# R10 went bad - now R15 - unsatisfatory



## Tom Tanner (Jun 25, 2005)

I loved my Directv R10. It went bad so I bought a new unit at Circuit City. When I got it running every thing was different. Now 2 months later I still haven't gotten a handle on it. Is it me or what. I try to get "The Oreilly Factor", no can find. "The Factor",still nothing. "Bill Oreilly", no go. And this is just one example. The system just isn't intutive.

What options are there. We have a motorhome so we need a dish we can take with us. Can I still get a R10?


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Maybe the R15 is better than I thought. Any device that refuses to play total crap like Bill O'Reilly can't be all bad.


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## DTVPro (Jun 24, 2005)

Arcady said:


> Maybe the R15 is better than I thought. Any device that refuses to play total crap like Bill O'Reilly can't be all bad.


rofl

I quote this for truthfullness


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## Phantom Gremlin (Jun 20, 2002)

You can still buy an R10 from weaknees, but it's $199. Not cheap. Plus there is the hassle of agreeing to 24 more months of service.

Fortunately, thanks to info on this site, I bought 3 R10 units around Chrismas time when they were only $99.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

ptvupgrades has Phillips units for 69 bucks last time I checked.


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## markb (Jul 24, 2002)

Gunnyman said:


> ptvupgrades has Phillips units for 69 bucks last time I checked.


Just bought one of these to replace my dying RCA DVR39. It was a little scuffed up, but otherwise just fine. And it's as easily hackable as my old unit (unlike the R10).


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## maleintheusa (Sep 28, 2005)

You definitly do not want the R-15. An R-15 is NOT Tivo. It is DirecTV's version of Tivo called a PVR. Not only is it not user friendly like Tivo but like you said, it can't find all the programs and there is no wishlist like Tivo has. So if I want to record a movie that isn't playing for another six months, Tivo will record that movie when it comes on in Six months. The R-15 has no such capability. Sorry your first post had to end up being responded to by people with political views that don't belong here. I've always had polite responses to my questions. Don't let them deter you from using the forum. It truly is a great place.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Maleintheusa...

Have you tried to use an R15? If so, for how long? If not, how do you know for your self it is not user friendly?

I don't want to turn this into a debate about the R15... but seriously...
Once you "unlearn" the memory reflexs of using a TiVo for 5-6 years, and simply learn where things are on the R15... it is just as easy to use as a TiVo unit. Most steps to do things, take the same number of button presses... Some even take less (like you can setup a Series Link (Season Pass), with a push of one button twice).

Wishlists... Sure they are not there... Wishlist technology is patent by TiVo... The Find By, auto record can be used in a similar fashion... it is not the same, doesn't work as good, but none the less..... That is a feature of the TiVo box that is "1 Up" over the R15...

The R15 "can't find all the programs"... based on what? What the unit was doing 5-6 months ago... for the last two releases, the reliability of the unit has gone up by leaps and bounds... is it perfect... no... Is the TiVo.. (it is a lot closer, but to isn't perfect... ask anyone who missed the 2nd half premier of Stargate in January).

So.... If anyone else is having "issues" with their R15, and wants help in trying to resolve them... head over to www.dbstalk.com there is an R15 support forum, and we will see if we can help you solve your issues....

Edit: From another one of your posts, I see that you actually owned an R15.
Good, at least you got your opinion from your own usage... I am curious on how long you kept it though.

What did you find difficult about it's menu?
You click on LIST, you are taken to MyVod (same as now playing)
You click on Menu, you get the menu on the side of the screen. (instead of the whole screen)

Sure it is different then what you are used to, but most "new" products developed by different vendors have difference in their UI... Do each of your TV's have the same menu structure for their setup?


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

As for the particular example from the OP, I suspect the R15 is not eliminating punctuation for the purpose of searching like TiVo does. So it is probably impossible to find "O'Reilly" unless you can put the appostrophy in the search (which I believe you can't). 

Things like this and not moving articles (A, An, The) to the end of a title when alphabetizing show a real lack of forethought in design for a software product based on a six-year-old platform.


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## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

The R15 is still unreliable when it records. The Tivo is 100% reliable (you can't blame Tivo for bad guide data).

