HDMI issue
I had the same thing with my HDMI (I have a Hitachi HD S69 plasma). Phone tech asked me to try the component cables, and I finally got sync/signal (after the sofrware download). My HR-20, which I bought at an $60 profit (This is good. The nice lady at D* Retention couldn't give me a free machine two weeks ago, so she credit my account $370. I bought it for $299 plus $28 S&H from Best Buy. So I made a little scratch on the deal). By the way, it comes with a cheap component cable.
Now, the HDMI issue is gone, and hasn't come back once. My DD 5.1 works fine too, though I don't use it much, only with DVDs.
Anyway, glitches are there. Sometimes, the pause works, sometimes not. I am a Tivo user (have had one for 5 years, now have two), and I find the HR-20 interface user-unfriendly, though I am sure I will figure out it (I don't even see how to get that direct link thingie). My wife hates it, and is sticking with the Directv w/Tivo R10. So we have two dual tuner boxes for one TV. Talk about overkill. I can't get OTA signals here in Philly, so I am stuck with the lousy Directv HD locals. They suck. Keep pixelating, losing voice, etc. The MPEG2 HD channels are fine. It's the locals that stink. They have a weird "film" look, as they did on the H20 as well (which I moved to the bedroom). Anyway, it's got to be the signal/satellite or something at the local stations, because it's only the MPEG4 channels.
Otherwise, it looks good. Have noticed a major lip sync issue on ABC local, but can fix it. If anyone is a fanatic about that, check out
www.lipfix.com. I got an Alchemy box, and it really works for DVDs. Many of the newer flat panels have sync issues. And the sync "fixer" on HT receivers and DVD players is inadequate.
Back the HR-20. Looking forward to recording NFL games in HD, which is the main reason I got it.