Entered CNET Catalog: 04/23/2005
SKU: R10
Manufacturer: Hughes Network Systems
Product summary
CNET editors' rating:
3.5 stars
Very good 
The good: Integrated DirecTV tuner with TiVo DVR; watch one show and record another with dual tuners; 70-hour recording capacity; records surround sound; excellent remote.
The bad: Additional TiVo monthly fee required for most subscriptions; dual-tuner function requires second satellite line; no HDTV support; no TiVo Home Media features available.
The bottom line: The R10 receiver delivers TiVo's best-in-class DVR to DirecTV subscribers at an unbeatable price.
Average user rating: from 20 users
3.0 stars
Editors' review
- Editors' Rating: 7.1
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 07/28/2005
While it's not known exactly when DirecTV's new DVRs will become available or what capabilities they'll have, DirecTV offers an excellent alternative in the meantime: the DirecTV R10 DVR with TiVo. A $99 upgrade for existing customers and cheaper still for new DirecTV clients, the R10 lets you pause live TV, watch or record one live show while recording another, and easily choose and record your favorite shows via a dead-simple onscreen programming guide. Best of all, it uses the TiVo interface, easily the champ among DVRs on the market today, and will likely be the last TiVo/DirecTV DVR ever. The so-called DirecTiVo has two main shortfalls: it's not capable of receiving HDTV broadcasts, and it can't use any of the cool TiVo Home Media features. But for new and prospective DirecTV customers who don't need or want HD compatibility or home-networking support, upgrading to an R10 over a non-DVR box is a no-brainer. The DirecTV R10 is about as nondescript as a piece of A/V gear can get. The silver-colored box (3.25 inches high by 15 wide by 14.83 deep) is roughly the same size as most other satellite or cable set-tops. Its sparse front face lacks any time or channel display and brandishes just a handful of buttons. You'll want to use the included remote, which is nearly identical to the one that ships with standard TiVos. It's one of our favorites and is equally adept at controlling DVR functions and navigating the hundreds of channels in the electronic program guide (EPG) menus. It can also be programmed to control the basic functions of nearly any brand of television, not to mention volume functions on a receiver, thus eliminating one more remote from the coffee table.
The TiVo service is completely and seamlessly integrated into the satellite tuner. Rather than the functional menus and EPG grids of a standard DirecTV box, you get an attractive, streamlined TiVo look and feel. It remains the best graphical user interface we've seen to date. The DirecTV R10 includes all the great features that made TiVo a household name. You can pause and rewind live TV; store 70 hours of programming; search program listings and create wish lists by actor, director, genre, and other keywords; and use the Season Pass option to automatically record your favorite shows whenever they air. That final TiVo-only feature is a great convenience and something that, to date, no other DVR provider has implemented as cleanly and accurately.
Connectivity is ample. In addition to the two RF satellite inputs, there's an additional RF pass-through (nonrecordable) input for an off-air antenna or a cable connection. Twin A/V outputs are provided, including a single S-Video connection for optimal video quality, plus an optical digital-audio output. An RF output ensures compatibility with older televisions. And the R10 automatically downloads its software updates and 14-day EPG from the satellite, so the phone-line connection is relegated to pay-per-view events and the like. Satellite receivers don't always work well with voice over IP (VoIP) service such as Vonage; VoIP users should check with DirecTV or their satellite installer regarding possible compatibility issues.
Sadly, DirecTV refuses to activate the cool TiVo Home Media features that let owners of standalone TiVo DVRs listen to music and view photos from their PCs, share video with other TiVos in their home, program recordings remotely via the Web, and even watch recorded shows on their PCs and burn them to DVD. The R10 has the USB ports--and, presumably, the internal hardware and software--to handle the necessary networking features, but thanks to corporate politics (DirecTV will soon be offering its own, non-TiVo DVRs), the feature is likely to remain dormant.
The R10 is not capable of receiving HD broadcasts; you'll need to upgrade to the HR10-250 (HD TiVo), which currently lists for $700, despite the fact that it's not compatible with DirecTV's forthcoming slate of expanded HD programming. For those who will be upgrading to HDTVs in the near future, though, the R10's cheap $99 price tag makes it a viable purchase, even if it will be put out to pasture, a.k.a. the upstairs bedroom, in a year or two. Standalone TiVos require users to pay a monthly $13 charge or a one-time $300 fee for service. By contrast, adding a TiVo-powered DirecTV DVR such as the R10 costs just an additional $5 per month, charged straight to your satellite bill. The DirecTV R10 has a couple of advantages over adding a standalone TiVo to your satellite TV setup. Because the hard drive stores the raw MPEG signal in its original digital form, there are no video-quality settings. Recordings look just as good as DirecTV's live transmission, unlike standard TiVo, which reduces video quality even in Best mode by reencoding the signal.
