[grizzly]

So as I was complaining to the retention lady, tell her my tale of woe about the missed appointment with the HSP today to drop off my new DVRs as part of the HD swap, I told her of my problems with my HD-DVR and how bad it was compared to my directivo and she went off on me telling me how great it was and that their DVR has won "all sorts of awards"

So, I'm asking the experts, has DTV won any awards for its crappy DVR?

The only ones I could think of is "most unlike a functioning DVR" , "most likely to delete all your recordings" and "most likely to record grey shows"


Kevin

 

[Grentz]

Dont know of any awards, but it is far from crappy.

If you think it is crappy, try any of the Cable Boxes, UVerse, FiOS, etc.

About the only one that compares and is possibly better is Dish, but I dont really care for the interface that much.

I also have had a few issues with a few firmwares (mostly CE releases...), but frankly my HR21 has been pretty solid.

 

[kw2957]

Dont know of any awards, but it is far from crappy.

If you think it is crappy, try any of the Cable Boxes, UVerse, FiOS, etc.

About the only one that compares and is possibly better is Dish, but I dont really care for the interface that much.

I also have had a few issues with a few firmwares (mostly CE releases...), but frankly my HR21 has been pretty solid.

I agree. Some may think that DirecTV's DVRs and HD DVRs may not be up to par, but they are far more user-friendly and just all-around better pieces of hardware then their cable counterparts' receivers.

 

[Dave]

Actually I have had my HD DVR HR 20-100 for about 14 months with only one problem. That was from one of the firmware upgrades that had problems with the VOD system. Just unplugged the VOD cable no more problems. Never missed any recordings since then.

 

[webby_s]

I have had the the HR21 for about 2 months now and have not had an issue. While I miss some aspects of my old Moxi DVR (namely channel Logo's) I am very pleased with it. Has not missed any recording. My Wife has even gotten use to the interface and I thought that would be half the battle.

OP, sorry to hear your tales of woe, good luck

 

[ThomasM]

I don't think the DirecTV DVR's are "crappy". I have three of them and they seem to work exceptionally well and do what they are advertised to do. In the last year, the software has been improved an unbelievable amount, and many many new features have been added.

What problems are you experiencing with your DirecTV DVR(s)?

 

[Elephanthead]

The R-15 wins the most likely to not work like a dvr dvr award, plus the IR sensors breaks after a year, but at least I always have space to record since the hard drive loses all of its recorded shows about once every 3 months. Besides that it is great. I would upgrade to a HR-20 pro or whatever it is, but it is about as bad. I only hope the pc DVR solution arrives, and will work, and that you can convert the recordings to a windows format or something that doesn't require dtv equipment to view. That is my only hope for reliable achieving.

 

[grizzly]

I don't think the DirecTV DVR's are "crappy". I have three of them and they seem to work exceptionally well and do what they are advertised to do. In the last year, the software has been improved an unbelievable amount, and many many new features have been added.

What problems are you experiencing with your DirecTV DVR(s)?

Would you like the whole list or just the top ten?

1. I've been the victim of the "all recordings deleted" syndrome

2. "grey" blank recordings

3. took almost 3 years from announcement to actually shipping the unit. When it finally shipped it was almost 5 months before OTA was activated (HR20)

4. lacks alot of features of a "real dvr" including:

DLB

abreviated season pass limit.

clunky user interface

general reliability/stableness/has to be rebooted alot

etc, etc, etc.

5. can't even save the state of the "blue eye" from reboot to reboot. so bright ships could use it as lighthouse.

6. most everything on the photo/video/audio sharing is hit or miss. Good luck getting to work even with the "standard config"

7. Software still not ready for prime time even after being out for almost a year.

8. Weird recording behavior. Things that should be recorded, don't, things that shouldn't get recorded. I have one HR10 that has the same seasons pass structure as one of the Hr20s. Big difference in what gets recorded and what doesn't

9. I didn't even bother with the R-15s after seeing the kludgy interface

10. Networking on the HR10 even with a USB ethernet device is 100 times better than the built in ethernet. Their HD20 implementation is sad and the fact that people are having to disable their network to keep the box stable is sad.

11. Can keep my HR10 from getting software updates until I'm sure they are solid. DTV seems to put out updates without lots of testing and from the posts I've seen doesn't even bother to fix major issues that are brought up by the CE people.

Way to listen to your customers, but that isn't anything new where DTV is concerned.

