# Oh no, what have I done...



## Sam_Sushiro (Mar 28, 2005)

I'm a simple guy.

I have had TiVo for many years. I bought the first Sony when they came out a billion years ago and had it before all my friends and paid way too much for it. I preached the TiVo gospel during my time employed for DirecTV and stayed loyal even after parting ways.

The old Sony TiVo had begun to show its age. Most of the poor buttons had worn off and I had to use it by memory. Not a problem for me but try to explain to any houseguests why I am so cheap not to replace it. The menus seemed to get extremely slow unless I hard booted the box about every other month or so. I was still a happy guy; happy with my TiVo (with no folders) and only 35 hours storage. I love to relax watching TiVo. I'm such a geek with season passes to Jeopardy (and re-runs) and just about anything on Discovery Channel. Add to this all the trendy stuff that you have to watch for the Water Cooler discussions (American Idol, Survivor..etc) Sopranos, Battlestar Galactica, and every episode of the Simpsons and Seinfeld ever and I had a full set of season passes.

My father in law had asked me as the subject matter expert if he could easily get one of "those TiVo things" with his existing DTV because he was buying a new HDTV. I had been out of the loop for a few years now and didnt know much about the TiVo HD offerings other than I heard they were hard to get ...or something like that. I told him I would look it up on my magic computer with the "internet stuff" on it.

I browsed the DTV website to look for anything I could find and eventally seemed evident that I needed to login to see any special offers they would offer him (or me as the case was). I logged in with MY account to look up info for HIM... and I was presented with an offer to upgrade MY TiVo to the new (R15) DTV DVR. I had heard that DTV had ditched TiVo and were not going to support them anymore ...or something like that (I should have come here so long ago). So I was excited to have something that was better than DTV TiVo and had 100 hours and FOLDERS YAY... how nice it would be. What did I have to lose? The royalty at DirecTV couldn't let me down after all these years (1994). We had such a long, loving relationship. I immediately called DTV who gladly sent me a sparkly new R15. I was charged no fees to switch and nothing for the hardware. Or so it would seem...

This story is getting long. Cut to the chase... I hate this POS R15. This is not a TiVo and it is most definately not superior as I have read here in other posts:


The R15 does not buffer 2 channels at once
Searching does not find what I am looking for even though I can see it on the guide
No wishlists
No Suggestions
Folders do not keep all of the same programs together (sometimes, not always)
Screen goes black
Turns itself off
Randomly doesnt record shows with no explanation as to why (no conflict, no manual cancellation)

I realize that the last 3 are probably hardware issues, and I am dealing with that. The rest of the list (and more) are problems with the system itself even if it were working properly. I called DTV to come get their junk and cancel my account. This is when I came to understand that the reason I was not charged anything for the equipment is that I am now under 2 years contract and I will be stuck with DTV for the duration. Rember the love affair with DTV? I could have cared less about any contract for any length at the time, -shame on me.- The fact that I said the word "cancel" and "disconnect" and some other words not suitable for this forum, landed me in Customer Retention just as I knew it would. My sister had Dish and her DVR works properly and is way better than the R15 but not better than TiVo. I wanted to can DTV and go immediately to Dish...

Lets fast forward now and skip the boring part. That's why we like TiVo right? Oh wait the R15 does not skip back just a bit when you stop. Add that to my list.

The CSR actually told me that I should buy a box from eBay and hook it up. She also told me that she is afraid to "upgrade" her TiVos to DTV Plus (err minus) because she hears about it all day long. Fine then let me out of my contract since you have not held up your end with any kind of "upgrade". She could not and said that she has never seen a case of letting anyone out of a contract. I dont blame anyone but myself for this. A contract is just that... a contract. Fine so she sent me a new one. Another R15 ...gawd, what have I done?

Here it sits next to my desk as I rest my feet on it still in the unopened FedEx box. Can you tell how excited I am to open it? ...not

I now have to program over 60 Season Passes again just to see if the box will work or not. I have been looking on the net to see about buying an R10, since I dont need HD (yet) and I really just want my old one back. Yes, I know I can plug it back in. Yes, I still have it, but it is so old and I want more storage and folders. Did I mention that I want folders (grouping)? yeah I really do...

I am stuck with DTV for at least more years (yes I know I'm a moron). Maybe I'll come back here and give you an update on the situation as it unfolds. Maybe DTV will pull it's head out now that management is changing (maybe not). Maybe this time doing some homework and a little skepticism toward the DTV Dynasty will pay off.

