Lots of flexibility with a DTivo
If you are thinking of standard def you can get used/refurb/NOS "DTivos" (dual-tuner DirecTV receivers with integrated Tivo-based DVR) and enhance them to support many of the same features that standalone SD Tivos enjoy - such as MRV (multi-room viewing). DirecTV...
It takes some additional software in any device to adequately handle removable devices. Generally, DVR software is written with 'permanent' devices (internal hard drives) in mind; ones that don't get added and removed.
A DVR maker could make a 'quick n dirty' modification to the software to...
The R15s are too new at this point for people to have a lot of these answers.
That's why I'm sticking with my (hacked) S2 DTivos - I have 3 of them running and 2 in reserve... at least I know what I can do with those.
Extensive review/tour of R15
Screenshots, pictures of front, back, insides, comments on various functions: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=270214
Two years ago I was in the same boat... flakey Dish DVR, ate all my recordings, new software downloads meant new surprises, etc. I had been a E* customer since 1996 but said enough was enough - I moved to DirecTV and my DirecTivos have been ultra-stable and have never failed to record a show. I...
If you're serious about DVR stability and features, then consider getting/staying with DirecTV.
I had Dish from 1996 thru 2004, got fed up with the DVR goofyness, went with D* and two DirecTivos, which work without a hitch and are feature-rich.
Case in point: Compare the Dish and DirecTV...
Based on the list posted in another topic, only two talk channels: "High Voltage" (gets you Stern clones Opie & Anthony) and "MLB" which has baseball talk and some games (mostly old ones).
The page at http://www.directv.com/see/landing/xm.html should be re-written: Great Tunes. Wimpy Talk.
From the DirecTV web page http://www.directv.com/see/landing/xm.html :
From the faxed list that Scott posted I see just *two* talk channels - hardly worthy of the buildup given in the above text posted on their web page.
For certain, not an R15 as they are not available yet.
Go into the SETUP menu, then SYSTEM INFO screen and report your IRD MODEL - I've never seen an R10 before, but based on a tidbit that I read it will say IRD model R52180 if it is an R10.
Yes, and you will need to get a USB-to-Ethernet...
For basics on the DirecTivos, this forum or the DirecTivo forum at http://www.tivocommunity.com - there is also an 'underground' forum there that discusses many hacking things but doesn't permit discussions of digital extraction. The easiest hack on any Tivo/DTivo is adding disk space. Rough...
It's not elegant, but you can sometimes run satellite cables through the edge of a window using a 'flat coax' ribbon gizmo - put the words flat coax rg6 into Google search or Ebay window and you can find them easily.
Hacked DTivos (running TivoWeb Plus) can do that too if you have some help from your home network setup - I can reach two of my DirecTivos securely (username/password protection via SSL aka "https") from anywhere on the internet.
Click on thumbnails for screenshots - I am setting up a...
Yes, there are people with a SA Tivo that controls a DirecTV receiver; ditto for a SA Tivo and Dish Network. In the Tivo setup you specify your DBS provider instead of XYZ cableco so that it will have the correct guide info and channel numbers. One reason for doing this is that they may have...
http://www.tvpredictions.com/freehdtv090605.html
Article also mentions the first 12 markets to get the HD locals: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington DC, Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, and Tampa Bay.
I don't like "swiss army knife" electronic boxes
Not worth it to give up the DirecTivo -w- dual tuners, IMHO.
You cannot edit Tivo-recorded material before dubbing from the HDD to DVD; that is possible with a separate DVD recorder.
Also, if one function dies (DVR or DVD burner) you have a...
Dropped isn't as severe as it sounds - DirecTV will be featuring its own brand of DVRs instead, but people with DirecTivos will continue to work fine with the DirecTV service. Tivo will continue to see revenue from DirecTV subscribers with DirecTivos, it just won't be increasing. Many people...
Some more things to consider...
A integrated satellite receiver + DVR is far more preferable to a standalone DVR, IMHO - it's a hassle to have a separate DVR (Tivo) box due to
1) Channel changes from the IR gizmo to control the box may not be 100% reliable
2) The standalone forces you to...
I was very happy with Dish for many years until I got the DVR bug via a quirky box called the "Dishplayer 7200", which was a real adventure. Dish finally lost me as a customer when they refused to reduce their $9.99/mo. DVR fee to match what some other DishPlayer customers were getting (see...