[kevincarney]

I just spent an hour going through this area looking for basic info. I just switched from HR 10 to HR 20 earlier today. There is TONS of great info here, but I am really looking for just the basics right now, but I need it in terms from the old TiVo. For example, how can I switch between the two tuners? I used to just hit "live TV" and flip back and fourth...

I think with time, I can get the hang of this, but I really need to understand the two tuners firs. I set it up to record "30 Rock" (don't ask why) and it changed the channel to record it while my kid was watching "Bob The Builder". ANyway, when I went to change the channel, it said "both tuners are busy", but I couldn't switch over to the other one, I had to cancel the recording. Did the installer mess up?

I might be starting to miss the ol' Tivo already, but I know you guys can talk me off the ledge, right?

 

[matto]

I might be starting to miss the ol' Tivo already, but I know you guys can talk me off the ledge, right?

i've got some bad news for you..

 

[bluesjam]

Kevin, the HR20 is different in many ways when compared to the HR10 (TiVo), you'll need to adjust a little, some features you'll miss but you'll also find new cool features not found on the TiVo box. When things are working properly it's actually a cool dvr!

2 Tuners are available but you can't switch between them (down arrow on TiVo), not yet at least, only one buffer (90 mins vs 30 on TiVo) is available.

Were you recording 2 shows at the same time or just 30 Rock? If it wasn't recording 2 shows then you'll probably need to reboot using the red button on the front by the access card.

 

[matto]

you'll probably need to reboot using the red button on the front by the access card.

you'll be hearing that advice a lot.

 

[kevincarney]

Ok, I got it, there is not "Dual Buffers".

Get this though, it wont let me watch something while another program is recording!!! It says "both tuners are busy" that is not the case. Why is it doing that???

 

[litzdog911]

Kevin, give it a week or two. I'm a long time DirecTivo zealot, and it took a couple of weeks for me to "adapt" to the HR20's interface. Now I can honestly say that there are many things I like about it, some even better than the Tivo interface. The challenge is seeing these advantages through the various bugs that have plagued the HR20 since it's launch six weeks ago.

 

[bluesjam]

Ok, I got it, there is not "Dual Buffers".

Get this though, it wont let me watch something while another program is recording!!! It says "both tuners are busy" that is not the case. Why is it doing that???

"you'll be hearing that advice a lot." Just do a reset when you're ready and it should fix it.

 

[kevincarney]

I will give it a few weeks, but I am keeping the HR10 close by. I never thought a tv receiver would turn my world upside down. What have I become?

Seriously, I realize that we may have lost some features, and added new ones, but what i need right now is the ability to record one show while watching another. It can do that, right? I did read the manual (honest!) and I even called the fine folks at directv. He was reading the same things I was.

Anyway, can anyone help me why does it say both tuners are in use. It lists the show that I am recording on one tuner, but it says title not available on the other tuner.

 

[bluesjam]

Yes it will record 2 shows, you just need to press the red button and let it do a clean boot and you'll see two tuners, I hope. Don't be afraid of the red button, it will be your friend for next few days, weeks, perhaps even months!

 

[matto]

PS when you reset, you lose all the guide data. It should be back in the next 24 hours or so, in time for you to need to reset again.

 

[bluesjam]

PS when you reset, you lose all the guide data. It should be back in the next 24 hours or so, in time for you to need to reset again.

LOL! That's exactly what I went through for the last week! Not a single day without a few reboots!!!

 

[glennb]

I've had mine about 3 weeks now and only had to reboot it with the red button once.

Don't believe everything you read here. Not everyone has to do a reboot every day.

 

[Starrbuck]

You mean some people here tend to exaggerate a bit? Say it ain't so!!!

 

[glennb]

Some people here like to whine a lot.

 

[bluesjam]

I wonder if D* offers a whiners anonymous service for those of us with issues! Afterall, it is their product we're talking about here not some other company's dvr!

 

[bonscott87]

As suggested, do a red button reset to get the 2nd tuner activated. I had to do that and it's the only reset I've had to do in the month I've had the HR20.

 

[Chris Blount]

Kevin,

Welcome to the forum!

Just hang in there buddy. As the others said, the HR20 interface is different but over time you will come to appreciate it. After the last software upgrade, I have not had any missed or blank recordings.

Yes, keep your HR10 close by but I would guess once you get the hang of the HR20, you won't need it.

 

[xx Max Power xx]

The inabilty to change over to watch the other tuner while it's recording may be the one thing that kills this DVR for me. I mean the whole point of the 2nd turner is that you don't have to watch what you're recording...

It seems like a little software upgarde and one of those colored buttons aught to do it.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

The inabilty to change over to watch the other tuner while it's recording may be the one thing that kills this DVR for me. I mean the whole point of the 2nd turner is that you don't have to watch what you're recording...

It seems like a little software upgarde and one of those colored buttons aught to do it.

I thought the whole point of having a 2nd tuner was so that I can record two things at once... with out having to have two DVRs to do it?

You don't have to watch what you are recording, unless you are recording two things at once. The HR20 attempts to put any recordings on the background tuner. And if it is in the forground tuner (the buffer one that you can see), but you only have 1 thing recording... then just change the channel..... and it will continue to record in the background, and you can watch something else.

 

[Sixto]

Hi Earl ... i'm back ... visiting ... i've now had the Series3 for about 5 weeks ... absolutely love it ... it's an HR10 on steroids ... but I've not yet cancelled DirecTv.

I'm thinking that before I cut the cord completely with DirecTV, I may try to play with the HR20. Then I'll have done the proper analysis. I figure that all of the bugs that I read about here will eventually get resolved so not rushing into getting the HR20.

One thing I'd say (and hopefully your DirecTv contacts are aware) is that dual buffers is the single only reason I haven't played with the HR20 yet.

I figure that the photo app is coming, 50 hours mpeg4 is probably enough storage so may not need the 500gb drive, wishlists are nice but not super critical, online scheduling seems like it's coming re: the Eric Shanks interview on itvt, I love the Series3 remote but maybe the HR20 remote is live-able.

But as I play with the Series3 every night, I swap from buffer to buffer a hundred times ... watch a little of the game, switch to CNN for some news, check a little of a previously recorded Letterman, switch back to the game, rewind if i have to. I could not imagine ever going to any DVR without dual buffers.

So while I'm totally loving the Series3 experience I will eventually try the HR20 (because I'm a techy at heart) but never before dual buffers.

Take care ...

Edit: I should add that I need a total of 3 HD DVR's. So before I spend another $799 each for two more Series3's that I'll evaluate the HR20 because I can get most (if not all) of the HR20 cost waved thru retention ... was easy to spend $799 for "my" DVR ... gotta be sure before I spend close to another two grand for the rest of the family ...