Thanks for listening. Maybe if nothing else I will save someone from falling off the TiVo wagon and being swallowed by the useless junk DTV is trying to sell as a TiVo "upgrade".

I'm off to see if the R15 decided to record Battlestar Galactica or not. I hope it did because I didnt have time do triple check it and babysit it while I wrote this rant...


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## samo (Oct 7, 1999)

You certainly can write. Unless you are a pro already, you should consider writing to make a living. But taking the drama out, your situation is really simple. You didn't pay a dime for R-15, so you lost nothing. Buy R-10 on ebay for $80 or so and make yourself happy. If $80 is too much for you, call customer retention back and they will gladly refund you a $100. For the $20 you made you can pay the mirror fee for R-15 for 4 months. Use both R-10 and R-15 for 4 months side by side, then if you can't find enough features of R-15 worth keeping it - get rid of it. You proclaim yourself to be a simple guy - use the simple solution.


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

samo said:


> Buy R-10 on ebay for $80 or so and make yourself happy.


Don't limit yourself to just an R10 - any model of Series 2 DTivo will do the job... more info.

For your amusement, read the DirecTV: "The R15 is superior to the Tivo" topic.


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## Sam_Sushiro (Mar 28, 2005)

Can I buy a used R10 from eBay with no card and call DTV and have them pair the card that I currently have in the (junk) R15?


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## rlj5242 (Dec 20, 2000)

Maybe. It will depend on the CSR. Some will allow you to move cards and others won't. At most it will cost you $20 for a new card.

-Robert


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## Jerry_K (Feb 7, 2002)

Buy anything DTiVo series 2 EXCEPT an R10. 

Go to the underground, you can get folders, Multi room viewing, internet scheduling and a plethora of other features for nothing but a little time. And at the same time you can make that DTiVo hold many hundreds of hours of recorded programs.


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## Dkerr24 (Oct 29, 2004)

Is there a Reader's Guide Condensed Version of the original post?


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## chamelea (Feb 19, 2004)

Tongue-in-cheek, Sam. 
Actually agree that your writing is very entertaining, and informative. Taking advantage ...

I'm a died-in-wool TiVo'r for a long time. Sam's story convinces me that I'd rather fight than switch. Still have 2 D-tivos in my equipment stack, but only two feeds down from the Oval dish. My Phillips 7000 just died, so I swapped the feeds back to my Sony, punted on the SP backlog yet unviewed, and reprogrammed current SPs. So, I'm back up n' running, but still need advice on how to repair or upgrade.

Nobody's ever yet matched the convenience of Sony's remote ... but since I know that old series one cannot gain the new-tech benefits of the Phillips 7000 (series 2 ??), assume I'll need to upgrade the Phillips. I'm capable of hacking a drive myself, but not enthused. Also, since I have only a stable of laptops, there's no desktop chassis to plug into:

1. Could I do a full zipper hack by attaching to a networked laptop, or ...??

2. Assuming not, shall I just buy a pre-configured harddrive, and insert same into my existing Phillips? 
Where & how much?

3. How much additional to have someone move the backlog for me?

4. Is it time to punt the Sony to eBay & replace with a second Phillips 7000 for the bedroom? 

TIA  (and appreciate kind re-direction to a better locale for this sort of question)


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## John T Smith (Jun 17, 2004)

>appreciate kind re-direction

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24


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## rbreding (Dec 12, 2004)

chamelea said:


> I'm capable of hacking a drive myself, but not enthused. Also, since I have only a stable of laptops, there's no desktop chassis to plug into:
> 
> 1. Could I do a full zipper hack by attaching to a networked laptop, or ...??


This can be done (don't let those around here tell you it can't). You will have to visit the "Other" forum for more knowledgeable information.

Search it for "Laptop USB"

That is how I hack ALL my TiVo's now. Don't even have to remove the drive from the case, just pop the top.


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## chamelea (Feb 19, 2004)

:up:


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## Sam_Sushiro (Mar 28, 2005)

So what if I took my 'broken' T60 and add a giant hard drive and get a new remote?

I'm on my second R15 now and this one is broken too.

Or, maybe it just sucks that bad.

I'm gonna go trolling for a solution to the hard drive upgrade but does anyone have some short cuts really quick?

I was always afraid to crack the case of my beloved TiVo but as you can see I got nothin to lose now ...