The same story applies to digital audio. Dolby Digital soundtracks are recorded in their original form, so you can enjoy live and recorded programs in full 5.1-channel surround sound when a compatible home-theater system is connected to the R10's optical digital output.
Another advantage of the R10's integrated, all-in-one design: channel changing is faster since it's not passing the commands to an outboard tuner. That answers the prayers of many a TiVo surfer frustrated by the comparatively slow channel changes on standalone DVRs.
As if this DVR weren't already enticing enough, if you run a second line from your satellite dish, the R10's dedicated dual tuner will allow you to watch one live show while recording another or even record two shows while watching a previously recorded third.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Very good combo receiver.
Pros: 70 hours of record time. can fit a whole season of a show plus many others. usually no problem recording seasons. Having shows in folders instead of by record date.
Cons: Sometimes have to check and set it for season premiers and season finales.
Review: Very good unit with an occasional glitch that misses a show every once in a while. Very good picture quality.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
I had a tivo for directv and am really missing the options I had for the regular tv.
Pros: none compared to what I had with the regular directv tivo
Cons: no slow mo that I can find, no favorites or thumbs up feature,
Review: I wish I would have went with the dish tv service dvr, or bought the tivo dvr. I was used to the tivo dvr for regular tv and I guess I got spoiled. A lot less options on the dvr with the directv HD Dvr. I wish I did not have it!
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
I like the RCA DVRs
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: HD noise a little loud
Review: If you purchase one from e-bay or a friend or wherever, and you already have a card from a non-DVR or another DVR that you are replacing, and you have the account already open w/ directv, as to talk to somebody at theeir Technical department and they will tell you what to do to installed for free. No need to purchase a new card for $20. The card has to be one from your account, not from another user or the previous DVR owner.
if they want to sell it to you, hang up and call again, make sure you talk to a Trch rep and not a sale person in customer services, they don't know better.
if they want to sell it to you, hang up and call again, make sure you talk to a Trch rep and not a sale person in customer services, they don't know better.
User Rating:
1.0 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Waiting for my 3rd R10 replacement in 4 months
Pros: At least my other 2 receivers work
Cons: You have to go through a half dozen support calls to get it replaced
Review: I used to think DTV, and their DVRs, were second-to-none. Then my 3 year old DVR went bad, and I was introduced to their R10 model. The first one I got as a replacement would lose functionality within about 24 hours. A reset of the system always fixed it, but that got old. The second one they sent out was perfect for about 3 weeks. Then one day, it just completely stopped working. I am currently waiting on my 3rd replacement, so I have my fingers crossed that they wont send me another R10.
I would give them a zero for there product, but I bumped it up a couple notches because their cust service is friendly and the wait is never more than a couple of minutes. (I know because I have placed over a dozen calls to them in the last few months)
I would give them a zero for there product, but I bumped it up a couple notches because their cust service is friendly and the wait is never more than a couple of minutes. (I know because I have placed over a dozen calls to them in the last few months)
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Get one of these instead of an R15.
Pros: The best GUI ever designed, two tuners, it's not an R15.
Cons: Large form factor, personal sorrow that DirecTV divorced Tivo.
Review: Very rarely am I compelled to write reviews of products, but in this case I'll make an exception. Last week I switched our family to DirecTV from cable to get the NFL Sunday Ticket, little knowing that I was about to become the most unpopular member of my household. The installer brought a sleek new "R15" DVR and explained it's 100-hour recording time, on-screen Caller-ID function, multiple favorite channel lists, being able to watch TV in a little box in the corner while you futz around with DVR menus, etc. Note that these listed features are NOT in the R10 feature set.