I'm not a TIVO fanboy, but my 4 HR10-250s have been been rock solid since purchase. They record everything they are supposed to record, plus I can modify them to my hearts content. If they could get the new MPEG4 channels I never would have got one of the new HR20s.

I'm with elephanthead on the HDPC20. If they ever come out I'll be first in the line to get a couple (or 3). But based on DTVs track record with getting new hardware out, I'll probably see widespread IPTV adoption and the death of satellite before I'll see shipping hardware.

I never ever thought I'd think Microsoft had a more stable platform(Vista Media Center) than a company who does inhouse software development. Thats a pretty major achievement making Microsoft look good...

I mean, you have people asking here about the recording light change....I was wondering what was going on myself..I don't like it when the color of lights change without notice and I sure as heck didn't see anything pop up when the new software loaded other than "We've added new features"....way to go in the communications dept DTV.

Kevin

 

[MIAMI1683]

Would you like the whole list or just the top ten?

1. I've been the victim of the "all recordings deleted" syndrome

2. "grey" blank recordings

3. took almost 3 years from announcement to actually shipping the unit. When it finally shipped it was almost 5 months before OTA was activated (HR20)

4. lacks alot of features of a "real dvr" including:

DLB

abreviated season pass limit.

clunky user interface

general reliability/stableness/has to be rebooted alot

etc, etc, etc.

5. can't even save the state of the "blue eye" from reboot to reboot. so bright ships could use it as lighthouse.

6. most everything on the photo/video/audio sharing is hit or miss. Good luck getting to work even with the "standard config"

7. Software still not ready for prime time even after being out for almost a year.

8. Weird recording behavior. Things that should be recorded, don't, things that shouldn't get recorded. I have one HR10 that has the same seasons pass structure as one of the Hr20s. Big difference in what gets recorded and what doesn't

9. I didn't even bother with the R-15s after seeing the kludgy interface

10. Networking on the HR10 even with a USB ethernet device is 100 times better than the built in ethernet. Their HD20 implementation is sad and the fact that people are having to disable their network to keep the box stable is sad.

11. Can keep my HR10 from getting software updates until I'm sure they are solid. DTV seems to put out updates without lots of testing and from the posts I've seen doesn't even bother to fix major issues that are brought up by the CE people.

Way to listen to your customers, but that isn't anything new where DTV is concerned.

I'm not a TIVO fanboy, but my 4 HR10-250s have been been rock solid since purchase. They record everything they are supposed to record, plus I can modify them to my hearts content. If they could get the new MPEG4 channels I never would have got one of the new HR20s.

I'm with elephanthead on the HDPC20. If they ever come out I'll be first in the line to get a couple (or 3). But based on DTVs track record with getting new hardware out, I'll probably see widespread IPTV adoption and the death of satellite before I'll see shipping hardware.

I never ever thought I'd think Microsoft had a more stable platform(Vista Media Center) than a company who does inhouse software development. Thats a pretty major achievement making Microsoft look good...

I mean, you have people asking here about the recording light change....I was wondering what was going on myself..I don't like it when the color of lights change without notice and I sure as heck didn't see anything pop up when the new software loaded other than "We've added new features"....way to go in the communications dept DTV.

Kevin

Do you ever say anything positive

 

[JLucPicard]

No offense, but if you expect the HR2x's to BE HR10-250s, you're setting yourself up to be disappointed.

I've had three HR10-250s (still using the one that hasn't died) and I've got 5 HR2x's and the stability of my HR2x's has been as good or better than my HR10-250s. I never epxeced the HR2xs to have DLB, and though I used it quite extensively during NFL season, I really don't miss it at all.

I guess everyone's mileage may vary.

 

[cmtar]

Would you like the whole list or just the top ten?

1. I've been the victim of the "all recordings deleted" syndrome

2. "grey" blank recordings

3. took almost 3 years from announcement to actually shipping the unit. When it finally shipped it was almost 5 months before OTA was activated (HR20)

4. lacks alot of features of a "real dvr" including:

DLB

abreviated season pass limit.

clunky user interface

general reliability/stableness/has to be rebooted alot

etc, etc, etc.

5. can't even save the state of the "blue eye" from reboot to reboot. so bright ships could use it as lighthouse.

