[OTAirline]

I started visiting this site frequently in October and appreciated all the postings from Earl and others regarding the HR20. I've received good advice on how to utilize hidden functionality within the device, but nothing but "wait and see" type responses when it comes to the core deliverables for this unit. I have to admit that when I wanted to cancel my DirecTV service, this forum had been providing me with that glimmer of hope that things will turn the corner. Tomorrow, next week, next month, 'late 2006'...you get the idea.

DirecTV has either dumb luck with someone like Earl going to bat for them in this forum, or an over-performing guerrilla marketing campaign in the works. These efforts have enabled a failed product to be accepted into a marketplace that normally has a higher expectation for leading-edge technology. A release of any other product matching the results (or failures) of the HR20 would be subject to the same type of class action lawsuits that are currently being formed for the HR20 debacle.

There seem to be two camps of participants in this forum. Those looking for a way to get their money back because they are frustrated with their HR20 experience, or those hoping for the next release, or the next release, or the next release...

I'm thinking of building a box that has 2 HDMI, 2 OTA, 4 SAT, 4 USB, 2 Fibre, a partridge in a pear tree, etc. and trying to sell this to Dish or Comcast. Behind the scenes, I'll load either Pong or the first version of their digital receiver software. I'll tell the customers that the additional functionality will be coming soon (and have a lot of fun with it!), but in the meantime, their paying subscribers should be patient (to keep the market share from leaving to go elsewhere). Why would I want to pay $660 million a year in advertising when I can pay twelve guys $2 per post to the most popular Audio/Video forums on the web?

 

[Coffey77]

I'm thinking of building a box that has 2 HDMI, 2 OTA, 4 SAT, 4 USB, 2 Fibre, a partridge in a pear tree,

Can I be on the waiting list for one of these? Will the OTA work? Actually, you can pretty much accomplish that if you could make a card that'll fit in one of the open slots in your computer that'll receive D* signals and then we could all just use our computers which, I'm guessing, could be far better than any DVR they've put out yet. We could use the 3.5" drive that no one uses anymore for the Access Card... Nice!

 

[tommyb]

I started visiting this site frequently in October and appreciated all the postings from Earl and others regarding the HR20. I've received good advice on how to utilize hidden functionality within the device, but nothing but "wait and see" type responses when it comes to the core deliverables for this unit. I have to admit that when I wanted to cancel my DirecTV service, this forum had been providing me with that glimmer of hope that things will turn the corner. Tomorrow, next week, next month, 'late 2006'...you get the idea.

DirecTV has either dumb luck with someone like Earl going to bat for them in this forum, or an over-performing guerrilla marketing campaign in the works. These efforts have enabled a failed product to be accepted into a marketplace that normally has a higher expectation for leading-edge technology. A release of any other product matching the results (or failures) of the HR20 would be subject to the same type of class action lawsuits that are currently being formed for the HR20 debacle.

There seem to be two camps of participants in this forum. Those looking for a way to get their money back because they are frustrated with their HR20 experience, or those hoping for the next release, or the next release, or the next release...

I'm thinking of building a box that has 2 HDMI, 2 OTA, 4 SAT, 4 USB, 2 Fibre, a partridge in a pear tree, etc. and trying to sell this to Dish or Comcast. Behind the scenes, I'll load either Pong or the first version of their digital receiver software. I'll tell the customers that the additional functionality will be coming soon (and have a lot of fun with it!), but in the meantime, their paying subscribers should be patient (to keep the market share from leaving to go elsewhere).

Why would I want to pay $660 million a year in advertising when I can pay twelve guys $2 per post to the most popular Audio/Video forums on the web?

OK, who is getting $2 per post????? I am only getting $1.50 and was told that it was the highest per post wage that D* paid for posting on web forums. This is how companies get disgruntled employees.:new_cussi

 

[shaun-ohio]

hey you left one phrase out on your comment, when you pay 299 for the HR20 and cancel your servce, sorry pal you are out of luck, send your HR20 back and be out of 299 that you paid for it or pay a fee to directv to cancel your service.

 

[skierbri10]

OK, who is getting $2 per post????? I am only getting $1.50 and was told that it was the highest per post wage that D* paid for posting on web forums. This is how companies get disgruntled employees.:new_cussi

I'm getting $2.50...

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Hell... I'm cheap... I'll take $0.50 a post

 

[mikewolf13]

Can I be on the waiting list for one of these? Will the OTA work? Actually, you can pretty much accomplish that if you could make a card that'll fit in one of the open slots in your computer that'll receive D* signals and then we could all just use our computers which, I'm guessing, could be far better than any DVR they've put out yet. We could use the 3.5" drive that no one uses anymore for the Access Card... Nice!

The OTA will work .....it just won't be activated....

 

[Capmeister]

There seem to be two camps of participants in this forum. Those looking for a way to get their money back because they are frustrated with their HR20 experience, or those hoping for the next release, or the next release, or the next release...

Whereas I could be someone looking for my money back, because D* has allowed their people to feed Earl info and then he has been allowed to feed it to us, I have had a certain amount of confidence in the changes being made to this box.

One of the reasons I wanted to test out an HR20as because I got the idea that with this forum I would be able to have some input on the HR20's progress. Individually, I cannot--obviously. But with us all saying we wanted a faster FF and a faster 30 second slip--we got 'em. With my being able to show (and others as well) what is going on with Closed Captioning, I have felt as if D* is aware of my concerns and is looking to address them. I think they're going to attempt dual buffers in the long term, and work on other things we'd like if they're do-able, and I am looking forward to replacing my Tivos with these units.

While Earl is taking his time to help be our liason, and I don't think we can thank him often enough, let's ALSO thank D*. Earl isn't bugging their offices--he's in contact with their employees. They're letting this interaction happen. (I know Earl gets the perk of having some info before we do, but I'd say the time he spends here more than pays for that, so I'm not even sure what we've done to deserve his hard work, but it's REALLY appreciated!)

Three cheers for Earl and DirecTV.

 

[hasan]

:hurah: :hurah: :hurah:

(quite sincerely...this forum is a Gold Mine because of Earl's efforts, and the myriad of people willing to help others, no matter how often a question has been asked and previously answered)

 

[Earl Bonovich]

(I know Earl gets the perk of having some info before we do, but I'd say the time he spends here more than pays for that, so I'm not even sure what we've done to deserve his hard work, but it's REALLY appreciated!)

Three cheers for Earl and DirecTV.

My "perk" is threads and PM's like this (Even though they are not necessary).
5+ years ago when I entered the forum, there where other's who helped me out.... so I am just doing the same, so others can get as intrested and help.

And also, it is just a part of who I am, and the way my Parents raised me.
My Dad (miss ya).... always helped anyone who needed it..... I am just doing the same, in a different way...

 

[Earl Bonovich]

So with that... thank you all again (and again, again, ect...)

But.. as usual.. time to close down the thread, and get back to the task at hand...

Happy Holiday's to eveyrone out there... and do me a favor.
Make nice will all your family and don't let another day go by without letting them know how much you care about them.... as you never know when you won't have the chance....