To begin this R10 review, let's just say that it took us 15 minutes to realize that DirecTV's new Tivo-free offering, the R15, is a DOG. Bigtime lag between remote control button push and stuff happening on-screen. Horrible, horrible GUI; perhaps they were concerned about too-closely mirroring the Tivo GUI that they went polar-opposite. The TIVO-"Season Pass"-equivalent feature is darn near impossible to get to without wading through myriad menus. There is no fast-forward overshoot correction (where Tivo would restart your program a couple seconds "back" from where you stopped fast-forwarding through commercials), etc. The R15 has great technical specs, but it is AWFUL to use. Some message board folk are convinced that DirecTV will be pushing out upgrades that will make the R15 more user-friendly.
My family tried to use the R15 over a day or two, stealing wistful glances at the old single-tuner Tivo sitting forlornly in the corner, waiting to be sold. The level of discontent in the household reaching critical levels, I belatedly began to read A/V forums online. It seemed that everyone was POed that the R15 was a complete clunker to use despite excellent technical specs. Many mentioned that they were sorry that they had "upgraded" from their R10s.
So I called DirecTV and asked them if it would be possible to swap out my R15 for an R10. "Nope," they said, "try Ebay." So I hit craigslist and found an R10 for 50 bucks. It took a reprogramming of my access card to get it to work, but my family is now enjoying the bliss of an easy-to-use, two-tuner Tivo GUI-based DVR.
The R10 has the smooth, quick-to-navigate, so intuitive-it-knows-what-I-want-for-dinner GUI. I cannot begin to tell you what a stark contrast there is between the use of the R15 and R10. The R10 only has 70 hours of recording time vs. the R15's 100 hours. The R15 has Caller-ID (where you can see who's calling your home line on screen). The R15 allows you to watch TV in a little box in the corner while you futz with the DVR functions. The R15 allows multiple favorites lists vs. the R10's single favorites list. I also seemed to detect a slightly crisper picture with the R15 vs. the R10. AND YET, the R10 is the superior product. It's all about usability. The Tivo interface is THAT good.
DirecTV's software engineers had better be hard at work, and they'd better hire some focus group folk/testers this time. My R15 is kept in reserve here, awaiting the "all-clear" of a massive software upgrade.
To begin this R10 review, let's just say that it took us 15 minutes to realize that DirecTV's new Tivo-free offering, the R15, is a DOG. Bigtime lag between remote control button push and stuff happening on-screen. Horrible, horrible GUI; perhaps they were concerned about too-closely mirroring the Tivo GUI that they went polar-opposite. The TIVO-"Season Pass"-equivalent feature is darn near impossible to get to without wading through myriad menus. There is no fast-forward overshoot correction (where Tivo would restart your program a couple seconds "back" from where you stopped fast-forwarding through commercials), etc. The R15 has great technical specs, but it is AWFUL to use. Some message board folk are convinced that DirecTV will be pushing out upgrades that will make the R15 more user-friendly.
My family tried to use the R15 over a day or two, stealing wistful glances at the old single-tuner Tivo sitting forlornly in the corner, waiting to be sold. The level of discontent in the household reaching critical levels, I belatedly began to read A/V forums online. It seemed that everyone was POed that the R15 was a complete clunker to use despite excellent technical specs. Many mentioned that they were sorry that they had "upgraded" from their R10s.
So I called DirecTV and asked them if it would be possible to swap out my R15 for an R10. "Nope," they said, "try Ebay." So I hit craigslist and found an R10 for 50 bucks. It took a reprogramming of my access card to get it to work, but my family is now enjoying the bliss of an easy-to-use, two-tuner Tivo GUI-based DVR.
The R10 has the smooth, quick-to-navigate, so intuitive-it-knows-what-I-want-for-dinner GUI. I cannot begin to tell you what a stark contrast there is between the use of the R15 and R10. The R10 only has 70 hours of recording time vs. the R15's 100 hours. The R15 has Caller-ID (where you can see who's calling your home line on screen). The R15 allows you to watch TV in a little box in the corner while you futz with the DVR functions. The R15 allows multiple favorites lists vs. the R10's single favorites list. I also seemed to detect a slightly crisper picture with the R15 vs. the R10. AND YET, the R10 is the superior product. It's all about usability. The Tivo interface is THAT good.
