# R15 Live Tv question



## slayjaguar (Dec 27, 2005)

New to Tivo Community.

I do have a question, we R10 directv tivo and just got a R15. 

It's not bad but my biggest problem is I have not found out how to change tuners. With my R10 I can press the live tv and switch between the tuners. I wanted the new ird, but now I'm not so sure, but if anyone knows how to change tuners can you please let me know.

Thanks
Mandy


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## Rax (Jun 11, 2002)

Try down on the pad.


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## slayjaguar (Dec 27, 2005)

I tried down on the pad nothing.


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## coolbreeze (Dec 20, 2005)

The R15 doesn't have a true "dual live tuner buffer" which means you can't switch between live programming on the different receivers. Only the "tivo" DirecTV receivers have true live buffers. It's been rumored that the R15 will be upgraded to have live buffers, but there is no documented promise, and nobody knows for sure if/when that upgrade will happen.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

For more discussion on the R15...

Head over to www.dbstalk.com or forums.directv.com

But CoolBreeze's answer is the correct one.


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## coolbreeze (Dec 20, 2005)

As ebonovic's reply suggests, the R15 has nothing to do with Tivo, rather it's a generic DirecTV engineered DVR. That said, you may went to reference this thread in particular:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=49866

This question seems to come up more and more lately.......Good luck with the R15...or just get a R10 and remain a part of the Tivo community


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

I would hardly call the R15 a "generic"


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## coolbreeze (Dec 20, 2005)

ebonovic said:


> I would hardly call the R15 a "generic"


Yeah, I suppose "generic" was the wrong term. I'll put it this way. I owned an R15, and as a long-time Tivo user, I can say the interface most certainly was not as intuitive of Tivo software.

So I'll re-phrase. The R15 is not nearly as intuitive or reliable as a Tivo software based box, thus feels "generic" or home grown.

IMO, as always.


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## mtchamp (May 15, 2001)

We only serve genuine TiVo flavored koolaid around here. Are you telling me there's another generic, no not generic, "TiVo like" DVR on the block? I see a DirecTV DVR+ flavored koolaid stand is open for business. Could be trouble.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Anyone thirsty?


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## cmtar (Jan 26, 2005)

I guess im just the only who loves his R15 and is glad D* dumped tivo and could care less what happens to tivo.


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## SpacemanSpiff (Jan 31, 2004)

And yet you continue to hang around here in the _Tivo_Community.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

I am still here......


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## dbronstein (Nov 8, 2004)

coolbreeze said:


> So I'll re-phrase. The R15 is not nearly as intuitive or reliable as a Tivo software based box, thus feels "generic" or home grown.


The Tivo UI isn't all that intuitive if you're used to something else. I started with a SA ReplayTV then went to a Dish Network 721 then a DirecTivo and I just got an R15 (although I'm still using the Tivo). Every time I switched it was an adjustment because they are all different. I didn't think the Tivo was any more or less intuitive than any of the others. They all had a learning curve.


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## SpacemanSpiff (Jan 31, 2004)

On the other hand, a R15 could be considered "generic" given the usual definition of Generic as being a "house" brand vs a "name" brand.


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## alexcue (Apr 1, 2000)

SpacemanSpiff said:


> And yet you continue to hang around here in the _Tivo_Community.


amen, brother...


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## rick31621 (Jun 20, 2004)

The R15 may not be generic, but it is a major disappointment.
Some may call it a POS.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Some call the R10 a POS...

Each person has the right to figure out what product they want to use...
IMHO... major disappointment? Hardly... but for some it has been just that, for others.... they are happy as can be with the fact they can get rid fo their TiVo units..


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## CherryBmb (Aug 19, 2005)

cmtar said:


> I guess im just the only who loves his R15 and is glad D* dumped tivo and could care less what happens to tivo.


It is *"couldn't * care less"


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

cmtar said:


> I guess im just the only who loves his R15 and is glad D* dumped tivo and could care less what happens to tivo.


Since you seem to love to hang out here at TC, I'll ask: Why are you 'glad' D* 'dumped tivo'? To rephrase, does the lack of a DirecTivo somehow make your R15 a better unit?

There's a market for new sales of both, but D* doesn't see it that way.


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## Mori (Dec 21, 2005)

Again, I have to say that the only people who do not like the R15 are those that try to compare it to Tivo. It's not a Tivo People.


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## cmtar (Jan 26, 2005)

Mori said:


> Again, I have to say that the only people who do not like the R15 are those that try to compare it to Tivo. It's not a Tivo People.


