HR20 Features

[rdehaven]

While some users may be satisfied I do have a concern. Without the OTA tuners how are LA users expected to access the 40+ other digital channels that are not carried by D*?

Yes I know that the bulk of the viewing is already covered, but the point is very valid.

 

[raoul5788]

Boy....

Sure seems like there's a few more beta testers than Earl. What, with all the firsthand knowledge of what a POS this new receiver is without ever having used it. Oh I see, glass is half empty isn't it? I sure wish I could be that enlightened by counting pixels on a screen....

Earl, nice review. The box looks promising.

mechman

PS. wes, take a grammar course or something. I cannot understand what you are trying to articulate! Reminds me of Johnny Depp telling Mike TeaVee "Once again, you really shouldn't mumble, 'cause it's really starting to bum me out!" in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

You took the words out of my mouth. I have a hard time listening to anyone who's grammar is that bad.

 

[raoul5788]

When was "TiVo" Interface a feature?

Anyway...
Items added:

-) MPEG-4 compatibility (no matter how you want to slice it, that is big difference)
-) Caller-ID
-) On-Screen Space Monitor
-) The Overall performance increases of the box
-) Folders (until 6.3 is release for the HR10-250)
-) Picture In Guide/Menu
-) Save PPV before purchasing (aka, you can record a PPV if you think it is intresting, without having to pay for it... then just pay for it when you want to watch it)
-) SATA Drive interface... opening the door for even the Announced 1TB Drive
-) Integrated RF Remote support (including the RF remote)
-) Interactive box (All the interactive features, including Super Fan)
-) ALL OUTPUTS working simultaneously (composite, component, HDMI)
-) 90 minute buffer (yes there is only one), with a fall back that if you pause a program, it will convert it to a saved program instead of flushing the buffer... and the buffer works while in standby mode
-) Single Click record settings

Some of the future features:
-) DirecTV2Go support
-) Single SAT singal feed for dual recording
-) External Storage via eSATA
-) The latest generation of ATSC tuners (yes they are disabled today)
-) Just the fact it has a wired ethernet that is powered... sure no features, but it is there.

Nah... nothing new to see here... move along now..

Sure the ATSC tuners not being enabled right now, is a negative.... but.....
Should have have sat on the box 3 more months? to enable a feature they can enable later with a software upgrade, where probably 75% of their initial target audience won't be using?

Earl

Let me add my voice to all of the others thanking you for your excellent review. I might even get an HR20 when they are available in CT.
Do you know who made the tuners for it? I am hoping it is LG.

 

[ebonovic]

Earl

Let me add my voice to all of the others thanking you for your excellent review. I might even get an HR20 when they are available in CT.
Do you know who made the tuners for it? I am hoping it is LG.

I will ask during my next conversation.

As for the OTA "issue"

I agree 100%... and I know 100% they will be activated.
Even little ole me here in Chicago... I am missing out on four HD networks (WGN, WTTW, WCIU, WPWR)

 

[Gen Custer]

Those of us who have been critical have nothing against earl personally, we just feel a little disapointed that the unit is not the advance that directv has been hinting at.

It may just be a perception issue as it has taken them such a long time to release the unit, most of us thought it should be done and have a feature set in excess of the prior unit. To not have all these features out of the box is dissapointing. Perhaps if the unit was released in this state a year ago attitudes would be different.

 

[ebonovic]

Those of us who have been critical have nothing against earl personally, we just feel a little disapointed that the unit is not the advance that directv has been hinting at.

I know for 99.9% of you there is nothing personal about it towards me...

There is one guy though...............

 

[dan8379]

While some users may be satisfied I do have a concern. Without the OTA tuners how are LA users expected to access the 40+ other digital channels that are not carried by D*?

Yes I know that the bulk of the viewing is already covered, but the point is very valid.

There are over 40 HD OTA channels in LA?? What are they? We've got some independent digital channels in Atlanta that are mostly religious programming, but they're not HD. Maybe that's what you're referring to. If so, I doubt that many people are going to care about not having access to that programming.