Anything else is pointless to discuss until the R15 is 100% reliable in recording. In the meantime, it's a manual, digital VCR.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Ping, ya... it doesn't parse out the puctionation... But if you can find the program in the guide, you can hit the R on it to set the recording, or the R twice to set the Series Link

AbMagFab:
Since 10B8; I have had 21 Series Links on my system, and it hasn't missed a single recording. And the volume of "posts" regarding missed recordings has significantly dropped (to next to nothing) over at www.dbstalk.com

So from a "missed" recording point of view, the R15 is right there. At what point can you deme it 100% reliable... And the same is true for the R15, you can't blame it for bad data in the guide.

It isn't perfect (nor near perfect) determing First Runs/Repeats, but that is a different argument.


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## ping (Oct 3, 2005)

ebonovic said:


> Ping, ya... it doesn't parse out the puctionation... But if you can find the program in the guide, you can hit the R on it to set the recording, or the R twice to set the Series Link


OK, so there's a workaround. Doesn't change the poor design of the find-by feature, though.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

ping said:


> OK, so there's a workaround. Doesn't change the poor design of the find-by feature, though.


No, it doesn't... you are most certainly correct there.


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## Lee L (Oct 1, 2003)

Phantom Gremlin said:


> You can still buy an R10 from weaknees, but it's $199. Not cheap. Plus there is the hassle of agreeing to 24 more months of service.
> 
> Fortunately, thanks to info on this site, I bought 3 R10 units around Chrismas time when they were only $99.


I think that any new DVR activation triggers the 24 month commitment. The fact that you bought it from Weaknees does allow you to own rather than lease it.


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

Phantom Gremlin said:


> Plus there is the hassle of agreeing to 24 more months of service.


NOT if you just take the card out of an existing receiver & have D* remarry it to the new R10 - done this several times & never had to re-up f/24 months...


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## Rkkeller (May 13, 2004)

ebonovic said:


> So from a "missed" recording point of view, the R15 is right there.


C'mon how can you even say that with a straight face ?


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

ebonovic said:


> I don't want to turn this into a debate about the R15...


Can it be hacked to do MRV? No? Then who cares. Seriously.


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## lmurphy (Jul 26, 2004)

I will trade you a Samsung SIR 4040R for a R15. Stock 35hr.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Arcady said:


> Can it be hacked to do MRV? No? Then who cares. Seriously.


I gave up on MRV a long time ago... I just now have a DVR on every TV and strategicaly place recordings on each one, based on the content.

For MRV... I am waiting out for the Home Media Center.


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## JMarvin (Jul 10, 2006)

Well as the new guy..... I have to address the first post as to not being able to find The O'Reilly Factor.

I was able to find Bill O'Reilly by typing in *The O* and The O'Reilly Factor poped up first on the menu.

Don't forget to put a space in after The......

I just installed my new R15 just a couple hours ago. So don't ask me any ? I came here to learn 

Jim


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

JMarvin...

Welcome to TCF... now get out!!!! 

Head over to www.dbstalk.com for the R15 support forum (the mods/admins of TCF don't want the discussion of the non-tivo units)


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## JMarvin (Jul 10, 2006)

ebonovic said:


> JMarvin...
> 
> Welcome to TCF... now get out!!!!
> (the mods/admins of TCF don't want the discussion of the non-tivo units)


Sorry..... guess next time I'll read the TOS a little closer.

Bye


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Next time, read the emoticons a little closer. duh.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

JMarvin said:


> Sorry..... guess next time I'll read the TOS a little closer.
> 
> Bye


JMarvin... it was a joke...
You are still weclome here, but the R15 discussion is more so at www.dbstalk.com


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## JMarvin (Jul 10, 2006)

ebonovic said:


> JMarvin... it was a joke...
> You are still weclome here, but the R15 discussion is more so at


 

Yea, I know. I was just having a little fun too.....

Thanks for the link, I did check it out. 

JIm


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## BillyT2002 (Oct 19, 2002)

Earl has a nice poll going which anyone who has used an R15 should probably investigate over at DBSForums.com - R15 poll


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## Rkkeller (May 13, 2004)

Earl is a nice person and knows a lot of technical things, in fact I bought 2 of my DVR's based mostly on his reviews and opinions, but if the R-15 is really doing well then he should not feel the need to copy threads from here and post them there in an attempt to make the DirecTiVos look bad after he supported them so strongly for so many years.

