# Hacking DirectTv DVR to work with cable



## adorosario (May 25, 2006)

Sorry if this is the wrong forum (or wrong section of this community). Im a noob. 

Someone just gave me a DirecTV HR10250 (HR10-250). Its the one which can do High definition and has a 250GB hard disk. Seems to be top of the line type of stuff. 

Now, I dont have DirectTV but I do have cable and a Tivo Series 2 (and have it all networked, galleoned and all). Is there any way I can re-format this DVR to become a standard Series 2 Tivo ? 

Auxialliary question: Would this DVR work with the standard cable signal coming out of the wall ? They do say that it supports off-the-air broadcasts. 

Thanks for your help. 

- Alden.


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## Mavrick22 (Feb 7, 2006)

Nope not possible!


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

That unit only works with DirecTV and ATSC OTA locals.


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## rlj5242 (Dec 20, 2000)

To expand on Mavrick's 100% correct answer - A reformat won't change anything but the software on the drive. The HR10-250 lacks MPEG encoders so it will never work as a stand alone series 2.

As for working with cable out of the wall. Again, it lacks the necessary hardware. Cable companies use QAM modulation while the HR10-250 only has tuners for ATSC modulation.

The next forum down covers all things related to HR10-250 including more detailed reasons on why this "conversion" won't work.

-Robert


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## phox_mulder (Feb 23, 2006)

Don't you also have to have the satellite inputs active for the ATSC inputs to be active?

I.E. if you only have one satellite input hooked up, it only lets you use one of the ATSC tuners.
Hook up both sat. inputs and both ATSC tuners become available.

Deductive reasoning would say, if no satellite inputs hooked up, then no ATSC tuners active either?


phox


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## adorosario (May 25, 2006)

> The HR10-250 lacks MPEG encoders so it will never work as a stand alone series 2.


Ah .. that does it.

Wow .. for something that does not have an MPEG decoder, this box is one expensive beast (retails for around $400). What gives ?


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Retails "Today" at $400

It was $1,000 when it was released.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

slap HDTV label on a freakin mousetrap and you can inflate it's price several hundred dollars.


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## Guindalf (Jun 13, 2001)

adorosario said:


> Ah .. that does it.
> 
> Wow .. for something that does not have an MPEG decoder, this box is one expensive beast (retails for around $400). What gives ?


What "gives" is the fact that the HR10 was designed to be a DirecTV RECEIVER and OTA HD DVR. It was not made by or for TiVo, rather it happens to have TiVo software on it.

Rather like buying a new steering wheel for a Hummer and wondering why it won't fit on your motorcycle!


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

JimSpence said:


> That unit only works with DirecTV and ATSC OTA locals.


Right.. but it WOULD be nice if it could be hacked for use as a SA ATSC TiVo....


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

adorosario said:


> Wow .. for something that does not have an MPEG decoder, this box is one expensive beast (retails for around $400). What gives ?


It has a MPEG decoder, it does not have an MPEG encoder. $400 is not that much considering the hard drive, 2 satellite tuners, motherboard, cpu, ...


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## BADBLAINE (Sep 23, 2010)

What Can I Do To Get More And Pay Less !!! Thanx 4 Al Help !!!


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## restart88 (Mar 9, 2002)

ebonovic said:


> Retails "Today" at $400
> 
> It was $1,000 when it was released.


I saw one for $5 at the Goodwill about a year ago.


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## belunos (Sep 19, 2002)

That box only decodes mpeg 2 signals, right? That's still crazy expensive considering D only has about 10 of those channels left


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

DirecTV has lots of MPEG2 channels left - all of them standard def. The HR10 makes a fine SD DVR plus HD OTA.


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## HiDefGator (Oct 12, 2004)

restart88 said:


> I saw one for $5 at the Goodwill about a year ago.


I gave away two of them for the cost of shipping.


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## HiDefGator (Oct 12, 2004)

stevel said:


> DirecTV has lots of MPEG2 channels left - all of them standard def. The HR10 makes a fine SD DVR plus HD OTA.


But for $400 they could have gotten two brand new HR24's.


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## whitepelican (Feb 15, 2005)

HiDefGator said:


> But for $400 they could have gotten two brand new HR24's.


Not in 2006, when the $400 was mentioned in this thread.


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