Anyone own the Hughes HR10-250 Hi-Def DTV Tivo? (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

No, never bought the recorder because
there really isn't the "perfect" machine
that will do everything I want.

 

[Dave Miller]

You said it man.

Peace,

DM

 

[Greg.K]

Do you have it hooked up via HDMI or component? I think the PQ is a bit sharper with the HDMI output, at least on my TV.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I don't have HDMI. Only component.

 

[kenn_h]

Are you able to watch 2 different stations with a split screen with this tivo, I have asked a couple of sales people & as usual am getting conflicting answers? Right now I have a sony HD200 & am unable to.

 

[Robert_J]

No. You can't watch PiP or split screen on any DirecTV DVR powered by Tivo. They only have one MPEG decoder. On the other hand, why would you want to? I have PiP on my TV and two DirecTV receivers so I can have two video streams. I've used PiP once just to see if it would work. I flip back and forth between tuners on the Tivo to watch two programs at once.

-Robert

 

[Michael_L_Lee]

Hi... I have a quick question regarding hooking up the DirecTV triple LNB dish to the HR10-250. I currently have a Samsung SIR-TS360 HDTV receiver. When it was installed with the new dish, there was only 1 coax cable that comes in the room and then is split to feed the 2 inputs on the SIR-TS360. Will this configuration work with the 2 SAT inputs on the HR10-250 or do I need 2 or 3 (including one for the regular antenna) seperate coax cables coming from the dish to the box. I'm trying to determine if I can buy the HR10-250 and do a self-install or if I need to have someone run more caox cabling from the dish. Thanks!

 

[Robert_J]

Minimum, you need two runs of coax. You can diplex the OTA onto one of the runs. That always knocks a few points off of your signal strength. As long as someone is running cable, get another one dedicated to OTA.

-Robert

 

[Michael_L_Lee]

Thank you for your explanation and help.

- Mike

 

[Chris Rock]

This thread is just what I've been looking for. I haven't had the requisite 43 hours to read through 30 pages over at AVS.

I am in the market for DirecTV, I want the HD-Tivo unit. I've been hesitant to get one because of the MPEG-4 switch.

I've recently moved, and I now live in the Denver, CO market. Anyone know where it stands on the list of markets to be upgraded?



I would love to see some links on this subject. I've sent a note to DirecTV to ask them about it, but so far haven't gotten a response.

Thanks for the good information here.

 

[Dick White]

I'm on the verge of getting one of these units to replace my Samsung HD receiver, but I remember there were some negatives brought out about it back when it first came out. Don't remember what they were, which is what brought me here today. Seems like one deal-breaker had to do with the output formatting. Seems like you guys who have one are pretty happy with it, though. Anyone know of any big negatives?

I talked to DTV just before coming here and the rep I talked to also said one receiver charge, but the PVR charge is being quoted as $5.99. Since we already have 4 receivers, I would have to have a new splitter and another run of coax if I want to use both DTV tuners, which they say would be a $150 service call. I may forgo that for now and just use one DTV tuner and the two ATSC tuners.

Tweeter is now selling them for $599 and Circuit City is advertising them this week for $499 (with a $100 rebate from DTV). I haven't read the fine print on that, but I think I'll check it out.

 

[Mary M S]

If I did not already own an HR10-250, I would be very nervous about getting into it now as the MPEG4 clock is ticking. This unit will not work with M4.

There are those who are jumping to buy it thinking that they will get in under a theoretical cutoff date to be eligible for a “free” upgrade to an MPEG4 capable HD DVR.

I don’t think it will work that nicely for D* subscribers.
At minimum they will attempt to lock you into a 2yr contract during upgrade, they may (or may not) force an upgrade to a first offering of a replacement which could be an HD STB with no DVR, unless paying a surcharge, and/or waiting till the HD DVR (and we are all familiar with looong model launch delays) becomes available.


I have seen talk that as markets are brought on line, since they will have to multicast MPEG2 and 4 for a time, they will be shifting transponders in a manner which will cause you to loose your HD channels rather quickly to the 4 side. Causing your HR10-250 to become a high end SD unless you are willing to make the jump at that time to whatever unit D* is offering (whether a DVR or not).

D* recently increased pkg. price. For new subscribers to PVR the fee has just gone up to 5.99 (I pay 4.99) if you are grandfathered at 4.99 and maintain your account but cancel PVR for a few months, your new price to re-add PVR, will be 5.99.

If you purchase the HR10-250 now, they will attempt to lock you into a 2yr commitment, I have no idea how this will affect their “upgrade offer” when they get around to changing out boxes.