Nice and short since nobody likes my soapbox posts


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## rock_doctor (Oct 22, 2000)

Changing a hard drive is easy now a days. You just need the new HD, a copy of instant cake and a computer you can use. Takes about a half hour. I would also order a new fan (60mmx25mm) at the same time and clean the T-60 very well. I am sure you will find huge dust bunnies in it like I did in my DSR6000... You may consider calling DTV back and insisting on a replacement R15. As long as it is not costing you anything to exchange it you might as well push the point that it does not work. As a side note, I do beleave the first 2 or 3 (maybe more) things on your complaint list are exclusive TiVo patients; hence why the non-TiVo units do not have those options and why those that do, are paying royalties to TiVo. 

mark


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## John T Smith (Jun 17, 2004)

Sam_Sushiro said:


> I'm gonna go trolling for a solution to the hard drive upgrade


There is an entire forum devoted to upgrade information

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24


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## chamelea (Feb 19, 2004)

Sam_Sushiro said:


> ... I'm gonna go trolling for a solution to the hard drive upgrade but does anyone have some short cuts really quick?
> 
> I was always afraid to crack the case of my beloved TiVo but as you can see I got nothin to lose now ...


Sam, since earlier posts, I've done some more research too. We both own Sony's SAT T-60, we both like it, but it's not the best choice for upgrading. Here's a suggestion:

1. Search eBay for [db35], and among the hits, choose a seller with 'master1' in his handle.

2. Contact him by email & verify following is your best next step.

3. Search eBay for any used Series 2 dTiVo, purchase, then send same model no. to guy in (2) above. 
(_No hacking req'd, whatsoever_).

P.S. _never saw any complaints about your soapbox~!
I also own a Phillips DSR-7000 that I'll be upgrading as per item #3._


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## Sam_Sushiro (Mar 28, 2005)

I just got an HDTV

I was all ready to bag this hunk of junk R15 and buy a HR10-250 TiVo HD DVR but the review on Cnet says: "Can't receive DirecTV's MPEG4 broadcasts, including most local HD channels ".

I understand that I need an antenna for the local HD stuff here (NBC, ABC, FOX etc) but I also want to put that into my DCR so that I may record, pause, rewind... all the good stuff. I think this box will do that. I also want to subscribe to HDNet, ESPNHD, DiscoveryHD etc ... from DTV. Are these the MPEG4 boradcasts Cnet is talking about? Can the TiVo HR10-250 do this?

As you see above I am fed up with DTVs sorry excuse for a DVR and long for my old TiVo days again.

I also need to know if I need a new dish. I have same old dual LNB Sony dish that came with my T60 many years ago. Do I need the 'triple' LNB dish (I already have an OTA antenna for local HD).


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## John T Smith (Jun 17, 2004)

The HR10-250...
1 - has a different forum http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=36
2 - will receive OTA (Over The Air) HD from your local TV stations
3 - will NOT receive the new MPEG4 from DirecTv

Yes, you will need a new dish for HD... which one will, I think, depend on if you decide to find/buy an HR10-250 or if you decided on the new HR20 non-Tivo from DirecTv


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## Sam_Sushiro (Mar 28, 2005)

Thanks John,

Sorry to post in the wrong category, I'll jump over and check out the other one you mentioned.

So to be clear then... MPEG4 broadcasts with DTV include HD channels like HDNet, DiscoveryHD, ESPNHD etc etc? If I can't get those then my $2300 TV is a total waste.

I hate DirecTV.


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## David Platt (Dec 13, 2001)

Sam_Sushiro said:


> Thanks John,
> 
> Sorry to post in the wrong category, I'll jump over and check out the other one you mentioned.
> 
> ...


No, the only channels broadcast in MPEG4 at the present time are HD locals. The HR10-250 will still receiver all of the channels you listed.


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

Sam_Sushiro said:


> ...
> So to be clear then... MPEG4 broadcasts with DTV include HD channels like HDNet, DiscoveryHD, ESPNHD etc etc? If I can't get those then my $2300 TV is a total waste.
> ...


Currently, all the national HD channels (HDNET,ESPNHD,etc.) are MPEG2 (HR10-250 capable). Only the local networks (NBC,ABC,CBS,FOX) HD and some HD local sports networks are MPEG4. Future new national HD is supposed to be MPEG4, probably starting later this year or next. And there is a possibility that current HD MPEG2 will be converted over to MPEG4 making the HR10 useful for SD and OTA HD only.


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