If I get MRV, any benefit with 2 HDDVR's?

[Viventis]

Getting closer to ordering Directv. (Dish plug pulled Feb 2). I know I want to get the whole home DVR service (MRV), but I was wondering what benefit, if any, is there in getting a second HDDVR at order time. I already have my 2TB eSata drive ready so the extra HD space is not an issue. Can you share recordings from both DVR's? Does it allow recording of more than 2 shows simultaneously? How about record two, watch a recorded third and a recorded fourth?

Finally, can my SD connection(s) make use of the MRV?

 

[mdram]

with 2 hddvrs and mrv you can view records from one on the other. each can record 2 shows
also i think its a bit cheaper to get it at install
i think all mrv units must be hd, i have an h24 hooked to an sdtv with no issues

 

[joed32]

With 2 DVRs you can watch a recorded program from either one but you cannot schedule recordings from one for the other one. That has to be done locally. Non-DVRs can schedule recordings on any DVR in the system. Hopefully that will change.

 

[kjlued]

Biggest advantage is that in the room with the 2nd DVR you have full DVR functions on live TV (where you can pause/RR/FF) which you can not do with an HD/non-DVR.

 

[Ronnie-]

For me, the biggest plus of the two HD-DVRs with MRV is it doubles my available active tuners that you can use to record from. And yes, you can share playlists between the both of them.

 

[Viventis]

with 2 hddvrs and mrv you can view records from one on the other. each can record 2 shows
also i think its a bit cheaper to get it at install
i think all mrv units must be hd, i have an h24 hooked to an sdtv with no issues

Thanks all. So when I order, must I specify all HD receivers if I order MRV? (I think its an extra charge...You get one HDDVR and one HD receiver free).

 

[Viventis]

Biggest advantage is that in the room with the 2nd DVR you have full DVR functions on live TV (where you can pause/RR/FF) which you can not do with an HD/non-DVR.

That's worth the cost alone.

 

[BobStokesbary]

My SD receiver cannot access the recorded content on the Whole Home DVR system.

 

[harshness]

My SD receiver cannot access the recorded content on the Whole Home DVR system.

That's how it works (or doesn't work). SD equipment (outside of the R22) cannot participate in WHDS.

If someone assured you that an SD receiver could take advantage of WHDS, they were lying to you.

 

[cparker]

I recently came over to D* from E*. The deal was a free HD DVR and a free HD receiver. I upgraded the HD receiver to an HD DVR for $99. That essentially doubled my recording capability. That was worth $99.
Now on each of the TVs (living room and bedroom) I can record a show while watching live, or record 2 shows while watching something that was previously recorded. I also connected my OTA antenna directly to the TV. I can record 2 things from satellite and switch over to OTA to watch teh local news or whatever.
My son runs DirecTV2PC on his computer. his computer is connected to a 27" LCD using HDMI. He can watch recorded programming from EITHER of the 2 DVRs in his room via his computer. Works very well. Only limit to that is a single DVR can only stream 1 program over the network. So if DVR#1 (living room) has a recorded program that my wife wants to watch in the bedroom (because I'm watching hockey in the living room) then my son can't ALSO watch recorded programming off of DVR#1. He can watch something off DVR#2 (bedroom) if he wants. .... or he can just go play City of Heroes until his fingers bleed.

All in all... VERY happy with the switch.

 

[BobStokesbary]

That's how it works (or doesn't work). SD equipment (outside of the R22) cannot participate in WHDS.

If someone assured you that an SD receiver could take advantage of WHDS, they were lying to you.

Sorry, I was not complaining, I was just answering the OP's last question. In hindsight I should have requested an HD receiver for our little kitchen TV, but I asked for the SD receiver, so I have no room to complain.

 

[kjlued]

If someone assured you that an SD receiver could take advantage of WHDS, they were lying to you.

Happens a lot

Well, let me rephrase
Either it happens a lot, it is explained in a way that is confusing, or the customer hears what they want. (I think all of the above).

