[nikwax]

background: DTV customer for 10 years, >5 years Tivo series I and II. I'm in my first 24 hours of HR20 usage. At first blush, it is very impressive, very fast and the HD is quite nice. Menus aren't too bad.


However....


it's hard to believe that DTV considers this a shipable product. Before ordering I'd read about lockups, recordings disappearing, missed recordings, etc. So far I've seen just about every issue I can recall people reporting. I may keep this another 24 hours but my gosh what a buggy piece of crap. I do alpha and beta testing for a living and this is like an early alpha.


Sorry for the rant, but I'm stunned that DTV would consider charging money for this product in its current state.

 

[hasan]

background: DTV customer for 10 years, >5 years Tivo series I and II. I'm in my first 24 hours of HR20 usage. At first blush, it is very impressive, very fast and the HD is quite nice. Menus aren't too bad.

However....

it's hard to believe that DTV considers this a shipable product. Before ordering I'd read about lockups, recordings disappearing, missed recordings, etc. So far I've seen just about every issue I can recall people reporting. I may keep this another 24 hours but my gosh what a buggy piece of crap. I do alpha and beta testing for a living and this is like an early alpha.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm stunned that DTV would consider charging money for this product in its current state.

Which firmware? Did you upgrade to the Release Candidate either Mon or Tue evening?

 

[jonaswan2]

But doesn't EVERY DirecTV branded receiver, lock up, have certain things dissappear and so on. I don't think they are bugs, they are just really annoying features that DirecTV forgot to put in the manual.

 

[nikwax]

should still be the last released software, not the RC. I'll double check.

 

[HolmesCo]

background: DTV customer for 10 years, >5 years Tivo series I and II. I'm in my first 24 hours of HR20 usage. At first blush, it is very impressive, very fast and the HD is quite nice. Menus aren't too bad.

However....

it's hard to believe that DTV considers this a shipable product. Before ordering I'd read about lockups, recordings disappearing, missed recordings, etc. So far I've seen just about every issue I can recall people reporting. I may keep this another 24 hours but my gosh what a buggy piece of crap. I do alpha and beta testing for a living and this is like an early alpha.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm stunned that DTV would consider charging money for this product in its current state.

Mine ws fraught with errors the first day too, until I redownloaded the sw AND did a RBR, then it really smoothed out.

 

[nikwax]

Mine ws fraught with errors the first day too, until I redownloaded the sw AND did a RBR, then it really smoothed out.

thanks, I'll try that now.

 

[jmschnur]

What is "RBR" and how do you do it?

How are you doing (getting) getting the software download.

My HR20 is comming next Monday and I want to be prepared.

Thanks!

Joel

 

[BJM]

Ditto here, the first 24-48 hours were very buggy. I've had my HR20 for five weeks now, about one RBR (or 1st level reset from the menus) every two weeks, three total.

 

[BJM]

RBR = Red Button Reset. There's a little red button under the right front panel (where the access card is).

 

[nikwax]

0x10b before and after reloading the software. I'll keep an eye on things.

 

[spunkyvision]

I am almost identical to the original poster.

I received mine yesterday, recorded Jeopardy on local San Diego 39 NBC says HD but it certainly isnt widescreen. Any way started to watch recording..did a few 30 second slips and then the audio was off (not synched). Noticed audio dropouts on live ABC Local as well Channel 10.
So I said what the heck and did the latest update during the 8 pm window..got it no problems with the code or installing (thought the 2 reboots were odd but others reported as well).
After that I go back and watch the same jeopardy, same problem with the audio...
I deleted it and thought I should record something AFTER the update. So at 10pm I recorded Law and Order SVU on local NBC in HD. Audio again was off...really irritating...then at the 46 minute mark pf the recording it reboots itself. This is terrible...after all of the software updates I thought things would be better so I jumped in...so far i am not very happy with the DVR part of this HD DVR.
Do I call Directv or not? Do they have any fixes? Is it worth calling them?

