# Just upgraded our DirecTV to HD...I miss my TiVo!



## dinamande (Jan 20, 2004)

We had DirecTV with Tivo.
We just bought 2 new HD TVs and upgraded our DirecTV to HD.
I was shocked to see the new HD DVRs were not the TiVo interface.
I hate it. It doesn't work well and don't even get me started on the terrible remote layout. I'm so upset.

I've called TiVo and they said their HD DVR will only work with cable. My husband will NOT switch to Charter Cable (we're in Los Angeles.)

Are we just out of luck for good? I miss TiVo so much. We've just spent a fortune trying to get on the HD train and I'm so disappointed.
Has anyone "hacked" their Tivo to receive HD? Is that even possible.
Help!


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## Finnstang (Sep 11, 2003)

You need to buy the HR10-250. It is the original DIRECTV HD DVR with TiVo. DIRECTV has since moved to their own brand of DVR, but the HR10-250 can be found at some stores and on eBay. I believe that even some members here are selling there old HR10s.

And, no it is impossible to have a regular TiVo receive HD.


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## rlj5242 (Dec 20, 2000)

dinamande said:


> I was shocked to see the new HD DVRs were not the TiVo interface.


 You joined in 2004 and this is you 2nd post. Visit a little more often and we will keep you updated on the latest news.



dinamande said:


> I've called TiVo and they said their HD DVR will only work with cable.


 See previous answer.



dinamande said:


> Are we just out of luck for good?


 Get the HR10-250. It will still record HD via satellite for a little while longer and HD via antenna for years to come.



dinamande said:


> Has anyone "hacked" their Tivo to receive HD? Is that even possible.


 Yes, DirecTV did and sold it as the HR10-250.

-Robert


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## kbohip (Dec 30, 2003)

You're only options for HD and Tivo now are to switch to cable and buy an S3 at $800 or find a used HR10-250 with Tivo and keep it as long as it'll work with Directv.


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## HiDefGator (Oct 12, 2004)

If you're in LA then you might want to keep the HR20's and not get the HR10-250's. Your HD locals will eventually require the HR20's.


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## sgndave (Jan 16, 2002)

If you can get the LA local channels via OTA, then the HR10 will work great for you. That's the setup I have in Orange County, and I get perfect reception on all the digital LA channels, both HD and SD. They are better quality than the locals from DirecTV.


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## Gweeto (Jul 28, 2006)

But do you really think a 200 to 300 dollar investment on purchasing a HR10-250 from Ebay is worth it considering that in maybe less than a year you will be required to use the HR20 for HD content and only be able to get OTA HD with HR10-250?


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## AstroDad (Jan 21, 2003)

HiDefGator said:


> If you're in LA then you might want to keep the HR20's and not get the HR10-250's. Your HD locals will eventually require the HR20's.


Not if he can get them OTA


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## AstroDad (Jan 21, 2003)

Gweeto said:


> But do you really think a 200 to 300 dollar investment on purchasing a HR10-250 from Ebay is worth it considering that in maybe less than a year you will be required to use the HR20 for HD content and only be able to get OTA HD with HR10-250?


I have a hard time imagining DirecTV NOT swapping the HR10 out for the HR20 once the HR10 is no longer usable for DirecTV's HD channels


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## oosik77 (Nov 22, 1999)

AstroDad said:


> I have a hard time imagining DirecTV NOT swapping the HR10 out for the HR20 once the HR10 is no longer usable for DirecTV's HD channels


The day my HR10 will not do what I want I'm getting 2 S3's. DirecTv lost me as a life long consumer when they abandoned the Tivo software.


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## Flogduh (Feb 1, 2001)

rlj5242 said:


> You joined in 2004 and this is you 2nd post. Visit a little more often and we will keep you updated on the latest news.
> 
> -Robert


Hey Robert - Maybe she posted a lot early on in 2004 and since David archives old posts, she's lost a good deal of her post count? I know I have....

Flog


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## CraigHB (Dec 24, 2003)

I'm finally getting a real TV monitor, 37" LCD flatscreen. Been using non-HD DirecTiVo, but was thinking about moving up to HD. TiVo is what's most important to me. I do have the option of moving from satellite to cable and vice versa. I have no problem switching to cable to if I can keep my TiVo and have HD too. The only reason I switched from cable to satellite in the first place was for the TiVo. If I have to go back then so be it. DirecTV will have lost me as a customer. I guess they don't care. I think they've been going downhill steadily since that Rupert Murdoch took charge. I'm pretty mad at them for dropping TiVo at least.


