[Slyster]

When are they going to update our unit!? Update still says August 2006. They update my HR20 all the time!

 

[jonaswan2]

That's because the HR20 is brand spankin' new and their putting most of their resources on it.

The R15 is over a year old now, and like all of the other DirecTV branded recievers that pass the 1 year mark, updates come less frequently. Give it time.

 

[Wolffpack]

I think there has been enough time given. The last real functional update the R15 received was 08/14 in the 10D3 release for the -500 series. We did receive 10E8 the beginning of October but as Earl told us that was an update that only addressed file system issues and didn't fix anything. Part 1 of a 2 Part update and only for the -500 series as the -100s and -300s already had that section of code.

We started getting 10F1 the beginning of November but that update was real slow and was pulled. Some received 10F4 but that was never intended for public consumption and is no longer out there.

So really the R15 hasn't had any bugs fixed or...dare I say.....features added since the beginning of August. That's 4 months guys. The last REAL update we received for the R15 was before the HR20 was released. Does that mean anything to anyone other than me?

Per threads on the HR20 side HD represents anywhere from 10-13% of the DTV customer base. So a product that is used by 13% of DTVs DVR customers seems to be getting 90% of the DVR software development pie.

Earl, any update on our next update?

 

[Clint Lamor]

I think there has been enough time given. The last real functional update the R15 received was 08/14 in the 10D3 release for the -500 series. We did receive 10E8 the beginning of October but as Earl told us that was an update that only addressed file system issues and didn't fix anything. Part 1 of a 2 Part update and only for the -500 series as the -100s and -300s already had that section of code.

We started getting 10F1 the beginning of November but that update was real slow and was pulled. Some received 10F4 but that was never intended for public consumption and is no longer out there.

So really the R15 hasn't had any bugs fixed or...dare I say.....features added since the beginning of August. That's 4 months guys. The last REAL update we received for the R15 was before the HR20 was released. Does that mean anything to anyone other than me?

Per threads on the HR20 side HD represents anywhere from 10-13% of the DTV customer base. So a product that is used by 13% of DTVs DVR customers seems to be getting 90% of the DVR software development pie.

Earl, any update on our next update?

Well the R15 team is still working on the product, the R15 and HR20 teams are different and have their own people working in each group. Just because the HR20 is getting updates doesn't mean the R15 isn't being worked on. The last release was meant to be a full release I do believe but as you all reported had some big issues and I for one am glad it got pulled.

I'm hoping (don't know) that there is a release coming down the pipe sometime soon. No thats not an Earl(c) soon either. :lol:

 

[Wolffpack]

I guess the F1 release kinda disappointed me as far as DTV's testing goes. F1 was slow, noticeably slower than D3 or E8. Honestly anyone in the development group should have noticed it. If not them, anyone in the test group should have noticed that. As soon as F1 started coming out those that got it were happy with something new but immediately noticed the slowness of the update. Why didn't any developer or tester notice/mention it before it started to be released?

Plus, with the time that's passed since then whatever was causing the slowdown must have been a pretty big fix for it to take this long.

 

[brucegrr]

I am surprised there hasn't be a lawsuit..........

The DirecTv DVR does not work as advertised. They advertise features that do not work.

That aside it is still a better DVR than any other one I have used.

 

[carl6]

I'm pretty sure that Earl said someplace that they found what the "main" problem was in 10F1/10F4 and were working on the correction. That was at least a couple of weeks ago.

So, either the fix is somewhat more complicated than anticipated, or maybe they are doing more comprehensive in-house testing before letting it be found in the data stream, or maybe both.

It seems though, at least with the R15, every fix seems to bring it's own unique batch of new problems. I think they really are trying to get a good, solid, and reliable software release out, but keep running into problems sending them back to the drawing board.

I fully agree though, it's time to see something happen with/for the R15. That DVR is really getting hammered in DirecTV's own DVR forum. I have no idea what the volume and nature of CSR calls is.

Carl

 

[qwerty]

Per threads on the HR20 side HD represents anywhere from 10-13% of the DTV customer base. So a product that is used by 13% of DTVs DVR customers seems to be getting 90% of the DVR software development pie.

I hate to defend D*, but HD is the future. I'm sure the HD customer base is expanding rapidly. Eventually, we'll all be there. They also pay more for HD. It's only smart to invest in anything that increases that market share.

But yes. They should devote the resources necessary to fix the R15.

 

[jonaswan2]

Wait a minute, but they haven't fixed all of the other DirecTV branded recievers yet (heck, the H20 still doesn't have any interactive capabilities as far as I know). So, the R15 takes first priority. I need to get this straight here .

 

[brucegrr]

I wouldn't mind the "bugs" if it wasn't for the fact that, far too often, the fix is REFORMAT. Everything is lost.

Why bother having the DVR if you have to reformat every few months to get the DVR to work right.

I wonder if DirecTV really knows how frustrated their customer base is with this? OF course...........we are a captive market. Dish's DVR is not better. Buy a Tivo? Pay through the nose. Fact is many of us, particularly if we live in rural areas, have no other option, and I suspect DirecTv knows that.

Yes everything is going HD. But HD consumers are still a small part of the overall TV market. Some of us are waiting...........prices are still too high. Technology is still evolving quickly. As many of us learned with computers..........cutting edge sometimes is not what it is all cracked up to be. Better to wait..........

I just want to come home, turn on the TV and it works.

 

[Wolffpack]

Wait a minute, but they haven't fixed all of the other DirecTV branded recievers yet (heck, the H20 still doesn't have any interactive capabilities as far as I know). So, the R15 takes first priority. I need to get this straight here .

So tell me. Can DTV get any of their home grown receivers to work properly? If not, why not go back to the older versions that did work? Is DTV doing the software development/coding on the H20? The D11? If so, seems like I'm seeing a pattern.

 

[jonaswan2]

So tell me. Can DTV get any of their home grown receivers to work properly? If not, why not go back to the older versions that did work? Is DTV doing the software development/coding on the H20? The D11? If so, seems like I'm seeing a pattern.

It has got to be cheaper and easier for them to support by making their own, compared to having 20 different models of recievers from 20 different manufactures. Also, DirecTV probably gets to keep a lot more money from these recievers, so yeah.

Unless the American government makes DirecTV pull a Sky Italia, this is a better choice buisiness wise for DirecTV. But if their going to stick to this, they need fix some of the problems people are having with their DirecTV-branded recievers.

 

[Wolffpack]

It has got to be cheaper and easier for them to support by making their own, compared to having 20 different models of recievers from 20 different manufactures. Also, DirecTV probably gets to keep a lot more money from these recievers, so yeah.

I'm not sure about all of the receivers/DVRs way back, but as far as the HDVR2, SD-DVR40, SD-DVR80 and RCA39 the inerds of those boxes were exactly the same despite being manufactured by different vendors. Aside from the HD size, the power supply, mainboard, chips and front panel were identical and can be swapped between different models. Not at all like the R15-100, -300, -500.

Plus it's hard to say if, in the end, it's cheaper to do it yourself. Once you factor in lost customers due to buggy receivers/DVRs it could end up costing more.