[Grentz]

So, I hear lots of people complaining about the HR2x series when they are coming from the old Directivo boxes.

Well I came from one of the Directivo boxes that I loved as well, and that was about 8 months ago. The transition went well for me, and sometimes I missed my ole Tivo but then kinda got over that.

Now on to today, more specifically the last week. I am house sitting and they have a Directivo exactly like the one I used to love and many around here do love and compare the HR2x to and I must say I am extremely disappointed, its not at all how I remember after using the HR2x for 8 months.

Here is my list of major things I miss going from the HR2x to the Directivo:

-Tivo has slower guide (yes, it does amazingly...)
-Tivo will not let you choose which conflict to stop, it just picks one (or the one you are tuned to), VERY annoying
-Tivo menus have long delays after doing things like resorting the Season Pass list
-No one touch record! This is huge, so many presses to setup a season pass...I forgot
-When setting up a recording you lose your spot in the guide (if you are ahead a few days for example, it will bring you back to the current time/channel after setting one up)
-Exit button goes to live TV instead of the recording when you go to a menu while watching a recording
-No PIG/PIM (picture in guide/picture in menu)
-No 30sec Slip (only skip)


Now, not to be totally negative, there are a few things I remember why I had a hard time going to the HR2x.
-Tivo's Slow-mo and trickplay functions are much easier/smoother, although I miss slip...
-Guide shows more channels at once as does the list
-I swapped in my own hard drive so I did not mess with my relatives setup for the time being, so easy to do on the Tivo


Honestly though, I much much prefer the HR2x after using it for awhile. I didnt really realize how much the HR2x added and was comparing only thing things I remembered the Tivo did better...when in reality there is a lot of duh type things tivo does much much poorer.

So in summary, what you remember your Tivo as compared to the HR2x may not be totally a truthful memory, the HR2x adds a lot of things that the Tivo just should of had without missing to many things the Tivo does have, and dont throw the reliability thing at me, my HR21 has been rock solid except for one or two flaky CEs that only lasted a week.

 

[harsh]

What you describe is like going back in time. Many comparisons have been (and continue to be made) that involve the hardware technology limitations of the day. Take those out of the picture and much of the complaining fades away.

You need to seek professional help regarding your fascination with 30 second slip.

 

[davring]

You need to seek professional help regarding your fascination with 30 second slip.

Add me to the doctors list Harsh as I prefer the slip as well

 

[evan_s]

I like the slip too. It's easier to tell when you are slipping too far and rewind a little bit instead of skipping too far and rewinding a lot. Occasionally I'll see a commercial I want to watch like a new mac commercial while slipping too.

 

[Grentz]

How can you not like slip? It is amazing once you learn it.

My process is bank about 6 slips (more or less depending on the channel/show if I know about how long the commercials are) then have my finger on the play button. I can get it right on when the show starts most of the time and do not have to instant replay back to get to the proper place! Plus I can look for any interesting commercials (sometimes I wanna see a trailer or something)

Anyhow, hardware limitations do not really play into it for my debate IMO as I am talking about how people complain that the Tivos are so much more superior where in my mind, they are lacking on many points and not superior at all.

 

[bwaldron]

How can you not like slip? It is amazing once you learn it.

I've learned it, I don't care for it, I don't use it.

 

[harsh]

Anyhow, hardware limitations do not really play into it for my debate IMO as I am talking about how people complain that the Tivos are so much more superior where in my mind, they are lacking on many points and not superior at all.

Two of your six bullet points are more than likely directly related to hardware limitations.

One could also make a case that the ease of setting up series links shouldn't be a big issue but is made so by the fact that you must maintain such a small list on the HR2x.

 

[Grentz]

Your missing my point harsh.

Its not about hardware limitations, times, or anything. It is about TODAY, how people still say the Tivo is better, and how horrible the HR2x is. My point is that TODAY the HR2x is a much more advanced piece of equipment that has many duh type features that are not on the Tivo, whatever the reason.

I agree it is most likely hardware limitations, but that does not play into the debate I am making as it is talking about today, and people comparing today, that with both options on the table are saying the HR2x is inferior, today .


