[Illini2784]

Looking for tips on requesting a HD receiver for a secondary TV in my home. I currently have a HR24-500 on the main TV, with a R15 upstairs on a tiny, non-HD TV. Upgrading the upstairs TV to a flat-screen this weekend.

Whole-Home is not a priority. I want to make sure I get the new HD GUI, and if possible get the smallest HD receiver available due to space issues. If you all have any suggestions on what I should request when I call into DTV, i'd appreciate it!

 

[carl6]

You can't request any specific model number. If you want an HD Receiver, you could get any of the H2x series. The H25 is by far the smallest.

If you specifically want only an H25, then you need to order it from a 3rd party vendor. However, your system will have to be upgraded to SWM in order to use the H25 as it is not backward compatible to the LNB that you currently have (the R15 is not SWM capable, so you must have a non-SWM LNB).

If you want a DVR upstairs, then you could get any of the HR2x series. They are all the same size.

 

[itzme]

If you decide to put a DVR in a bedroom, i have a cautionary note based on my own experience. I have an HR in my bedroom and I love the advantages, but it makes noise. More and more I find the fan and the hard drive whirring is interfering with my sleep. The hard drive sounds are like a ticker tape, and the fan is like having an older PC in the room.

 

[Scott Kocourek]

If you are lucky enough to have a cabinet in your bedroom you can eliminate almost all of the HDD and fan noise from the DVR's, just set it up to use RF instead of IR.

As mentioned before the H25 is by far the smallest but is SWiM only then is the H24 which is still very small but the only way to be 100% sure is to get one from a third party or you may find an owned one here in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum.

 

[gomezma1]

How can the receiver be owned if you buy from a third party? That is what d told me. Everyone says they are still considered leased?

 

[dwcolvin]

How can the receiver be owned if you buy from a third party? That is what d told me. Everyone says they are still considered leased?

If you 'buy' a specific model from, e.g., Solid Signal, it's no different than obtaining one by chance directly from DirecTV... it's still leased, and you pay the $6 fee (and two-year service commitment). In fact, if you actually own a receiver (one way is to disconnect a receiver, not return it and pay the penalty), you still pay the $6 (but there's no contract extension).

 

[carl6]

If you 'buy' a specific model from, e.g., Solid Signal, it's no different than obtaining one by chance directly from DirecTV... it's still leased, and you pay the $6 fee (and two-year service commitment). In fact, if you actually own a receiver (one way is to disconnect a receiver, not return it and pay the penalty), you still pay the $6 (but there's no contract extension).

That actually does NOT result in your owning the receiver. You still can't sell it (well, you could but the buyer would not be able to activate it on their account), although I think you might be able to reactivate it on your own account (not sure about that).

 

[dpeters11]

One option of getting an owned one from Solid Signal is a refurb HR21 Pro. But that's not small.