HR20/HR21 DVR Question

636 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by veryoldschool, Jul 11, 2008

Will94

Discussion Starter · Jul 11, 2008

Hi there. I've been a DirecTV customer since 1995 and an HD customer since 2006. At that time DirecTV's DVR units were back ordered for months, so I just got a non-DVR HR20 receiver.

I am about to buy my 2nd HDTV and want to get a DVR unit this time. I know that DirecTV removed the OTA port for the HR21s. I get my HD locals OTA, so this is a big drawback for me.

I have found a few places online where I can still get unopened HR20 PVR units or I could go to Best Buy and get an HR21 PVR and wait for whatever addon will allow me to DVR OTA signals. The reviews that I've read of the HR20 PVR unit are underwhelming. I haven't been all that happy with my non-PVR receiver. Frankly, the Sony receiver that I bought in 1995 was light years better. On the other hand, the HR21s might be just as buggy.

I am wondering if I should buy the HR20 online or just go with the HR21 from Best Buy.

I would appreciate any opinions!

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EricJRW

· #2 · Jul 11, 2008

With the HR21 you can get the AM21, which is an add-on accessory that connects via USB to the HR21... With the AM21 you get two ATSC (not NTSC) tuners that integrate seamlessly with the HR21's guide and DVR features...

Yes, you can try to get an HR20, but from what I've read there seems to be a consensus that the ATSC tuners in the AM21 are a bit better than the ones found in the HR20.

After you have an HR21 on your account, you can order the AM21 direct from directv.com for $50.

As to HR20 vs. HR21, it seems the color (silver or black) is the biggest difference. For every "The HR20 is better" thread, there is a "The HR21 is better thread" - And that's before we talk -100, -200 or -700!

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Nicholsen

· #3 · Jul 11, 2008

IMO, the "hot" setup is a TIVO HR10-250 for HD OTA and SD, then an HR21 for MPEG4 HD off the DTV satellites. I am not a big fan of my HR21 in its current incarnation. It sounds like you already have some idea of what you can expect.

The HR10-250s are going for about $100 on craigslist, etc (they were $800 new). They won't get the new MPEG4 HD channels from DTV, but they work great and handle HD - OTA fine. The software is stable and user friendly, they record reliably, they have DLB (dual live buffers), and great slo-mo. For sports, the last two are big issues. IMHO, the HR21 is not as good and won't be until they fix those deficiencies. Unfortunately, it's not clear to me that there is any commitment at this time to address those issues.

You can use the HR21 for HD off the satellite and, hopefully, it will get better over time. I think this costs $5 a month more than having one DVR, but I think it is money well spent. You may also have to jump through a hoop or two to get the used HR10-250 box activated (make sure there are no unpaid charges to the prior owner). Again, if you the kind of person who went to the trouble to get HD OTA working for you, I think the minor hassle might be worth it in the long run.

You will want an UPS for the DVRs. They tend to be sensitive to power quality issues.

You may also want to check out the installation subforum, as many people seem to think that a clean installation is the first step to getting the HR21 hardware to work dependably.

Good luck and have fun.

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RDH416

· #4 · Jul 11, 2008

We have an HR20-100 and have continuing problems on OTA with pixilation and audio drops. We also have an H20-100 that has the same problems. We have two H20-600's that do not have have those problems. Bottom line, our experience suggests that the "-100" units do not have satisfactory OTA tuners. If you decide to go the HR-20 route, you may want to try and avoid anything from manufacturer 100.
Good luck!

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veryoldschool

· #5 · Jul 11, 2008

RDH416 said:
We have an HR20-100 and have continuing problems on OTA with pixilation and audio drops. We also have an H20-100 that has the same problems. We have two H20-600's that do not have have those problems. Bottom line, our experience suggests that the "-100" units do not have satisfactory OTA tuners. If you decide to go the HR-20 route, you may want to try and avoid anything from manufacturer 100.
Good luck!

The H20-600 has a better tuner chip set than any other DirecTV receiver, period. It's the 5th generation chips. Since LG makes it, and they make the chips too, they used their best, where the others use the much more common third generation chips, BUT the -600 runs hotter than all of the others.
the -100 is made by RCA/Thompson and "may" be better than the -700 made by PACE.

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