Comments on: DirecTV and TiVo Users: What to do?

By: Jerry Kiernan

Jerry Kiernan — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:47:29 +0000

So held out for 2years with my sat160 tivo receiver. Finally upgrade to hd and buy a new set with 3d. Get a new directv receiver and now six weeks latter the new Tivo hd receiver is finally available. BUT at a cost of 5.00 more a month! This is in addition to 10.00 a month for HD and 7.00 dvr fee a month. I thought that this receiver would be state of the art, thus the long wait! NO, it is not 3d capable and does not get several other services like directv cinema score guide etc. Yes for 99.00 I can get the receiver. But why would I ? Yes I love the software, remote control but what do I do with my 3d tv. Tivo and directv- you blew it and we should pay more for less.

By: Robert Dinell Jr

Robert Dinell Jr — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:47:22 +0000

I like most of the above am a long time Directv customer and have a Phillips Tivo Series 2 in my Livingroom, Love it and a Directv DVR in the Bedroom, Hate it! So I have been wait as well for the Directv HD Tivo to come out. A couple of years ago my Tivo started to act up nad then stopped working, So I purchased another one on ebay and haven’t had any problems till now. So I called Directv so try and trouble shoot the issue and the rep on the phone did tell me I notice on your history that you are waiting for the HD Tivos, then said well I’m happy to tell you there is a HD Tivo, they are testing it now and when the testing is complete they will release it! I hope this is the next step befor ethey release it and they are not just blowing smoke

By: David Thomson

David Thomson — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 02:58:51 +0000

Having been a DirecTV customer since being selected as a beta tester for the HDVR2 platform and ultimately several subsequent programs. I am now a cable consumer. I became a DirecTV customers having bought 2 HDVR2s, outright and then entering the testing programs. I was thrilled with the new TiVo integration and looked forward to the day of HD-TiVo-DVRs, after waiting over 2 years and the continual broken promises from the reps from Direct about the matter and then ultimately with the last 6 software “pushes” that ultimately rendered my last HDVR2 useless, I called TiVo and bought a Premiere AND a Premiere-XL, then ordered cable with HD service. Granted, it took my cable provider over a month to get the cable cards and make them work on my “small-town” network. But, today I am enjoying the benefits of HD integrated, multi-stream tuner-intergrated, TiVo-powered DVRs, and I am so thrilled that I think I can even put up with the irritations of dealing with a local cable company! Now if WeakKness will tell me how much HDD I can stuff into these dudes I’ll be really happy! Sorry DirectV, I got tired of waiting and putting up with the broken promises while you continue to bash the TiVo folks that you basically stole your DVR tech from (yeah, I know it came from Europe, but where did they get it from anyway?)

By: Fern

Fern — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 04:15:58 +0000

I am a long time DirecTV customer who had the Tivo DVRs and loved them, but when HD came out I switched to the DirecTV HD DVRs and I HATE, HATE, HATE the DirecTV interface/OS. I won’t bother going into why I hate DTV’s operating system because I will just be preaching to the choir here, the majority of you know the problems. But what really irritates me is that DirecTV originally said HD Tivo units would available in late 2009, then late 2010 and now early 2011. They are sick of my emails asking for a “new” estimate.

Since it is now 2011 I keep hoping there will soon be rumors when the Tivo units will be out, but more likely we will hear “late 2011″ or worse “early 2012.”

By: Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:20:51 +0000

“Wait it out. If you don’t have HD yet, wait it out until late 2009 when the new DirecTV TiVo should be out.”

Duh, now September 2010. Any further update??????????

I still want a TIVO, but if it ain’t happening, I’m going to re-up with Direct without a TIVO.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:59:54 +0000

I am not a TiVo engineer, nor do I play one on TV. I have to believe that the only reasonable reasons for the delays:

1) TiVo wants to incorporate the 3D stuff on the new unit
2) TiVo wants to add other “stuff” to make this a premium box with options and features still in the “skunkworks” shop

The MPEG4 stuff isn’t a big deal as they already deal with that with the cable crowd. Today’s processors are fast enough, and cheap, to handle the computes needed for HD. 3D – I have no clue. Personally, I could careless about 3D but companies need to kepe pushing the technology edge to have some new to market.

IMHO, I’d like to see a new HD DirecTiVo that handles what DTV has today, and worry about a new and improved unit down the road. I suspect that DTV feels if they release a new HD DirecTiVo box today without the new stuff that no one will upgrade to the new stuff when released. They’d rather wait and deliver a uber-DirecTiVo unit and make people wait it out.

The other thing: Why doesn’t DTV just BUY TiVo (the company and keep it fully intact) and corner the premium DVR market. Imagine how the cable crowd would feel.

So, I too wait and toe tap toe tap toe tap…

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:28:36 +0000

Any news when (if ever) DTV will release the long anticipated TiVo box? Last I heard was “2010/2011″. Thanks.

By: Roger

Roger — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:15:24 +0000

DirecTV really made me mad when they not only abandoned Tivo but started to reduce the HD channels I received. I bailed on them, bought Tivo boxes and switched to Comcast.

Problem is, Comcast are liars cheats and thieves. My dissatisfaction started when there were several channels shown on their website as part of the package I subscribed to that I was not receiving – channels I had watched regularly when I had DTV. I called them and they basically said “sorry that list is wrong but you can pay $17 more per month to get them”. Six months later the list is the same and I still don’t get those channels. Starting to regret buying two TivoHD boxes and lifetime service…not because of any problem with Tivo but because I can’t use those boxes with DTV. This needs to be a more OPEN system!

I don’t really understand all the technical reasons for Tivo boxes not being able to work with DTV directly – isn’t it more that because satellite is not regulated in the same way as cable that they are not required to provide the equivalent of a Cablecard, ie allowed to keep the interface completely proprietary? Are there other reasons (like MPEG4 decoding being sufficiently compute intensive as to require separate hardware to decode fast enough)?

By: Marcus in South Florida

Marcus in South Florida — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:09:37 +0000

I was wondering if anyone has heard of an update when the new DirecTV HD TiVo’s will be out this year?…as we are already in August. Thanks

By: DB

DB — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:08:24 +0000

Agreed. Sticking with Direct for the time being. My patience will be tested I expect.
The never ending pitch to sell me on the substitute unit is falling on deaf ears.
What?