My collection of question are newbielicious and therefore perhaps annoying, but I still will appreciate any feedback or patient redirecting to an answering thread. :)

The Background

I want to have HD reception/recording in my dedicated screening room (light controlled, LCOS projector, 122" screen). Right now I don't anticipate wanting it in other rooms, but never say never.

Currently in the screening room I get OTA HD via my Voom receiver (it was free, thank you), but no recording capability and obviously no cable/premium channels.

So I'm considering DirectTV because of their HD channel selection, but I'd like to have MAXIMUM storage for HD recorded programs.

The Questions

1. What is the HD storage capacity of the current DirectTV HDDVRs? (I couldn't find this information at their site.)

2. Must I go with DirectTV's HDDVR, or can I buy another but still use DirectTV's service?

3. I assume that DirectTV will take care of any additional wiring requirements (Cat 6?) HD/HDDVR requires at installation, correct?

Thanks for any answers and helpful additional feedback. :)

- Tom

1. What is the HD storage capacity of the current DirectTV HDDVRs? (I couldn't find this information at their site.)

The boxes as they come have 300 or 320 GB hard disks. You can plug in an eSATA drive to D*'s HD DVR boxes, but the unit will switch *completely* to that drive *only* - i.e., the internal drive is unused and completely inoperable if you're using an eSATA drive. It doesn't add capacity to what you already have, and (I believe) any already-recorded content will at least be inaccessible, possibly just outright gone.

2. Must I go with DirectTV's HDDVR, or can I buy another but still use DirectTV's service?

Depends on your timeframe; right now, the answer is a definite *no*. Due to the fact that D*'s infrastructure is based on the proprietary DSS system, no one else (without appropriate licensing, anyway) can make a receiver or DVR that works with their system. In the near future, there are DVRs that will record from component inputs; however, the quality will be at least slightly degraded, due to re-encoding via a one-pass ASIC encoding implementation, and depending on the codec they choose (typical candidates: MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, SMPTE VC-1/WMV9).

3. I assume that DirectTV will take care of any additional wiring requirements (Cat 6?) HD/HDDVR requires at installation, correct?

The only thing it *needs* is the cable feeds from the LNB mounted on the dish to the receiver unit, and a phone line; that's probably what you'll get, and Ethernet or anything else will be up to you to set up. If you're having it installed, they'll take care of the basics. Of course, based on the experiences of some, the question of if they'll get it done *right* could still be a bit up in the air...

Thanks for the thorough, informed answer, Demonfoo. :)

A follow-up: 300 GB translates to roughly how many hours of recorded HD content?

Thanks for the thorough, informed answer, Demonfoo. :)

A follow-up: 300 GB translates to roughly how many hours of recorded HD content?
I think it's about 70ish hours of HD, maybe more if it's just the MPEG4 channels. At CES '08 DirecTV announced a solution for using their service with a HTPC, but no word yet on when it will be available.

A follow-up: 300 GB translates to roughly how many hours of recorded HD content?

My Series3 TiVo claims 25-32 hours (depending on what you read) of HD content; if it's MPEG-2 channels, with a drive of the capacity in the HR20/HR21 units, you're probably looking at 32-40 hours, depending on bitrate. If they're MPEG-4 AVC, it'll be more; I'm not sure what their typical bitrate is for MPEG-4 content, but it could range from half again as much (48-60 hours) to maybe double (64-80 hours), depending, again, on the bitrate of the programming you're watching (there are many variables - different types of programming, whether it's encoded by DirecTV themselves, or if the programming provider encodes the feed before it gets to them, the encoder they're using, the parameters they've applied to it, etc).

In summary, as usual: It depends. :)

My Series3 TiVo claims 25-32 hours (depending on what you read) of HD content; if it's MPEG-2 channels, with a drive of the capacity in the HR20/HR21 units, you're probably looking at 32-40 hours, depending on bitrate. If they're MPEG-4 AVC, it'll be more; I'm not sure what their typical bitrate is for MPEG-4 content, but it could range from half again as much (48-60 hours) to maybe double (64-80 hours), depending, again, on the bitrate of the programming you're watching (there are many variables - different types of programming, whether it's encoded by DirecTV themselves, or if the programming provider encodes the feed before it gets to them, the encoder they're using, the parameters they've applied to it, etc).

In summary, as usual: It depends. :)

30 Hrs of Mpeg2, 50 Hrs of Mpeg4. When you add an external drive it will be used in place of the internal drive but if you remove the external the internal will be used again with saved programs intact.

Thanks, all. I did go ahead and place the Direct TV order. :)

I'm trying to find specs on their HD DVR, but so far no luck. If anyone has a quick link, much appreciated. (I'm trying to find out if that model has component out; I assume it has HDMI as well.)

Thanks again,

Tom

Thanks, all. I did go ahead and place the Direct TV order. :)

I'm trying to find specs on their HD DVR, but so far no luck. If anyone has a quick link, much appreciated. (I'm trying to find out if that model has component out; I assume it has HDMI as well.)

Thanks again,

Tom

Both the HR20(OTA) and the HR21(no OTA) have component and HDMI outputs. This is the back of a HR21-700
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2599/hr21700backwv9.png (http://imageshack.us)

Moved to correct forum.

sorry i know this is an old thread, but i would like for someone to comfirm this, on the HD-DVR - HR20-700 it has a port for usb / e sata

if i plug in a hdd with a sata port can i record directly to that hdd without modding any files? stright plug and play?

sorry i know this is an old thread, but i would like for someone to comfirm this, on the HD-DVR - HR20-700 it has a port for usb / e sata

if i plug in a hdd with a sata port can i record directly to that hdd without modding any files? stright plug and play?

Yes you can. Power down the unit, plug in the enclosure to the eSata, power up the drive, power up the DVR, Done.

and D* knows perfectly of this???? external hdd sata method to the DVR got it .....

I "upgraded" my DVR with D* to the HR20-100 today... and I have a problem with the caller-ID function. I use DSL for phone service, and use filters on every regular telephone line.. have had no problems until today.

Now, when I connect the phone line to my HR20, and then I call my house, the call "answers" after 1 ring... but its the DVR answering the call! It never hangs up the call, just dead air. If I disconnect the phone line, all is fine again. Nothing is ever displayed on the Caller ID screen.

Anybody sen this before?