HR20-First Impressions

[hdAddict]

Been with D* for over 11 years. First HD receiver was a Toshiba 3000, then a Samsung 360, then HR10 and now the HR20-100 (8 days). The HR20 install did not go well. The Tech left prior to getting the receiver authorized. It took two days of restarts/reformats/etc before both receivers and OTA tuners would work at the same time. The unit will come on by itself during the day and night. So far it has recorded programs OK. My real problem and complaint is the picture quality, the slow response to remote inputs, and the weak OTA tuners. The guide is extremely slow compared to the HR10. PQ is terrible; all channels are very soft, almost appearing as though the picture is just slightly out of focus. The colors are slightly oversaturated. The SD channels appear to be about equal to cable (Comcrap/TW) analog channels with over compression and blotchiness. I know it is the HR20, because my other HDTV with the HR10 appears normal in PQ for both HD and SD. The HR20 is hooked up via HDMI. I have not tried components. Both the Samsung and HR10 have been hooked up to the same TV via HDMI without problem.

Has anyone else experienced a significant loss in PQ when switching from an HR10 to the HR20? Maybe I just have a bad receiver. So far I feel I’ve been suckered into another 2 years contract (actually 24-7 or 17 months). I’m not happy but have no other choice presently. :(

[MikeR7]

I think you need a new box. PQ should be as good or better than HR10.

[rabit ears]

In addition to everything you mention I have a loud buzz and serious audio dropouts. Sorry for the schadenfreude, but it's really nice to hear about someone else with the same complaints.

I tried to get the unit replaced and received two HR20-700 units that both had problems. I'm going to give them one more try for a fix, and then it's going to get nasty.

[hdAddict]

Rabit, did the PQ improve with the 700 model?

[Indiana627]

I've had -100 since early June and not had any major issues. Runs quiet. PQ is same or better than the HR10 it replaced. All tuners have always worked. What software version are you running? I have noticed it seems slower on the current 0x17E software (but we should be getting software 0x18A soon as it just went national for the -700 and the -100 usually gets it shortly thereafter).

[Stuart Sweet]

Just curious... do you see any better results when hooked up via component?

[hdAddict]

Just curious... do you see any better results when hooked up via component?

No, I have not tried components. I'm running x17e version currently. The unit was very fast out of the box, but while waiting on D* to authorize unit, 17e downloaded and the machine became a dog and is still a dog! I'm not so worried on the speed of the guide as I think this can be corrected in future updates. I most concerned about the PQ. I can not live with the current PQ. If this is what I get, I'll just deactivate and send back. Surely, it's just a bad receiver.

[Stuart Sweet]

It very certainly could be.

[rynberg]

Are you sure the box knows that you have an HDTV? Perhaps the higher resolutions were not checked.

In any case, the guide should not be painfully slow and the PQ should be very good. I would suspect a bad box.

[hdAddict]

Are you sure the box knows that you have an HDTV? Perhaps the higher resolutions were not checked.

In any case, the guide should not be painfully slow and the PQ should be very good. I would suspect a bad box.

I have a deactivated H20 that I bought in January 2006 from D*. The H20 was so slow I deactivated after only 5 weeks. It was painfull! The HR20 is faster, but barely. I have native off and only 720p and 1080i selected in the resolutions. The actual channel changes are slow but not that bad. Scrolling in the guide is what is slow and I have animation off. It will only page one screen at a time whether or not the page up/down is continually held or not. Single channel moves in the guid are also very slow.

But again, it's the PQ!!

[Koz]

Have you played with your tv settings? Maybe the HR10 and HR20 are outputting different signals and you have to adjust the sharpness, color, etc. Just a thought.

[kniles]

Then I first got my HR-20 I played with all the resolution settings and my unit started slowing down, the guide slowed way down. I had to go back in and select all the settings from 480 to 1080, not as much conversion. I aslo changed to native off. Then reboot the unit by pulling the plug in the back of the HR-20. My unit works much better. Version 0x17E is slow but the guide is the fastest way to get around.

[hdAddict]

I set up the HR10 and Samsung 360 to output only at 1080i. Had no trouble with any channel. I experimented with native on/off, everything checked except 480i, or only 1080i. I do not know if my tv will accept 480i over HDMI. Whatever resoultion(s) I included, the PQ was the same; unacceptable. Maybe the HR20 is having trouble upconverting the SD channels. However, all HD channels, the 720p or 1080i, appear fuzzy with colors oversaturated. I tried adjusting my TV for sharpness and color but this did not improve the picture quality. I have had the TV since March 2007 and it is, in my opinion, the best picture quality I have ever seen in any size screen. It is not the fault of my TV as I have reinstalled the HR10and the PQ is simply exceptional.
I am going to hook up the component cables and see if that makes a difference.

[davring]

I am going to hook up the component cables and see if that makes a difference.

+1 Sounds like your set is not communicating with the HR20 via HDMI, I'll bet the component cables will solve the PQ problem.

[xandor]

Then reboot the unit by pulling the plug in the back of the HR-20. My unit works much better.

I don't have any problems with my HR20, but you just don't wanna do that...restart using the menus. That's what Earl said, anyway.

[Koz]

Sometimes pulling the plug is the only way to get things to reset. It's a last resort, but it is necessary sometimes.

[xandor]

Not denying that, but the OP didn't indicate that there was any problem using the menus.

[Dusty]

My HR20s have better PQ than my HR10s. I have one HR20 through HDMI and one through components. It was a pleasant surprise to me when I made the switch. Your problem doesn't sound normal to me.

Guide data scrolling is slow. I have adjusted to use the 12 hour jump a lot. (By pressing the red and green buttoms)

If you are looking for Tivo list style guide, you can get closer to it by press left key onto the channel number and press INFO. It is still slower than Tivo but not too bad.

[rabit ears]

Last Tuesday I wrote that the problems that I saw on my HR20 had taken me to the point of severing my service with D*. I spoke with a representative in the retention department and he asked me for one more chance (Three units in 2 months and no problem fix).

The new unit, a HR20-700 is very quiet (my understanding from the tech is that the HR20-100 units have a fan that causes a great deal of noise). The Picture Quality is close to the HR10 on the stations in the 70's but still leaves something to be desired on the local sat feeds (not enough to be an issue since I can pull in all the local HD stations OTA). With a minimum amount of viewing time the audio dropouts do not appear to be a problem, only time will tell.

So for those of you who were upset by my comments about the HR20, I will say that the unit is, so far, acceptable.

As for D* customer service, it took two DOA HR20-700 shipments and a demand that the service be canceled with no penality to get action. The tech who brought and installed the new unit said that almost all the HR20-100 units were having noise problems with the fan and he preferred the HR20-700 to minimize issues during installation. Why D* isn't more proactive on these issues is a concern for the future, but for now, I am satisfied with my service.

[Stuart Sweet]

(...)
The new unit, a HR20-700 is very quiet (my understanding from the tech is that the HR20-100 units have a fan that causes a great deal of noise).
(...)


I've heard the opposite, that the -100s are quieter. Who knows, maybe they're about the same but people are subjective.

[Dr. Booda]

I just installed a second HR20 unit but this one had a model number of HR20-700S on the box. Does the "S" suffix mean anything significant? I can't remember what my original unit's box said.

[MikeR]

Does the "S" suffix mean anything significant?

Silver.