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## cybrsurfer (Oct 13, 2006)

AstroDad said:


> I have a hard time imagining DirecTV NOT swapping the HR10 out for the HR20 once the HR10 is no longer usable for DirecTV's HD channels


The HR10-250 will be able to get HD programming on 101,110 & 119 MPEG2 Ku Band with no problems for years to come. It can't get the new Ka band Satellites using the new MPEG4 on Satellites 99 & 103 which are locals and certain RSNs. Keep in mind you can still use the OTA to record your locals in HD (MPEG2).


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## steve0296 (Aug 5, 2006)

As recently as a week ago, Costco in Fountain Valley had the HR10-250 for something like $266. As another poster said, you can get your locals OTA with the HR10-250 (I get them all, perfectly, in OC with a $30 antenna). I wouldn't have recommended the HR10-250 because it was so slow and awkward, but since I got the 6.3a upgrade last night, my opinion's improved


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## Fahtrim (Apr 12, 2004)

cybrsurfer said:


> The HR10-250 will be able to get HD programming on 101,110 & 119 MPEG2 Ku Band with no problems for years to come. It can't get the new Ka band Satellites using the new MPEG4 on Satellites 99 & 103 which are locals and certain RSNs. Keep in mind you can still use the OTA to record your locals in HD (MPEG2).


This is what most doomsayers keep forgetting. I have the HR10 and plan to keep it until I can't get SHOHD HBOHD & ESPNHD from DirecTV.

OTA locals are good for the forseeable future.

So.......................I'm thinking we're years (yes multiple years) away from doorstopping the HR10-250, especially since all you have to do is slap in a new drive when it starts messing up.

War TIVO!


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

cybrsurfer said:


> The HR10-250 will be able to get HD programming on 101,110 & 119 MPEG2 Ku Band with no problems for years to come. It can't get the new Ka band Satellites using the new MPEG4 on Satellites 99 & 103 which are locals and certain RSNs. Keep in mind you can still use the OTA to record your locals in HD (MPEG2).


But there won't be any MPEG2 HD programming on those satellites by the end of next year.

OTA will continue to work, as will SD (remaining in MPEG2).


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## Sir_winealot (Nov 18, 2000)

TonyD79 said:


> But there won't be any MPEG2 HD programming on those satellites by the end of next year.
> 
> OTA will continue to work, as will SD (remaining in MPEG2).


By the 'end of next year?'

Are you certain about that? I've heard it will be at least 2 more years (just read that on the other board)?


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## STL (Feb 10, 2005)

TonyD79 said:


> But there won't be any MPEG2 HD programming on those satellites by the end of next year.


Sure...


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## bonscott87 (Oct 3, 2000)

Sir_whinealot said:


> By the 'end of next year?'
> 
> Are you certain about that? I've heard it will be at least 2 more years (just read that on the other board)?


I'm sure the end of next year is probably the goal. HR20 is already selling like hotcakes. Once the ramp up production to fill the demand it will only grow. All they need to do is make sure a "critical mass" of the current HD receiver subs get an MPEG4 capable receiver. Many people are already upgrading on their own because of HD locals and more importantly HD RSN's. Once new HD nationals go up next year that will only grow faster. Moving Sunday Ticket HD superfan to MPEG4 only next year will be the final nail in the coffin and they'd be pretty safe by year's end to replace the few that haven't upgraded yet.

Anyway, I'd count on mid 2008 for sure, end of 2007 is certainly possible.


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## Budget_HT (Jan 2, 2001)

As a TiVo fan, my strategy for now is to wait until there is programming I cannot receive on my 2 HD TiVo's before I seriously consider the HR20-700. I would most likely add an HR20 and keep my 2 HR10's, since the HR10's get used for mostly OTA anyway today.

I would guess that there are many other TiVo-happy folks looking at this the same way I am.


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## bwaldron (Mar 16, 2003)

Budget_HT said:


> As a TiVo fan, my strategy for now is to wait until there is programming I cannot receive on my 2 HD TiVo's before I seriously consider the HR20-700. I would most likely add an HR20 and keep my 2 HR10's, since the HR10's get used for mostly OTA anyway today.
> 
> I would guess that there are many other TiVo-happy folks looking at this the same way I am.


I am. At the time when I'm forced to make a decision, I will look at who provides the programming and services I desire. It may be D* with their HR20, it may not. From what I've seen, their ability to provide a full-featured AND reliable DVR is still in question.


