# DirecTV GENIE and TiVo the same??



## mk553 (Oct 3, 2002)

I was at Best Buy yesterday, where a DirecTV salesman was trying to sell me on DirecTV. I said that if I went for it, I want the TiVo option. So after calling his manager about getting TiVo over Genie, he got off the phone and stated that, in fact, Genie's software is based/licensed from TiVo and it's the same thing.

This didn't make sense to me, since if you go to the DirecTV website as of this writing, you can either get the Genie DVR OR the TiVo. If that was true, why have two competing products?

If it is true, when did this take place? Anyone know for sure?

It sounded more like a salesman telling me anything I wanted to hear in order to get me into a 2-year contract.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

Not true. Never believe a store salesman. 

The Genie is DirecTV software, nothing from TiVo. That said, I think it is better than the TiVo model THR22.


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

mk553 said:


> he got off the phone and stated that, in fact, Genie's software is based/licensed from TiVo and it's the same thing.


A kernel of truth, so to speak. There is licensed Tivo tech there, but they are far from the same thing.


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## Davelnlr_ (Jan 13, 2011)

I have both. The DirecTv Genie uses the same software interface as all the DirecTv HD DVRs, with the exception of having 5 tuners, and PIP. It can stream to any other DirecTv HD receiver or DVR. It can also be accessed by RVU client TV's or stand-alone client boxes. There is a $6 fee for each RVU client (whether its your own TV or a stand-alone client from DirecTv) in addition to the Genie Fee. All boxes from DirecTv are leased, and must be returned after your two year contract, should you cancel service at that time, or when you cancel service.

The Tivo THR22 from DirecTv will NOT be able to access the DirecTv Genie's programs, as it does not have DirecTv's "Whole Home" software on it. So you basically have the choice of one platform or the other, but if you mix them, they will be independent or each other, and will not be able to share programming between them.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

Wil said:


> A kernel of truth, so to speak. There is licensed Tivo tech there, but they are far from the same thing.


No there isn't really. What there is us a patent licensing agreement that protects DirecTV from being sued by TiVo. No actual TiVo code is in the Genie.


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## socrplyr (Jul 19, 2006)

mk553 said:


> I was at Best Buy yesterday, where a DirecTV salesman was trying to sell me on DirecTV. I said that if I went for it, I want the TiVo option. So after calling his manager about getting TiVo over Genie, he got off the phone and stated that, in fact, Genie's software is based/licensed from TiVo and it's the same thing.
> 
> This didn't make sense to me, since if you go to the DirecTV website as of this writing, you can either get the Genie DVR OR the TiVo. If that was true, why have two competing products?
> 
> ...


Interesting as this is the second, completely independent person I have heard this misconception from. I wonder if it is purposeful or coincidence.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Color me shocked.

"I want the DirecTV TiVo. Is this the TiVo?" 
- Of course. (we'll send you OUR DirecTV DVR and assume you're too clueless to know the difference)"
and once it's installed and you sign it's $400 to cancel, sucka.


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

The Genie is a FIVE Tuner DVR with a 1 TB hard drive, can stream content to / from any other HD-DVR, HD Receiver, or to basic "Genie Clients", it can do Picture-In-Picture with 2 of its tuners.

I don't see any way you can say the TiVo is superior, it has 2 tuners and a 500 Gig hard drive, no MRV, no Kidzone, and costs more. While the guy is technically wrong, he is steering you in the right direction.


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

netringer said:


> Color me shocked.
> 
> "I want the DirecTV TiVo. Is this the TiVo?"
> - Of course. (we'll send you OUR DirecTV DVR and assume you're too clueless to know the difference)"
> and once it's installed and you sign it's $400 to cancel, sucka.


Who are you talking about? This is a Best Buy employee, not a DirecTV employee...


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## Davelnlr_ (Jan 13, 2011)

Adam1115 said:


> The Genie is a FIVE Tuner DVR with a 1 TB hard drive, can stream content to / from any other HD-DVR, HD Receiver, or to basic "Genie Clients", it can do Picture-In-Picture with 2 of its tuners.
> 
> I don't see any way you can say the TiVo is superior, it has 2 tuners and a 500 Gig hard drive, no MRV, no Kidzone, and costs more. While the guy is technically wrong, he is steering you in the right direction.


They are both nice. 
Genie has 5 tuners, Premier4 has 4 tuners
Genie has 1TB, Premier4 has 500GB or 2TB
Genie can stream to a client, Premier4 can stream to a premier
Both have MRV
Both have Moca
Only Genie can do PIP
Only Premier can save recorded programs to your computer for archiving.
Genie costs more, because you lose your upfront lease fee, Tivo can be resold. Genie has to be returned to DirecTv.
Using both side by side, the Premier4 is much faster than the Genie.


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

The P4 doesn't work with DirecTV. I believe Adam was comparing to the THR.


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

Davelnlr_ said:


> They are both nice.
> Genie has 5 tuners, Premier4 ....


The OP was talking about the THR-22 (the only box that TiVo makes that works with DirecTV), not the Premiere


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Adam1115 said:


> Who are you talking about? This is a Best Buy employee, not a DirecTV employee...


Wanna bet it was the designated DirecTV professional hassler at Best Buy?

"Are you looking at TVs?"
Me: Die in a Fire.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Davelnlr_ said:


> Premier4 ... Premier4 ... premier ... Premier ... Premier4


WTF is a Premier4?

TiVo sells a Premiere, a Premiere XL, a Premiere 4, and a Premiere XL4.


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