Sure, the R-15 is getting better as it should after 7 months of updates but its still not close to the SD DirecTivos in terms of reliability and stability from my hands on experience.


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## wjbibb (Feb 24, 2003)

I had a similar reaction when I replaced my Phillips DirectTV-TIVO DSR6000R01 with a crummy DirectTV R15. The interface is VERY clunky, non-intuative, and bounces you to menus that you don't want/need. I am currently in the process of tossing out my R15 and going back to the Phillips machine.

Good luck.

Jack


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Rkkeller said:


> Earl is a nice person and knows a lot of technical things, in fact I bought 2 of my DVR's based mostly on his reviews and opinions, but if the R-15 is really doing well then he should not feel the need to copy threads from here and post them there in an attempt to make the DirecTiVos look bad after he supported them so strongly for so many years.
> 
> Sure, the R-15 is getting better as it should after 7 months of updates but its still not close to the SD DirecTivos in terms of reliability and stability from my hands on experience.


That wasn't my attempt...
I honestly want to get a "forum feel" over at DBSTalk (Where the R15 discussion is), so that I wasn't speaking "for them" without having something to base it on (at least a more up-todate feeling)

And to this day, I haven't attempted to make TiVo look "bad"... never want to, no need to.... TiVo is what TiVo is... TiVo is still a good product.. I still have three of them active in my home.

If anything I may "remind" people that TiVo isn't perfect... but I would never "knock" TiVo for what it does do


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## Jerry_K (Feb 7, 2002)

Earl,

I too have a DVR at each TV, and I can watch any recorded program on any of the four TVs. Withour MRV it is not possible to record all the programs my lovely wife wants to watch on our family room TV on one box. With MRV we just browse the other boxes and within seconds we are watching a recording from another room. 

I archive programs using hard drives in a fifth unsubscribed box using the MRV feature. Best archive quality with dolby digital sound. I can change a harddrive in a Series two box in under five minutes. A few more minutes to boot and there you have a whole new library of programming.


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

ebonovic said:


> I gave up on MRV a long time ago... I just now have a DVR on every TV and strategicaly place recordings on each one, based on the content.
> 
> For MRV... I am waiting out for the Home Media Center.


Earl,

So what is lame about MRV? I have five DirecTiVos all running HMO/MRV, TiVoWebPlus, and BufferHack, and all of them are as stable as my six plus year old Sony SVR-2000 SA TiVo.

Again sorry, but based upon the possible delay of Windows Vista into the 2nd quarter or after next year (hints coming out of Microsoft and Bill Gates in the last week), you might be waiting a long time for a workable _Home_ Media Center based upon Vista. Or if you are referring to an unannounced product (or maybe CES 2005) from DirecTV, then based upon their track record with the simple R15, then you still might be waiting a long time for a truly workable product.

Just think, the HR10-250 with version 6.3 (which should arrive long before Vista, a Home Media Center from DirecTV, or a truly workable R15) just might be hackable for HMO/MRV, just like the SD DirecTiVos with version 6.2 are. I do agree that the R15 could be semi-usable by January 2007, but I really do doubt that they will ever add dual live buffers to that machine and get the UI changed around to be as usable as a TiVo.

Your MILEAGE COULD VARY.


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## Redux (Oct 19, 2004)

tbeckner said:


> So what is lame about MRV?


MRV = Tivo. MRV = BAD!

DVR _without_ MRV = DirecTV. DVR without MRV = GOOOOOD!


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## StEvEY5036 (Jul 9, 2003)

Tom Tanner said:


> Can I still get a R10?


Have you tried calling directv to see what they can do for you?


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## BillyT2002 (Oct 19, 2002)

I'm really just counting the days before I can leave DirecTV in the dust and reap the benefits of my new TIVO series 3. (Now if I could just buy one somewhere...)


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Nothing is wrong with MRV... 
I just gave up on MRV based on the current tech I have in the house, not the concept of MRV.

