# Tivo and DirecTV: What are my options in 2006?



## mikela (May 4, 2006)

I am writing with what may be an easy question to answer, but I am not current on my Tivo knowledge. Please forgive the ignorance in which I've been blissfully living for the past couple years. Any assistance would be appreciated!

A few years ago, I got Tivo and DirecTV for the first time. I got one Sony SAT-T60 DIRECTV Satellite receiver (35 hour TiVo) for the living room, plus I got non-Tivo Hughes receivers for the other rooms. My wife and I fell in love with Tivo. We love it. But we never upgraded or anything. Aside from having not enough storage capacity, we loved our Sony T60 and thought it worked seamlessly with DirecTV.

Fast-forward to today. My wife says she wants one and only one thing for her birthday: Tivo in the bedroom, to go along with the Tivo in the living room. So I call DirecTV and ask. They are sly. They do not immediately tell me that what they are selling me their own dvr, not Tivo, but I ask them directly and finally they admit it. But they also tell me their dvr works just like Tivo.

They install it. 

Two weeks later, my wife and I are so disappointed in the product. It basically has many of the same functions as Tivo, but it is so user-unfriendly. We hate it. 

So what are our options? We really think the way to go is a unified Tivo/satellite receiver, but it seems that no one makes them anymore (we assume because DirecTV is the 800-pound gorilla that caused this). We understand that DirecTV still supports old Tivo machines, like our living room one, but that we are not permitted to hook up a new one.

Should I ditch DirecTV? Should I buy a used DirecTV/Tivo machine and try to get DirecTV to provide service (somehow I doubt that would work)? Please point me in the right direction.

MikeLA


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## Stanley Rohner (Jan 18, 2004)

Where I live you can walk right into BESTBUY and buy a brand new Directv/HD/TiVo recorded for $499. They had some in the store last night. I think it said something about a $100 rebate of some kind.

Why do you think you are not permitted to hook up a new one ?


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

You can get a DirecTV TiVo but you have to ask for it specifically, or get it from a reseller, or buy a used one. Note that if you obtain one from DirecTV you are leasing, not buying. From a reseller it can go either way.


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## dtremain (Jan 5, 2004)

mikela said:


> but that we are not permitted to hook up a new one.


This is inaccurate. While Directv is only shipping their own units, if you obtain a Directivo unit, they will activiate it for you. In fact they have recently signed a re-newal contract with TiVo that has them doing so for years into the future.

Assuming you don't want HD (you can get them easiliy from Directv or resellers) your best bet might be E-Bay at this point. Avoid problematic issues by making sure that it is new (meaning unused and unopened). Once you get one you should have no trouble having Directv activate it for you. And, by the way, it will add nothing to your monthly bill since you are replacing an existing receiver with it.

Enjoy.


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## mikela (May 4, 2006)

Stanley Rohner said:


> Where I live you can walk right into BESTBUY and buy a brand new Directv/HD/TiVo recorded for $499. They had some in the store last night. I think it said something about a $100 rebate of some kind.
> 
> Why do you think you are not permitted to hook up a new one ?


Thanks for the quick reply. I don't know why I tyhink I cannot hook a new one up. I suppose it is because I heard DirecTV is phasing Tivo service out.

I do not have HD now. Are you suggesting that one solution is to switch to HD, where--for whatever reason--DirecTV still allows its receivers to be paired up with Tivo dvrs? I suppose this is a thought. I might be willing to do this even though it is more expensive.


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## mikela (May 4, 2006)

dtremain said:


> Assuming you don't want HD (you can get them easiliy from Directv or resellers) your best bet might be E-Bay at this point. Avoid problematic issues by making sure that it is new (meaning unused and unopened). Once you get one you should have no trouble having Directv activate it for you. And, by the way, it will add nothing to your monthly bill since you are replacing an existing receiver with it.
> 
> Enjoy.


Thank you so much!! I assume that "new" models are ones that are still boxed but are no longer being actively manufactured. Any suggestions on which model I should look for?


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## csweeny (Jun 9, 2004)

Stick with Series 2 DirecTivo's. If you want to hack one in the future go with a model other then the R-10, otherwise they are all pretty much the same on the inside.

Also, there is also a HD Series 2 DirecTivo but it more expensive (see the forum below this one for more info.)


