# According to DTV no 6.x Upgrade is coming.



## scott blair (Apr 14, 2003)

I just went several rounds with both the DVR group and the Rentention group at DirecTV.

They all flatly told me there will be NO software upgrade coming for the HR10-250 as they have instead decided to only support the HR20.

Needless to say this has me quite pissed off. They have constantly claimed "it was coming" and "in the works" now today they say that no information exists at all talking about it. When you push the issue, all 3 people I talked with went to research it and came back with "there wasn't going to be one because of the HR20 coming out."

Of course they also claim that I'm the first one that has brought the issue up to them. I'd say it's time everyone starts letting DTV know how they feel about this!


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## markb (Jul 24, 2002)

Some CSRs says it happening, some say it's not. Some say the world is flat. This is not useful information.


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## tbb1226 (Sep 16, 2004)

scott blair said:


> I just went several rounds with both the DVR group and the Rentention group at DirecTV.
> 
> They all flatly told me there will be NO software upgrade coming for the HR10-250 as they have instead decided to only support the HR20.
> 
> ...


Have you been paying attention at all?!?!?!

First off, DirecTV has never officially acknowleded or claimed any update was in the works, so your accusations and anger are unfounded.

Second, as markb has already stated, there is absolutely no reason to expect that any telephone representative will have the right information about a future software, hardware, or programming question. DirecTV simply does not give out specific information about future updates. Ever.


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## scott blair (Apr 14, 2003)

Of course you always get differing stories.

In the past the story has always been consistent of "it's in the works...we don't know when" I've always gotten some variation of that from whoever I've talked to.

When they go check the "system" there was always info that listed the 6.x software was "coming"

When I called in today and talked with 3 people across different departments they all said "there was nothing even listed about a software release coming" When they go to research it they all came back and said "there would be NO software release as they are releasing the HR20 instead now."

You can call me a troll if you want. I'm just saying that I want the 6.x software as much as anyone else but there has been a dramatic change in both what their system has concerning the release and what they are telling people for why there is no release.

Frankly it's not hard to believe that they would have made the choice not to release it as they want everyone to move to the HR20 anyway.


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## scott blair (Apr 14, 2003)

tbb1226 said:


> Have you been paying attention at all?!?!?!
> 
> First off, DirecTV has never officially acknowleded or claimed any update was in the works, so your accusations and anger are unfounded.
> 
> Second, as markb has already stated, there is absolutely no reason to expect that any telephone representative will have the right information about a future software, hardware, or programming question. DirecTV simply does not give out specific information about future updates. Ever.


I beg to differ. In the past the CSR's would at least acknowledge it was in the works, but always stuck with the line of "we have no specific timeline information"


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## hybucket (Nov 26, 2004)

I go along with what was said by Scott.
I had to call CS tonight with a reboot problem, and the rep, who "seemed" to be as knowledgeable as can be expected, said no update, and the H20 is now being "tested" in the LA market.


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## mr.unnatural (Feb 2, 2006)

> I beg to differ. In the past the CSR's would at least acknowledge it was in the works, but always stuck with the line of "we have no specific timeline information"


That would occur only if you actually got hold of a CSR that was aware of any updates coming down the pike. Most CSRs are off in their own alternate universe and have no clue what DTV has in the works. The fact is, most of them don't know s**t about what the various DTV departments are planning unless they have a memo sitting in front of them, and that's only if they actually bother to read it! Heck, most CSRs are clueless about things that have been going on for months with DTV, if not longer. I'll bet most of them are still trying to figure out the new leasing arrangement.


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## ayrton911 (Sep 4, 2000)

CSR is the last person to believe regarding DirecTV issues.


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## tbb1226 (Sep 16, 2004)

scott blair said:


> I beg to differ. In the past the CSR's would at least acknowledge it was in the works, but always stuck with the line of "we have no specific timeline information"


There are numerous examples of phone representatives "going rogue" and making stuff up instead of admitting they don't know the answer to some obscure question from a customer that's "too smart" for them.

Bottom line is, you should not rely on their phone reps to give you accurate information about any future update or programming change. They are notoriously unreliable sources of information.


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## markb (Jul 24, 2002)

scott blair said:


> In the past the story has always been consistent of "it's in the works...we don't know when" I've always gotten some variation of that from whoever I've talked to.


Going by the posts on this board, they have been remarkably inconsistent, actually. There have been plenty of report of CSRs saying that no upgrade was planned, as well as many opposing examples.



> You can call me a troll if you want.


No one's calling you a troll. I just think you are getting worked up over nothing.