In fact, I am looking forward to the Home Media Center (not the Vista product, but I am looking forward to that to). I would like to have a central hub, and be able to view any of the programming anywhere in the house.

My problem is I have such a mix of hardware: Between DSR704s, R10s, HR10-250, R15s, couple of HDVRs.... I didn't have enough "tweakable" ones to make it worth my wild.

There is nothing wrong with "MRV", I personaly just gave up on it in my home, and opted to strategically place recordings all over the home...


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

Count me in as one that could care less about MRV, because I already had it BEFORE I ever had a D-Tivo & I didn't have to touch the boxes to do it. I have ALL of my DVR's in my basement media room & ALL of them modulate out to ALL of my TV's on their own assigned channel number, on top of my analog basic cable. (I even get stereo sound, since I am using stereo mods) I then use the repeater cones to send the remote commands back down to the DVR(s) - just like sitting in front of it. Of course, you can do this with ANY brand of DVR - I also have an E* & Replay as well & do it with them, too.

Anyone can do this & you DON'T have to be a computer geek to accomplish this, unlike having to hack the D-Tivo's...


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## Jerry_K (Feb 7, 2002)

That's nice Rich. Optical cables for Dolby Digital or Coax?


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## SeattleCarl (Nov 11, 2005)

Similar, but I have 3 dvr's set up, each at a different tv location and connected to the local tv with composite connections, but also fed to uhf modulators so I can watch any of them from any room in the house, and have two leapfrog ir remotes for the two main viewing areas. For the most part, the modulated uhf feed is a perfectly acceptable quality picture. Yes, if I toggle back and forth I can see a difference between uhf and composite, but for the most part the modulated uhf is perfectly acceptable.

Carl


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

Jerry_K said:


> That's nice Rich. Optical cables for Dolby Digital or Coax?


Well, since the D-Tivo's only have optical outs... 



SeattleCarl said:


> For the most part, the modulated uhf feed is a perfectly acceptable quality picture. Yes, if I toggle back and forth I can see a difference between uhf and composite, but for the most part the modulated uhf is perfectly acceptable.


I guess I should add, at my primary TV location, which is my home theater room in the basement, ALL DVR's are connected to my TV via S-video through a switcher. While the signals on the other sets will never look as good as this, they are pretty damm good - but considering I'm using $500 ChannelPlus mods, they SHOULD be!


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

dishrich said:


> Count me in as one that could care less about MRV, because I already had it BEFORE I ever had a D-Tivo & I didn't have to touch the boxes to do it. I have ALL of my DVR's in my basement media room & ALL of them modulate out to ALL of my TV's on their own assigned channel number, on top of my analog basic cable. (I even get stereo sound, since I am using stereo mods) I then use the repeater cones to send the remote commands back down to the DVR(s) - just like sitting in front of it. Of course, you can do this with ANY brand of DVR - I also have an E* & Replay as well & do it with them, too.
> 
> Anyone can do this & you DON'T have to be a computer geek to accomplish this, unlike having to hack the D-Tivo's...


I agree, if your background is not technical, then hacking a TiVo could be scary.

But in my case, I have been in IT for over 33 years, so hacking a TiVo is actually relaxing and fun. You likely paid more for your modulator or modulators than I paid for all of my DirecTiVos. And since my house was already wired for CAT5, and I already had two routers, five switches, and 8 computers runing 24/7, it was simple to add them to the network. In addition, I use one as a Home Media Server, which doesn't cost me anything per month, and I use the TiVoWebPlus to do scheduling and other management functions, beyond the capability of the TiVo interface.

I also download content for long-term storage and remote viewing, and I can upload secondary content for easy viewing.

I do have to agree that the use of a modulator with good remote control capabilities over coax is interesting and is a great option for people who don't have the technical skills to use the hacks or don't have a location (wiring) that would allow them to setup a network.


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

ebonovic said:


> Nothing is wrong with MRV...
> I just gave up on MRV based on the current tech I have in the house, not the concept of MRV.
> 
> In fact, I am looking forward to the Home Media Center (not the Vista product, but I am looking forward to that to). I would like to have a central hub, and be able to view any of the programming anywhere in the house.
> ...