DirecTV's software engineers had better be hard at work, and they'd better hire some focus group folk/testers this time. My R15 is kept in reserve here, awaiting the "all-clear" of a massive software upgrade.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Decent Tivo Box
Pros: Reliable recording
Cons: Directtv brand name
Review: This is a good box to use a second to your HD receiver for recording your shows. The PQ via S-Video is actually good. There is no PIP with the guide, which I absolutely HATE!! There are no setting to change colors or fonts. The remote is ridiculous with its thumbs up and thumbs down crap.. It's not even backlit!. I use it to record a few weekly shows, while I watch everthing else on MY Sony SAT HD-300, a hands down superior directv receiver. Moreover, I refuse to shell out $600-$700 for an HD tivo. Yikes!!
User Rating:
2.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Good, not great
Pros: Built in Tivo.
Cons: Guide is Slow. Poor remote reception.
Review: I had Dish Network with the 2 tuners in one box that could operate 2 TV's seperately. I switched to DirecTV on a friends advice. I have really regreted doing so. The DVR with Dish was far better and easier to use than Tivo. It was also nice being able to watch different recorded programs from 2 different TV's. If I hadn't had to purchase the receiver from DirecTV, I would switch back to Dish in a second.
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 20 user reviews
a little silver nightmare
Pros: records 2 shows at once
Cons: playback skips, screen freezes
Review: I chose to go with DirecTV with Tivo, since I was already a DirecTV customer. I'd had regular receiver service for a year or two and during that period needed to trade in several times due to various hardware problems.
That should've been a clue.
Since March 2006 there've been multiple problems ranging from 1-second recording skips (20 in a 2-hour movie) to regular screen freezes. Am now on the third one and it has issues, too.
Customer service has been spotty, with conflicting advice and my favorite "I've never heard that one before." When the local techs come out to re-install they all tell me they see these issues constantly with this equipment.
Maybe the folks at DirecTV were so eager to get this TiVo-competitive product on the market they didn't debug it properly.
If it looks like a lemon and it smells like a lemon and it rolls like a lemon...
That should've been a clue.
Since March 2006 there've been multiple problems ranging from 1-second recording skips (20 in a 2-hour movie) to regular screen freezes. Am now on the third one and it has issues, too.
Customer service has been spotty, with conflicting advice and my favorite "I've never heard that one before." When the local techs come out to re-install they all tell me they see these issues constantly with this equipment.
Maybe the folks at DirecTV were so eager to get this TiVo-competitive product on the market they didn't debug it properly.
If it looks like a lemon and it smells like a lemon and it rolls like a lemon...
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!
Pros: dual lines for recording two shows at once
Cons: No TiVo online features available.
Review: I bought this over a year ago and I could not be happier! I love this DVR and I cannot wait for the next gen!
My only complaint is that I cannot use the Tivo online features, not that they are THAT useful anyway. When I started out with my first tivo "direct" box I liked the online feature of being able to add another show to my Season Pass Manager etc. The only problem there is that it could take one or more days before it was added to my Season Pass manager. Ths meant that if I forgto to set the DVR to record a show that afternoon or if I was not going ot be home that night I was out of luck.
That being said I love this Directv DVR and I would be happy to be their spokes person!
My only complaint is that I cannot use the Tivo online features, not that they are THAT useful anyway. When I started out with my first tivo "direct" box I liked the online feature of being able to add another show to my Season Pass Manager etc. The only problem there is that it could take one or more days before it was added to my Season Pass manager. Ths meant that if I forgto to set the DVR to record a show that afternoon or if I was not going ot be home that night I was out of luck.
That being said I love this Directv DVR and I would be happy to be their spokes person!
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 20 user reviews
One of the finest standard-definition DirecTV receivers on the market.
Pros: DVR with TiVo (TiVo being phased out by DirecTV); Dual tuners are a must.
Cons: No component outputs.
Review: Equipment I Have
2 DirecTV R10 Receivers - Both purchased from WeaKnees.com (lower price than DirecTV at the time of this writing)
DirecTV HR10-250 HD Receiver
Sony RDR HX715 DVD Recorder
Terk 3-LNB HD Satellite Dish
Sony KD-34XBR960N 34” Widescreen HDTV
Sony 27” Standard Definition TV (R10 connected)
Sony 13” Standard Definition TV (2nd R10 connected)
Info
DirecTV R10 is a standard-definition receiver for DirecTV customers only. It also has a DVR with TiVo. With DirecTV, the DVR/TiVo service is only $4.99 per month. If you have up to four other DVR receivers in your home, you only have to pay the $4.99 one time per month.
80GB Hard Drive.
Approx. 70 hours of recording space.
