PVR Wire

1. Maybe it will be better if we get to see how the product works to other consumers first before we'll actually shell out some money. For the manufacturers, it will be advisable to conduct multiple tests before they'll actually sell them to the market.

Posted at 10:38PM on Sep 12th 2006 by Constance

2. Best Buy also stopped selling the HR20-700. I think something is up with the units. Maybe Beack Audio knows what it's talking about!

Posted at 7:49AM on Sep 13th 2006 by John

3.
Is NDS incapable of making a decent product? Or is their corporate mission to prove to the world that there's a company out there that programs and designs even worse than Microsoft?

Posted at 6:04PM on Sep 13th 2006 by The Jeremy

4. I HAVE HEARD FIRST HAND FROM DIRECTV THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE UNITS AND THERE IS A HOLD UP ON SHIPPING NEW UNITS UNTIL MID OCTOBER, BUT NOT A RECALL ON EXISTING UNITS. THE PROBLEM IS SOFTWARE RELATED.

Posted at 8:14PM on Sep 18th 2006 by TOM

5. I have an HR20, and had experience with the prior 10-250 when 3 of them were dead out of the box. When I finally got one that worked, it was "dull" and "flat" in comparison to Sony HD200 HD300 series which I also owned.. It went back to Best Buy. With the HR20, all features work great, great menu, fast menu functions, yet this DVR also exhibits that flatness when compared to non-HD DVR Sonys of the past. Wondering if this is a function of compression required for HD recording?

Anyone else notice this?

e mail: fdlef@yahoo.com

Posted at 11:20PM on Sep 20th 2006 by Frank Cooper

6. Now that local channels (minus CBS) are available in Memphis thru DirecTV, I upgraded from an HR10 to an HR20 DVR and 5 LNB dish. The new HR20 has some shortcomings... the home network interface is not enabled, thus no remote programming interface, but the hardware jacks are present. But most concerning is the lack of off-air antenna setup, and again the jack is there on the back of the box, but the software is not enables for HD off-air local....

Posted at 7:03PM on Sep 28th 2006 by Les

7. Now that local channels (minus CBS) are available in Memphis thru DirecTV, I upgraded from an HR10 to an HR20 DVR and 5 LNB dish. The new HR20 has some shortcomings... the home network interface is not enabled, thus no remote programming interface, but the hardware jacks are present. But most concerning is the lack of off-air antenna setup, and again the jack is there on the back of the box, but the software is not enables for HD off-air local....

Posted at 7:04PM on Sep 28th 2006 by Les

8. I have had an HR-20 for over 3 weeks. First, the software upgrade shows 9-27-06
I have had a few intermittent problems with recorded programs starting for the first few seconds then freeze.
The solution was to turn off the HR-20 and go back to the recorded program. This problem exists in 480 as well as 1080i programs. The problem will happen no matter if another program is recording or not.

Once the problem is cleared, it plays correctly and you can ff and fr and play without any problem.

Note to other users- the recorder will keep recording to the hard drive when any program is selected for viewing so I do not leave the receiver on during the night and I always switch the receiver to an music channel (does not record music).
Last, I was unable to get the footprint for the 46 pound dish which requires a very stable mount. I had to have a steel plate made for stability. Directv nor the installer would tell me the information.

Posted at 4:37PM on Oct 3rd 2006 by Bill Wiseman

9. Finally after all the waiting I called Directv to replace my R10 DVR/TiVo with the new HD HR20-700 and the AT-9/ 5-LNB dish.

After 3 days of being disgusted with Directv's DVR software which takes the place of TiVo, I called Directv and told them they can have the receiver back. I also told them I want out of the 2 year commitment and that I'll be switching back to my R10.

I hate the layout of the remote control, all the most commmonly used keys are out of comfortable reach. The DVR software has major bugs which makes the system unusable to record programming.

Bug List...

1. TiVo's season pass manager has been replaced with "series Link". When configuring "Series Line" to record "First Run" episodes, the receiver records ALL episodes.
2. If you press "Info" while viewing a program, there is no information telling you if the program is a first run, repeat and if so what the original aired date was.
3. If you are performing a Search to setup a Series Link and you find several matches to your title, the receiver doesn't tell you what channels each of the matches are on. You must need to select each match to find out the channel number. Important if you are wanting to record off a HD channel vs a SD channel.
4. Another problem is when you find several up in coming episodes while performing a search and then add the series to a "Series Line. These same episodes should show up in the "To Do" list after adding a Series Link. THEY DO NOT.
5. Let's say you added a series to you Series Link but there are no episodes listed in the "To Do" list and want to delete the series. YOU CAN NOT. There must be at least one episode in the "To Do LiST" for you to select it and then you can delete the "Series Link.

We setup a Series Link to record all First Run Simpson episodes, the receiver recorded a repeat.

