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DirecTV's New HD-DVR

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the lots-of-pics dept.

Earl Bonovich writes to tell us that he recently had a chance to take a look at DirecTV's new HD-DVR, the HR20-700. His results are posted over at DBSTalk including several pictures and videos. Some of the features include high definition output, dual SAT tuners, dual ATSC tuners, wired RJ-45 ethernet port, external SATA connection, and a 300GB SATA internal hard drive that can hold 30 hours of MPEG-2 HD, 50 hours of MPEG-4 HD, or 200 hours of standard definition video.

3 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. DirectTV has nothing to fear from TiVo by mkraft · · Score: 4, Informative

    DirectTV and TiVo came to an agreement earlier this year where DirectTV agreed to support the DirectTV TiVos until 2009. In return TiVo and DirectTV agreed not to sue each other for any DVR patent infringements.

    So DirectTV won't suffer the same fate as Dish.

  2. Re:Do the outputs work?` by ebonovic · · Score: 3, Informative

    All of the VIDEO/AUDIO outputs are enabled at all times. The eSATA is not enabled at this time The Ethernet is "powered" and initilized, but there is no communication on the network from the device. The USB ports are also not enabled. There are disucssions going on how to use the eSATA port to it's fullest. The Ethernet is going to be in part for the future use with BroadBand VOD The USB Ports are at least slated to be used with the future DirecTV2Go product (no eta on that though)

  3. Re:it's a good start, by ebonovic · · Score: 5, Informative
    I will try to answer your questions...
    • how responsive is the interface?
      So far the interface is just as responsive, if not better in some areas, then any of my DTivo units
    • how ergonomic? (TiVo's a hard act to follow on this one)
      If you are comming from a long time experience with the TiVo interface, it is going to take some time to get used to. It took me about a month to get used to the new GUI (on the R15 which is the same core GUI)... now that I am used to it.... If find both's systems interface very easy to use.
    • how often does the machine crash and burn, or just plain lock up? (any comcast DVR users out there?)
      Several weeks into it now... have not had a sigle crash, burn, or lockup... I have yet to have to reset the unit for any "negative" reasons.
    • how well does it handle season passes with options of first showing, multiple channel, etc. (once again, TiVo is a hard act to follow on this one)
      So far... so good.... I have only had one repeat record and that was an episode of Stargate yesterday... which just happened to be the 100th episode, which was the foundation for the 200th episode... so I am not sure if Sci-Fi tweaked with the data a bit, and the HR20 simply identified it as a first run. I have several of the popular shows that are on all over teh place... Stargate, CSI, Law&Order... so everything has been exactly as I have expected it to be.
    • how well does it do video? any mosaics?, dropped frames?
      I am not seeing any mosaics, drop frames, or anything wrong with the HD video... granted I haven't been counting the frames or anything like that.
    • are there things like "wish lists"? (TiVo does this wonderfully)
      Yes and No... there are keyword searchs available.. but they are definently not as powerfull or the same as wishlists.
    • and, since we're talking about TiVo here too (apparently by my post), are there any impending lawsuits and injunctions against DirectTV for infringment upon TiVo's patents?
      As a few others have noted, they re-upped the contract for a few more years, that specifically included patent discussion.

      For some more discussion and answers to your questions... come on down to www.dbstalk.com that is where I have been living for the last few days....