The biggest problem was when D* started calling it "Whole-Home" DVR instead of "Multi-Room".
Multi-Room tells me I can view the DVR in multiple rooms rooms which is the case.
Whole-Home tells me I can view it in every room in the house which is obviously not always the case.

At one point I thought they were supposed to stop using the term Whole-Home but they have not and I really wish they would.
Would save a lot of ticked off customers and save us techs hours trying to save a sale so some idiot sales person can get a commission.

 

[kjlued]

Sorry, I was not complaining, I was just answering the OP's last question. In hindsight I should have requested an HD receiver for our little kitchen TV, but I asked for the SD receiver, so I have no room to complain.

Which brings up a good point, ALWAYS take the minimum of the free equipment.

If you are getting HD and a DVR and want 2nd TV, at least get an HD receiver as it is free.

Heck, I say if you are eligible to get free HD then get HD even if you only have standard TV's.

I always fail to understand why I go to so many new installs that have 1 HD/DVR and 4 standards when they could have replaced one of those standards with an HD for no extra charge.
Again, it is the sales people failing to offer stuff like this.
Now, if a customer wants MRV later, they have to pay to upgrade.

 

[JerseyMatt]

Thanks all. So when I order, must I specify all HD receivers if I order MRV? (I think its an extra charge...You get one HDDVR and one HD receiver free).

Yes, even though it will cost extra, get all HD boxes up front. If you upgrade a box or add a box later, it resets your contract back to two years.

I have two DVRs and 2 HD boxes (one of the HD is on an SDTV), and the biggest advantage is being able to set up and stagger recordings between them so they don't interfere with what you are watching (probably the biggest technical flaw with the VIP622/722). With the new TV series season just started and a lot of time conflicts, the more recording tuners you have the better! (One thing that would be awesome when they fix the "set a recording from another DVR" problem is if all the DVRs would work together automatically for conflict management so everything gets recorded!) Regardless of how many DVRs you have on the system, it dumps all the recordings into one list accessible by any HD box on the system.

Also, only DVRs can access the On Demand channels and initiate downloads (this is another thing that needs to be fixed so it can be done at any HD receiver on the system). But once a download is started, it is just like any other recording and can be watched by any HD box on the system.

 

[Viventis]

I have verified that for my whole home DVR service to extend to my "whole home" I will have to pay $99 each to upgrade receiver 3 and receiver 4 to HD receivers. I'm glad I asked this question ahead of time, because I already told my children that they could watch all the recorded programs on their SD sets. Not complaining because I will eventually have all HD sets, but I am sure I would not have ordered the extra HD receivers if I hadn't asked the question in this forum.

Thanks again all.

 

[bebop]

I recently came over to D* from E*. The deal was a free HD DVR and a free HD receiver. I upgraded the HD receiver to an HD DVR for $99. That essentially doubled my recording capability. That was worth $99.
Now on each of the TVs (living room and bedroom) I can record a show while watching live, or record 2 shows while watching something that was previously recorded. I also connected my OTA antenna directly to the TV. I can record 2 things from satellite and switch over to OTA to watch teh local news or whatever.
My son runs DirecTV2PC on his computer. his computer is connected to a 27" LCD using HDMI. He can watch recorded programming from EITHER of the 2 DVRs in his room via his computer. Works very well.

Thanks so much for posting this, as it took me a while to realize that TV2 wouldn't operate like I was expecting having a Dish 722 receiver. This point should be highlighted for more visibility on this site, because people likely don't know the difference and the CSR's aren't explaining this upfront. I'd rather pay the $99 more to have the full functionality on both receivers, but the MRV feature kinda muddied the water for my understanding. I just requested that my order be changed.

 

[SparksPA]

Great thread! Very helpful information for those of us that have not made the switch yet.
Thanks! :up

 

[nick9]

Viventis, did you decide to go with the 2 HDDVRs?
Also, I live in the same general area as you, did you order online or go with someone local?
Thanks,
Nick