I called Directv technical support and was soon forwarded to a level 2 technician. The technician told me that they were aware of every problem I told them about. They said they are currently working on a fix and said I could expect new software in 2007. He also said customers had experienced these same problems with the HR15 receiver.

Directv made a BIG MISTAKE by trying to design their own DVR software as TiVo was flawless.

Directv should not be selling this receiver because the software makes it unusable.

They did agree to to allow me to send back my receiver and released me from their 2 year committment. I also asked them to refund my $199.00 ($399 minus a $100 rebate), they said they wouldn't do that. I told them if they don't I'll call my bank and order a charge back on my VISA. Then the threatened they would call a collection agency. I told them they had no right to keep my money when I'm sending back the receiver becaused the product is defective. Then they said they were keeping the money to cover for the cost of having the dish installed. I told them on their website they advertise FREE Installation. On the back of my sales agreement, it says the money I paid is for the receiver ONLY.

Please let me know if anyone else has experienced these same software bugs with their HR20 DVR.

Good Luck,

Posted at 3:23PM on Oct 5th 2006 by Vance

10. Vance,

We're having the EXACT SAME PROBLEMS with our HR20 box. We're also very disappointed in the fact that we cannot pause one show and then switch tuners to watch another one at the same time.

My wife found it difficult to program the "season pases" as you have described. And she's a bigger computer geek than I am.

We want our TiVo back. The DirecTV DVR software sucks.

Posted at 6:12PM on Oct 8th 2006 by Matt

11. I just switched from old TiVo to new HD DVR, and I am having similar problems. The software is buggier than MS Windows ME was! Here's my big problem. I got DirecTV for NHL Center Ice, that's all. I wanted to set up a keyword search (like the TiVo wishlist) for Keyword-Islanders-Hockey. Then I set it to Autorecord. That's where the fun begins! You see, it defaults to the lowest channel number for recording. Therefore, it tries to schedule the recrord for FSNY in the 600's rather than NHL in the 700's. Unfortunately, as I live in Nevada, I DON'T GET FSNY!!!. No problem, they tell me at tech support, just edit "Chs I Get" to remove the channels I don't get. Only, the unit won't let me edit "Chs I Get," it wil only let me edit Custom 1 and Custom 2. But wait there's more! If you check the program guide, you see on say channel 755, "Islanders @ Kings," so you select it to record it. But, if you check ch 755 in a couple of minutes, it says "Title not available." No problem, because if you check back in two or three minutes, it will say "Islanders @ Kings," but another couple of minutes later and it will again say "Title not available." It is maddening! You see, if at the time the game starts, it should be one of the minutes where it says "Title not available," it won't record the game! I even tried tuning to the channel manually, and pressing one touch record. It recorded the game before my eyes, but I had to leave the third period for the next morning. When I checked the "List" it was gone. You see, when you record something with "Title not available," the recorder doesn't know how to file it, so it just dumps it!

This is an unacceptable level of incompetence! If I am to beta test a new machine, I shouldn't have to pay for the priviledge!

Posted at 6:17PM on Oct 11th 2006 by John Keitz

12. I also received the new HD-DVR from DirecTV. I connected it to my Panasonic HD TV via HDMI cable. So far, we have had the audio cut out, the video colors invert (it looks like a picture negative with no sound,) and the picture freeze. The first call to technical support told me "We are aware of the problem and our engineers are currently working on a software fix." Last night was the final straw. My kids were watching Sesame Street and the picture twice changed colors and the audio disappeared. The second call to tech support escalated me to a secondary tech level. I was told "This is the first time I have heard of a problem like this." She said I probably have a faulty HDMI cable. Since I only have one HDMI hookup on my TV, I switched the cable over from my Panasonic DVD player. I told her the cable worked fine over the last 6 months with my DVD player. She still claimed it was the cable. When I mentioned the picture freezing, she said it might be signal strength related. I told her my signal strength was over 90 and the weather was perfect that night. She still did not have an answer. Of course she ended the call with "Did I answer all your questions tonight?" I answered "I guess so" and hung up.

I am going to try the composite video outputs to see if it resolves the problem. (But I doubt it.)

My wife an I are very frustrated with this...to the point that the fabulous HD picture isn't worth the headaches of these glitches.

Bottom line, stick with Tivo until DirecTV gets this crap figured out.

Posted at 11:21AM on Oct 13th 2006 by Kevin Christians

13. I've had DirecTV since 1996 and 3 weeks ago went from the HR10-250 HD DVR to their new HR20-700 HD DVR with the local network HD coverage (Tampa FL). The HR10's guide was slow but its recording and playback was flawless all the time that I had it. The HR20 is a totally buggy DVR, they have updated the software three times in the three weeks I have had it! Fixing some problems but mostly creating others, check out the DBSTalk Forum (http://www.dbstalk.com), it is full of D* subscribers that are unhappy with the new HD DVRs.

