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DirecTV Preps for Launch of New Genie DVR
Won't Automatically Trim Ads Like Dish's Hopper
DirecTV is preparing to launch a new HD DVR service that automatically records customers' favorite shows based on previous viewing habits. Dubbed "Genie," the new DVR is built by Pace and comes with a terabyte of storage, and is expected to launch sometime later this fall. The company clearly wants to compete with Dish's new Hopper DVR (which records all prime time programming) but doesn't want the legal headaches. As such, the device will not automatically eliminate ads from recorded programming, something broadcasters have sued over, claiming the move violates copyright. For those interested, Solid Signal offered up a video review of the new DVR's functionality last month.
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JRW2
R.I.P. Mom, Brian, Gary, Ziggy, Max.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-20
La La Land

1 recommendation

JRW2

Premium Member

Why do I have to pay???

Why do I have to pay so much to upgrade to this DVR??
It is on the order of $200, and I am still leasing the damn thing!

I have no problem paying a reasonable fee to have the new DVR shipped, and to ship the old one back, I wouldn't have an issue paying, if I chose to, to have it installed, but I am NOT going to pay $200 and STILL have to lease the damn thing!!!
I know it costs more to buy it, assuming they would sell it to me, but since I don't have the option to purchase it, I shouldn't have to pay to get it...
radougherty
join:1999-07-23
Austin, TX

radougherty

Member

Re: Why do I have to pay???

Call DIRECTV and see they'll give you a deal on a swap. Many folks have received deals, many that I've seen is $99 while some do pay more and some less. A family member got one last week for $99 plus $49 install which got them a SWiM16, three DECA's for old STB's and a cable run to a new location.

stang0328282
@verizon.net

stang0328282

Anon

Re: Why do I have to pay???

I owned, not rented or leased but owned 6 directv tivo units. I paid full price for them. Last year directv decided to change to a new activation system. After a power outage all my dvr's needed to call home and be reactivated but directv couldnt help me and I was forced to pay a 200$ fee to upgrade to newer dtv dvr's that I wont even own. Why should I have to pay 200$ to rent something. It should be like a cell phone. After 2 years it should be mind to do with what I please. Not only do I never own these things but I am forced into a 2 year contract with directv to get them. Oh and if they happen to get damaged I have to pay them 800$ per reciver
47717768 (banned)
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL

47717768 (banned) to radougherty

Member

to radougherty
Right now i am using a renal DVR with 12 month DVR service credit.

nightshade74
Yet another genxer
Premium Member
join:2004-11-06
Prattville, AL

nightshade74

Premium Member

Re: Why do I have to pay???

said by 47717768:

Right now i am using a renal DVR with 12 month DVR service credit.

Please tell me you ment something besides renal...

JRW2
R.I.P. Mom, Brian, Gary, Ziggy, Max.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-20
La La Land

JRW2

Premium Member

Re: Why do I have to pay???

said by nightshade74:

said by 47717768:

Right now i am using a renal DVR with 12 month DVR service credit.

Please tell me you ment something besides renal...

That could be painful!
47717768 (banned)
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL

47717768 (banned)

Member

Re: Why do I have to pay???

So far my bill stays the same as it was before i have gotten DVR. But yea ones 12 month are up it would be a pain.
Expand your moderator at work

ending
@noisetor.net

ending to JRW2

Anon

to JRW2

Re: Why do I have to pay???

said by JRW2 See Profile
That could be painful!
[/BQUOTE :

That will not 'end' well...

endtimes
join:2012-10-07

endtimes to JRW2

Member

to JRW2
said by JRW2:

said by nightshade74:

said by 47717768:

Right now i am using a renal DVR with 12 month DVR service credit.

Please tell me you ment something besides renal...

That could be painful!

It sounds guaranteed to be painful in the end....

JRW2
R.I.P. Mom, Brian, Gary, Ziggy, Max.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-20
La La Land

JRW2

Premium Member

Re: Why do I have to pay???

said by endtimes:

It sounds guaranteed to be painful in the end....

Wrong end...
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA to JRW2

Premium Member

to JRW2
Also, if you look at the SolidSignal review, this thing isn't even a new DVR, it's a software update to the HR34. Big whoop-de-do.
Alebob911
join:2011-02-13
Ceres, CA

Alebob911

Member

Re: Why do I have to pay???

Don't blame directv for the authors misleading title. Your right, it is a HR34 with a software update.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: Why do I have to pay???

Yeah, the story is misleading. A software update is (usually) a good thing, the story should have presented it as such.
treyatl2006
join:2012-01-26
Atlanta, GA

treyatl2006 to JRW2

Member

to JRW2
Its pretty easy to get those HD DVR's for free. I have 3 and I never paid the $200 fee. Just get a rep to waive the charge.

JRW2
R.I.P. Mom, Brian, Gary, Ziggy, Max.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-20
La La Land

JRW2

Premium Member

Re: Why do I have to pay???

said by treyatl2006:

Its pretty easy to get those HD DVR's for free. I have 3 and I never paid the $200 fee. Just get a rep to waive the charge.

