First off, I am very new to this technology so forgive me if I ask dumb questions. I am completely confused about this stuff. My setup, I have DirecTV, with a HR10 with Tivo (through directv) in my LR, and I have an HD directv HR20-700 in the bedroom, as its the only HD set I have at the moment. First question is why does the one in the LR call itself "Tivo" and the one in the other room is Directv DVR? I thought TIVO was a separate company and subscription? How can I have two different types? Is that why one's menu interface looks and behaves different than the others? How am I pulling info from Tivo if I don't have a subscription with them?

Now here is what I really want to know. I want to know what I have to do to get my receivers networkable so they can pull recordings from each other, and all that other fun stuff. I realize I will probably have to get equipment, but what do I need?

wags,

Tivo wrote the software on the HR10. The HR10 is currently using an old version of the Tivo software that lacks the performance, usability, and feature enhancements of newer versions. DirecTV paid Tivo about $1/mo per HR10 customer to use that software.

A few years ago, News Corp (the owner of DirecTV) decided to save that $1/mo and use the software written by one of its own companies instead. The HR20 is much newer/faster hardware running software written by that News Corp subsidiary (NDS).

Now here is what I really want to know. I want to know what I have to do to get my receivers networkable so they can pull recordings from each other, and all that other fun stuff. I realize I will probably have to get equipment, but what do I need?You can't do that. There are 'hacks' that allow you to enable network transfers between different HR10s, but there is nothing to allow that sort of thing on the HR20.

ok. Is it possible to get a current DVR with Directv that uses Tivo, instead of the Directv DVR software, without paying for a Tivo subscription. In other words, is Directv still deploying units that have Tivo on them, or are they all their own DVR now and if I wanted Tivo I'd have to subscribe to Tivo themselves?

thanks

ok. Is it possible to get a current DVR with Directv that uses Tivo, instead of the Directv DVR software, without paying for a Tivo subscription. In other words, is Directv still deploying units that have Tivo on them, or are they all their own DVR now and if I wanted Tivo I'd have to subscribe to Tivo themselves?
DirecTV no longer offers DVRs using the Tivo software. Because the hardware is older, the DirecTV DVRs with Tivo are not able to support the new channels being added by DirecTV. Only the HR20 DVRs have the hardware to support DirecTV's new channels.

Tivo does not offer any HDTV DVRs for satellite service. That's not their choice. DirecTV will no longer allow Tivo access to its proprietary encryption system. DirecTV wants everyone using their own DVRs with their own software and they have made it impossible for anyone else to develop high-def DVRs for their service.