Agree 100%


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

Mori said:


> Again, I have to say that the only people who do not like the R15 are those that try to compare it to Tivo. It's not a Tivo People.


I'm sure it's not. I've heard that a turkey seems impressive, until you've seen an eagle.


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## Mori (Dec 21, 2005)

It really depends on who you talk to. Even when considering the Turkey or the Eagle.


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## rick31621 (Jun 20, 2004)

Mori said:


> Again, I have to say that the only people who do not like the R15 are those that try to compare it to Tivo. It's not a Tivo People.


I've been with D* for 10+ years.
I have purchased a minimum of 15 D* receivers and DVRs over the years. 
I currently have 4 DVRs and a HD actively running in my home and our camper trailer. I have several receivers both DVR and non-DVR stored away including the R15.
I have had enough experience with a variety of satellite equipment to compare them with an open mind. When I speak of the R15 I am comparing it with 7 other DVRs I have had over the years. It is MY opinion that the R15 was a disappointment for me and I disconnected it and replaced it with another R10. 
I personally hope that D* supports the Tivo DVR for years. When that ceases than I will pull out the R15 or switch from D* to a Tivo supporting service.


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## mtchamp (May 15, 2001)

I've been hearing the R15 will record all the repeats and easily gets confused. There are built in limitations as to the number of shows it can automatically record before the system breaks down. I read posts that say the "To Do" list needs to me monitored on a regular basis and shows need to be manually recorded. USA Today just ran a story that stated many DirecTV customers were upset that their shows have not recorded.

So you people with R15's have these problems or not? I hear there's lots of bugs. Is what USA Today said and what DirecTV said in that story true or not? Were not just talking about how intuitive the interface is, were talking about how smart and bug free the software is. Is this R15 dumb or what compared to a TiVo? People are getting themselves into new 2 year contracts with the purchase of an R15.

DirecTV had an excellent reputation for DVR performance because of TiVo software. Many consumers might think they will be getting a DVR that works like a TiVo because that is what DirecTV always had until now. Is a TiVo more likely to record your shows without error as compared to the NDS R15? That's what it's all about. Isn't it? I'm away on vacation right now and when I get home, my TiVo will have all the shows recorded. Never a problem. It catches the show on different channels, different times, different days and doesn't record it more than once or record repeats.

I've not yet seen a thoroughly detailed review of the R15 as compared with a TiVo even though there are people in this community who have the credibility to do a terrific unbiased job. I hope we see one soon.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Lets see...

personal experience... I haven't had those problems.
Based on post volume, there are some that do have those problems you list.

The 50 Auto Reord and 100 Item ToDo list is a REAL.. that problem does exist, and DirecTV is working on it.

At lot has to do with the Guide data (As anyone with a TiVo knows the Guide data nd how it is intrepreted is core)...

I've been tring to do an "comparison" chart between the two... but they are two similar yet different enough products, that it is coming out to be difficult enough.

Head over to www.dbstalk.com for more indepth discussion on the R15


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## RCY (Aug 12, 2005)

mtchamp said:


> I've been hearing the R15 will record all the repeats and easily gets confused. There are built in limitations as to the number of shows it can automatically record before the system breaks down. I read posts that say the "To Do" list needs to me monitored on a regular basis and shows need to be manually recorded. USA Today just ran a story that stated many DirecTV customers were upset that their shows have not recorded.
> 
> So you people with R15's have these problems or not? I hear there's lots of bugs. Is what USA Today said and what DirecTV said in that story true or not? Were not just talking about how intuitive the interface is, were talking about how smart and bug free the software is. Is this R15 dumb or what compared to a TiVo? People are getting themselves into new 2 year contracts with the purchase of an R15.
> 
> ...


There was one. A very thorough, balanced and detailed review. Earl did it, and the "sponsors" requested the mods remove it.

R15 discussion takes place on another site. Earl posted the link in the post above.


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## generalpatton71 (Oct 30, 2002)

Well i was able to arrange to get a R15 for free from D* yesterday. I had a hell of a time to get the installers to come out and bring me the unit on time. I was given the great window of between 1-5pm yesterday and at 5pm the installer was still not here and they wanted to move the install to thurday morning. I yelled like hell and told them that all they have to do was screw in the cables and it's done. So finally i won and they brought the unit over. 

My impressions so far. Is that if I had bought this unit in a store it would be going back to the store for a refund lol. I have lots of tivos and love tivo and this unit does seem to be a "GENERIC" cable style DVR. My plan is now to have my sister take over this DVR since she hasn't been tivo spoiled. I like D* programming and prices but the next year or so will determine who I go with for programing. 