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## bdraw (Aug 1, 2004)

tbb1226 said:


> Have you been paying attention at all?!?!?!
> 
> First off, DirecTV has never officially acknowleded or claimed any update was in the works, so your accusations and anger are unfounded.


They used to have a site dedicated to the update, not sure why they took it down, but it was here.

http://directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P3200006


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## T1V0 (Jun 14, 2006)

6.3 is coming. There wouldnt be any good reason for it not too. Wasting time calling DTV, posting here in rants about what they told you, isn't going to make it any quicker. How many CSRs were telling people about the latest Series 1 update before it was released? DTV doesn't tell their CSRs these things early on because adding additional features to popular consumer electronics can in some ways be viewed as proprietary information, that they do not want people posting here about until its already publicly available.


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## Stanley Rohner (Jan 18, 2004)

_I'd say it's time everyone starts letting DTV know how they feel about this!_

I'm sure the customer service reps. don't really give a rip if you call in and let them know how you feel about this.


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## kcmurphy88 (Jul 5, 2003)

tbb1226 said:


> Have you been paying attention at all?!?!?!
> 
> First off, DirecTV has never officially acknowleded or claimed any update was in the works, so your accusations and anger are unfounded.
> 
> Second, as markb has already stated, there is absolutely no reason to expect that any telephone representative will have the right information about a future software, hardware, or programming question. DirecTV simply does not give out specific information about future updates. Ever.


That's a fact. I just got a new 1080p TV with HDMI inputs, plugged my HR10-250 HDMI in (for the first time ever) and _nothing_. The old dead-HDMI card problem which was thoroughly hashed out long ago. I never knew mine was affected until just last week.

Called up D* and asked for an exchange under the protection plan. The guy told me that *"this is a software issue and will be fixed in the next release."* Let's all stop and count the lies in that.

His supervisor noted that I've been a customer for over a decade and sent on the new unit (fedex overnight), and apologized for the customer service agent "not knowing what he was talking about."

New box works fine on HDMI, for course.


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## unclejon (Feb 5, 2003)

T1V0 said:


> 6.3 is coming. There wouldnt be any good reason for it not too.


You mean other than the fact that D* has a vested interest in getting customers to move to MPEG-4 boxes? I'm not saying 6.3 won't come out (although I have evidence to believe it won't), but the company does have a "good" reason not to give us HR10 users anything more.


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## mr.unnatural (Feb 2, 2006)

There was also no reason for them to give us an update for the series 1 DTivos but they did anyway.


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## Lee L (Oct 1, 2003)

Well, CSR's are nothing you can rely on, but many people have gotten emails back from D* at least saying that an upgrade is in the works but with no definite time for release. Still basically a CSR, but it is in writing. Certainly, D* has the capability to have told everyone in teh organization to not say anything about the HR10-250 but has not chosen to do that. Of course, they have not chosen to release an update for it either so far.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

tbb1226 said:


> First off, DirecTV has never officially acknowleded or claimed any update was in the works, so your accusations and anger are unfounded.
> 
> Second, as markb has already stated, there is absolutely no reason to expect that any telephone representative will have the right information about a future software, hardware, or programming question. DirecTV simply does not give out specific information about future updates. Ever.


Right. DirecTV never gave any indication that version 3.5 was coming for Series 1 SD TiVos. Yet, one day there it was. So if they can update series 1 units while rolling out R15's they can certainly update HR10's while sending out HR20's.


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## whsbuss (Dec 16, 2002)

I have followed the 6.3 upgrade threads far too long now. If it comes, fine. Its time to get ready for the NFL season...... football looks so good in HD!


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## harley3k (Jul 19, 2006)

bdraw said:


> They used to have a site dedicated to the update, not sure why they took it down, but it was here.
> 
> http://directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P3200006


Yep, they took the page down, BUT if you look at the TITLE of the page, it still says 6.3 UPGRADE right there in the title... That's live information on their site - not official mind you, but it's there nonetheless.

So if you want to get your hopes up - there is hope.

Personally I don't care any more... The Series 3 is on its way - showed up in Best Buy computers with a sep-17th date today and a an MSRP of $799. FIOS-TV is in my area and supports cable cards, so I'm done waiting for 6.3...even removed the phone cable running across the hall.

Of course, now getting my hopes up over the *unofficial* information of the Best Buy inventory system is about as useful as it was to do so over the *unofficial* directv.com announcement of 6.3, but at least I know S3 is a real product that WILL be released at some point.

I agree that D* has no interest in giving 6.3 since they're focused on the HR20...unless they were required to do so as part of their renewed TIVO Support Contract, but that makes little sense that TIVO would require anything that involved work to be done by them - they just wanted a little more money out of D* since they successfully sued Dish and had leverage over them.

