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sshams95

11-23-07, 08:12 AM

http://seekingalpha.com/article/55092-dtv-offers-tivo-users-an-upgrade-and-a-headache?source=yahoo

While this article is completely biased and bears no facts whatsoever, I thought ppl would get a kick out of this...

SFNSXguy

11-23-07, 09:12 AM

Sirshagg

11-23-07, 09:16 AM

mjones73

11-23-07, 09:25 AM

Gotta love this line - "Certainly there are some idiots that will take DirecTV up on their "generous" upgrade offer"

So how many idiots do we have here? Count me in as one of them...

TheRatPatrol

11-23-07, 09:37 AM

In fact I have half a mind to just bolt from DirecTV and move over to digital cable anyways. This way I can either get a Series 3 TiVo or one of the new Media Center CableCARD PCs plus a bunch of new HD channels and truly get a better product.
LOL. He would still have to buy a new Tivo and would still have to pay the monthly Tivo fee's, on top of the overpriced cable bill and less HD channels.

Earl Bonovich

11-23-07, 09:53 AM

Pretty much the same-old-same-old we have heard for the last year.

And nothing is going to change on that front.
Bottom Line / End of the Day....

If you want the new HD channels, and eventually any HD channels via SAT... you have to get the HR20/21 or switch carriers...

F1 Fan

11-23-07, 10:06 AM

The article is just one persons opinion.
He forgets to mention the CNET reviews were over 12months old. That there is a note in the CNET reviews about why the user ratings are lower. That the $299 is a lease fee but he could have bought the unit for $750 (and so no commitment), that he was happy to fork out $1,300 for the latest tech back when he got his Tivo, that he has never tried the HR20/21 so how does he know it is a headache and is willing to spend money to go to cable/Dish when he could just as easily do nothing and stay as he is.
He is obviously not as "bleeding edge tech sort of guy" as he says he is or he would have at least 1 HR20 when it came out - or one since D10 launched to get the new MPEG4 channels?
When you read the 2nd paragraph it says it all - he likes Tivo. So if hypothetically Tivo had produced the HR20 but with the same problems and pricing and commitments he would have complained? Or do you think he would be one of the "idiots" and paid up?

harsh

11-23-07, 10:26 AM

The article is just one persons opinion.And those opinions aren't particularly considered. I too have to agree with the "doesn't know the facts" assertion. Of course when you're publishing articles under an assumed name, you maybe shouldn't be taken too seriously. Reading his bio, I'm not sure how he qualifies to write for an investment site other than he seems to enjoy punditry.He forgets to mention the CNET reviews were over 12months old. That there is a note in the CNET reviews about why the user ratings are lower.CNET also has a note about how they've given the HR20 a reduced score since the initial review in the context of today's offerings. If you look at the "the bad", only the skip feature is being added.He is obviously not as "bleeding edge tech sort of guy" as he says he is or he would have at least 1 HR20 when it came out - or one since D10 launched to get the new MPEG4 channels?This guy has TiVo on the brain. If he wants it, he will get it. If doesn't satisfy his "needs", then the HR20 isn't for him.
When you read the 2nd paragraph it says it all - he likes Tivo. So if hypothetically Tivo had produced the HR20 but with the same problems and pricing and commitments he would have complained? Or do you think he would be one of the "idiots" and paid up?As more than a handful of posters here have insisted, they would pay considerably more to get a TiVo based solution.

SFNSXguy

11-23-07, 10:28 AM

So if hypothetically Tivo had produced the HR20 but with the same problems and pricing and commitments he would have complained?

At least he'd have a unit that would probably work :rolleyes:

StlChief

11-23-07, 10:37 AM

I loved my DirecTIVO receiver (except it wasn't HD) and didn't want to be without it, so I waited forever to upgrade. Now that I have upgraded (HR21), I WOULD NEVER GO BACK. I love the HR21 and wouldn't trade it for a TIVO for anything. :D

Ken S

11-23-07, 10:41 AM

Gotta love this line - "Certainly there are some idiots that will take DirecTV up on their "generous" upgrade offer"

So how many idiots do we have here? Count me in as one of them...

Certainly a foolish comment on his part...dropped my view of the rest of his thoughts substantially.

Sirshagg

11-23-07, 11:24 AM

Certainly a foolish comment on his part...dropped my view of the rest of his thoughts substantially.

PLEASE!

Just about any big Tivo fan is going to be in for a rude awakening with this "upgrade" especially considering the 2 year committment. (Hmm, wonder why DirecTv wont even let you try it before you buy it and lock into 2 years???).

There are certainly things I like berrer about the HR20, and it's getting better, but there is only one reason I switched to it and would not go back to the Tivo - mpeg4 HD.

Earl Bonovich

11-23-07, 11:28 AM

(Hmm, wonder why DirecTv wont even let you try it before you buy it and lock into 2 years???).

Well for the installation costs:
The upgrade of the Dish...
The installation of that upgraded dish...
The installation of the HR unit

IMHO: DirecTV should offer an option for people to pay those fees, if they just want to "try" it first. As the cost of the installation is certainly not recoverable (you could always take the dish down).

They add in the support costs of maintaining that 30day trial...
(how much of a hassle if they try to cancel and return on 31st day, ect)

Sirshagg

11-23-07, 11:49 AM

Well for the installation costs:
The upgrade of the Dish...
The installation of that upgraded dish...
The installation of the HR unit

IMHO: DirecTV should offer an option for people to pay those fees, if they just want to "try" it first. As the cost of the installation is certainly not recoverable (you could always take the dish down).

They add in the support costs of maintaining that 30day trial...
(how much of a hassle if they try to cancel and return on 31st day, ect)

I'm talking about people who are DirecTv customers already and can go down to their local big box store, buy and connect a receiver themselves. There's no reason they shouldn't allow 15-30 days to make sure you like it.

Professional services are just that and should be billed if used.

Earl Bonovich

11-23-07, 11:53 AM

I'm talking about people who are DirecTv customers already and can go down to their local big box store, buy and connect a receiver themselves. There's no reason they shouldn't allow 15-30 days to make sure you like it.

Professional services are just that and should be billed if used.

So they can try the interface?
Maybe they could just set up an interactive segment of their website.

bonscott87

11-23-07, 11:54 AM

Hmm, wonder why DirecTv wont even let you try it before you buy it and lock into 2 years???

You DO realize that the commitments pre-date the HR20 by a couple years, right? Thus you got to pay $600-1000 for an HR10 DirecTivo and got a 2 year commitment out of the deal. ;)

And the last 2 SD DirecTivo's I activated both came with a 1 year commitment. So let's just drop the whole "2 year commitment is because they don't believe in the HR20" stick, eh? :hurah:

Ken S

11-23-07, 11:57 AM

PLEASE!

Just about any big Tivo fan is going to be in for a rude awakening with this "upgrade" especially considering the 2 year committment. (Hmm, wonder why DirecTv wont even let you try it before you buy it and lock into 2 years???).

There are certainly things I like berrer about the HR20, and it's getting better, but there is only one reason I switched to it and would not go back to the Tivo - mpeg4 HD.

Not sure what you're ranting about. I was suggesting that the author calling people idiots was a rather ignorant thing to do. By doing so my opinion of him and his article dropped.