Superfan + DVR + Interactive

[markman07]

Since the inception of the Sunday Ticket superfan there was no way to have a scenario where you could use all of it's features. If you wanted to use your HD DVR (Tivo) you couldn't get the interactive features. If you wanted to use an HD interactive receiver to watch the games then you lose the DVR tools (pause, rewind, dual tuners, etc). The only way I see where you could get to use SuperFan's features(high def, interactive, and DVR functionality) is if one box supports it all.

So my question... This NFL season will I be able to access all the features using one box? (does the HR20-xxx) support everything now? If not then just like last year I need to call Directv and explain to them it doesn't make sense to charge $99 bucks for the superfan package if there is no one case where you can utilize it all!

[DCSholtis]

The HR20 has been interactive for quite awhile now so yes to answer your question Superfan+DVR+Interactive IS supported.

[Michael D'Angelo]

Since the inception of the Sunday Ticket superfan there was no way to have a scenario where you could use all of it's features. If you wanted to use your HD DVR (Tivo) you couldn't get the interactive features. If you wanted to use an HD interactive receiver to watch the games then you lose the DVR tools (pause, rewind, dual tuners, etc). The only way I see where you could get to use SuperFan's features(high def, interactive, and DVR functionality) is if one box supports it all.

So my question... This NFL season will I be able to access all the features using one box? (does the HR20-xxx) support everything now? If not then just like last year I need to call Directv and explain to them it doesn't make sense to charge $99 bucks for the superfan package if there is no one case where you can utilize it all!

Yes you can do everything with the HR20.

[markman07]

Really? Sweet! You say quite a while...I am guessing this happened after last football season (2006)?? I guess now is the time I need to try to add a HR20 DVR to my hardware lineup.

[bonscott87]

Since the inception of the Sunday Ticket superfan there was no way to have a scenario where you could use all of it's features. If you wanted to use your HD DVR (Tivo) you couldn't get the interactive features. If you wanted to use an HD interactive receiver to watch the games then you lose the DVR tools (pause, rewind, dual tuners, etc). The only way I see where you could get to use SuperFan's features(high def, interactive, and DVR functionality) is if one box supports it all.

So my question... This NFL season will I be able to access all the features using one box? (does the HR20-xxx) support everything now? If not then just like last year I need to call Directv and explain to them it doesn't make sense to charge $99 bucks for the superfan package if there is no one case where you can utilize it all!

Ummmm, I did it all last NFL season with my HR20. So one box has supported it all since last summer. ;)

By the way, they give Superfan away like candy, no way you should be paying for it. Just call and complain and you should get it for free.

[markman07]

I currently have one DRS6000 Directivo and one HR10-250 HD tivo in the TV room. (4 tuners). I own the DRS000 and lease the HR10-250. If I am going to add an HR20-xxx DVR (replacing the DRS6000) I hope they would let me lease that without giving up the HR10-250 tivo (which I use for OTA also). In other words if I am going to have 4 tuners I want them all HD capable. I wonder if they have any deals for existing customers.

[bonscott87]

If you have an HR10 you'll get the HR20 for free or shipping only. If you don't get that deal then call again until you do. I'd basically just say you want to upgrade your HD Tivo to the new HR20 DVR so you can get all the new HD channels. That should send the CSR down the correct call script. :D

And you can certainly keep your Tivo, they don't want or need it back.

[Baconbeard]

In my opinion, the interactive was garbage. It was nice in theory, but it is very slow. So much that it is quicker to just lookat stats online than wait for your HR20 to pull them up.

The only worth while feature of the Super Fan is getting games in HD.

[ProfLonghair]

The interactive did NOT work well on the HR20 last year. That was thousands (seemingly) of updates ago. Not sure if it's been addressed since.

And, while it has dual tuners, beware: Currently, it does NOT have dual live buffers. You have to record 2 shows, and switch between the two of them.

Yes, it's awful. It's been well, well kvetched about here. We're here for you.

