# What is the best Tivo Option for Direct TV and HD



## myscene (Sep 25, 2007)

Yesterday my boss bought a 40 inch Sony HD TV for her husband. He currently has a Direct TV Tivo used with a standard def tv. I told her that she would not be able to get HD with her old Direct Tivo. But I bought my series II Tivo years ago and don't know much about HD or the current Direct Tv or Tivo offerings. I told her I was pretty sure that Direct Tv had it's own DVR, but she would like to keep Tivo if she can, but also take advantage of the new HD TV she just bought. 

With an HD TV and Direct TV, what can I tell her are her DVR options, keeping in mind that she wants to stay with Tivo if at all possible. 

Also, in doing some preliminary research I noticed that Direct TV will soon introduce more HD channels. How will this factor into the equation?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. She will give him the new tv this weekend.


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## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

Her only choice is to get a used HR10-250. Then she will only be able to have HD for local OTA channels and those very few HD channels that remain mpeg2. There is no tiVo that can record any of the mpeg4 channels from DTV and the HR10-250 hasn't been in production for a long time.

There are several good HD+TiVo options if she is willing to entertain cable or Fios.


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## John T Smith (Jun 17, 2004)

Start here for the new style DirecTv HD boxes
http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=82

Their DVR is not Tivo-powered, but it is "similar"

A new dish will also be required


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## myscene (Sep 25, 2007)

Thanks for your replies. She really loves Tivo and was hoping to get a new Tivo that will work with HD from Direct Tv. She currently has 3 direct tivos in the house. Is it possible to have a mixed system, ie a household with two or three direct tivos connected to standard definition tv and one Direct TV DVR connected to the lone HD TV? Would she then have to have one dish for the connection to the standard def TVs and one for the HD TVs, or could all of the TVs be connected to the HD satelite?

Thanks again for your help.


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## OhioUmpire (Dec 2, 2003)

myscene said:


> Thanks for your replies. She really loves Tivo and was hoping to get a new Tivo that will work with HD from Direct Tv. She currently has 3 direct tivos in the house. Is it possible to have a mixed system, ie a household with two or three direct tivos connected to standard definition tv and one Direct TV DVR connected to the lone HD TV? Would she then have to have one dish for the connection to the standard def TVs and one for the HD TVs, or could all of the TVs be connected to the HD satelite?
> 
> Thanks again for your help.


Yes, she can use a DirecTivo and the Direct TV HDR. I currently do it. It would be one dish. The DirecTivo units will work with the new HD dish, but as others have said will only show the few channels in HD that are currently MPEG 2. I believe those are TNTHD, ESPN, ESPN2, Discovery, HDNET, UniversalHD, HBO, and Showtime, and NFL Sunday Ticket. All local channels in HD are MPEG 4. The motherload of new HD channels coming in a week or two are all MPEG4.


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## milominderbinder (Dec 18, 2006)

You can have the best of both worlds.

Call DIRECTV and see what kind of deal they would give:

Get a Great Deal on an HR20

You could keep your TiVO for your old channels. You would also have the HR20 for OTA, SD, old HD, and all the new HD.

With two receivers you could record 4 games or programs at once. If your TV is capable, you now have PIP DLB! Watch two games at once!

- Craig


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

John T Smith said:


> Their DVR is not Tivo-powered, but it is "similar"


If "similar" means that it is in a rectangular case and needs AC power, then that's true. Otherwise be prepared to re-learn everything about how to use a DVR.


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## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

Arcady said:


> If "similar" means that it is in a rectangular case and needs AC power, then that's true. Otherwise be prepared to re-learn everything about how to use a DVR.


Because learning DVR's is so hard. Be prepared for 10 really tough minutes in your life.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

Billy66 is right. My HR-20 records shows, has season passes, has buttons that change channels (and sometimes you have to press less of them) and shows MPEG4 (+ it is rectangular and has a power cable). Sure it has flaws but it's very similar. My 8yo works both of them no problem (HR10 and HR20)


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## MikeekiM (Jun 25, 2002)

JohnB1000 said:


> Billy66 is right. My HR-20 records shows, has season passes, has buttons that change channels (and sometimes you have to press less of them) and shows MPEG4 (+ it is rectangular and has a power cable). Sure it has flaws but it's very similar. My 8yo works both of them no problem (HR10 and HR20)


Yup... I have a similarly aged child, and he is able to work both with no problems...

The HR20 is fine... It would be inaccurate to say that it is overly complex compared to TiVo...as a "child" can operate either... It's probably us adults that are intimidated by change...


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

Different is a much better description. Outside of the features that are missing or do not work as well on the HR20, I think it is easier to operate. Recording is more direct, buttons do the same thing where ever they pressed, and I love the preview window when viewing menu's.

Definitely different, awkward to relearn habits but perhaps, in fact, easier.


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## Matt9876 (Sep 1, 2001)

I did the upgrade to the H-20 and 5lnb dish for $99 and put my old Tivo unit on the new dish.

Not a perfect solution but I can view all the new HD and still use my beloved TiVo .

Some say you can now upgrade for $20 .


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## myscene (Sep 25, 2007)

Is this forum great or what? 