 

[loudo]

Earl, my fellow Chicagoan, i have a couple questions.....

1. Any idea when this box will show up at Best buy, CC, etc?

2. how are the signal strengths, i.e. like the H20 or more like the normal readings?

3. how fast is the guide, changing channels etc?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[ebonovic]

Loudo...

For #1... no idea
For #2... they are similar to the H20
For #3... The guide is pretty quick... no big issues with it.... It changes channels faster then the HR10, but not as fast as the H20... (that mostly has to do with having to stop and restart that buffer)

 

[charper1]

There are over 40 HD OTA channels in LA?? What are they? We've got some independent digital channels in Atlanta that are mostly religious programming, but they're not HD. Maybe that's what you're referring to. If so, I doubt that many people are going to care about not having access to that programming.

See attached lists of "viewable" channels as derived from a centrally located LA area such as Norwalk, CA. They are separated into analog and digital. The site lists San Diego analog as viewable at 107 miles, but you can remove those if you want. You say people must not really care, but in today's world if people weren't caring/watching these channels wouldn't be able to stay on the air; so they do matter to a good portion of the area's population (and advertisers)

 

[FlyingJ]

I don't know what you are all talking about. According to Vurbano in the D* threads no one has ever seen this thing. Vurbano does know everything doesn't he?

 

[ebonovic]

See attached lists of "viewable" channels as derived from a centrally located LA area such as Norwalk, CA. They are separated into analog and digital. The site lists San Diego analog as viewable at 107 miles, but you can remove those if you want. You say people must not really care, but in today's world if people weren't caring/watching these channels wouldn't be able to stay on the air; so they do matter to a good portion of the area's population (and advertisers)

Oh... Okay..
Then in that case... my list is bigger as well.
As all the stations in the Chicago area (about 25+ I think) are broadcasting Digitally... I can get most of them via DirecTV already (SD).

Only 8 have HD Content (well 7, as I think when WPWR lost UPN, they lost their HD content)... so right now, even with out the OTA, I am missing 3 HD channels... and some of the sub-channels (like weather plus)

 

[charper1]

Yep, I don't think those searches ever show sub-channels (wish they did); so that would surely make it even bigger. Good point!

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

not soon enough and please make the guide and recording process faster as I age as wait (o:

 

[Brewer4]

This unit has ethernet. Earl, do you see anything disabled that hints at video over IP or any of the things D* has been talking about at CES and the past 2 years?

 

[wes_lause]

I know for 99.9% of you there is nothing personal about it towards me...

There is one guy though...............

once again earl blatantly lies,

it is nothing personal in the post i made above, it is me staing how you purposely slant things towards dtv, cause you are angling towards freebies and getting that free plasma tv. hmmm. using ones position to get goodies.

honorable people do not do that

and there is no way the above is personal, never meeting the person right there means not personal

 

[wes_lause]

Loudo...

For #1... no idea
For #2... they are similar to the H20
For #3... The guide is pretty quick... no big issues with it.... It changes channels faster then the HR10, but not as fast as the H20... (that mostly has to do with having to stop and restart that buffer)

why does bufer have to stop and restart ?

 

[dfergie]

once again earl blatantly lies,

it is nothing personal in the post i made above, it is me staing how you purposely slant things towards dtv, cause you are angling towards freebies and getting that free plasma tv. hmmm. using ones position to get goodies.

honorable people do not do that

and there is no way the above is personal, never meeting the person right there means not personal

Dude, you have 4 posts and in 2 out of four you are bashing the man... chill out...

 

[rad]

once again earl blatantly lies,

it is nothing personal in the post i made above, it is me staing how you purposely slant things towards dtv, cause you are angling towards freebies and getting that free plasma tv. hmmm. using ones position to get goodies.

honorable people do not do that

and there is no way the above is personal, never meeting the person right there means not personal

If you don't like what Earl is posting I'd recommend that you look into the ignore fuction on this site.

 

[raoul5788]

I don't know either of you two, but I know who I believe and who I don't. It's based on credibility.