The last DirecTV receiver that will have the TiVo system (most likely). Hopefully other manufacturers will continue to make a quality receiver like this for DirecTV users who enjoy using TiVo. Many retailers seem to be taking it out of their stock. It is currently not available from Crutchfield, Circuit City, Best Buy, or Amazon. There are some retailers on the web who still have it. WeaKnees.com has it, and they also have R10s with larger hard drives. They also do upgrades for many DirecTV receivers. I would recommend an authorized DirecTV retailer, either in person or on the web.
Or you can get it directly from DirecTV. Caution: When I tried to order 2 R10s from DirecTV, I was also having an HD dish installed. The customer service rep said that they could not guarantee what receivers the installation people would bring. They would be either the R10s or two R15s. This was my rationale for buying the R10s from WeaKnees.com.
Overall
The bottom line is: I would never want to watch TV without it.
High-quality picture and sound, even for standard definition.
Better choice than the DirecTV R15 (no TiVo).
Nice Features
Dual Tuners
Record one program while watching another program with dual tuners (twin incoming cables). Or you can record from two channels at the same time, while you watch something that you previously recorded. You would need three VCRs to do this with VHS.
Wishlist
A great feature. Save Wishlists for your favorite films, actors, or directors. Examples in my Wishlist: Stanley Kubrick, The Godfather, Stephen King, Gone with the Wind, Roots. You can have programs in your Wishlist automatically recorded.
Jump-Back Feature
An exclusive feature of the TiVo system (as far as I know). Since the fast forward and fast backward speeds are so fast, you may go slightly beyond the desired point in the program. The jump-back feature compensates for this by jumping either forward or back slightly. When you skip through commercials, you can usually hit the exact spot right before the program returns.
Recording a Program
When you press the Record button, the DVR does not start the recording from when you pressed the record button. It takes the entire program from the latest saved half-hour block of programming. If you change to a certain channel, then press Record before the end of a half hour, the DVR will save the entire half hour of programming to your hard drive.
Criticisms
Even though it is a standard-definition receiver, component outputs would be appreciated.
Additional outputs would be better, especially S-VHS and audio.
Suggestions
A stop button on the remote would be nice.
A delete button on the remote would also be nice, since all deletions are verified before they’re executed.
A 10-second advance button would be good. Sometimes it would be nice to skip ahead by 8 or 10 seconds without having to use the forward button. An advance button that skips ahead 30 seconds would not be needed. I wouldn’t use it to skip through commercials, unless there was only one commercial. I use the forward button on the 3rd speed to skip commercials.
Back and Forward
Skipping back or forward through a program that is being temporarily recorded is pretty fast. When you are watching something that you previously recorded, or watching something that you are currently recording, you can use the forward and back buttons with the advance button and instantly go to the tick marks (the small white lines) in the status bar. You cannot do this while temporarily recording though. An even faster way to go back and forth would be great.
Mix Channels
The ‘Mix Channels’ feature is about the only feature on the DirecTV R15 that is really worthwhile, and would have been great on the R10. I would like to see an expanded version of this feature. Imagine having a mix channel feature to view all of your ‘Channels You Receive’ and/or your ‘Favorite Channels’. Hopefully other manufacturers will take a cue and include a feature like this in their future receivers for DirecTV.
Tivo Suggestions
Get rid of the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down buttons. There is really no such thing as a “similar type of program” for most programs. In most cases a Tivo suggestion for a certain program is really nothing like the program that was given a Thumbs Up. For example, what similar program can you compare The West Wing to?
Hints
Skip Through Commercials
For those who did not realize this after using the DVR on the first day: Instead of watching a live TV program from the very beginning, start watching it 10 or 15 minutes after it begins. Make sure you’re set to the correct channel for the program that you want to temporarily save. Since the DVR is temporarily recording the program for you, just use the back button in the 3rd speed to scan back to the beginning of the program. Then when the commercials come along, you can use the forward button to skip through them. Eventually you may catch up to the live broadcast (depending on the length of the program), but usually you may be able to see the entire program without any commercials.
TiVo Menu Sound
I was a little tired of the TiVo sound effects after the first few hours of using the receiver. It wasn’t until the next day when I found the volume setting for the sound effects. DirecTV Button -- Messages & Setup -- Settings -- Audio -- Sound Effects Volume. You can select Off, Low, Medium, or Loud.