Earl,

I agree, you have far too much dissimilar equipment to make using MRV meaningful, although you could hack the DSR704, the two HDVR2s, and likely the HR10-250 after it has version 6.3, so you could have 4 units that could do MRV.

Of course the R10 and R15, and your H20 (I know you have this from other posts) would not be capable. BTW, how do you use 6 DVRs and one STB, if you are not using some of them as HOME MEDIA SERVERS, using MRV? Are you using COAX based modulators, or do you have seven Televisions? 

If you don't have seven televisions, then are some of the units unused? I would surely put the R10 and R15 on the shelve!


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

Redux said:


> MRV = Tivo. MRV = BAD!
> 
> DVR _without_ MRV = DirecTV. DVR without MRV = GOOOOOD!


I'll bite, why?

Why would _MRV = BAD!_ or _DVR with MRV = GOOOOOD!_?


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

tbeckner said:


> Earl,
> 
> I agree, you have far too much dissimilar equipment to make using MRV meaningful, although you could hack the DSR704, the two HDVR2s, and likely the HR10-250 after it has version 6.3, so you could have 4 units that could do MRV.
> 
> ...


The two HDVR2's are turned off (They where replaced by the two R15s)

The main TV has three units:
-) DSR704 - (upped to a 160gb)
-) HR10-250 (stock)
-) H20
The H20 is basically overflow when all 4 tuners are recording something, or will be recording something. And I use it to power my out door audio during parties.

The basement has an R10
The "guest" room next to my office has one of the R15s
The master bedroom has the other R15
The office has the Samsung FlipTop (D10 with attached LCD Screen)
The other DSR704 is connect to my Son's TV.

In the end game... VERY MUCH SO, I want MRV and a central server model.
But I have just adjusted over time. I had them "tweaked" for MRV, but then I started to move equipment around (this was back when we had to have 4.0 on them)... then 6.2 was announced, and I had some R10s...

And I keep getting new "toys" to play with...
With the HR20 on the near horizon... I am looking at another "shuffling" in the very near future..


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

ebonovic said:


> The office has the Samsung FlipTop (D10 with attached LCD Screen).


Earl,

Did you notice that nobody commented on the TRUE TOY that you have, the Samsung DirecTV Receiver with an integrated 10.2 inch LCD screen, which by the way was just officially announced by Samsung yesterday or today.

I guess there are benefits of getting in "GOOD" with DirecTV, because the only way you could have one of these $500 toys so early, is that you have a DirecTV connection, which means you likely already have a HR20-700, but you are under NDA with the HR20.



_Samsung Electronics has just launched a new product that promises to revolutionize the home multimedia entertainment for the entire home with its FlipTop design, featuring an integrated 10.2-inch LCD screen.

This latest addition to the Samsung's award-winning series of LCD display panels is, in fact, a DIRECTV receiver that features a swivel design with a backlit control panel, enabling the unit to be mounted under a cabinet or on a table-top with the TV image and control panel icons always illuminated right side up.

"Samsung is once again at the forefront of a rapidly-evolving market," said Frank Romeo, vice president of marketing, Digital Set Top Box Products.
"DIRECTV's 15 million subscribers and new customers are seeking compact, versatile flat panel displays as additional sets for rooms outside the traditional home theater space. The FlipTop combines Samsung's tradition of design innovation and technical leadership to offer an advanced all-in-one entertainment solution for any room in the home."

The Samsung DIRECTV FlipTop comes with a bright LCD screen and a 16:9, aspect ratio. "The FlipTop allows consumers to bring DirecTV programming and XM Satellite radio anywhere in their home," said Richard Long, senior product marketing manager Digital Set Top Box Products, Samsung Electronics America.

Furthermore, the subscribers can easily benefit from over 250 available channels of DIRECTV programming with digital picture quality and sound, as well as up to 72 channels of music, news, sports and entertainment through XM Satellite Radio.

The FlipTop its space-saving 10.2-inch profile, built-in DIRECTV receiver and 10 watts of stereo audio.

The 10" FlipTop is currently available for a suggested retail price of $499._


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Here is the link to the review....
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=59112

As for the HR20-700.... 
As of this moment, no I don't have one...


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