What will I likely get?

[directvfreak]

Today, we just purchased a new LCD Tv for the Family Room- Yay! Now all of our TVs are HD (except for the one in the garage). Anyways, I would like to replace the R15 in the Family Room with a HDDVR. I am hoping to get one free as in April we will have been with DirecTV for 5 years. Anyways- when I order mine, will I likely get a HR21 or HR20?
Thanks and have a great night!

[Michael D'Angelo]

It does not really matter what one you get but if a installer brings it you will probably get a new HR21. If DirecTV sends you one it will probably be a refurbished HR20.

At least that is what I think they are doing now.

[Doug Brott]

Odds are that you will get an HR21 as that has been the most frequent install as of late. If over-the-air is not needed, then it truly will not matter which unit you get. If over-the-air is necessary then the HR20 will let you view it now. The HR21 will have an add-on available, the AM21, that can be used to get over-the-air channels but it is not currently available.

[eileen22]

I had an install done on 2/20/08, and I got a refurbished H20-100. I asked for an HR21, but the installer took me out to his truck and showed me that all he had were boxes of refurbished HR20's, and he had at least 15 of them in the truck. He said that is all they are giving him now. The week before I had an installer who came but couldn't do the install b/c of weather, and he had one new HR21 and several refurb'd HR20's. So I would have gotten the HR21 then if he had been able to do the work that day.

[Doug Brott]

Just goes to show that in most cases you cannot determine until the installer arrives. Whether refurbished or new, the hardware should be just as likely to perform as expected.

[cruise350]

Chances are, if you get a refurbished you may have a problem and you'll be calling D* for a replacement. I hope you have the insurance so you won't have to pay the shipping.

[eileen22]

Chances are, if you get a refurbished you may have a problem and you'll be calling D* for a replacement. I hope you have the insurance so you won't have to pay the shipping.

Yes, I have the insurance. I even called D* while the installer was still there, to complain about the fact that I didn't want a refurb. unit. They told me that "you get what is on the truck," and I guess they expect you to be happy with this since you are getting the equipment for "free." If I had been paying anything up front for the box I would have pushed it further. They told me that the only way I could get an HR21 was if the installer was willing to go to his shop and get one for me. I didn't even ask him to do that, since I knew that wasn't going to happen.

If I end up having problems with this unit and they replace it with another refurbished unit, I will go to my local Costco and buy an HR21. They have them for $169.

[Thaedron]

Chances are, if you get a refurbished you may have a problem and you'll be calling D* for a replacement. I hope you have the insurance so you won't have to pay the shipping.

Are you implying it will be bad out of the box, or just sometime in the future? If a problem arises within 90days there shouldn't be any out of pocket expense as the "leased" unit is covered by warranty.

[dbronstein]

I had an installation last week and I got an HR20. The bigger mystery is if you'll actually get the cables with it. Mine had a power cord and that was it. Fortunately my installer had an HDMI cable and the BBCs in the truck.