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## DLiquid (Sep 17, 2001)

If you can find an HR10-250 (or two), you may be able to get DirecTV to credit your account to offset the cost. I bought one online for $300 a month ago and DirecTV credited me $280, making my total cost $20 for the HR10. Call DirecTV's retention department.

I love the TiVo interface too and I plan to keep my two HR10s until the alternative is just too good to pass up. As of right now, the HR20 isn't even slightly tempting.


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## CraigHB (Dec 24, 2003)

As I stated in my previous post, I just got my first HD TV. Been looking into what it's going to take to have HD DVR. Looks like my options are;

1) Go with an S3 and switch to cable (I'm currently with DirecTV). This is an expensive route since the S3 costs $800 with a $15-20 per month subscription fee. Also, there's potential for cablecard issues. However, the simplicity of one cable connection to one box is attractive and I get my TiVo. To be honest, I'm not perfectly happy with satellite due to the amount of equipment involved (the dish and its bundle of 4 cables). Also, reception drops out during heavy storms or when snow/ice piles up on the dish. This is typical for satellite. My complaints about Charter are they have poor customer service and are more expensive. It's sort of a "pick your poison" situation AFAIC.

2) Switch to Charter cable and get a Moxi DVR. By using Charter's HD DVR, I eliminate the potential for cablecard issues and have all of Charter's features available like on-demand. However, I lose TiVo. I haven't read many positive comments about Charter's Moxi either. I don't use on-demand so that's not an issue (I use Netflix). This would be the cheapest solution up front, but I would have somewhat higher monthly fees than if I stayed with DirecTV.

3) Stay with DirecTV and get the HR20. This would require a new dish installation. I have to pay a $300 fee up front and there's a waiting list. Of course, I'll lose the TiVo. Though, I think the DirecTV DVR probably rates better than Charter's DVR. My monthly rate would be lower than cable as well.

4) Replace my standard DirecTiVo with an HR10-250. This is a temporary solution since the unit will be obsolete in a couple years. And, there's the issue that I'm spending a chunk of change on something I can only use for a limited time. But, I get my HD TiVo now and for a couple years to come.

All of these solutions have a downside. However, I'm leaning toward buying an HR10-250 and making a decision when I'm forced to. What do you guys think?

- Craig


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## kcmurphy88 (Jul 5, 2003)

HiDefGator said:


> If you're in LA then you might want to keep the HR20's and not get the HR10-250's. Your HD locals will eventually require the HR20's.


LA generally has great OTA reception, since the transmitters on on a tall mountain overlooking the basin. I live 30 miles away and don't need the sat feed. That being said, LA network locals are available from D* in the old format, so the HR10-250 is just fine here. It will be quite some time before this changes, as the LA stations are sent to all D* customers in the West that don't have locals on sat.

That being said, D* will have many more HD channels over the next year or two once their new satellites are up and the HR10-250 won't recieve their signals. Me, I'm planning on having both the HR20 and the HR10-250 when that happens. I'm holding out hope that by that time D* will have TiVo software availabe for their own boxes.

Weaknees.com still sells the HD10-250, but it's a bit pricey. Amazon.com and ebay often have then available, sometimes new, sometimes used.


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## kcmurphy88 (Jul 5, 2003)

CraigHB said:


> 4) Replace my standard DirecTiVo with an HR10-250. This is a temporary solution since the unit will be obsolete in a couple years. And, there's the issue that I'm spending a chunk of change on something I can only use for a limited time. But, I get my HD TiVo now and for a couple years to come.
> 
> All of these solutions have a downside. However, I'm leaning toward buying an HR10-250 and making a decision when I'm forced to. What do you guys think?


The HR10-250 will be obsolete only in the respect that there will be channels it doesn't get. It will sitll get OTA and some D*. No law says you cannot have both.


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## CraigHB (Dec 24, 2003)

kcmurphy88 said:


> The HR10-250 will be obsolete only in the respect that there will be channels it doesn't get. It will sitll get OTA and some D*. No law says you cannot have both.


True, but I really want to avoid the rat's nest of multiple boxes. Like I said previously, the main reason I switched to D* several years ago was because they offered the simplicity of integrated TiVo. What a mess that would be with two boxes, two remotes, 4 cables, plus an external antenna. If I'm not mistaken, cable provides the same OTA stations without need of an external antenna. They provide the one box, one cable solution I'm looking for, but no TiVo unless I go with the pricey S3.


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