Season Pass
If you don’t want to use the guide and set up the DVR to record the same program every day or every week, use the Season Pass feature. Set a Season Pass for a program and the DVR will record it every time it’s on for up to 28 days. You can even specify the DVR to record First Run episodes and Repeats, or only First Runs.
2 DirecTV R10 Receivers - Both purchased from WeaKnees.com (lower price than DirecTV at the time of this writing)
DirecTV HR10-250 HD Receiver
Sony RDR HX715 DVD Recorder
Terk 3-LNB HD Satellite Dish
Sony KD-34XBR960N 34” Widescreen HDTV
Sony 27” Standard Definition TV (R10 connected)
Sony 13” Standard Definition TV (2nd R10 connected)
Info
DirecTV R10 is a standard-definition receiver for DirecTV customers only. It also has a DVR with TiVo. With DirecTV, the DVR/TiVo service is only $4.99 per month. If you have up to four other DVR receivers in your home, you only have to pay the $4.99 one time per month.
80GB Hard Drive.
Approx. 70 hours of recording space.
The last DirecTV receiver that will have the TiVo system (most likely). Hopefully other manufacturers will continue to make a quality receiver like this for DirecTV users who enjoy using TiVo. Many retailers seem to be taking it out of their stock. It is currently not available from Crutchfield, Circuit City, Best Buy, or Amazon. There are some retailers on the web who still have it. WeaKnees.com has it, and they also have R10s with larger hard drives. They also do upgrades for many DirecTV receivers. I would recommend an authorized DirecTV retailer, either in person or on the web.
Or you can get it directly from DirecTV. Caution: When I tried to order 2 R10s from DirecTV, I was also having an HD dish installed. The customer service rep said that they could not guarantee what receivers the installation people would bring. They would be either the R10s or two R15s. This was my rationale for buying the R10s from WeaKnees.com.
Overall
The bottom line is: I would never want to watch TV without it.
High-quality picture and sound, even for standard definition.
Better choice than the DirecTV R15 (no TiVo).
Nice Features
Dual Tuners
Record one program while watching another program with dual tuners (twin incoming cables). Or you can record from two channels at the same time, while you watch something that you previously recorded. You would need three VCRs to do this with VHS.
Wishlist
A great feature. Save Wishlists for your favorite films, actors, or directors. Examples in my Wishlist: Stanley Kubrick, The Godfather, Stephen King, Gone with the Wind, Roots. You can have programs in your Wishlist automatically recorded.
Jump-Back Feature
An exclusive feature of the TiVo system (as far as I know). Since the fast forward and fast backward speeds are so fast, you may go slightly beyond the desired point in the program. The jump-back feature compensates for this by jumping either forward or back slightly. When you skip through commercials, you can usually hit the exact spot right before the program returns.
Recording a Program
When you press the Record button, the DVR does not start the recording from when you pressed the record button. It takes the entire program from the latest saved half-hour block of programming. If you change to a certain channel, then press Record before the end of a half hour, the DVR will save the entire half hour of programming to your hard drive.
Criticisms
Even though it is a standard-definition receiver, component outputs would be appreciated.
Additional outputs would be better, especially S-VHS and audio.
Suggestions
A stop button on the remote would be nice.
A delete button on the remote would also be nice, since all deletions are verified before they’re executed.
A 10-second advance button would be good. Sometimes it would be nice to skip ahead by 8 or 10 seconds without having to use the forward button. An advance button that skips ahead 30 seconds would not be needed. I wouldn’t use it to skip through commercials, unless there was only one commercial. I use the forward button on the 3rd speed to skip commercials.
Back and Forward
Skipping back or forward through a program that is being temporarily recorded is pretty fast. When you are watching something that you previously recorded, or watching something that you are currently recording, you can use the forward and back buttons with the advance button and instantly go to the tick marks (the small white lines) in the status bar. You cannot do this while temporarily recording though. An even faster way to go back and forth would be great.
Mix Channels
The ‘Mix Channels’ feature is about the only feature on the DirecTV R15 that is really worthwhile, and would have been great on the R10. I would like to see an expanded version of this feature. Imagine having a mix channel feature to view all of your ‘Channels You Receive’ and/or your ‘Favorite Channels’. Hopefully other manufacturers will take a cue and include a feature like this in their future receivers for DirecTV.