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## JFriday (Mar 20, 2002)

Just call DirecTV up and tell them that you are not satisfied with their DVR. They still send out DTivo's I got a replacement last month. Maybe they will swap your DVR for a DTivo.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

mikela said:


> Are you suggesting that one solution is to switch to HD, where--for whatever reason--DirecTV still allows its receivers to be paired up with Tivo dvrs?


The reason is that they don't have a replacement ready.


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## Billy Bob Boy (Jul 25, 2004)

JFriday said:


> Just call DirecTV up and tell them that you are not satisfied with their DVR. They still send out DTivo's I got a replacement last month. Maybe they will swap your DVR for a DTivo.


I love this response   :up: ! The more folks that keep sending the 15 back the better chance D* will scrap it and consider going back with tivo. SEND EM BACK!! SEND EM BACK!! Cmon everyone chant along with BBB!


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

mikela said:


> Fast-forward to today. My wife says she wants one and only one thing for her birthday: Tivo in the bedroom, to go along with the Tivo in the living room. So I call DirecTV and ask. They are sly. They do not immediately tell me that what they are selling me their own dvr, not Tivo, but I ask them directly and finally they admit it. But they also tell me their dvr works just like Tivo.


Call DirecTV - the rep misrepresented the DTV box. As you've found, it doesn't "work just like Tivo".

Have them arrange to ship you a DirecTivo and return the R15 at their expense.
If they don't, you have grounds to cancel the contract commitment (misrepresentation).


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## ayrton911 (Sep 4, 2000)

Billy Bob Boy said:


> I love this response   :up: ! The more folks that keep sending the 15 back the better chance D* will scrap it and consider going back with tivo. SEND EM BACK!! SEND EM BACK!! Cmon everyone chant along with BBB!


I should order a R15 just to return it cause its not a TiVo. 

Seriously though, I feel like everyone else. TiVo just works so perfect. What a shame it had to be messed with. You don't have to worry about anything with the TiVo. I have an echostar DVR HD too and of course it works fine technically, but you still have to manage it. I don't know if anyone will match TiVo.


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## Yog-Sothoth (Jun 14, 2005)

This is another option you can use. I can personally vouch for their excellent customer service.


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## dtremain (Jan 5, 2004)

mikela said:


> Thank you so much!! I assume that "new" models are ones that are still boxed but are no longer being actively manufactured. Any suggestions on which model I should look for?


Yes, I mean "unopened" by new.

As far as models, they are all the same except for disk size. You would want a Series 2 model (it would have a usb port on the back although the port doesn't do anything). The big difference there is that the Series 2's run the latest software and run faster although I understand that the Series 1's have recently gotten an upgrade.

Some people don't like the R-10. We have one in my son's room and I see no problem with it. I do understand that it is less hackable if that matters to you. it doesn't to me.

The interface on all of them is exactly the same. You should certainly look for at least 80 hour capacity. Some models only have 35 hour. That would never be enough for me. This is a function of disk size.


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## dustinb (Nov 14, 2000)

I would also suggest www.ptvupgrade.com. I belive they have a line on refurbished directivos that even come with a 90 day warrenty.


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## TomV (Jul 15, 2004)

I just got off the phone with them. Said "no more TiVo" units, DirecTV branded only. I said "you sure, because I will cancel otherwise". Not avaliable! Any suggestions, 1 day into 30 day return/sign up period ?


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## HiDefGator (Oct 12, 2004)

I guess the old warehouse inventory finally ran out. Had to happen sooner or later.


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## Chibbie (Jan 16, 2006)

If you have DirecTV, definitely get the R10 DirectTivo. No IR Blaster to worry about and dual-tuners is a big :up: :up: :up: 

If you look at the top of this page there is probably a banner for WeaKnees where you can buy a brand new R10 (if you don't trust going the eBay route). Stock 70 hours models are $200, or you can order them already upgraded with more space.


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## TomV (Jul 15, 2004)

Got an R10 at Wally World for $100. Solved my problems.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

Is there any hardware problem that would make it so DirecTV couldn't send out a software update to turn R15s into TiVos?


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

The TiVo software is written for a particular hardware platform. I suppose it's theoretically possible that TiVo could port their code to whatever configuration the R15 uses, but I doubt DirecTV would see any benefit in doing so.


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