[jpeyster]

I'm looking to buy a new DirecTV HD DVR for the first time. I've done some reading so I am aware of most of the differences with the HR34 and the new TIVO unit (Thr22). But the one thing I need to know which I can't seem to get a straight answer on is whether the HR34 really has two concurrently-buffering(?) tuners even when you're not actually recording a show. I'm not up to speed on the right lingo so it's a little hard for me to ask the precise question I want to ask without saying something dumb and confusing. If you will, bear with me while I provide an illustration of what I want to be able to do:

On my old DirecTV TIVO R10 box (which just died 2 weeks ago, :crying, the following scenario was possible:

Put a football game on Tuner 1 and a baseball game on Tuner 2. NOT RECORDING EITHER SHOW.

I am watching the football game on Tuner 1 for a while. Suddenly the urge strikes me to check the baseball score. I hit the pause button on Tuner 1 to pause the football game so I don't miss anything.

I click over to Tuner 2 and I learn that I just missed someone hitting a home run that I would like to see. I rewind the baseball game a minute or two in order to catch the homerun that I had missed. (I can do this because I have 30 minutes of rewind on that tuner EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT RECORDING THE BASEBALL GAME).

Now I'm caught up on the baseball so I want to go back to the football. I click back over to Tuner 1 and the football game is still paused at the spot where I had paused it prior to clicking over to check the baseball game (EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT RECORDING THE FOOTBALL GAME).

~The end.

I don't know what the right term is for this functionality but I must have it. I know the new TIVO can still do this. Can the HR34 do this too?

None of the low-grade standrd def DirecTV DVRs I have had could ever do the above scenario the way my R10 could. You had to be recording both shows, and even then, when, when you went back to the other tuner, it wouldn't still be paused and you would have to rewind back to where you had left. That said, I have not gotten a new DirectTV DVR in 4 years. So maybe they finally caught up with TIVO's 2004 technology in that regard.

Sorry for the nooby question. Just looking for a straight answer before I pull the trigger one way or the other.

 

[Davenlr]

The HR34 can do it (its called double play) but you MUST activate it, its not "on" all the time.
The plus is the buffer is longer than a Tivo (not sure about the THR22). If you do not swap tuners, double play will turn itself off after a given period of time.

The buffers are also displayable with the PIP window, or side by side, if you decide you want to watch both of them at once.

 

[The Merg]

The HR34 and the other HD-DVRs have what is called Double Play. It is dual-live buffers on demand only. You hit the down arrow twice on your remote to activate it. You will then have a 90 minute buffer on each tuner. The one catch-all though is that it will turn off after 2 hours of non-use. When that happens, the buffer on the non-watched tuner will be flushed and you have to start it over again.

- Merg

 

[jpeyster]

The HR34 can do it (its called double play) but you MUST activate it, its not "on" all the time.
The plus is the buffer is longer than a Tivo (not sure about the THR22). If you do not swap tuners, double play will turn itself off after a given period of time.

The buffers are also displayable with the PIP window, or side by side, if you decide you want to watch both of them at once.

Thanks for the quick response. If you'll indulge me a bit further....

1. There is no way to keep the "double play" on permanently? No setting you can change?

2. Is it a pain in the butt to "activate" the double play function?

3. Ballpark estimate, how long will it stay activated once you activate it? Like, 10 minutes? 1 hour? 12 hours? A day?

Thanks.

 

[jpeyster]

The HR34 and the other HD-DVRs have what is called Double Play. It is dual-live buffers on demand only. You hit the down arrow twice on your remote to activate it. You will then have a 90 minute buffer on each tuner. The one catch-all though is that it will turn off after 2 hours of non-use. When that happens, the buffer on the non-watched tuner will be flushed and you have to start it over again.

- Merg

Ah, I think that covers all my questions. Thanks!

 

[Davenlr]

No way to keep in on permanantly, unless you toggle the tuners once every hour and 45 minutes or so.

Easy to activate, just hit arrow down

Merg above says two hours, I dont know, so Ill guess two hours

 

[The Merg]

No way to keep in on permanantly, unless you toggle the tuners once every hour and 45 minutes or so.

Easy to activate, just hit arrow down

Merg above says two hours, I dont know, so Ill guess two hours

Yup. Two hours. Every time you switch tuners, the 2 hours resets itself.

- Merg

 

[Shades228]

It will also turn off if you turn the receiver off or if power saver kicks in.

To clarify though the HR34 is not a HD DVR it's a HMC and has a larger cost associated than a HD DVR.

 

[HoTat2]

I thought once started, DP only turns off after two hours of remote control inactivity of any sort?

(Volume control and Mute button presses do not count.)

EDIT: Yes confirmed;

From Doug Brott's DoublePlay: FAQ
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=164963

How long is DoublePlay turned on? Once DoublePlay is started, it remains active until after two hours of non-use. "non-use" is defined as not using the remote control at all (volume and mute buttons don't count). So, simply pressing the info button, play, or other trick play buttons will keep DoublePlay active. You do not need to toggle to the other tuner to keep DoublePlay active once you have started it. You simply need to use your remote control. Once the remote control has not been used for 2 hours, DoublePlay will automatically turn off.

 

[usnret]

Think you can, if you have it enabled, pause one of your PIP programs too. Don't know if doubleplay rules apply though.