I want more HDTV tivo options. The CC tivo sounds great, but i really don't want to bo back to cable and its 69 analog channels. So basically I want a SA2 that does HDTV.


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## Rkkeller (May 13, 2004)

Just the lack of the fabled DirecTiVo "Please wait this may take a few minutes" screens was more than enough reason for me to buy one. Great FAST unit and once they get the few bugs worked out, most of which I have never experienced myself, I cant see ever wanting a DirecTiVo.


Rich


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

RCY said:


> There was one. A very thorough, balanced and detailed review. Earl did it, and the "sponsors" requested the mods remove it.
> 
> R15 discussion takes place on another site. Earl posted the link in the post above.


The review is still around in the forum....

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=270214

But current discussion is being held over at:

www.dbstalk.com


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## RCY (Aug 12, 2005)

ebonovic said:


> The review is still around in the forum....
> 
> http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=270214
> 
> ...


I stand corrected. Unfortunately, since it's no longer a "sticky" it's hard to find. Your review of the R15 is certainly a lot more relevant than "Organize an HMO request". I'm more likely to win the lotto than D* to ever push out HMO software for the DTIVOs.


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## vwobrien (Dec 30, 2005)

I just got the R15 from Circuit City DEC 23 because my Phillips Directv w/TIVO went out. I am not sure D* did not have something to do with it but thats another story;  anyway, I set up some shows for the new season for First Run only and when I went to the ToDo list it had picked up all the repeats along with the new shows.

I called Direct TV about that and about the fact I could not record any of my ENCORE stations. I talked to a Supervisor and he said he has not heard of any of those problems. He said to reformat and if that did not fix the problem they would send me a new unit. I have not done the reformat yet. I have some shows I recorded to dump to my other DVR

Has anyone had any trouble recording ENCORE?


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Check www.dbstalk.com for more R15 discussion...

but to address your points:

#1) There is absolutely noway that DirecTV had something to do with your DTivo going out. Simply put, it is would be so extremely illegal to do so... and would absolutely destroy the companies credibility... See the other thread here called "conspiracy" for more details on that. You you unit just happen to have a failure at this point. Could have happened any time to any one.

#2) The Recording Repeats is a problem we are tracking at the other forum (www.dbstalk.com)... The scheduler is not detecting first runs/repeats with the same results as the TiVo did...

#3) The problem recording on Encore... DirecTV is aware of the problem (it is not just the Encore channel)...

DON'T reformat it and at this point, don't get a replacement unit. Your problems are the same as other users.


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## disco (Mar 27, 2000)

I'm bumping this thread since I got an R15 today...and surprisingly like it.

I'm make one quick mention about people commenting about the R15's bugginess: I've had TiVo since 1999 (and still have two), and there were MANY problems with it's stability and lack of features when it first came out. They've been at this DVR stuff for 7 years...this is DirecTV's first stab at it (albeit, based on NDS' Sky DVR's...). And I think it's coming along quite nicely, and maturing quickly (according to the threads at DBSTalk.com). It's got a ways to go, but it's still better than the 522 was when I was with E*...now, THAT'S a terrible DVR (it came to market with NO "named based recording" ability, and stuttered constantly when watching a show delayed). I have no idea if it's been improved in the year since I ditched it.


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## Rkkeller (May 13, 2004)

I fully agree about liking the R-15's features. An update is due out in the coming couple weeks that should fix some bugs and maybe even add a few features.


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## john-duncan-yoyo (Oct 13, 2004)

Rkkeller said:


> I fully agree about liking the R-15's features. An update is due out in the coming couple weeks that should fix some bugs and maybe even add a few features.


Or add new bugs and break other features.


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## Markman07 (Jul 18, 2001)

disco said:


> and there were MANY problems with it's stability and lack of features when it first came out.


Yeah because Tivo had soo much prior PRV / DVR history to work with and learn from and take ideas from and Oh wait... the R15 did and look where it got them.


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## disco (Mar 27, 2000)

Markman - the R15 is a fine DVR (but far from perfect). It's better than some I've played with, and shows more promise than most of them. Design/feature aspects, sure..they had a head start since TiVo virtually invented the DVR (a court case will decide that..), but nobody handed them code to create a DVR platform on...they had to start from scratch just like everyone else. Give them a break.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

For more discussion on the R15... please head over to the sister site:

www.dbstalk.com


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