6. most everything on the photo/video/audio sharing is hit or miss. Good luck getting to work even with the "standard config"

7. Software still not ready for prime time even after being out for almost a year.

8. Weird recording behavior. Things that should be recorded, don't, things that shouldn't get recorded. I have one HR10 that has the same seasons pass structure as one of the Hr20s. Big difference in what gets recorded and what doesn't

9. I didn't even bother with the R-15s after seeing the kludgy interface

10. Networking on the HR10 even with a USB ethernet device is 100 times better than the built in ethernet. Their HD20 implementation is sad and the fact that people are having to disable their network to keep the box stable is sad.

11. Can keep my HR10 from getting software updates until I'm sure they are solid. DTV seems to put out updates without lots of testing and from the posts I've seen doesn't even bother to fix major issues that are brought up by the CE people.

Way to listen to your customers, but that isn't anything new where DTV is concerned.

I'm not a TIVO fanboy, but my 4 HR10-250s have been been rock solid since purchase. They record everything they are supposed to record, plus I can modify them to my hearts content. If they could get the new MPEG4 channels I never would have got one of the new HR20s.

I'm with elephanthead on the HDPC20. If they ever come out I'll be first in the line to get a couple (or 3). But based on DTVs track record with getting new hardware out, I'll probably see widespread IPTV adoption and the death of satellite before I'll see shipping hardware.

I never ever thought I'd think Microsoft had a more stable platform(Vista Media Center) than a company who does inhouse software development. Thats a pretty major achievement making Microsoft look good...

I mean, you have people asking here about the recording light change....I was wondering what was going on myself..I don't like it when the color of lights change without notice and I sure as heck didn't see anything pop up when the new software loaded other than "We've added new features"....way to go in the communications dept DTV.

Kevin

If you dont like it so much then go somewhere else. I dont have any problems and there are alot others that dont.

 

[Mike Bertelson]

Would you like the whole list or just the top ten?

1. I've been the victim of the "all recordings deleted" syndrome

2. "grey" blank recordings

3. took almost 3 years from announcement to actually shipping the unit. When it finally shipped it was almost 5 months before OTA was activated (HR20)

4. lacks alot of features of a "real dvr" including:

DLB

abreviated season pass limit.

clunky user interface

general reliability/stableness/has to be rebooted alot

etc, etc, etc.

5. can't even save the state of the "blue eye" from reboot to reboot. so bright ships could use it as lighthouse.

6. most everything on the photo/video/audio sharing is hit or miss. Good luck getting to work even with the "standard config"

7. Software still not ready for prime time even after being out for almost a year.

8. Weird recording behavior. Things that should be recorded, don't, things that shouldn't get recorded. I have one HR10 that has the same seasons pass structure as one of the Hr20s. Big difference in what gets recorded and what doesn't

9. I didn't even bother with the R-15s after seeing the kludgy interface

10. Networking on the HR10 even with a USB ethernet device is 100 times better than the built in ethernet. Their HD20 implementation is sad and the fact that people are having to disable their network to keep the box stable is sad.

11. Can keep my HR10 from getting software updates until I'm sure they are solid. DTV seems to put out updates without lots of testing and from the posts I've seen doesn't even bother to fix major issues that are brought up by the CE people.

Way to listen to your customers, but that isn't anything new where DTV is concerned.

I'm not a TIVO fanboy, but my 4 HR10-250s have been been rock solid since purchase. They record everything they are supposed to record, plus I can modify them to my hearts content. If they could get the new MPEG4 channels I never would have got one of the new HR20s.

I'm with elephanthead on the HDPC20. If they ever come out I'll be first in the line to get a couple (or 3). But based on DTVs track record with getting new hardware out, I'll probably see widespread IPTV adoption and the death of satellite before I'll see shipping hardware.

I never ever thought I'd think Microsoft had a more stable platform(Vista Media Center) than a company who does inhouse software development. Thats a pretty major achievement making Microsoft look good...

I mean, you have people asking here about the recording light change....I was wondering what was going on myself..I don't like it when the color of lights change without notice and I sure as heck didn't see anything pop up when the new software loaded other than "We've added new features"....way to go in the communications dept DTV.

Kevin

Can I ask why you stay with DirecTV?

Mike

 

[MIKE0616]

So as I was complaining to the retention lady, tell her my tale of woe about the missed appointment with the HSP today to drop off my new DVRs as part of the HD swap, I told her of my problems with my HD-DVR and how bad it was compared to my directivo and she went off on me telling me how great it was and that their DVR has won "all sorts of awards"

So, I'm asking the experts, has DTV won any awards for its crappy DVR?

The only ones I could think of is "most unlike a functioning DVR" , "most likely to delete all your recordings" and "most likely to record grey shows"

Kevin

In a word, no, not unless they are giving themselves an award.

