Technical > Cable & Satellite TV > [DIRECTV] HR10-250's good?

[DIRECTV] HR10-250's good?

I would not recommend it. It is not capable of picking up most all of the 85 HD channels on DirecTV now. Nor is it capable of picking up the HD locals (as you mentioned).

The DirecTV HR20 DVR's are a great, I have no major issues with mine.
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Mission Accomplished

reply to rawgerz
In addition to what sonofjay said, by the end of the year (or even the end of summer according to some), it won't be capable of receiving ANY HD. DirecTV is moving all of their HD to MPEG4 compression - which the older HD units like the HR10 can't decode. Don't waste your time, money or effort.

Craaaaap
So they still don't have any plans on any built in Tivo units for the near future, correct?

Yikes, it would come to about $74 dollars a month with the $5 fee for an extra receiver, $200 + 20 "shipping" + $13 in taxes, AND a 24 month commitment.. When a new customer would only pay $60 a month for a year! And I think a new customer only has to commit to the first year of service.

That doesn't sound like a good deal to a 12 year subscriber

Thanks for the advice on the HR10
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You can't make all the people happy all of the time. But it should be common sense to shoot for the majority.

No - you're not likely to see any TiVO based DirecTV products.

As for the cost, send an email to the Customer Service link on the Directv.com website. Explain your situation and that you're looking at your options. Explain that (name of your local cable company) is offering FREE HD-DVRs and you're seriously considering switching if DirecTV is unable to do something for a 12 year customer.....

They'll likely respond with a special phone number and a PIN number to connect you directly to a knowledgeable CSR.

It would be reasonable to assume that you'll get a discount from the "list" price of an HR2x. What that discount will be varies widely.

Don't give up until you try....

That is what I did for the R10 we have now. Still had to pay a "shipping" fee that the installer said was bogus, since he actually physically picked up the unit in their warehouse. I didn't mind since that probably paid for the gas. The CSR even added a free year of DVR access along with a yearly commitment.

But now that I think that DTV has changed owners and their retention department is harsher on giving out deals to existing customers, it will be harder to come up with anything. I've read on a forum CSRs that worked for them a few years ago say they don't approve of me getting a "free" receiver since nothing applies to us, and do not give any deals to anyone that reaches them.
I'm sure their managers would have a different approach..
Some companies go all out to keep long time, paying on time subscribers like cell phone companies. They know those subscribers are basically a sure source of income but I haven't gotten that impression of Directv in recent years.

Back in 96 you had to buy all the equipment upfront, and install it yourself, so that R10 was basically the closest "deal" to being a new customer we ever had.

But it can't hurt to try playing the game again, thanks.
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You can't make all the people happy all of the time. But it should be common sense to shoot for the majority.

reply to dbmaven
It will record OTA HD if you have an antenna hooked up to it.

reply to rawgerz
The problem right now is.....timing.

If you'd been doing this in the August to November time frame, when they were gearing up and rolling out all the new HD, odds are you would have gotten one free.
Since the beginning of the year, they've cut WAY back on the deals.

I'd be willing to bet that if you're pleasant but somewhat persistent, you'll get $100 off, or $10 a month credit for a year, or something like that. Better than nothing.....