Also the ease of setting up season passes is a big one, on the Tivo you have to hit record --> down one --> season pass --> down one --> season pass --> select and THEN it does not even remember where you were in the guide so you have to scroll all the way back to where you were if you want to do another show that is right near the other one.

On the HR2x it is hit record --> hit record and it remembers your spot in the guide.

Hrm, Tivo easier?

 

[Juanus]

I said this in another thread and I will repeat myself. I personally like the HR-21. Sure it has its quirks, but so did the Tivo boxes. People seem to have selective memory when it comes to some of the problems that those Tivo boxes had.

I do have to say that I do like how the Tivo formatted the Live Guide better. I think that the Tivo guide makes it easier to find shows and look further into the future. The rest of it is just accepting change. Thats my two cents. (pun intended)

I am glad that someone is being realistic and fair and not just holding on to the past. DirecTV has really worked hard to make these boxes good and they keep improving.

 

[dave29]

i agree with the OP completely. i will take my hr2x over any existing tivo(even if they did decode mpeg4)

 

[inkahauts]

Your missing my point harsh.

Its not about hardware limitations, times, or anything. It is about TODAY, how people still say the Tivo is better, and how horrible the HR2x is. My point is that TODAY the HR2x is a much more advanced piece of equipment that has many duh type features that are not on the Tivo, whatever the reason.

I agree it is most likely hardware limitations, but that does not play into the debate I am making as it is talking about today, and people comparing today, that with both options on the table are saying the HR2x is inferior, today .

Also the ease of setting up season passes is a big one, on the Tivo you have to hit record --> down one --> season pass --> down one --> season pass --> select and THEN it does not even remember where you were in the guide so you have to scroll all the way back to where you were if you want to do another show that is right near the other one.

On the HR2x it is hit record --> hit record and it remembers your spot in the guide.

Hrm, Tivo easier?

You know whats really sad... Is a lot of the duh things you mention, like one touch record, was actually on the first DVRs, the originals... They were called ReplayTV... And they have had those features since day one. All these people that complain about DLB being a core function and non exsistant on the HR2X's is missing the fact that Tivo makes you jump through major hoops just to do the MOST basic thing a DVR is for, RECORDING a program!!!! And they have NEVER added this ability, something that was even a standard for VCR's!!!! Yeah, but tivo knows everything and is the best.. ah huh... Sure... Whatever...

 

[Grentz]

I said this in another thread and I will repeat myself. I personally like the HR-21. Sure it has its quirks, but so did the Tivo boxes. People seem to have selective memory when it comes to some of the problems that those Tivo boxes had.

That is exactly what I am trying to get across

I think many people who complain about the HR2x also have never used any of the other DVRs out there, honestly they are really good compared to so many.

In fact our local cable provider in the town near us (I cannot get cable...) uses Pace DVRs that hardware wise are very similar to the HR2x series, the software is HORRIBLE though. So hard to find things, the layout is just stupid. I spent an hour with it and still could not figure out easily how to get to your recorded shows. Not to mention there were ads that took up half the screen on many of the menu pages including the guide. It is easy to complain about little things, but in comparison to many other DVRs, the HR2x models are quite amazing and I personally love them.

 

[bonscott87]

My wife complains about these same things when she uses our last DirecTivo we have. Especially trying to set a recording or even deleting something. I haven't replaced it yet because it's in a little used room for TV watching and it still works but when MRV comes I will go out and replace it.

 

[rudeney]

I’ve never used a TiVo. My frame of reference was the UTV. I find the HR2x interface to be similar. I know UTV had PIP and DLB (sort of) but I don’t really miss those. In the early days of the HR2x, I missed 30SKIP but now that I have that, I’m happy. And Speaking of SKIP vs. SLIP, you “SLIP” guys are nuts – especially wanted to go back and watch commercial – double especially Mac commercials!!!

 

[TomCat]

How can you not like slip? It is amazing once you learn it...

Amazing? About as amazing as a shiny object (will you be hypnotized if I jangle my car keys? )

Seriously, I like slip, and I understand the appeal, but what I don't like is slipping through a 6-minute commercial break, which is ponderously slow. I want to bang the skip button 12 times as fast as I can and then correct, which is a hell of a lot faster. But then I do miss a lot of Vic Secret commercials that way.