How did you do it?
I had to pay $99 to get the HD upgrade I have now, and that took YEARS to get them to agree to it...
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT
·Frontier FiberOp..
Asus RT-AC68

BiggA

Premium Member

Too expensive

DirecTV's core problem is not that they need a bigger DVR, it's that they are too expensive. They used to undercut cable by $15-$20/mo, now they are the same, if not worse than cable. It's only a matter of time before they start losing customers like crazy unless they can become competitive again.
Alebob911
join:2011-02-13
Ceres, CA

Alebob911

Member

Re: Too expensive

I know for a fact that I save money having Directv vs charter. Their DVR charge is close to $20 each, right now I pay $10 for the whole account that covers all 5 HD DVRs.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: Too expensive

But with cable, you can roll your own with MCE 7, and not pay DVR fees. Also, how much are you paying to unbundle your cable internet?
treyatl2006
join:2012-01-26
Atlanta, GA

treyatl2006

Member

Re: Too expensive

The content wont be in HD if you do that.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: Too expensive

Our cable systems here have almost as much HD as DirecTV does. In some cases more (XFinity). The town I'm trying to move to at the moment doesn't (Metrocast), but they still have probably 60-100 channels in HD for MCE 7 to get.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

more unneeded bloatware!

Great, just what DTV needs - MORE useless bloatware (on top of all the apps, EPG ads, etc. subs ALREADY have forced on them) to slow down these (already) slow DVR's even MORE...
armed
join:2000-10-20

armed

Member

Re: more unneeded bloatware!

What a bunch of friggin whiners and cry babies.

Don't want it don't get it.

I'll get one if you all don't mind.

scots
Are we there yet??
Premium Member
join:1999-12-06
Raleigh, NC

scots

Premium Member

Preparing??

Preparing to launch?? It's already launched. I have the HR34, and it asked me the other day if I wanted to activate the Genie feature. I told it yes, but haven't really checked it out yet.

MeInDallas
join:2001-08-17
Dallas, TX

MeInDallas

Member

Wonder if . . . . .

Wonder if TiVo will try to sue them over it. Sounds awfully a lot like the "TiVo Suggestions" feature, and TiVo loves to sue people ya know

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx

Premium Member

Re: Wonder if . . . . .

TiVo and DirecTV have a "no patent challenge" agreement in exchange for DirecTV offering TiVo branded DVRs.

»abcnews.go.com/Business/ ··· IZWh5mbU
p71rock
join:2003-06-16
Saint Clair, MI

p71rock

Member

directv and tivo have a joint contract now...

They are in bed together now... see: »www.directv.com/DTVAPP/c ··· receiver
p71rock

p71rock

Member

they now have an agreement see: »www.directv.com/DTVAPP/c ··· receiver

gigahurtz
Premium Member
join:2001-10-20
USA

gigahurtz

Premium Member

I've had the HR-34 since December of 2011. I was the first one in my area to get this box. It was $99 for me up front, but worth it in my opinion. The cost savings compared to my local cable company was quite a bit. It was a bit rocky when I first got it. The guide software was slow (the old blue SD software) and the box was having it's glitches. Now, many of those glitches have been worked out and the box works much better than it did.

I love my HR-34 and highly recommend it to anyone interested in switching to DTV!

spewak
R.I.P Dadkins
Premium Member
join:2001-08-07
Elk Grove, CA

spewak

Premium Member

Re: This DVR has been launched already.

Does the HR-34 work with any set of tv's?

gigahurtz
Premium Member
join:2001-10-20
USA

1 recommendation

gigahurtz

Premium Member

Re: This DVR has been launched already.

said by spewak:

Does the HR-34 work with any set of tv's?

Yes, it will work on any TV. The whole house DVR works with any boxes as well. I have the H25s. The "client" connections work with Samsung RVU capable TVs. Early in the release, many thought this was the only way to use the HR-34 in a whole home environment. That is not the case.
Matt7
join:2001-01-02
Columbus, OH

Matt7

Member

wow a box built by "Pace" .. I wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole.. Then again maybe D* has had some say in the software for it because the GUI for the Pace DVR's that cable uses is awful!
robjulo
join:2004-08-22
Louisville, KY

robjulo

Member

Re: Built By Pace?

Directv builds the software, Pace has nothing to do with the software. The Directv software is head and shoulders above anything Pace has put out.

As others have stated, the HR34 has been out almost a year so the "new DVR" as quoted in the article is not launching this fall. What is launching "this fall" (in fact it has already launched) is the Genie feature.

Scott Strang
@comcast.net

Scott Strang

Anon

Undelete. Hey my first DVR from DTV which was a Phillips TIVO had the feature. Why not offer it again?

Not having undelete as an option is an intensely stupid omission.

MattMan
@comcast.net

MattMan

Anon

Free Genie, 24 month contract, no install fee. Just ask and if you are off contract, they will upgrade for free. If you are on contract, you will need to negotiate more. I have been with them since 2004