-h


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## thedeak08 (Jul 21, 2006)

> I agree that D* has no interest in giving 6.3 since they're focused on the HR20...unless they were required to do so as part of their renewed TIVO Support Contract, but that makes little sense that TIVO would require anything that involved work to be done by them - they just wanted a little more money out of D* since they successfully sued Dish and had leverage over them.


I would think they have interest, after all aren't they always bragging about their customer service awards? If enough people out there have the HR10, then they will eventually get it out


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## georgemoe (Nov 7, 2001)

JimSpence said:


> Right. DirecTV never gave any indication that version 3.5 was coming for Series 1 SD TiVos. Yet, one day there it was. So if they can update series 1 units while rolling out R15's they can certainly update HR10's while sending out HR20's.


Jim what is this 3.5 update for the S1 SA? I have one but don't recall the update. What's in the update? Folders? Thanks!


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## ampm99 (Feb 17, 2003)

harley3k said:


> The Series 3 is on its way - showed up in Best Buy computers with a sep-17th date today and a an MSRP of $799. "
> -h


What site says this? Must have been a rumor on a rumor based on supposition. This is another Urban legend.


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

scott blair said:


> I just went several rounds with both the DVR group and the Rentention group at DirecTV.
> 
> They all flatly told me there will be NO software upgrade coming for the HR10-250 as they have instead decided to only support the HR20.
> 
> ...


See http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4296714&&#post4296714


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

georgemoe said:


> Jim what is this 3.5 update for the S1 SA? I have one but don't recall the update. What's in the update? Folders? Thanks!


No folders , but the guide seems to be a bit quicker. That's the only thing that was noticable. When you go to the guide instead of it waiting to fill in you can see a few "Not Available" entries until it fills it in. This way you get the earliest descriptions quickly. Changing SPs may also be quicker, but I didn't notice much of a change.


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## georgemoe (Nov 7, 2001)

Thanks for the clarification Jim.


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## cstelter (Mar 18, 2002)

JimSpence said:


> No folders , but the guide seems to be a bit quicker. That's the only thing that was noticable. When you go to the guide instead of it waiting to fill in you can see a few "Not Available" entries until it fills it in. This way you get the earliest descriptions quickly. Changing SPs may also be quicker, but I didn't notice much of a change.


I _really_ appreciated the update. I still use a GXEB0T (200+ hr) as the main tivo for the living room where the kids watch TV. Bringing up now-playing had become glacial and forget about deleting a sequence of shows-- it could take a half hour just to delete 20 items from the Now playing. Even simply trying to page up and down in the Now Playing list would go fast for a while and then pause for a while before continuing on.

Since the update, now playing pops up quick every time, you can resort easily and page around with no problems. I can delete 20 shows in about 5 minutes.

For me it seemed like a big deal.

I don't think I ever use the guide on that unit so I didn't notice anything there.


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## jkast (Apr 1, 2005)

Well, when Earl B decided to sell his hr10-250 and foresake Tivo, you can tell that his DirecTV contacts had told him they were scuttling the software upgrade after he had made such emphatic statements about it finally coming. I'm sure they told him at one time it was a certain thing. Earl seems an honest guy.

I'm fairly sure DirecTV will want to move us to their inferrior DVR product as soon as possible and with as little resistance as possible. Making the hr10-250 an even better device does not support that goal.

Now if the agreement between Tivo and DirecTV allows, it might be smart for Tivo to come out with an upgrade kit. If they can and do, I will certainly get it. I've come to love the way Tivo works in the past couple years! The reviews on the HR20 seem to point to a device that has the advantage of newer technology that comes up short on usability and features.

To make it worse, the relatively small storage space and attempt (intent, I think) to control access by turning off the ATSC tuners are signs that I may soon be leaving DirecTV after 11 years as a customer. 

Pointing to the eSata ports on the back of the HR20 and saying "It will be great when....." is exactly like pointing to the USB ports on the HR10, except with the HR10 there was an option to use them if you wanted to Hack the device. Absolutely no hope of that on the HR20.


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

> I'm fairly sure DirecTV will want to move us to their inferrior DVR product as soon as possible and with as little resistance as possible. Making the hr10-250 an even better device does not support that goal.


As you suggest, DirecTV wants customers to replace their HR10 with the H20 and improving the functionality and usability of the HR10 is in direct conflict with that goal.

If the HR10 had the improved performance and usability enhancements (folders, etc) offered by the 6.x software update, customers would be much less inclined to upgrade to the H20, and perhaps more inclined to seek an alternative Tivo solution from cable (be it the Series3 or forthcoming Comcast Tivo).