Tivo Suggestions
Get rid of the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down buttons. There is really no such thing as a “similar type of program” for most programs. In most cases a Tivo suggestion for a certain program is really nothing like the program that was given a Thumbs Up. For example, what similar program can you compare The West Wing to?
Hints
Skip Through Commercials
For those who did not realize this after using the DVR on the first day: Instead of watching a live TV program from the very beginning, start watching it 10 or 15 minutes after it begins. Make sure you’re set to the correct channel for the program that you want to temporarily save. Since the DVR is temporarily recording the program for you, just use the back button in the 3rd speed to scan back to the beginning of the program. Then when the commercials come along, you can use the forward button to skip through them. Eventually you may catch up to the live broadcast (depending on the length of the program), but usually you may be able to see the entire program without any commercials.
TiVo Menu Sound
I was a little tired of the TiVo sound effects after the first few hours of using the receiver. It wasn’t until the next day when I found the volume setting for the sound effects. DirecTV Button -- Messages & Setup -- Settings -- Audio -- Sound Effects Volume. You can select Off, Low, Medium, or Loud.
Season Pass
If you don’t want to use the guide and set up the DVR to record the same program every day or every week, use the Season Pass feature. Set a Season Pass for a program and the DVR will record it every time it’s on for up to 28 days. You can even specify the DVR to record First Run episodes and Repeats, or only First Runs.
User Rating:
1.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Too many gliches compared to Hughes or Phillips models
Pros: TIVO technology is always great. Integrated with Directv
Cons: Picture froze often.
Review: The R10 model i had was awful compared to my Hughes. I bought it because it was "free". It had a glich in the system that caused the pix to freeze every 10 minutes. After calling Directv they were able to supply me with a remanufactured Phillips at no cost. The Phillips model and the Hughes models are way better quality than the R10
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 20 user reviews
A solid performer for the price
Pros: Tivo interface, dual tuners, Dobly Digital output
Cons: No HD support, no component outputs, small hard drive space
Review: This was my first jump at Tivo and at an all in one receiver for my DirecTV service. I initially was hesitant at purchasing any device that had "Tivo" on it because of my concerns with privacy issues.
After my VCR broke down I finally caved in and wow am I glad I did. This is a great unit to start off with. It has dual tuners which buffer two shows at once and you can easily and quickly switch between to recording shows at once with a click of one button on the remote.
The dual tuner is a must and from what I have read with DirecTV's R15, this feature alone with switching between to live recordings is either impossible or not easy to do.
I have also tested this out on Comcast's 8300HD receiver and again you can't seem to do what this Tivo enabled unit can do. The only negative comments I have to say about this device is that it does not support HD recordings (which is understandable for the price) but it would've been nice for it to at least have component outputs.
Also the hard drive is a bit small, but it does record tons of shows/programs. Overall you can't go wrong with the price with this unit! Pick up while it last since it's being phased out. This is the last unit with the Tivo interface for DirecTV.
After my VCR broke down I finally caved in and wow am I glad I did. This is a great unit to start off with. It has dual tuners which buffer two shows at once and you can easily and quickly switch between to recording shows at once with a click of one button on the remote.
The dual tuner is a must and from what I have read with DirecTV's R15, this feature alone with switching between to live recordings is either impossible or not easy to do.
I have also tested this out on Comcast's 8300HD receiver and again you can't seem to do what this Tivo enabled unit can do. The only negative comments I have to say about this device is that it does not support HD recordings (which is understandable for the price) but it would've been nice for it to at least have component outputs.
Also the hard drive is a bit small, but it does record tons of shows/programs. Overall you can't go wrong with the price with this unit! Pick up while it last since it's being phased out. This is the last unit with the Tivo interface for DirecTV.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Never knew how dated a VCR was until we got this.
Pros: So easy to use even my wife can use it perfectly!
Cons: Cannot Record to DVD
Review: This unit has allowed us to more fully utilize our DirecTv. It was always such a nuisance for so many reason to record using a VCR. This couldn't be easier. Skips through commercials in about than 5 seconds or so. Perfect picture and sound.
However, there is no way that I know of to backup to a DVD recorder! It has a built in function to "record to VCR." How '90's! Not having made the leap to HDTV this is, by far, it's greatest negative factor. (We wonder if Hollywood lawyers had anything to do with this missing feature.) We also miss seeing a small picture of the current channel while browsing the on screen guide. It is very obscured behind the guide and is essentially impossible to view. This is a function of the DirecTV built in tuner. They should have done better.