Do you ever say anything positive

Pot, meet kettle. Not saying that your post was of no value, but it wasn't.

Have a nice day

 

[grizzly]

Can I ask why you stay with DirecTV?

Mike

The programming and number of channels probably. Also, I hate change in my home life, have enough of that in my job and messing around with electronics and I'm grandfathered for the SD DNS stations. I love to watch West coast TV around election time. I also hate being lied to. Thats happened alot lately with DTV. I also don't like getting nickled and dimed. I pay for HD and now they want more for the "HD extra pack"...It's not like my bill is going down lately anyways.

Like I said, I was a happy HD Directivo customer. My dissatisfaction has pretty well been the last two years. I've been a DTV subscriber forever. Most of it is and continues to be customer service related. I had Apex out like 8 times over a year period, one time with 4 supervisors on my roof to isolate a problem with HD channels dissapearing. I knew what the problem was, told them what the problem was but I, the customer didn't know what the problem was since I'm just the idiot customer. Apex finally got fired, a new company came in, I made the call. The new company asked why they had configured the dish/multiswitch the way they did, I said, I didn't know, thought it was wrong and one 16-port Multiswitch and 40 minutes later and I haven't had a single problem with the HD channels in 8 months.

Back when you could get the best receiver from the best company things were much better. I really liked the MS Ultimate TV receiver. I had 3 of those too and until I couldn't get them fixed anymore, I would have kept those. I really wasn't in a hurry to move to the directivos, but I did eventually. Now I really like them, but then again, thats not because of the sterling software updates from DTV.

My tivos are heavily modified. I have bigger hard drives, networking, I can extract recordings from my box to my pc and archive them on DVD and/or watch them on my media center PC. I'm trying to make that my single interface. DTV is at least trying to get that direction but unfortunately like many other companies the internal politics and intertia tell me that that will probably take just as long as it took them to get out their own DVRs.

At least there isn't alot they can't mess up with the hardware since its just a tuner....

I'm very close to going somewhere else. I also recommend to alot of people things like tvs, computers, internet ,etc. Not only will they lose me if I go, they'll lose a lot of referrals, and a good chunk of change every month.

I'm not one of those guys who calls up every month to get discounts and freebies. I just want what I pay for and to get a good value for the service. I used to get that. I don't any more.

I may be moving soon. If I do, I'll lose my DNS stations and that will be the straw that broke the camels back. Although, there are two other straws that might break first. One is missed appointments, the other is the access card issue I also posted about. I've complained twice in posts on this board. Each time it has gotten past the point that I consider acceptable behavior from someone I'm paying such a chunk of change too.

Kevin

 

[Mike Bertelson]

The programming and number of channels probably. Also, I hate change in my home life, have enough of that in my job and messing around with electronics and I'm grandfathered for the SD DNS stations. I love to watch West coast TV around election time. I also hate being lied to. Thats happened alot lately with DTV. I also don't like getting nickled and dimed. I pay for HD and now they want more for the "HD extra pack"...It's not like my bill is going down lately anyways.

Like I said, I was a happy HD Directivo customer. My dissatisfaction has pretty well been the last two years. I've been a DTV subscriber forever. Most of it is and continues to be customer service related. I had Apex out like 8 times over a year period, one time with 4 supervisors on my roof to isolate a problem with HD channels dissapearing. I knew what the problem was, told them what the problem was but I, the customer didn't know what the problem was since I'm just the idiot customer. Apex finally got fired, a new company came in, I made the call. The new company asked why they had configured the dish/multiswitch the way they did, I said, I didn't know, thought it was wrong and one 16-port Multiswitch and 40 minutes later and I haven't had a single problem with the HD channels in 8 months.

Back when you could get the best receiver from the best company things were much better. I really liked the MS Ultimate TV receiver. I had 3 of those too and until I couldn't get them fixed anymore, I would have kept those. I really wasn't in a hurry to move to the directivos, but I did eventually. Now I really like them, but then again, thats not because of the sterling software updates from DTV.

My tivos are heavily modified. I have bigger hard drives, networking, I can extract recordings from my box to my pc and archive them on DVD and/or watch them on my media center PC. I'm trying to make that my single interface. DTV is at least trying to get that direction but unfortunately like many other companies the internal politics and intertia tell me that that will probably take just as long as it took them to get out their own DVRs.

At least there isn't alot they can't mess up with the hardware since its just a tuner....

