PVRs with Dual Tuners - when will they be released? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

I'm simply accumulating too many pieces in my HT setup, and would like to get rid of 2 VCRs (for time-shifting) in my setup, and would like to know when Dual-Tuner PVRs will show up for purchase. Buying 2 PVRs would defeat the purpose of replacing the 2 VCRs. I want the dual-tuning feature so I could record 2 shows that are on different channels at the same time as this happens for me at least 3 nights/week.

I don't mind just manually inputting the programs I want recorded on a weekly basis, and I only need conventional analog cable tuning (no digital cable or DirecTV/Dish input).

So...any ideas when they'll show up?

 

[Ron Snaider]

Never. Think about the support issues for the average consumer that uses a cable box and now finds out he needs two. He then cannot figure out why cable box 1 did not record program x, and cable box 2 is just sitting idle.

The only time I see dual tuner PVR's is when the cable companies start to include TiVo or TiVo like features in their cable boxes.

Just my 2 cents,
Ron

 

[Patrick Sun]

I have learned that there will be a DirecTivo unit with dual-tuners but simultaneous recording is only possible because there's no need for the A-D-A conversion with the DirecTV feed.

Oh well, I guess I'll sit on the Tivo/Replay sidelines for now...

 

[MarcVH]

I think the best you can hope for is that there are multiple PVRs on a network, and that they can coordinate such that they effectively act like a single PVR that can record two things at once. Having a true two tuners would complicate typical configurations too much, and raise the price of the unit more than most customers would be willing to pay.

Meanwhile, for now I'd suggest replacing one of your VCRs with a PVR, but keeping the other VCR and using it on those occasions when you want to record two things at once. Alternately, you could build a larger rack to house all your electronics...

 

[Bob McElfresh]

I know you dont want to invest in a Sat receiver, but you should know:

- The Dish PVR721, shipping now, has dual tuners

- Sat receivers record the actual digital bitstream from the sat so every replay is identical quality to the original

- Sat receivers all offer SVideo output & usually some type of digital-audio output. Not only does these 2 give you superior quality, having every source provide SVideo/Digital makes your system much easier to wire & use.

- With a Sat system and the "SuperStations" package, I get Denver/Boston feeds for WB, UPN, etc. Things like "Enterprise", "Buffy", "Gillmore Girls" start recording at 5 pm. This really solves lots of conflicts even with a single-tuner PVR

- At least with Dish, you get a 14 day program guide. This makes searching for programs in advance and setting up recordings a breeze. The analog PVR's often only give you 24 hours worth of a guide. (This is why Tivo units automatically search & record shows - so you are not constantly baby-sitting them.)

My guess is when you eventually go with the PVR 721 system from Dish, you will kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

 

[JoeKreidler]

The JVC Dish Network 921 is supposed to be on the market very soon if not aleady and it supports has two tuners and a PVR.

Hope this helps

 

[JoeKreidler]

Sorry, wrong info. I should have read your post thoroughly.

Joe

 

[Travis Hedger]

I have the DirecTivo HDVR2 and love it to death. This weekend I will be running the second Coax to take advantage of the second tuner to avoid recording conflicts between my and my wife.

If you already have DirecTV this is the way to go!

 

[Patrick TX]

My Time Warner Explorer 8000 is a dual tuner PVR, as well as a digital cable box. Not bad.

 

[kevitra]

All DirecTiVos have always been dual-tuner. When they were first launched the 2nd tuner was disabled, but the hardware was there (they thought ahead). A year later they released a software upgrade that enabled it.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Can these dual-tuner DirecTivo boxes have retrofitted with larger hard drives for additional recording capacity?

 

[MikeSRC]

They sure can. I added an 80G hard drive (in addition to the existing 40G) to mine and it now has 107 hrs. of recording time. You can add even more if you want. If you've ever installed a hard drive in a computer, you should have no problem with doing the upgrade. All you need to know about how to do it can be found here: Tivo Upgrades

 

[kevitra]

My harddrive in my DirecTiVo died so I upgraded to a 100 gig. It was very easy to do.

 

[Jesse Leonard]

The DirecTivos are extremely easy to upgrade. The new Series2 DirecTivos cost $199 and comes with a 40gig harddrive (35 hours recording capacity). Add a 120gig harddrive and you will be up to around 150 hours of recording time!

The DirecTV/Tivo combo boxes are really the way to go. Everything is flawlessly intergrated and very easy to use. Plus, you can record 2 shows at once and watch a previously recorded show at the same time. With the DirecTivos, the exact satellite stream is saved to the harddrive so there is no degragation of picture quality. It will look exactly like the original satellite feed. They will also record the Dolby Digital track (which no standalone DVR can do)

Drop cable and go for a DirecTivo and you will not be disappointed! At first you will think of it as a smart VCR but after a few days of playing with it you will realize that the Tivo service is SO much more!

edit: Also, with the DirecTivo combo, the Tivo service is only $4.99 a month whereas a standalone unit is $12.99 PER unit.

 

[Mark_E_Smith]

Patrick a pvr TiVo or Replay is NOT a vcr, if you dont have one you are missing a very great thing. Its like saying I dont need 5.1 for my HT. If you can or would consider DTV. The Direct TiVo now called the DTV DVR is the hands down way to go, even worth getting DTV for. I should know I have 4 One of the neat things is you only pay for 1 TiVo fee per account that means I pay 4.99 for 4 TiVos. They also record and playback the DD 5.1. Even if you were to get just one SA TiVo(non dtv or plain old tivo)I think you would find your vcr collecting dust if not from the fact they (vcrs)are much harder to use and you have to be on top of them all the time. I NEVER watch live tv, I still have the whole Taken series on one of my DTiVos I didnt miss a minute of the series ether. I dont have to be there, no tapes to forget etc. And BTW I have modified all but one of my DTiVos it is very easy, the new one you have to have a bracket from 9th tee but hay 40 +120 Gb is a ton of programming. I have over 360 hrs among my 4 though 1 is a movie server.

 

[TomK]

Patrick,

As an example of how much I love my DireTivo, I won't buy a HiDef receiver for my brand new HDTV until there is one that can act also act as a PVR. I almost never watch live TV anymore.

Tom

 

[Patrick Sun]

4 hours of HD would require roughly 300GB of storage.

 

[Robert_J]

According to the HDVT recording gurus over at AVS, the HiPix and other HD recording cards only use about 9GB per hour recording 1080i.

-Robert

 

[Luke_Y]

Patrick, The JVC TU9000 (DISH Network)due out early this year is said to have a 120 GB HDD and it's reported that it will hold 12 hours of HD.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Well, it's going to be doing some major compression algorithms to get that recording capacity (in real HD picture quality levels too). Let's hope these 10GB/hour HD PVRs can perform and yield HD picture quality. I'll be a believer when I get to see it for myself.