If you have a RV- The HR21 may be for you

[ShadowFree]

Just discovered the HR21-700 will let you watch pre-recorded items without a satellite signal.:D The HR20-xxx would not allow this. This is also good for those times when a storm has blocked satellite signals.

If you need OTA, you may want to stay with HR20. The HR21 cannot due OTA.

[CJTE]

Just discovered the HR21-700 will let you watch pre-recorded items without a satellite signal.:D The HR20-xxx would not allow this. This is also good for those times when a storm has blocked satellite signals.

If you need OTA, you may want to stay with HR20. The HR21 cannot due OTA.

If you have an RV, you have a much better chance at the FCC approving you to get the DNS feeds.
=D

[Drew2k]

Just discovered the HR21-700 will let you watch pre-recorded items without a satellite signal.:D The HR20-xxx would not allow this. This is also good for those times when a storm has blocked satellite signals.

If you need OTA, you may want to stay with HR20. The HR21 cannot due OTA.It's been a while since this was tested, but I believe that DIRECTV made that change that if the sat signal went out, you could still play recordings (ex: during a storm), but I believe this is true for short periods without satellite activity - the HR21 may need to "detect" satellite within a certain time frame...

[Xing]

Just discovered the HR21-700 will let you watch pre-recorded items without a satellite signal.:D The HR20-xxx would not allow this. This is also good for those times when a storm has blocked satellite signals.

If you need OTA, you may want to stay with HR20. The HR21 cannot due OTA.

The HR20, at least the -100, allows you to watch recordings without a signal. I disconnected both of my satellite inputs and reset the receiver and it allowed me to watch the recordings.

[mcbeevee]

This was added to HR20-700 in the 0x18a release back in August:

New feature(s)
Access to MyPlaylist recordings, when system started without a satellite feed.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=95570

[Kurgan]

A lot of RVs have antennas on them that are perfectly capable of picking up HDTV over the air. However, it's pretty easy to get DNS if you've got your receiver in an RV.

[Stuart Sweet]

I think the way we left it was, it will let you for a short period but not a real meaningful period like multiple days.

[barryb]

The nice thing about the HR21/H21's is that they don't produce as much heat. This is a good thing as most installs in motorhomes involve small cabinet spaces that will get very hot when using an HR20.

At this present time you will NOT be able to get the newer MPEG-4 HD channels unless you set up a larger dish (such as a Slimline 5 LNB) outside your coach.

You will, however be able to get the older HD channels [from D*] if you have the right dish on your roof. If your televisions have HDTV Tuners built in there is no reason to have anything but the HR21/H21, unless you want to record OTA broadcasts.