the direcTV branded DVRs are really not that bad. i used to think the same way until i wanted an HD DVR and went with their branded boxes. after using them for a few weeks, i was surprised at how well they worked. things were a little quirky coming from tivo, but it was just a matter of getting used to where they placed things and how to do the same things with different menus. i really like the direcTV DVRs now.
