DirecTV's New HD-DVR

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.

Comments

it's a good start,

[yagu]

It's a good start to get a peek at this new DVR. Unfortunately, if consumers were to base their choice on listed features, capacities, and pictures of the unit (they already barely do that, the DirectTV would be another DVR with really beefy meaty specs... and would be a top candidate for a great addition to the Home Entertainment Center. But, this isn't really the review I'm looking for.

I want to know (after using TiVo now for almost ten years, happily ever after):

• how responsive is the interface?
• how ergonomic? (TiVo's a hard act to follow on this one)
• how often does the machine crash and burn, or just plain lock up? (any comcast DVR users out there?)
• 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)
• how well does it do video? any mosaics?, dropped frames?
• are there things like "wish lists"? (TiVo does this wonderfully)
• 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?

This is just a partial list... but virtually none of which are really covered by the review in enough depth... too much to ask of one reviewer. I've been burned by the "wow" factor of a Comcast box (from a review), and now would wait for more concensus.

And, as an aside, does anyone else find it really annoying technology is going the way of PVR's becoming the providers' commodities rather than manufacturers? Assuming this new PVR is the greatest thing since sliced bread, it still wouldn't be enough of a draw to switch providers -- it's more than a little annoying to find that if you like x, y, or z about some PVR, you have to switch to that provider? WTF?

Interoperability with EVERYTHING (including over the air (OTA)) broadcast has been and continues to be one of the biggest draws for me with TiVo, though there's many indications of providers trying to shut TiVo out. Sigh.

Re:it's a good start,

[ebonovic]

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....

DirectTV has nothing to fear from TiVo

[mkraft]

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.

Re:Ethernet port?

[PoitNarf]

From what I have been reading in the forums, they are planning on doing some interesting stuff with the ethernet connectivity.

* VOD via Internet (handy since it's pretty hard to implement through Sats)
* There is PC integration planned with Windows Media Center and Vista
* There is a content sharing schema in the works. It's called the HMC (Home Media Center). It will consist of a server device which is connected to the phone line. All of the receiver nodes will communicate with the server to access stored content. All the receivers will also only need 1 coax connection to the server.