[intharuff]

I got my HR20 last fall and used it through the NFL season using DVR, watched many games in HD and used the interactive stuff to put a bunch of fantasy players in there so it alerted me when one of them scored or whatever. All worked nicely, minus a bug or two every now and then, but it always seemed as though they worked hard to resolve as quickly as they could. It does all it should and did it well for a new piece of hardware/software, in my opinion.

[bonscott87]

I didn't use all the interactive features. I have no need for stats and stuff since I have that running live on my laptop next to my chair should I choose to look up a stat.

The interactive features I used most:
1) Player alerts. I'd setup 9 players for early games and edit the list again for the late games. Awesome for fantasy football.
2) Game Mix. When I'm not all that interested in any particular game the mix channel was awesome to see what's going on around the league, which teams are in the endzone and so forth.
3) The "L" scoreboard that you could load up on any game. Kept your current game going but loaded up a scoreboard around the screen which you could highlight a game and if you selected it you'd be sent to that game.

That's what I used the most. Stats are useless to me.

[SDizzle]

Really? Sweet! You say quite a while...I am guessing this happened after last football season (2006)?? I guess now is the time I need to try to add a HR20 DVR to my hardware lineup.

I got my first HR20 the first week of Sept. 2006, and had all features available all season. Unlike how the H20 is just becoming interactive with the new software, the HR20 has always been interactive.......you get the best of all!!

[SDizzle]

I personally like the Redzone channel.......no interactive needed to view it.....but just saying.....I like it.

[O2BRich]

You got to love D* CSR's. Just called to complain about having to pay extra to watch the HD games. Told her I did not want any of the other SF features and since I already pay $9.99 for HD content and $250 for ST I was not happy. She basically told me there was no way they could give SF to me for free. I asked if she was sure and maybe she needed to escalate this to a manager of customer retention and that if I could not see the games in HD I might not renew my sub to ST. She put me on hold (just like the used car sales man needing to talk to the sales manager) and came back and said they will be offering it for free right before the season starts and to call back then.

Don't think I will wait that long before I call back

[morgantown]

And, while it has dual tuners, beware: Currently, it does NOT have dual live buffers. You have to record 2 shows, and switch between the two of them.

Don't want to get folks off track here...but, NFLST is the biggest area where lack of dual buffers is most evident. I'm strongly considering a second HR20 for the living room for this very reason. I don't like to be "married" to just two games -- heck that is why I fork over the dough for NFLST in the first place.

Unbelievably, even the wife agrees with me on this point. ...and to think "way back when" she thought getting the DirecTiVo was overkill. Now she wants TWO buffers for the games.

Redzone channel is sweet though. Almost makes the NFLST too easy to watch.

[tfederov]

We may want to caveat that the showcases will be hit or miss. With the TiVos, they had the replay of the game (I think it was 2 or 3 minutes long).

D* hasn't been big on pushing the showcases on the HR20 as of yet.

[Michael D'Angelo]

One thing I would like to see changed for this year is when you are flipping between the Sunday Ticket channels and every time you change channels the interactive thing pops up at the bottom of the screen and you have to hit exit to remove it. You should have to hit a button to bring it up if you want to use it.

[BWiggin]

This might be a stupid question, but will the local game (here would be the Patriots) be on one of the Sunday Ticket channels, or will it only be on our CBS affiliate? I would like to have all the interactive features available to me.

[cb7214]

This might be a stupid question, but will the local game (here would be the Patriots) be on one of the Sunday Ticket channels, or will it only be on our CBS affiliate? I would like to have all the interactive features available to me.

both but you will only be able to view the local affiliate broadcast, if you go to the sunday ticket channel it will show that it is not available

[bonscott87]

both but you will only be able to view the local affiliate broadcast, if you go to the sunday ticket channel it will show that it is not available

Correct and to clarify the interactive stuff is not on your local channels. To me no big deal since I rarely watch whatever crappy game (cough....lions...cough) is on my local channel. :D