DirecTV should be ashamed of itself for dumping this crap on us, if it wasn't for their NFL Sunday Ticket income they would probably not make it. And during NFL season DirecTV even turns off some of the other HD channels on Sunday to give them the bandwidth requird for their NFL HD coverage.

Thanks DirecTV but I'm going back to Brighthouse cable, keep your POS new HD DVR!

Posted at 2:52PM on Oct 17th 2006 by Steve Sanders

14. Directv obviously felt they could make more money bt designing their own dvr. They were wrong. It is plagued by the same microsft problems that you experience with their computer software. Tere are too many software problems to list. I would suggest you stay with your directv tivo box until they solve the software issues. There is so much lag just changing channels. Tivo, like apple, knows just what to do. You do not have all the issues. The installers themselves say stick with the older tivo box because while they may not have the same functionality they work. Why does microsoft have to mess up everything they touch. I love directv's tech support. I think what they mean by level 2 tech support is they are twice as stupid as level 1 tech support. Where is my season pass?

Posted at 11:11PM on Oct 17th 2006 by michael braat

15. 1. Of the reported bugs above, have any of them been fixed?

2. DTV has a wait list now for the HD DVR. How does that work? If I signup for service and get a regular HD Receiver, how much do I have to pay for the new HD/DVR Receiver -- and does that mean another 24-month contract?

3. Does the new HD DVR support the MPEG-4 encoded HD Locals?

Posted at 4:11PM on Oct 23rd 2006 by Mister Shiney

16. I just got my new HR20 receiver at the beginning of the month. I previously had Dish network and loved it, but we moved and i wanted the NFL ticket.

- The very first thing i noticed was how SLLLOOOOWWWWW the box responds. I have a non-dvr box in the other room and it's fast. The HR20 takes a second or two to respond. I literally have to look at the box and see if the blue remote sensor light flashes..then wait until it decides to do what i told it to do.

- in the past few days the screen has frozen. It started off with just one freeze. I unplugged it and plugged it back in and all was fine. yesterday it froze 5 times. Today, the same thing. Each time i have to unplug and replug it in and WAIT.

I'm calling Directv tomorrow and telling them i'm done with them and getting my money back and getting out of the 2 year agreement

Posted at 10:41PM on Oct 23rd 2006 by Frank

17. I have had the HR-20 since early September with many of the original problems. After the 10-20 software upgrade all of the bugs have gone.

Posted at 2:06PM on Oct 24th 2006 by Bill Wiseman

18. Well, I just received the new HD DVR 20 and so far, against most of you, I like it. The picture quality is much better. The sound is slightly better and the remove has SOME features that I like better also. The person that installed my dvr is a personal friend that told me the skinny. The units went old AS IS. The software was not fully development, BUT the units are sound. He told me the best way to record most things as of now is to go to the guide and select record OR series link that way. So far, it has worked for me. He also told me that the software issues will be solved by the beginning of November with future updates coming afterwards. I thought (and most you will agree once I say this) TIVO needed updating. One feature that I love is when you view the 'list', all of the series link programs are grouped together. To me, thats awesome. I have a 4 yr old son that watches mostly cartoons and before I would have scroll down to see other recordings.

Oh well....time will tell. I received 2 receivers for free. They said since I was on the "A" list (what ever the hell that means), I'm entiled to free upgrades. So, I guess will see how things pan out. I'm a software developer and I have been put in the position where the product goes out without all of the softare bugs fixed. As long as they are going to fix them, I'm ok with that. Also, the picture quality is worth the wait!

Posted at 3:59PM on Oct 24th 2006 by Craig Sanborn

19. In addition to toally agreeing with everything on this list, how about this one:

1) Look up my NHL Center Ice Game
2) Take the default recording time (here is a sepaate issue: Why does NHL Center Ice default to SIX Hours to tape a game?)
3) After about three hours of recording, the game stops recording (which is OK, because the game is over anyway).
4) Here is the kicker: THE RECORDER DELETES THE GAME!!!!!

We have already swapped out the box and reset the machines enough times.

And here is what I find amusing; if you go to the setup menu you can see what the real problem is.

The software is at version ZERO!

Posted at 2:32PM on Oct 25th 2006 by Bob Kusche

20. DON'T BUY THE HR20! The HR20 is useless and buggier than any MS product. On the rare occasions that it doesn't freeze up when playing a recorded show it does work great, I like the guide and menus - much faster than my old Tivo box. But, what good is a DVR that doesn't reliably record!?! The only way to get it to play a frozen recording is to push the Reset button and wait 10 minutes for the box to reboot. I had the exact same problems that people described above with two HR20 units and won't be trying another one soon. I'll probably switch to Dish so I can get my local channels in HD and get an HD DVR that actually works.

Posted at 7:24PM on Oct 28th 2006 by CSquared