 

[HolmesCo]

one thing I have alwasy done as many here seem to advocate it, is after a software download, and all is completed and back to normal, immediately do a rbr at that point. Its like rebooting windows after a program is installed I guess. Anyway I have always done that, and fiarly few problems, esp at 10b, but I have had 2 sporadic reboots with 115. But I do suggest the rbr, after the software download. It seems to help. I think ohters here advocate that as well, Thats where I got the idea in fact.

 

[Duffinator]

So I'm ready to order two of the HR20's. I've been waiting patiently for all the bugs and OTA to be fixed. Should I wait or order the boxes now? I can wait another month but the HDTV in my bedroom desperately wants and HD DVR.

 

[cruise350]

Order them, I ordered a 2nd one that will be here next week. Make sure you ask to talk to retentions and that you want a better deal. You should be able to get them for $99 a piece. Some have gotten even better deals. You might want to mention that Dish is giving their HD DVR away for free to new customers. I complained because my install was so delayed that a bought a slimline 5lnb dish on ebay and installed it myself and asked them to reimburse me.

 

[mganga]

background: DTV customer for 10 years, >5 years Tivo series I and II. I'm in my first 24 hours of HR20 usage. At first blush, it is very impressive, very fast and the HD is quite nice. Menus aren't too bad.

However....

it's hard to believe that DTV considers this a shipable product. Before ordering I'd read about lockups, recordings disappearing, missed recordings, etc. So far I've seen just about every issue I can recall people reporting. I may keep this another 24 hours but my gosh what a buggy piece of crap. I do alpha and beta testing for a living and this is like an early alpha.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm stunned that DTV would consider charging money for this product in its current state.

hang in there, it has been quite shocking for most of us, yes...just keep rebooting and you'll get the updates and keep reading this board and you'll be fine. you might want to prepare your significant other, though--my marriage has barely survived all of the HR-20 trials and tribulations!

 

[Duffinator]

Order them, I ordered a 2nd one that will be here next week. Make sure you ask to talk to retentions and that you want a better deal. You should be able to get them for $99 a piece. Some have gotten even better deals. You might want to mention that Dish is giving their HD DVR away for free to new customers. I complained because my install was so delayed that a bought a slimline 5lnb dish on ebay and installed it myself and asked them to reimburse me.

Will they throw in the new 5 lnb dish for free? I've already got my HR10-250 sold for $150. Is that a fair price?

 

[nikwax]

OK, now I'm seeing "searching for authorized content" on a show recorded this afternoon. Jeezuz, what a piece of sh*t this thing is. I may be back to Tivo quite soon.


If DTV is betting the bank on tis product/service, they won't be in business for too long

 

[spunkyvision]

one thing I have alwasy done as many here seem to advocate it, is after a software download, and all is completed and back to normal, immediately do a rbr at that point.

So, after the new release (the one that was available for 2 nights only) I should reboot again? During the installing or upgrading it rebooted itself twice, so even after that I should do another RBR?
And during the playback of my only recording since the upgrade it rebooted at the 46 minute mark of an hour show...does that count as a reboot or do I need to do it again? After it rebooted itself i was able to fast forward beyond the 46 minute mark. Am I ok?
As a long time Tivo user I am ok with this DVR software as far as it looks but I dont understand how the audio synch being off is not an immediate fix. I cant be the only one having this problem. So far, 2 recordings and 2 problems. not a good %

Should I be calling Support just to let them know I am having a problem or is that useless?

 

[toy4two]

How much longer until the HR20 replacement is out? I think Directv needs to start with a clean slate on this one. They shouldn't have listened to the marketing people and rushed this product out the door.

They had a perfectly good, if not great product, in the Tivo recievers and now I have to put up with this frustrating device, TV has never been so much work.

 

[nikwax]

my success rate with recorded shows is <10%. Pitiful. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Gosh, the blue lights are so pretty, that's worth $299. Er, $199. Er, 50 cents. :nono: