Hr10-250 + H20

[JPShinn]

Hello:

I am in the SF market and will most likely be getting an upgrade offer in the near futrue. I really want locals on HD (but I can't get OTA in my location) but I don't want to give up Tivo functionality (at least until the Directv version). Has anyone thought about doing both boxes on the same TV until the Directv HD DVR is available?



Thanks for any input.
John

[bobl]

Putting both boxes on the same TV is a no brainer as I have two HD Tivo's on mine. I can get the SF local HD channels over the air but only some channels at a time since I have to tweak my antenna position due to severe multi-path issues. In order to be able to record multiple HD locals at once I utilize the distant network HD locals from LA. Are you aware these exist for those of us in SF? We can receive the ABC, CBS and NBC feeds from LA via DirecTV because the local SF stations are owned and operated while the FOX local, unfortunately, isn't meaning the LA version isn't available to us. I mention this in case you're not aware of them but also because it seems as though once you activate the local HD channels via DirecTV (possibly in November, if available?) it's been reported that you would immediately lose the LA delivered HD channels. This is important because neither the H20 nor the HD Tivo will be able to record the SF local HD channels so getting two HD programs at once (watch one/record another) would no longer be possible. I'm planning on waiting until the updated HD DVR (probably an HR20-250 or possibly the HMC) is available so I can still record multiple HD broadcast programs. I definitely will not upgrade to the H20 for the SF HD locals if I lose access to the LA HD locals before an upgraded HD DVR capable of recording the DirecTV delivered SF HD locals is available.

Bob

[JPShinn]

Thanks for the reply and I'm sorry I didn't reply earlier. I am aware of the LA locals availability and I take advantage of it. It is unfortunate that I might lose that functionality in the coming days when SF locals are activated. I might delay upgrading if I knew how soon the MPEG4 HD DVR will be available.

Thx.
John

[hancox]

I wouldn't worry too much about them shutting off LA locals for SF for a matter of months.

[Hogarth]

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I might delay upgrading if I knew how soon the MPEG4 HD DVR will be available.

Q2 2006. That is to say, at least April, more predictably June.
That having been said, DirecTV is running 4-8 weeks behind on their rollout of recent stuff. (e.g. The R15 was supposed to be out in early October, but came out November 7th)

So I would bet a significant sum of money that it (Meaning the HR20-250) won't be on the market until July 2006.

We should know more when CES hits in late January.

H

[bobl]

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Longhorn says January 2006 for the H20-250 and late first quarter/early second quarter for the HMC in his latest post. I certainly hope he's right as I would like to upgrade earlier rather than later. Also, based on the Detroit test market, it's now clear that we won't lose the LA HD locals immediately after upgrading to an mpeg-4 receiver. Again Longhorn reports this won't happen until 90 days after everyone in a given market has been given the chance to upgrade to an mpeg-4 HD capable DVR.