If I am familiar with the break structure I find myself banging it fast a few times and then slower on the next few to see if I've gone too far on each punch. That seems to work best for me.

What I really want is the ability to do either in the same break.

Actually, I think the feature that really set Tivo apart for me originally was not so much the friendly GUI, it was---wait for it....RELIABILITY. My Replays were also reliable, but Replay opted to sit out the HD revolution so they no longer matter. But I spent three years suffering with DISH POSs and the fact that the DTivo, in particular the HR10, did exactly what was asked of it seemed almost like a luxury after that nightmare. The early reports of poor reliability with the HR20 seemed eerily familiar, and reminiscent of posting in the DISH DVR era (apparently things have improved over there, happily). But with the woes of 6.x software and the huge improvements in the HR2x, Tivo sadly no longer dominates that feature category. When I need something to absolutely be recorded these days, I look past my HR10s to my HR20, which over the last 6 months has had a much-better track record.

 

[Drew2k]

I am a fan of SLIP as well - it gives me greater control over where I resume playing. I hate exiting multiple SKIPS to find I'm in the middle of a scene and have to hit replay one to four times. With SLIP, I can monitor the commercials, and immediately hit PLAY when the program resumes, and with overshoot compensation (aka auto-correction) it returns me to right where I need to be - at the end of the commercial and the start of the program.

 

[Grentz]

Amazing? About as amazing as a shiny object (will you be hypnotized if I jangle my car keys? )

Depends on what kind of keys :lol:

This is not another slip vs. skip thread though, so no worries on that. Non-issue anyhow as you can set it up as you like

 

[coacho]

I use both the Tivo and HR2x, so when Tivo takes awhile to set up a record, I just go to my HR2x. When I want dual buffers, guide data or good slo mo, I just use my HR10. So, I have the worst of both DVRs or should I say the best....

 

[gquiring]

I never understood why the Tivo fans never gave the HR2x a chance. My first DVR was a Replay 360, so when I switched to Tivo I thought I was going to get some incredible upgrade. I found out very quickly that my Replay was a much nicer interface. Replay had one touch record, web interface to program/search and a very fast guide. When I got my HR20, I was very surprised how superior it was to my HR10-250. Not only the ease of setting of a series record but also not loosing the audio or video during these setups.

I think DirecTV did a great job. I am somewhat disappointed D* has decided to join forces with Tivo again, I assume it will probably be the demise of anymore HR2x DVR's down the road.

 

[pdicamillo]

I've used an HR20 for about a year, and an HR10-250 (Tivo) for a few years. The only reason I got the HR20 was for the new HD channels. When I first got the HR20 I really disliked it, but it's improved and I've gotten more familiar with it. While I think it's ok now, I would still never choose it over a Tivo, and still use the Tivo as much as I can.

As an overall impression, the HR20 seems to me like a receiver with a DVR function "tacked on". It's probably helpful for DirecTV, who has to support both receivers and DVRs, but it makes the DVR less friendly. An example of this is the number of steps it takes to get to the To Do List on the HR20. In comparison, the Tivo feels like and is clearly designed from the ground up to be a DVR.

Probably my biggest complaint about the HR20 now is that it doesn't remember where you were in the playlist when you go back to live TV. To resume watching a show I have to locate it again in the playlist, perhaps inside a folder.

Another problem I have with the HR20 is that scheduling a manual recording doesn't include the ability to specify starting early and ending late separate from the actual time of the show. If I want to record a show from 8 to 9 with a minute to spare on either end, I have to specify 7:59 to 9:01. Then in the To Do and Playlist it is described as the show which was on at 7:59 rather than the show I am actually recording. I realize this is not a problem when recording from the guide, but sometimes I want to enter it manually.

The Tivo lets you specify a number of days to keep a program, which the scheduler can take into account when deciding if there is space for a new recording. The HR20 only has keep until I delete or keep until disk full.

Finally, I really like how the slowest fast forward speed on the Tivo still has continuous motion. That works much better for me for scanning some shows, although I realize that may be more of a personal preference.

The HR20 isn't bad, but for how I use a DVR I'm really glad there's going to be a new DirecTV Tivo next year.