I'm very close to going somewhere else. I also recommend to alot of people things like tvs, computers, internet ,etc. Not only will they lose me if I go, they'll lose a lot of referrals, and a good chunk of change every month.

I'm not one of those guys who calls up every month to get discounts and freebies. I just want what I pay for and to get a good value for the service. I used to get that. I don't any more.

I may be moving soon. If I do, I'll lose my DNS stations and that will be the straw that broke the camels back. Although, there are two other straws that might break first. One is missed appointments, the other is the access card issue I also posted about. I've complained twice in posts on this board. Each time it has gotten past the point that I consider acceptable behavior from someone I'm paying such a chunk of change too.

Kevin

Fair enough.

There has to be something wrong with your setup/installation.

I say that because I have three HR2x's and have missed maybe five recordings between all the boxes in ≈18 months (mostly due to user error...ok, my fault :grin: ).

When someone is having your kind of problems there has to be something wrong and it's usually something other then the receiver itself.

How are your signal strengths?

How are your recievers connected to the dish (SWM, multi-switch, etc)?

Mike

 

[Doug Brott]

Sure, you don't like it, but I contend that these following "reasons" as to why it is a crappy DVR simply are stretching ..

Would you like the whole list or just the top ten?
3. took almost 3 years from announcement to actually shipping the unit. When it finally shipped it was almost 5 months before OTA was activated (HR20)

I'm not even sure that the 3 years is true .. but even if we agree on that point .. It's been out for 2 years so this argument doesn't make sense at all.

5. can't even save the state of the "blue eye" from reboot to reboot. so bright ships could use it as lighthouse.

Would leaving the state of the "blue eye" change your opinion?

9. I didn't even bother with the R-15s after seeing the kludgy interface

This is not a reason .. just a statement.

10. Networking on the HR10 even with a USB ethernet device is 100 times better than the built in ethernet. Their HD20 implementation is sad and the fact that people are having to disable their network to keep the box stable is sad.

100 Base-T in both cases .. so Ethernet is the same speed .. not sure how USB could ever be considered better than direct Ethernet as with USB you still have Ethernet .. so there are two parts to the equation instead of just one.

 

[MIAMI1683]

The programming and number of channels probably. Also, I hate change in my home life, have enough of that in my job and messing around with electronics and I'm grandfathered for the SD DNS stations. I love to watch West coast TV around election time. I also hate being lied to. Thats happened alot lately with DTV. I also don't like getting nickled and dimed. I pay for HD and now they want more for the "HD extra pack"...It's not like my bill is going down lately anyways.

Like I said, I was a happy HD Directivo customer. My dissatisfaction has pretty well been the last two years. I've been a DTV subscriber forever. Most of it is and continues to be customer service related. I had Apex out like 8 times over a year period, one time with 4 supervisors on my roof to isolate a problem with HD channels dissapearing. I knew what the problem was, told them what the problem was but I, the customer didn't know what the problem was since I'm just the idiot customer. Apex finally got fired, a new company came in, I made the call. The new company asked why they had configured the dish/multiswitch the way they did, I said, I didn't know, thought it was wrong and one 16-port Multiswitch and 40 minutes later and I haven't had a single problem with the HD channels in 8 months.

Back when you could get the best receiver from the best company things were much better. I really liked the MS Ultimate TV receiver. I had 3 of those too and until I couldn't get them fixed anymore, I would have kept those. I really wasn't in a hurry to move to the directivos, but I did eventually. Now I really like them, but then again, thats not because of the sterling software updates from DTV.

My tivos are heavily modified. I have bigger hard drives, networking, I can extract recordings from my box to my pc and archive them on DVD and/or watch them on my media center PC. I'm trying to make that my single interface. DTV is at least trying to get that direction but unfortunately like many other companies the internal politics and intertia tell me that that will probably take just as long as it took them to get out their own DVRs.

At least there isn't alot they can't mess up with the hardware since its just a tuner....

I'm very close to going somewhere else. I also recommend to alot of people things like tvs, computers, internet ,etc. Not only will they lose me if I go, they'll lose a lot of referrals, and a good chunk of change every month.

I'm not one of those guys who calls up every month to get discounts and freebies. I just want what I pay for and to get a good value for the service. I used to get that. I don't any more.

I may be moving soon. If I do, I'll lose my DNS stations and that will be the straw that broke the camels back. Although, there are two other straws that might break first. One is missed appointments, the other is the access card issue I also posted about. I've complained twice in posts on this board. Each time it has gotten past the point that I consider acceptable behavior from someone I'm paying such a chunk of change too.