Personally, I intend to give cable a go, when mine goes dark, as I don’t believe that the methods under which the switch will occur will be conducive to my being a happy camper. I am against 2yrs commitments in principle and will not sign it. There is talk,…..if you just persist with CS…..they will reduce it to a one yr. for prior HR10-250 owners. I’m tired of the ‘games’ just to get a one-yr. As D* gets consumers used to 2 yr contracts, any option to argue them into a one yr. will disappear. A yr. or two down the road they will simply say 1 yr. contracts have not been offered “in years” no matter how many retention personal you speak with.
I played this game with them in yrs past when they wanted to lock me in for a new yr, every time I purchased a non-subsidized new receiver….I’m frankly worn out by them.

I feel D* is being very smart (and cutthroat) beginning to discount this unit with a lock in for 2yrs. I have the feeling it is going to be a rocky transition to MPEG4, more people will grump and grouse; -but stay, if already caught into this longer term contract now. Especially if D* keeps promising "exciting" and great things to come…”in very near months”.

I would not be a bit surprised to see the compliant upgrade done in two parts, We will loose HD channels if we don’t move to the first available non-DVR HD STB, while waiting on the new model to launch (delayed). By doing it in two steps, D* will manage to have a upgrade “fee” and restart of contract tacked on when a ready for market HD DVR appears. (call me a pessimist)
I’m so tired of D*'s quality of the infamous HD-lite, I expect its time for me to try Cable, and see if I can deal with Cable’s possibly poorer SD PQ.

Regarding the unit itself, I would not have hesitated to recommend it even back at 800-1,000, if not for the issues above.

Menu can be very slow when entering the TIVO menu selection, there are tweaks which can alleviate this.
Literally it can hang up for 2 min.
Don’t count upon using your HDMI connection for more than months, as many units’ boards have failed (multiple times). I don’t think D* will put a lot into resolving this issue for a soon to be obsolete unit.
Component however is very good.
If you do not have a phone line hooked up the unit will incessantly nag you to make a call, (and that is infuriating!)
I have no grips with the remote other than the location of the power off button. When going to a channel directly by inputting the # via the pad, the power button is located just above “one” …it is very easy to hit it instead in the dark (really hard on a rear projection bulb)
It has a resolution toggle on the remote (requirement for my purchase)
It’s a fairly intuitive piece all and all (lacking folders, in the TIVO area).
The ATSC tuners are fairly strong.
Occasionally prone to Macroblocking ? , and I feel this occurrence is the broadcast not the unit itself, as when I notice D* channels lacking in PQ (more compression less bits?) is when that will occur.
PQ in general for SD and HD (not factoring the provider) is in the top tier of units available.

It is (IMO) sadly, the best unit on the market of its kind.

 

[Robert_J]

I knew fully about MPEG4 when purchasing my HR10-250 a few weeks ago. From everything I have read, it will be working just fine until D* turns off the CONUS MPEG2 HD stream which will be a few years from now. They will wait until a majority of the HD receivers have been upgraded before turning off that stream. Even when they go MPEG4, I'll still use is as an SD satellite/HD OTA receiver as most of my HD watching is on network channels. I get them just fine with my $5 antenna and don't have any plans on subscribing to HD LIL.

-Robert

 

[Mary M S]

If the satellite tuner is not enabled, then the corresponding ATSC tuner is disabled as well.

Robert I will go ballistic if the box is dead in the water without a subscription to D*.

I am to understand this sentence correctly that there is no OTA compability with this unit, if the Sat. tuners are not enabled?

 

[Dick White]

I just found out the unhappy truth about that when I tried to use dual ATSC tuners with only one DTV cable attached. It will not work with that configuration. If you are recording, it will not let you watch another channel. According to the mainual, if you set it up for over-the-air only, you can "watch" two ATSC channels, but not record. I don't understand how you are goiog to watch two channels with no PIP. But it definitely says you must have DTV in order to record. And it says that dual channel capablilty (even for ATSC) only works if you have two DTV cables. Tomorrow I am going to try lying to it and tell it that I have two DTV cables, but I am not optimistic that will work.

I went ahead and took the leap (for $499 with no additional comittment, but a $5.99 DVR fee). Now I'm seriously considering taking it back (again). My HDMI connection would not work. DTV told me that all HDMI issues were fixed by a patch in March and that I needed to take it back to Circuit City. When I did, CC called DTV and we were told that if I went ahead and set it up with component inputs and then reset the receiver, I would have the latest version of the software within 72 hours and HDMI would then work. I have zero confidence in that, but I'm giving it a try. After wasing half a day and a 40 mile round trip to CC.

I am also finding the picture on HD channels to be too soft, not nearly as good as my old receiver. But the SD channels look better because it's relatively easy to switch the output to 480i on those and that seems to give the best picture. Also it doesn't stretch those channels like my old receiver did (it put pillar boxes, but they were too narrow). I'm hoping the PQ will improve if I get HDMI working or go to better cables on component video.

My local ATSC channels seem to break up a little worse than they did on the old receiver. And I'm going to miss having an NTSC tuner in the same box. That's what I have to resort to for local channels during rain outages if the over the air digital channels are breaking up. A less than perfect analog signal is much more tolerable than a flaky digital signal. So I'll have to put a spliiter on my antenna cable and use the TV's tuners.

I have found a number of things to like about the receiver so far, but the major irritants I have mentioned and a few minor ones are causing second thoughts about keeping it. If I had the option of cable, I would probably give it a try. But since I don't have that option, I may still live with this less than perfect receiver just to have the Tivo functions. I have a VCR/DVD burner combo coming tomorrow so that I can save some things and it looks like I'm going to have to spring for a new splitter and another coax run to be able to use Tivo effectively. Makes me angry that I was lied to about how it would work with a single DTV cable. I asked both DTV and the CC salesman and both said that I could record/watch two over the air channels or one over the air and one DTV channel.

 

[Robert_J]

It will work and record two ATSC channels. When it's time to record a satellite channel, you can't guarantee which tuner it will use for recording. There a 50/50 chance you will miss a satellite recording due to the "no satellite signal" message.

-Robert

 

[Mary M S]

Saw an interesting comment quote about D* CS yesterday regarding new policy. The contract they are trying to write currently for all phonecalls/upgrades/activations etc is 2 yrs and the early termination fee now 300.00 !!! A subscriber had purchased 2 used STB’s for a brand new D* self-install for his parents, was trying to get the boxes activated with the old card and was told he had to order new cards, (the card replacement has been policy for in the last year). But in addition; he was also told, that D* will no longer activate used STB’s unless the prior owner can be determined and has a current account in good standing with D*?!?. …heads up…if you are unhappy with D* as the rollout of MPEG4 occurs, this tells me to be sure and sell your old STB'’ while maintaining you account for the week or two the new owner needs to activate it, elsewise, you will have them demanding their money back.

Whatever D* is planning they are expecting unhappy HD and HD DVR customers in the next months as it was stated in the conference Call for D* investors that a lot of churn in this area is to be expected. I expect them to start rolling out lease deals (with a contract, unlike cable, which currently does not require commitment) in Nov, in an attempt to hold on to part of the current base and additional attract new subscribers to this estimated 660K class. Cable is stomping them in HD as it has 1.5 million to D* 660 thousand, despite cables getting on the HD bandwagon 3 yrs later than D*.

DTV told me that all HDMI issues were fixed by a patch in March and that I needed to take it back to Circuit City.
this may work if the HDMI has had a hitch with some of the software upgrades. If you purchased a brand new in the box from CC, I assume that could be a second and separate “issue” with HDMI, I have not heard of. Those who have reported HDMI loss in the past have all had a bad board, many had drop-shipped a new unit from D* which on arrival proved to be a refurbished unit, with the second unit also having a bad board. I saw a couple who had exchanged 3 units this way, and still had no functioning HDMI. The early days when this was occurring (till the trend was noticed via the web) CS was not helpful, stating it must be a bad cable bad display input fault, and many owners had to struggle having displays checked etc, just to get the unit exchanged, or had been on waiting lists for exchanges for weeks and months.

Yours may simply be a new box on shelf loaded with old software which conflicts, hopefully that will put you to rights, however you should still be aware that the HDMI boards do (at a certain percent) fail on this model.

 

[shaneOneill]

This seems to be the best thread for this question. I read that the new HD DirecTV DVRs do *NOT* have the ability to be networked for sharing of recorded programs like the old ones do?

Is this true?

 

[Mary M S]

Robert might know. But all I could find in a quick search at the Tivo community forum was an answer to a similar question from a member wishing to know if he could move recordings from his R10 to the HR10-250, while he was pulling drives to add a larger HD to the HR10-250.

“The recorded shows are encrypted using a key specific to the mainboard of the receiver; you can't move shows between receivers until you've disabled that encryption (and even then the encryption that's existing on recordings won't be removed, it'll only affect new recordings).”

 

[Robert_J]

Out of the box, no DirecTV DVR has the ability to share recordings or even be connected to a network. The series 1 models can be networked if you add a network card and extensive software hacks. I don't think you can share shows. The series 2 models can be networks with software hacks. The series 2.5 model is locked down tight. All you can do is upgrade the drive to a larger one.

The sharing of the programs for the HR10-250 hasn't been asked because there are few people with two of them. Second, unless you have a good network, sharing shows between receivers is pointless. 9GB/hour of HD is a lot of data to move over a network. In my case it is much easier to run component cables to all the rooms that need the HD signal and get an HD distribution amp.

-Robert