Since we have the top tier of DirecTV programming even the modest five dollar monthly fee is waved!
However, there is no way that I know of to backup to a DVD recorder! It has a built in function to "record to VCR." How '90's! Not having made the leap to HDTV this is, by far, it's greatest negative factor. (We wonder if Hollywood lawyers had anything to do with this missing feature.) We also miss seeing a small picture of the current channel while browsing the on screen guide. It is very obscured behind the guide and is essentially impossible to view. This is a function of the DirecTV built in tuner. They should have done better.
Since we have the top tier of DirecTV programming even the modest five dollar monthly fee is waved!
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Very easy to set up and use.
Pros: Just find the program you like on the guide, click it and forget it.
Cons: Does not record in HD. It requires two cables from the satellite dish to allow you to view and record different channels at the same time.
Review: This DVR does everything well. Allows direct recording, advance program recording, current live program freeze/rewind/slow-motion picture and resume playing at your command. You can use the keyword feature to locate programs to record or even allow the TIVO to suggest programs to record based on your past selections. A telephone line must be connected to make periodic invisable calls to DirecTV. These calls will update the system and advise them of any pay-per-view shows you have selected. This unit has diffently changed our TV viewing habits. NO longer tied to the Television schedules.
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Very Good, but not great
Pros: can TIVO two things at once
Cons: it got confused easily, had to be reprogramed four times in two months
Review: For one month it didn't make its daily phone call to DirecTV, for two months it kept looking for the second satellite, and it would occationally lose all access to channels higher than 99
It didn't take much to reset the receiver, it just took several attempts to get it right. for a while it thought I only spoke spanish...
I love TIVO
It didn't take much to reset the receiver, it just took several attempts to get it right. for a while it thought I only spoke spanish...
I love TIVO
User Rating:
3.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
Surprisingly nice unit
Pros: Unbeatable price from Best Buy
Cons: Not an UltimateTV!
Review: One of my (2) RCA UltimateTV DVR's went out for service this week. I was hoping to find a $99 unit with a $49 rebate locally and not have to wait for a unit from DirecTV. Best Buy had it on sale for $99 with a $100 rebate after mailing in my DirecTV invoice with the Best Buy receipt.
Three different sales people said it was not limited to new accounts. We'll see....
Three different sales people said it was not limited to new accounts. We'll see....
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
The greates invention known to man
Pros: Dual sattelite feed, season pass, easy navigation and set up
Cons: Phone line, the DVR won't work untill you hook up the phone line. You also have to keep the phone plugged in or you will get a message every day to plug in. The universal remote is not so universal.
Review: It does everything a VCR does and more. Season pass is great set it and forget it. It has been a great addition to the entertainment center. We highly recomend getting a DVR/TiVo from Direct TV it's cheap they will install it and it's worth every penny.
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
If you have Direc TV, this is one of the best upgrades for it!
Pros: It's affordable, easy to use, and the replay & "season pass" features are awesome!
Cons: nothing's perfect, I just haven't discovered any flaws!
Review: The R10, with 70 recording hrs, makes this an outstanding buy at less than $100. If you enjoy watching tv, it's a great enhancement to it! If you've ever wished you could see an instant replay (from any ball game, movie, or tv show, now you can! I am definitely going to purchase a second one for my bedroom. (The kids hog the one in our living room!)
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 20 user reviews
awesome product, best $100 I've spent in a while
Pros: easy to use
Cons: starts running slowly if not rebooted about once a week
Review:
User Rating:
2.0 stars
out of 20 user reviews
TiVo Interface pales next to UltimateTV
Pros: Lifetime service option vs. UltimateTV $10 per month; automatic picking of programs.
Cons: Interface pales next to UltimateTV - conflicts are not as easily spotted, picture quality much better with UltimateTV, ability to sort through upcomming programs much better in UltimateTV.
Review: Everyone says the TiVo interface is the best - that ignores probably the best success story Microsoft ever abandoned - the UltimateTV interface. It is far better than TiVo - picture quality is much better than TiVo, fast forward goes 300X vs much slower in TiVo, ability to see quickly any programming conflicts is easier in UltimateTV. Microsoft had a winner and abandoned it - mine has worked flawlessly for 4 years without a hitch!!
