HR20-700 vs. HR21-700

[ffrllc]

I just made the move from the HD Tivo (HR10-250) to the DirecTV HR20-700 and was wondering what the difference is between the HR20-700 and the HR21-700.

DTV promised me the newest box so if there are any features the HR21-700 has that the HR20-700 does not, I'll have to call them up for a replacement.

What are the differences between the DTV boxes?

Thanks.

[Ken S]

Read the First Look for the HR21-700 for specifics, but basically other than color and the lack of OTA capablities on the HR21 they're the same.

[Michael D'Angelo]

:welcome_s to DBSTalk

The HR20-700 has an 300GB hard drive. The HR21-700 has an 320GB hard drive.

The HR20-700 has two OTA tuners. The HR21-700 does not have any.

The HR20-700 is silver and the HR21-700 is black.

The HR20-700 right now a good bit a head with software but the HR21-700 will catch up and be the same.

The HR21-700 has a 2nd ethernet port that is used as a network switch and the HR20-700 does not have that.

That is it.

[Ken S]

:welcome_s to DBSTalk

The HR20-700 has an 300GB hard drive. The HR21-700 has an 320GB hard drive.

The HR20-700 has two OTA tuners. The HR21-700 does not have any.

The HR20-700 is silver and the HR21-700 is black.

The HR20-700 right now a good bit a head with software but the HR21-700 will catch up and be the same.

The HR21-700 has a 2nd ethernet port that is used as a network switch and the HR20-700 does not have that.

That is it.


The newer HR20-700s have a 320GB drive in them.

[Michael D'Angelo]

The newer HR20-700s have a 320GB drive in them.

Thanks for the heads up I did not know that. I have had mine for so long.

[DblD_Indy]

Do either of those support Gig over copper?

[Fusion2525]

What the difference is between the HR20-700 vs. HR20-100

[Ken S]

What the difference is between the HR20-700 vs. HR20-100

Functionally nothing really, but the 100 has an external RF antenna and the 700 has an internal antenna.

The model number difference only really indicates different manufacturers.

[Jerry Birdwell]

New problem with HR20-700: (Origionally posted on Greenville OTA forum):
<<Added information regarding the HR-20-700 and its problems. As posted much earlier, the problem with LIL Closed Captions continues (although I thought it was resolved about 10 days ago. What I observed on the LIL for FOX and ABC probably was a live sports event which does not have captions problems.) There has been no late information from my contacts at the engineering staff in Denver.

NEW: In the past two weeks I discovered a new problem. Most recordings of HD Network's movie channel have a brief audio dropout some 10 to 15 seconds apart, with a slight video pixelization. About 10 days ago when we attempted to watch a movie, I discovered the dropouts, and found that the movie was being shown later that night. I re-recorded it, and it was good. Last night I attempted to watch another movie from that channel and it again has audio and slight video problems. I erased that movie (it is not currently scheduled for repeat) and recorded as a test three movies. All had the same problem.
Since I have not attempted to record many other recent HD additional channels, I am not positive that other recordings would be good. Direct's CSR had me re-record five minutes of a movie that was in progress and play it back...it was bad. Now, Direct wants me to re-format the HD. That means I lose several features that I wanted my grandchildren to see. This was a replacement for a HR20-100 in an attempt to solve the CC problem. The problem of audio dropouts probably existed in the receiver the first time it was returned to DirecTV; my experience is that the "replacement units" sent have only a cursory evaluation before being shipped to other customers.
I am very disenchanged with the number of problems I have experienced (even with four replacement HR20s) over the past five months.
Suggestions?
__________________
JB

[Inglespat]

I just talked to an installer and he said the hr-20 was crappy. He has heard complaints about pixelation also.. He also said a difference between the two boxes was the hr-20 is plastic and the hr-21 is metal.

[Stuart Sweet]

:welcome_s Inglespat!

Unfortunately the installer you spoke to was wrong. The failure rate on HR20s and HR21s is roughly the same, both fairly low actually. Both have a plastic bezel on a metal case. I wouldn't characterize either as crappy.

[Stuart Sweet]

New problem with HR20-700: (Origionally posted on Greenville OTA forum):
<<Added information regarding the HR-20-700 and its problems. As posted much earlier, the problem with LIL Closed Captions continues (although I thought it was resolved about 10 days ago. What I observed on the LIL for FOX and ABC probably was a live sports event which does not have captions problems.) There has been no late information from my contacts at the engineering staff in Denver.

NEW: In the past two weeks I discovered a new problem. Most recordings of HD Network's movie channel have a brief audio dropout some 10 to 15 seconds apart, with a slight video pixelization. About 10 days ago when we attempted to watch a movie, I discovered the dropouts, and found that the movie was being shown later that night. I re-recorded it, and it was good. Last night I attempted to watch another movie from that channel and it again has audio and slight video problems. I erased that movie (it is not currently scheduled for repeat) and recorded as a test three movies. All had the same problem.
Since I have not attempted to record many other recent HD additional channels, I am not positive that other recordings would be good. Direct's CSR had me re-record five minutes of a movie that was in progress and play it back...it was bad. Now, Direct wants me to re-format the HD. That means I lose several features that I wanted my grandchildren to see. This was a replacement for a HR20-100 in an attempt to solve the CC problem. The problem of audio dropouts probably existed in the receiver the first time it was returned to DirecTV; my experience is that the "replacement units" sent have only a cursory evaluation before being shipped to other customers.
I am very disenchanged with the number of problems I have experienced (even with four replacement HR20s) over the past five months.
Suggestions?
__________________
JB

My first suggestion is that when you call the CSR, explain that you're on your fifth HR20 in as many months and ask to have your call escalated. This is the very thing that DIRECTV is most concerned with. They would rather not keep throwing hardware at a problem, they would rather solve it.