Kevin

Well I still think oyu should move on with a different carrier. DNS feeds are ok, but locals work out just as well for most. They still have the best equipment IMHO, and the best service too. Tivo is dead more than half of thier subs were on D*. Now they are on inhouse dvr's. Thier interface is clumsey as well. Yo ushould either. Learn to use the HRxx series, or go to Dish and use thiers, or cable. Seriously you aren't happy, and nothing D* does or says at this point will make you happy. Just move on

 

[Jon D]

Do you ever say anything positive

His glass was always half empty....

Then it broke.

 

[grizzly]

Sure, you don't like it, but I contend that these following "reasons" as to why it is a crappy DVR simply are stretching ..

I'm not even sure that the 3 years is true .. but even if we agree on that point .. It's been out for 2 years so this argument doesn't make sense at all.

Would leaving the state of the "blue eye" change your opinion?

This is not a reason .. just a statement.

100 Base-T in both cases .. so Ethernet is the same speed .. not sure how USB could ever be considered better than direct Ethernet as with USB you still have Ethernet .. so there are two parts to the equation instead of just one.

It's not one thing or another, it's sort of like the "death of a thousand cuts". torture...

In pointing to the ethernet, I'm pointing out many of the issues in the recent DVR releases are solved by unplugging the ethernet..not a native vs usb ethernet debate. I've never had an issue like that with the HR10. Thats sad. About the only silver lining is the VOD via network and now it looks like you have to unplug the network to keep the box stable which sort of defeats the purpose.

I could look up the dates, but it was almost 3 years. from announcement to availability on the HR-20. I remember it well. I was one of the first to get it. It's also my only leased box on my account.

Also, to not have OTA capability from day one was a definite bad planning and the fact that it was "oh, btw, no OTA for you for 6 months".

Also, the HR-20 has been out for a while now and it still doesn't have nearly the capabilities of a directivo, ie, DLB, easy media sharing, etc and still way too many bugs and I'm talking big ones, not small ones. erasing all your recordings after a software update is a big bug in my little world.

As far as my setup, it's pretty simple now. One 5 LNB slimline dish, one 16-port mulitswitch, all direct wiring, with a separate wiring for OTA.

I have one of my HR10's set up EXACTLY like one of the HR20s. I print out the season pass list to compare (gotta love being able to access the HR10 via web browser" and like I said there are major differences in what is recorded and what isn't. I will admit that I have a few more inactive season passes on the HR10, but that is just because I'm lazy and haven't cleaned it out for shows that no longer are on the air...I don't have that luxury on the HR10 because of the 50 slot limit.

I also don't like the channel dup thing. I don't record much in the way of HD unless the show is actually HD as opposed to the channels that are just the "HD" version of the SD channel (like Sci-Fi) because it's just a waste of disk space. It would be nice if there was a "record in SD if the native program is not HD" option. I have to remember to pick the right channel if I do a season pass. It would be nice if there was some sort of distinction between the two channels...like 244(for the HD and 244-1 for the SD.

like I said, the downhill spiral started when they wouldn't let any other equipment manufacturers make compatible equipment. A little healthy competition was a good thing. Now, if you don't like their hardware, you are SOL.

Kevin

 

[Carl Spock]

^ Ooooh, you used bold type. That must make you more right.

grizzly, you are an electronics company/salesman's nightmare. I ran my own stereo store for 21 years and you would have scared me to death. You were the guy who came in, telling me everything I had in my store could be better by being modified by him. You would also be the stereo expert friend that would come in with someone, giving advice.

The problem is modified pieces are unserviceable. No service center will touch them. You are now your own service tech. That's fine for you. You know what your doing. But for the Average Joe, they are stuck. You say you are about to move. What happens to your former next door neighbor who has a DVR with a larger hard drive you installed? When that puppy breaks, what does he do now that you have moved? And they all break. I'm sure you're an excellent tech but machines always break.

The expert friend is even more scary. Time after time, I'd see the expert friend recommend equipment that would be right for them but not for the customer. For many people, appearance is more important than functionality. Expert friends rarely consider that. The expert friend recommends the consumer buy a piece with an XYZ feature because its the latest and greatest. The consumer may not need or care for that feature. When the expert friend came in the store, I just backed off and added my two cents when I could. I knew I never could get control of the sale, something every salesman wants to do. I just prayed the consumer ended up with something they would have wanted to buy, not just the expert friend.