[Wolffpack]

Get use to it guys. On the R15 side it can take 3-4 weeks for a new release to run through the country. You had it good when every Wednesday you all received the same update. Not so any more. Updates become less frequent and take longer to get. That's just the fact of life in the DTV world.

 

[Wolffpack]

Come to think of it, it would be nice to have the guide download available via broadband. The receiver, upon initial boot, could send a DMA Specific request and have all the info downloaded much quicker than it is to wait on the data to come in over the stream.

Huh? It would probably be better if the freggin guide were stored on the HD. Then on initial boot....Presto, you have the entire guide other than what may have been sent over the SAT while your unit was rebooting.

Let me think..... What would be a more difficult change to the existing software?
Store a copy of the guide data on the HD and upon boot reload that from the HD as opposed to the SAT...or...code and activate NIC drivers, a TCP/IP stack, a respectable firewall and a network host server to do this via the internet. Man, that's a tough one for me.

 

[Wolffpack]

Considering the fact that there is clearly already a working TCP/IP stack on the HR20, there isn't much more work to do. And you should know that storing the guide on the HD instead of RAM isn't as simple as it sounds.

No one knows how much of a TCP/IP stack is "working" on the unit. I'd also not feel real comfortable giving an HR20 direct access to the 'net.

As far as storing the guide on the HD, what's not simple about that? The SLs and TDL are stored in tiny little files on the HD. Open a file, read that file, load the guide into RAM. Periodically reverse that process.

 

[Wolffpack]

That's also a fact of life in the TiVo world.

Exactly. The number of HR20s in the field finally hit the point where a staggered rollout is needed. Plus it makes life a little easier if a new release needs to be pulled like they did with the last R15 release.

 

[Wolffpack]

It would probably involve rewriting a substantial amount of code that deals with the guide. Plus you'd get into speed issues. The HR20's guide is much faster than any Tivo's guide, and I'm sure that has something to do with the fact that the HR20 keeps the guide in RAM.

Misunderstanding here. I'm not proposing that the guide be stored and referenced from the HD. What I'm proposing is that the guide still be stored in RAM. No changes needed for any module that needs guide data. I'm also proposing that at some point (every 6-12 hours) the guide data that is stored in RAM is bit by bit copied out to a file on the HD. Finally I'm proposing that upon a reboot/reset the code be changed to grab the guide data from the HD if it exists. The unit performs a bit by bit copy from the HD copy of the guide data back into the section of RAM that is resides instead of starting to grab the data from the SAT. Logic to update the guide data can still then pull/update from the SAT but using this method would provide the customer will a 90% full guide on reboot.

EDIT: I guess I will add this. If the R15/HR20 could remain up and running without a reset for any period of time, this entire discussion would be moot. I reset my R15 every week to avoid problems. Just as a comparison, of my SD Tivos, they have been up and running without a reset/reboot for 35 days, 45 days, 56 days and 30 days. Again, this all comes back to the degree of reliability of a DVR.

 

[Wolffpack]

You're not getting the point at all... Slow down and read for a moment instead of jumping to conclusions...

The HR10-250 was NOT the first TiVo on the market, not by a long shot.

The HR20-700 is the SECOND DVR for D*.

D* hasn't had near the time making DVR's that TiVo had before putting out their first HD DVR.

I am in NO WAY giving ANYONE a "pass". It boggles my mind how you think I said that in my post.

You're comparing Apples to Kiwi and it's not a fair comparison at all.

If you don't like the HR20 then give yours back to D* and get another HR10 on ebay, just don't come here and flame the HR20 or those of us who like the unit.

I REALLY....REALLY try to keep out these pissing matches, but your comment are simply BS.

The R15 and HR20 are a DTV DVR that has followed successful DVRs such as UTV and DTivos. The DTV development team knew from the beginning what would be expected. Just because they made the stupid decision, as arrogant as it was, that they could even produce their own DVR doesn't give them the free pass that, yes, you are giving them.

Please...everyone....stop this. DTV knew what DTV customers expected from a DVR. DTV has provided those DVRs for years to us customers. When DTV made the decision to "do it ourselves" they should also know what investment that would take. They should also know not to release anything that has less reliability or any less functionality that what they currently offer. DTV screwed the pooch on that front.

The R15 and HR20 are not new DVRs in the sense that the development teams knew what was going to be expected from those units. Let's take a quick look at some issues:

• Reliability: Past DTV DVRs (see, this includes UTV and Tivos) recorded and played what they were told to do. New DTV DVRs don't'.
• Limits: All I can say to limits are "huh"? Past DTV DVRs didn't have any stinking limits.
• History: Both the R15 and HR20 have history that is pretty much worth crap. I'm not sure about UTV but I know Tivos would tell you why something didn't record.

There's a few. DTV doesn't get any pass just because they brought development in house. It was a bad business decision and they need to be called on it and pay for that decision.

 

[Wolffpack]

The thread has gotten way off-track guys. Back to the topic of the thread please.

Sorry Donnie, I like the new topic more

Oh, and yes, before the thread gets closed, I agree 1000% DStern.