still glad I'm keeping my hr10 for now. I ordered the new 500GB hard drive from you folks today and I see it has already shipped. Thanks.

Directv Rep Is Wrong

The B-band converters will not help the HR10-250 TIVO DVR work with the new mpeg4 sat channels. Go to dbstalk.com for more information. Sorry but I have found out that most of the directv reps don't know there own products very well and even some of the installers don't know much about the products. The HR20 and H20 currently are the only 2 receivers Directv has available with the B-band converters that will receive the mpeg4 hd channels. Your best information is always online in forums for people who are users.
Hope that helps.
jdmac29

Then What WILL the new software release do?

Ok- With all of this talk regarding the fact that Direct TV is wrong regarding the B Band converters-What WILL the new software they are talking about accomplish? In any event, does the fact that Direct and Tivo appear to be working with each other mean that Tivo based products may be coming back to Direct TV?

We really doubt DirecTV and TiVo will release any new hardware anytime soon. A lot would have to change before there would be hope of that.

The B-Band just allows the HR20 to see all of the new HD channels that are coming.

DirecTv does for itself, not for customers

Please note: My rating is for DirecTv's management. I'd give them a "1" but my HD TiVo still works just fine, and they still have time to fix my complaint.

DirecTv was, keyword, hands-down the best "cable" service available at least in my neck of the woods. When coupled with TiVo, it made it THE best. The TiVo subscription price was the great as compared to TiVo with cable.

I purchased this unit 12 months ago to the date, and I ordered HD service. I was informed the only draw-back to this unit is it would not receive local HD programming over-the-air MPEG-4. No problem.
Over the past year, I've inquired when DirecTv will expand their HD program offerings, and was told they were working on it. Well, the new bird was successfully launched and placed in geosync to provide MPEG-4 FOR THE EXPANDED HD SERVICE FOR NON-TIVO CUSTOMERS. Well, the HD TiVo will be stuck with the standard 10 HD channels, unless I want to: 1) pay $99 for the inferior HD-20 unit "downgrade", 2) subscribe to 2 more years of service (NOT), 3) abandon my HD TiVo that I purchased for $499 a year ago and risk divorce (my wife loves TiVo and hates, as I do, the HR-20 "If she's not happy, you're not happy"), 4) cave into corporate greed (NOT).

Bottom line, as Jim Cramer is saying about the Federal Reserve and it aptly applies here "THEY KNOW NOTHING!": DirecTv, when Murdoch was a majority owner, decided to use one of his DVRs (NDS) and dump TiVo. Obviously, this was a financial decision and no concern was given to customer satisfaction. It would be like telling a MAC user that MAC O/S was no longer being supported and the only choice today is Windows 3.0.

I've called DirecTv and the response is, "so sad, so sorry". I vote with my dollars. When I have the opportunity to cancel DirecTv, I will. It no longer deserves my money. They have abandoned a loyal group of customers. This is a business decision for them, as it is for me.

I tend not to be a religious zealot when it comes to tech, but when it comes to TiVo, DirecTv can just BITE ME.

DirecTv: I've got 12 months left on my subscription. If you value me and all the other loyal HD TiVo customers, just do the right thing.

Software upgrade info from TiVo

https://www3.tivo.com/abouttivo/pres...007-07-31.html

Nothing about MPEG-4 HD....

I did finally get hold of that same Directv rep and straightened her out on the HR10 and that it will NOT work with the Bband converters. So, I sent my ol' HR10 to Weaknees for you nice folks to put a new 500 GB hard drive in it (the old ones were getting noisy), and you got it back to me in less than a week and it's working fine and it's QUIET again. Thanks, Weaknees!

Anyway, I'm keeping my HR10 and I have it connected to my 4 year old HDTV which has only one DVI input. I am getting an HR20 this coming week to connect to the same tv via a different input. I'm planning to connect the HR20 to a component input. My question is this, will the HR20 put out an HD signal (720p) via component video? I have read that some upscaling DVD players will not put out HD signals via component (only hdmi) due to copy protection issues.

Thanks.

HR10 HR20 compared

Well, I answered my own question. The HR20-700 I just had installed does indeed do HD over component and the picture is very good.

I kept my HR10 and made the Directv dude run another wire to my tv so I could connect the HR20 to the same tv as the HR10. Boy oh boy, am I glad I kept my HR10! The DVR functionality is AWFUL compared to my HR10 (Tivo)! Tivo is so intuitive and the HR20 is not, imho. After much wading through the manual for the HR20, however, I have figured out how to record programs, but I'm definitely going to write (yes, a real paper letter) to Directv to beg them to get new HD tivo units.

Some things I do not like about the HR20 compared to the HR10:
1) You cannot pause a program on one tuner and then switch the other tuner and then switch back and pick up where you paused.
2) In fact, you can't switch between the tuners intentionally at all on the HR20. Well, that sucks.
3)The HR20 runs HOT! much hotter than the HR10. Don't set anything like a candle on it. I'm sure it'd melt.
4)Programming season passes is far more cumbersome (a lot more clicks).
5) The remote on the HR20 is no peanut! It's much bigger than the HR10 remote and not as easy to find the right buttons in the dark while watching a movie. Why did they put the pause button way over there and not in the middle?
6) I don't actually own the HR20s (I actually got two of them, one for the living room and one for the bedroom). In order to get a decent price from Directv, I had to agree to just lease them. But, I guess this is no big deal since I still get to use them.

On the other hand, on the HR20, I do like that there are more channel lists to customize than on the HR10, and I can get my local channels in HD on the HR20. Also, the HR20 keeps 90 minutes in memory while watching a show rather than the 30 minutes of the HR10. That never bothered me though.

All in all, I feel "stuck" with using the HR20, but I'd buy a new HD Tivo in a second to replace it if/when they ever make a Directivo that will do mpeg 4.

Just my two cents.