[Earl Bonovich]

Jonathan Takiff | DirecTV's HR20 works well despite flaws

With its high-definition-service subscribers begging for relief (or threatening to bolt), DirecTV has done something the company has never done before. Namely, release a product nationally before it was absolutely perfect, fully baked.
....

Read the rest of this article at: Philadephia Daily News

 

[Mixer]

Despite the lease arrangement, DirecTV only promises a 90-day swap out on a defective model.

I was told that the HR20 was replaceable at anytime and that was why we did not need the protection plan. I am fairly sure I was told this by retention.

 

[Mixer]

Someday this setup will allow you to record as many as three HD shows at once, while you're simultaneously watching a fourth, pre-recorded program.

At what point does this guy stop telling lies.

LOL

 

[matto]

Thats what the manual says. Of course, it also says the ATSC tuner works...

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Someday this setup will allow you to record as many as three HD shows at once, while you're simultaneously watching a fourth, pre-recorded program.

At what point does this guy stop telling lies.

LOL

I dont' think it lies... It is just that he is basing that off of information from the manual. Which as we know, has changed is several areas.

I did send the author an "invite" to visit the forum.

 

[Mixer]

I agree and did not mean to sound harsh. I wanted to put the grin icon in my post but I was in quick reply mode as I often am.

What about the lease replacement comment?

I dont' think it lies... It is just that he is basing that off of information from the manual. Which as we know, has changed is several areas.

I did send the author an "invite" to visit the forum.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

I agree and did not mean to sound harsh. I wante dto put the grin icon in my post but I was in quick reply mode as I often am.

What about the lease replacement comment?

I don't know about that... I have never fully understood how the lease plan works. I know there are at least to DirecTV "Lease" specialists that float around here in the forums... I am sure one of them will let me know what the real scoop is.

(My normal contacts don't deal with those aspects of DirecTV)

 

[matto]

the problem is, no matter what the "lease specialists" say, it is up to the uninformed and wildly inaccurate CSRs to actually determine what happens.

 

[Mixer]

Cool I look forward to their responses.

I was told by Retention that everything was covered for the first 90 days (or was it 30?) and that the box is covered for life. They said that was the beauty of the lease. I hope that wasn't wrong info.

Let's see what the forum members you are talking about have to say.

I don't know about that... I have never fully understood how the lease plan works. I know there are at least to DirecTV "Lease" specialists that float around here in the forums... I am sure one of them will let me know what the real scoop is.

(My normal contacts don't deal with those aspects of DirecTV)

 

[Earl Bonovich]

I was told by Retention that everything was covered for the first 90 days (or was it 30?) and that the box is covered for life. They said that was the beauty of the lease. I hope that wasn't wrong info.

That is closer to how I understand it to be...
But anyway..

We can discuss the Lease aspects in another thread...

 

[Mixer]

Ok....sorry

That is closer to how I understand it to be...
But anyway..

We can discuss the Lease aspects in another thread...

 

[btmoore]

Maybe the former RCA engineer (and early DirecTV hardware designer) Ed Milbourn, was a prior TiVo user, needs to read his manual, check his rg/6 cables, use component video, and stop whining. I mean he is on his 3rd hr20, he must of used a TiVo a lot to have these kind of problems, he must be a real HR20 playa hater.

And those other guys with issues like trick play problems and Dolby Digital not working right, don't they know this is new software, and they are early adopters, so they should feel good about the problems they are having. BTW only a very small number of people actually have any problems at all, 98% of us have no problems at all with our HR20's they are flawless right! I mean come on haven't they checked the statistics with the couple of installers they know and reviewed their secret D* statistics that show that there are no problems with the HR20s? I know for a fact that they are TiVo fan boys.

Sorry I couldn't resist, for those who are new and not following the history, I am knee deep in sarcasm.:alterhase

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Ok....sorry

No need to be sorry... Just Lease "discussion" can easily over take this thread.

 

[tstarn]

I dont' think it lies... It is just that he is basing that off of information from the manual. Which as we know, has changed is several areas.

I did send the author an "invite" to visit the forum.

Interestingly, I know Jon Takiff to some degree, being I happen to live in Philly. Too bad he didn't get in touch with me before the review. Anyway, I did help him out on how adjust his Series Links to first-run only. It's not easy to find, as we know. And it's not even mentioned in the small Getting Started Guide they send out with the box. It should be one of the easier features to locate.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Anyway, I did help him out on how adjust his Series Links to first-run only. It's not easy to find, as we know. And it's not even mentioned in the small Getting Started Guide they send out with the box. It should be one of the easier features to locate.

Do you mean setting the Defaults to First Run?

 

[tstarn]

Do you mean setting the Defaults to First Run?

Yes, he says in his review that there is no way to do it. However, on the Daily Show, it may not list them as repeats, and therein lies his problem. Not sure. But I will check it out and let him know there is a potential problem with guide listings that don't say repeat (I see that's the case with the Simpsons and other shows).

 

[bwaldron]

"Something the company has never done before"

Not quite.

 

[tstarn]

"Something the company has never done before"

Not quite.

I'll make sure I let Jon know the R15 is far from fully baked a year after launch.

 

[bwaldron]

I'll make sure I let Jon know the R15 is far from fully baked a year after launch.

Yeah, it's still kinda uncooked in the middle.

And really, even the Series 1 DirecTivos weren't feature complete upon release -- it took awhile before dual-tuner support was activated. They were reliable, though.

 

[bwaldron]

I'll make sure I let Jon know the R15 is far from fully baked a year after launch.

Yeah, it's still kinda uncooked in the middle.