I really want to thank everyone who replied. Basically, I relayed all of the info from your posts to my boss. She has decided to go ahead and try the HR-20 for now, keeping her old DirectTivo "just in case". I did tell her that she might be able to get an HR-20 at a discounted price if she called Direct TV (thanks milomindbender for the link).

Thanks again for your help. This was my first post on Tivocommunity. I currently have Comcast with their DVR (my parents have my old toshiba tivo/dvd combo unit.), but I am thinking about returning to Tivo once I get do the upgrade to HD TV.

Anyway, thanks again for your help

Myscene


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

Welcome to the Forum myscene.

What no one has really pointed out that well is that Directv is going to MPeg4 with all their HD Channels. One of the New Birds (Sats) is already up and broadcasting, the other will be very soon.

With the move to MPeg4 it kills all Directv/Tivo HD units: the HR10-250. This unit cannot process Mpeg4 only Mpeg2.

So your Boss made the ONLY choice they have if they want Sat and HD.

The HR20 is not a bad unit. And it is not that much trouble to re-educate yourself. If you can learn how to.


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## myscene (Sep 25, 2007)

Thanks Wolfloard11 for your welcome to the forum and your very concise summary. Funny, a day or so after I started this thread I realized that there is an HD Direct Tv forum here. On some sites I would have gotten nasty comments about posting in the wrong place etc., so I thank you all for your patience. I look forward to learning more, and participating here.

Myscene


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## OhioUmpire (Dec 2, 2003)

Arcady said:


> If "similar" means that it is in a rectangular case and needs AC power, then that's true. Otherwise be prepared to re-learn everything about how to use a DVR.


Their HD DVR also is a pain the butt trying to manage the Season Pass list. If you end up with something in the SP list that has no upcoming episodes you can not delete or edit that SP.

Also, if you think TiVo messed up sometimes when the networks pulled there old "show ends at 10:01pm" crap the HD DVR is even worse. I had an issue tonight where Survivor ran from 8-9pm, The Office was set to record from 9pm - 10:01, but for some unknown reason it would not also record Grey's Anatomy from 9pm-10:01 as it claimed a conflict with Survivor or The Office.

I have also noticed that a lot of things accessed by one button on TiVo are really embedded into the HD DVR and difficult to get to. As I have always said, DirecTv only keeps me because of NFL Sunday ticket, and I only watch the Steelers anyway.


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## OhioUmpire (Dec 2, 2003)

Matt9876 said:


> I did the upgrade to the H-20 and 5lnb dish for $99 and put my old Tivo unit on the new dish.
> 
> Not a perfect solution but I can view all the new HD and still use my beloved TiVo .
> 
> Some say you can now upgrade for $20 .


Wow, I upgraded in April and the wanted $199 for each HD DVR.


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## Matt9876 (Sep 1, 2001)

Quote:OhioUmpire 

Wow, I upgraded in April and the wanted $199 for each HD DVR.

____________________________________________________


The H-20 is not a DVR it's just one of the regular Directv HD units.

$99 normally.


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## dollbaby (Jul 24, 2007)

My old Tivo unit died in one of my rooms in the summer and I hate the replacement DirectTv sent me. There is a pause to it everytime you press to do something and the load time is horrible on some of the "added" features that my Tivo DVR did not have. I also miss the suggested recordings and not being able to have 30 min of 2 channels to swich back and forth to. Everyone I spoke to hates the new ones too and are hanging onto their old Tivo and dreading the day they die. Sure there is a learning curve to get used to old unit by my biggest beef are the ones I listed. I have it almost 2 months and I am not learning to like it and don't even like using it. Just my opinion.


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## RS4 (Sep 2, 2001)

myscene, they should have mentioned that she will have to commit to another 2 years with DirecTV and they will not even let her try the box at home on a trial period. They should have also told you that a large number of Tivo users don't like the DirecTV non-Tivo products. Finally, there are still standard dvr functions available in the Tivo that do not work on the HR20 after it being on the market for a year.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

RS4 said:


> myscene, they should have mentioned that she will have to commit to another 2 years with DirecTV and they will not even let her try the box at home on a trial period. They should have also told you that a large number of Tivo users don't like the DirecTV non-Tivo products. Finally, there are still standard dvr functions available in the Tivo that do not work on the HR20 after it being on the market for a year.


They may have said this after telling her she wouldn't be able to get any new channels in HD or locals in HD without it :up:


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

JohnB1000 said:


> They may have said this after telling her she wouldn't be able to get any new channels in HD or locals in HD without it :up:


A VERY good point!

RS4 : Since you are against the HR20 unit so much, then what SUGGESTIONS would you give the OP or any other person who posts a question like this? Its simple:

Directv HD: NO TIVO. PERIOD.

Sure there is the HR10-250 but we all know that it does not get any of the New HD Channels. So its days are nearly up.

OR, they could get a H20 and a Series 2 Tivo unit. But then have crappy Analog Programming recorded.

Its time to get real. What would you suggest?


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## Bonanzaair (Aug 26, 2006)

wolflord11 said:


> Directv HD: NO TIVO. PERIOD.
> 
> Its time to get real. What would you suggest?


TivoHD and Cable. I'm happy I made the switch.

Bonanza


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