CES 2013: Engadget Hands On with the Directv HR44!

[jcrandall]

First view of the HR44 courtesy of Engadget:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/08/directv-hr44-whole-home-genie-hd-dvr-hands-on/

5 Tuners, same as HR34.
1TB HD, same.
Wifi - new
Faster processor - new
Fanless design (although there is an "emergency" fan)
External power supply
Smaller.
New RC71 remote

 

[jcrandall]

Very happy to see they stayed with the 5 tuner design and not the 3 tuner that was rumored.

 

[jdspencer]

Will it support the AM21 OTA tuner?

 

[Neutron]

Well crap; we just had the HR34 installed as a new customer.

Still very happy with it.

Interesting that the PS3 can be used as a client even on the HR34. How does that work?

 

[jcrandall]

Will it support the AM21 OTA tuner?

I don't see any reason why it wouldn't - it has the USB port and Directv has supported it on every receiver since it came out.

 

[jcrandall]

Interesting that the PS3 can be used as a client even on the HR34. How does that work?

It doesn't as of yet, with Sony just announcing today RVU support it may be a while.

 

[Neutron]

I wonder if it will be supported on all PS3s. I have an original launch 80GB version.

 

[TheRatPatrol]

Very happy to see they stayed with the 5 tuner design and not the 3 tuner that was rumored.

Me too, but I still think 8 tuners would have been better, taking advantage of the SWiM 8's and being able to stream up to 4 clients at once. Maybe next year.

 

[whitewolf8214]

Thanks jcrandall for info and pictures and I am glad they stuck with 5 tuners instead of 3 also That means with HR34 and HR44 that would be 10 tuners wouldn't it?

 

[Joe The Dragon]

Guide up 1 year???

That is to long and there is to much change in shows to set stuff that far out.

 

[meStevo]

Guide up 1 year???

That is to long and there is to much change in shows to set stuff that far out.

It's excessive but doesn't mean it will retrieve the guide for a year and call it a day.

 

[Rey]

i'd love to have one of these but would have to change my setup (max 8 tuners). i'd put the HR34 in the bedroom,put this baby in the family room and dump the HR24. i doubt Directv would let me have the HR34 and 44 on one account.....

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Very happy to see they stayed with the 5 tuner design and not the 3 tuner that was rumored.

I dont know if Engadget got that wrong or if DIRECTV changed the spec. I have seen a number of documents over the last 9 months and all of them I saw said it was a 3 tuner system.

Unfortunately they are not showing this device on the show floor, instead I am told it is being shown off the floor in a hotel room.

I would love to see it myself as that remove looks really interesting!

 

[jcrandall]

Guide up 1 year???

That is to long and there is to much change in shows to set stuff that far out.

No guide for a year. The software can set recordings based on a search up to a year in advance.
So if a show is starting in the fall you can search for the title and setup a recording.
The guide is still about 12-13 days.

 

[jcrandall]

i doubt Directv would let me have the HR34 and 44 on one account.....

Given the current status that they won't allow two HR34s on an account, I would expect that will remain the case.

I think they'll treat it as a "Genie Server", and one per account.

 

[jcrandall]

I would love to see it myself as that remove looks really interesting!

This is the style of remote they were using in hotels.

Cleaner and should be easier to use/learn. Smaller and more hand friendly.

Eliminates the color buttons except red. The software on the HR34 is updated today to eliminate any directions of the green/yellow/blue buttons and re-route them to other buttons. Like skip in guide is now FFW button instead of Green.

The old color buttons still work if you know them, but the screen will no longer reference them.

I think the model is RC71.

 

[Blackloz]

I dont know if Engadget got that wrong or if DIRECTV changed the spec. I have seen a number of documents over the last 9 months and all of them I saw said it was a 3 tuner system.

Unfortunately they are not showing this device on the show floor, instead I am told it is being shown off the floor in a hotel room.

I would love to see it myself as that remove looks really interesting!

They should be sending you an invite.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They should be sending you an invite.

I would be HONORED if they would. DIRECTV has my number or they can PM me, I would LOVE to report on this for our members.

 

[Poke]

Man have to admit I really like their new unit.

 

[inazsully]

I wish they would have upped the hard drive to at least 1.5TB.