[Steve Rhodes]

We are building a new home. In the home our plan is to have 3 HR34s (of which I one now) and 2 HR2xs (of which I have none now).

Are there any issues I need to consider in the design of the hookups?

And does my configuration blow some DirecTV limit or restriction or whatever?

Thanks!

 

[Carl Spock]

Currently, DirecTV allows no more than one HR34 on an account.

 

[Shades228]

Also going over 16 tuners can increase some costs to you.

Perhaps a more detailed account of what you are wanting to do would help. Saying that you want 19 tuners to record in 5 rooms doesn't give much to go on and just closes down options.

 

[carl6]

The 19 tuners is not a problem from a technical perspective, it can be easily supported (at additional cost).

The limit of one HR34 per account certainly is a constraint at this point. That limit might be raised in the future, but there are not even rumors at this point in time as to when that might happen (if it happens).

You should plan now for one HR34 and multiple HR2x units to satisfy all of your TV locations. That should put you at 13 tuners, which is supported by an SWM16 multiswitch. That will also allow you whole-home between all the units (if you want it).

 

[Steve Rhodes]

Also going over 16 tuners can increase some costs to you.

Perhaps a more detailed account of what you are wanting to do would help. Saying that you want 19 tuners to record in 5 rooms doesn't give much to go on and just closes down options.

I like HR34s having 100 series links and I like not having to record something on another dvr just because I've already got 2 things recording in one time spot.

On the other hand I've been having video and audio glitches on my hr34 which may or may not be a problem that all hr34s suffer from.

All dvrs as shipped from directv don't have enough space for us but I will fix that on all dvrs I get by adding a 2tb external or internal drives as I have on every dvr I've ever owned from direcTV.

 

[Shades228]

I like HR34s having 100 series links and I like not having to record something on another dvr just because I've already got 2 things recording in one time spot.

On the other hand I've been having video and audio glitches on my hr34 which may or may not be a problem that all hr34s suffer from.

All dvrs as shipped from directv don't have enough space for us but I will fix that on all dvrs I get by adding a 2tb external or internal drives as I have on every dvr I've ever owned from direcTV.

Then it sounds like you're going to have to get more HD DVR's.

 

[Steve Rhodes]

The 19 tuners is not a problem from a technical perspective, it can be easily supported (at additional cost).

The limit of one HR34 per account certainly is a constraint at this point. That limit might be raised in the future, but there are not even rumors at this point in time as to when that might happen (if it happens).

You should plan now for one HR34 and multiple HR2x units to satisfy all of your TV locations. That should put you at 13 tuners, which is supported by an SWM16 multiswitch. That will also allow you whole-home between all the units (if you want it).

What is the HR34 limit actually?

If I buy 2 or 3 HR34s from Weakness, will DirecTV let me hook them up or is the limit that if I already have one HR34, DirecTV will not sell me another one?

 

[dielray]

What is the HR34 limit actually?

If I buy 2 or 3 HR34s from Weakness, will DirecTV let me hook them up or is the limit that if I already have one HR34, DirecTV will not sell me another one?

It's 1 per account period. Even if one was able to activate additional HR34s, there have been reports of DirecTV systematically deactivating afterwords a 2nd one with no refund.

 

[RunnerFL]

What is the HR34 limit actually?

If I buy 2 or 3 HR34s from Weakness, will DirecTV let me hook them up or is the limit that if I already have one HR34, DirecTV will not sell me another one?

See post #2 in this thread. Carl Spock already gave you the answer.

 

[carl6]

What is the HR34 limit actually?

If I buy 2 or 3 HR34s from Weakness, will DirecTV let me hook them up or is the limit that if I already have one HR34, DirecTV will not sell me another one?

As others have noted, it is ONE per account PERIOD (at this time).

Also remember, no matter where you get an HR34, it will be leased. Prior to activation, I think you can return it to the vendor for refund, but after activation if you deactivate it it must be returned to DirecTV and you do not get any part of the initial cost returned. This is from the Weakness web site page on the HR34:

"Please note that DirecTV generally considers all new equipment activated after March, 2006 to be leased equipment. DirecTV will often only allow one HR34 to be active per account."

 

[Joe Spears]

It's 1 per account period. Even if one was able to activate additional HR34s, there have been reports of DirecTV systematically deactivating afterwords a 2nd one with no refund.

Here is a thread from another forum of a member getting an additional 'Owned' HR34 activated on there account only to have it stop working hours later: http://www.highdefforum.com/directv-forum/137510-how-install-two-hr-34s.html In this case it appears they did receive some sort of credit for the mistake...

 

[HoTat2]

Which is why unless his "My Setup" info. is just out of date, or he's headed for bad news in the future when DIRECTV eventually deactivates the second box, I still don't understand how Sixto pulled it off with two activated "owned" HR34s on his account.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=3046100#post3046100

 

[raott]

Which is why unless his "My Setup" info. is just out of date, or he's headed for bad news in the future when DIRECTV eventually deactivates the second box, I still don't understand how Sixto pulled it off with two activated "owned" HR34s on his account.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=3046100#post3046100

If D* allows a second HR34 to be activated (remember, they completely control the activation process), at that point, it is on them and they are just asking for legal headaches if they deactivate the receiver and force the customer to send it back.

 

[ronkuba]

I have two hr34's. Bought them when they first came out.

 

[jdspencer]

We are building a new home. In the home our plan is to have 3 HR34s (of which I one now) and 2 HR2xs (of which I have none now).

Are there any issues I need to consider in the design of the hookups?

And does my configuration blow some DirecTV limit or restriction or whatever?

Thanks!

Do you really need that much recording space?
And how many TVs will be involved?
If you think you may need to record more than 5 channels at a time, then add another HR2X DVR.
Have you thought about using C31 RVU clients on other TVs?

 

[funnyfarm299]

Do you really need that much recording space?
And how many TVs will be involved?
If you think you may need to record more than 5 channels at a time, then add another HR2X DVR.
Have you thought about using C31 RVU clients on other TVs?

I do some crazy installs, including houses with up to 12 TVs. Typically we put in 3/4 2 tuner DVRs in a house, all on a matrix switch, and that's more than enough. One for each person.

 

[Steve Rhodes]

Do you really need that much recording space?
And how many TVs will be involved?
If you think you may need to record more than 5 channels at a time, then add another HR2X DVR.
Have you thought about using C31 RVU clients on other TVs?

We are in an apartment now. In our old house we had 3 hr20s with 2tb on each one and generally had them 80%+ full

We like to record entire seasons of a show and then watch them all at once over a few nights. 24 was was especially great watching it that way.

If I had my way, I would have a 100tb system with a back up and just record everything that looked interesting.

 

[Carl Spock]

If I had my way, I would have a 100tb system with a back up and just record everything that looked interesting.

:eek2:
You win.

 

[Diana C]

...If I had my way, I would have a 100tb system with a back up and just record everything that looked interesting.

You have a lower threshold for "interesting" than we do. :eek2:

 

[HoTat2]

If D* allows a second HR34 to be activated (remember, they completely control the activation process), at that point, it is on them and they are just asking for legal headaches if they deactivate the receiver and force the customer to send it back.

I think what may have happened is that if you did something like outright purchase two HR34s very early in their release when the activation rules were not well established, it opened a loop-hole to activate multiple units which has since long been closed down.

But I would think that still means a second HR34 is subject to a turn off at any time. So Sixto and others may be on borrowed time, unless DIRECTV is going to permit a type of grandfather status to those very early multiple HR34 activations.