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## badmonkey (Apr 8, 2003)

You do realize that Earl is still saying that the upgrade is coming, right? He's just not posting here much because a select few people have decided to attack him personally. I can't really blame him... I wouldn't want to be chastised for providing information. Especially considering he cannot reveal his sources.

I'll believe the update is coming until Earl tells us otherwise.

BTW... Earls stated reason for selling his HR10 is due to the performance of his HR20. His belief is that the HR20 is good enough to replace the HR10. While this may be sacrilege to TiVo devotees, his objective opinion is very valuable.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

jkast said:


> Well, when Earl B decided to sell his hr10-250 and foresake Tivo, you can tell that his DirecTV contacts had told him they were scuttling the software upgrade after he had made such emphatic statements about it finally coming. I'm sure they told him at one time it was a certain thing. Earl seems an honest guy.
> 
> I'm fairly sure DirecTV will want to move us to their inferrior DVR product as soon as possible and with as little resistance as possible. Making the hr10-250 an even better device does not support that goal.
> 
> ...


My decision to sell my HR10-250 (which is still for sale... guess no one wants it)..
Has ZERO to do with the 6.3 release (which is comming). I am selling it for a bunch of reasons:
1) It still has some value (yet, no one wants it though  )
2) When my NY DNS is shut off, I can't get CBS in HD, as the VHF-3 signals simply can't be picked up by my HR10-250 unless I unplugg my son's computer
3) I am trying to standardize my GUI experience for my family 
4) It is 2+ years old now... and I just itch to replace after that long...

There is no "attempt" to control with the disabling of the OTA tuners. They software simply was ready to go out for those features. Plain and simple.

They have serious intentions to use the eSATA ports. As the primary point of expansion of recording space. a 300gb SATA drive is 50hrs of MPEG-4 not bad, but given the current options for hard drives today... there is 500gb SATA and 750gb SATA... which would have simply just raise the price of the units.

There is 3 major "feature" differences with the HR20.... The dual tuners (which there is now talk they are considering adding to the HR20), Wishlists, Suggestions. Excluding OTA (which is tenatively scheduled for October), everything you can do with a TiVo powered unit, you can do with DirecTV +DVR.

(You could add some more "differences" to that list... get more detail about a program, ect... but I am talking about core functionalities here)

I have made no secret... If you are used to the TiVo interface... It is going to take a good amount of time to get use to the new interface. Overall the number of button presses to do certain functions are on average the same.

They are "actively" replacing all MPEG-2 HD receivers. That is their intent. They want to eliminate the MPEG-2 HD Feed. If they wanted to get rid of the HR10, they wouldn't have just had a "blowout" sale. The HR10 stopped production, what a year ago or so?

What benefit does it have for them to forceable eliminate the DTivo series?
The $3 or so they get of the DVR fee on those systems. It will take 2-3 years to recoop the cost of the hardware they would have to give you for free

Ahh well.......


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## harley3k (Jul 19, 2006)

ebonovic said:


> They have serious intentions to use the eSATA ports. As the primary point of expansion of recording space. a 300gb SATA drive is 50hrs of MPEG-4 not bad, but given the current options for hard drives today... there is 500gb SATA and 750gb SATA... which would have simply just raise the price of the units.


I wonder how this will work. There is obviously a profit to be made in upgrading recording space - just look at all the users here who have upgraded the hard drives in 1 or more of their Tivos. I wonder if D* will require you to buy the external drive from them, by putting some code on it that can't legally be copied onto a generic drive.... or if they'll just add a fee to your sub...

I can't imagine them just letting you plug in an off the shelf eSATA drive to upgrade your storage that easily...not if there is money to be made. Even if hacking is possible, a certain percentage of people would just purchase the D* approved solution anyway.

-h


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

harley3k said:


> I can't imagine them just letting you plug in an off the shelf eSATA drive to upgrade your storage that easily...not if there is money to be made. Even if hacking is possible, a certain percentage of people would just purchase the D* approved solution anyway.


I can't imagine D* really wants to get into the drive add-on business. There are no margins on hard drives, and even if they mark them up, it's doubtful it'd be worth the support nightmares.

Think of this as more of a point of competition. They'll boast that no other provider allows simple upgrades.


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## ikishk (Apr 27, 2003)

probably something subscription based, $5-10/mo to activate the sATA functionality. $5-10/mo to activate usb, $5-10/mo for ethernet, etc. nickle and dime, gotta love it.


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## bidger (Mar 30, 2001)

Lesson learned by this thread: take what a D*, or any, CSR says with a grain of salt.

In Earl I trust.


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