| DirecTV HR20-700 HD HDTV DVR Satellite Receiver | 
 enlarge | Brand: DirecTV
Category: CE
Buy New: $299.99
Avg. Customer Rating:   (35 reviews)
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4
MPN: HR20700
Model: HR20
UPC: 185463000092
EAN: 0185463000092
ASIN: B000FOA9MA
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | High Definition TV Output (via HDMI And Component) | | • | 2 Sets Of RCA (Red/White/Yellow Outputs) - 1 S-Video | | • | 1 Optical Digital Output | | • | 200 Hours Of Standard Definition (SD) / 30 Hours Of MPEG-2 HD |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
DIRECTV HR20S HD DVR Satellite Set Top Box In Silver - . Standard-Definition And High Definition Enabled. Record Up To 200 Hrs Of SD, 30 Hours Of HD (MPEG-2), Or 50 Hours Of HD (MPEG-4) Programming. 2 Satellite Tuners. Advanced Program Guide. 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i Picture Output And Multiple Screen Formats Supported. Silver Finish. (DIRECTV Activation Form Must Be Agreed To For Shipping).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 30 more reviews...
 It's official: DirecTV is as awful as cable January 2, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Back in 1994 I was so happy to be rid of cable TV that I paid $299 to buy a dish, receiver and installed it myself. I was with Directv as soon as it was available and my customer number is under 50,000, and I remember when USSB offered programming using the same dish. Directv bought them out a few years after launch. I was a very happy customer, and spread the gospel of Directv. The beautiful picture, the excellent customer service, and the pricing that was always a bit cheaper than cable. The early boxes were primitive, but functional. At some point Directv partnered with Tivo and offered a DVR before most people even knew what one was. These boxes put Directv light years ahead of the competition, and I liked them so much that I bought two. For those that have never seen a Tivo box, they have an exceptionally intuitive graphical user interface that even today is the gold standard for DVR's. These boxes made Directv the unquestioned leader in every aspect. You would not have been able to pry my Direct Tivo from my cold dead hands. Then Directv pulled a blunder that ranks right up there with the "new" coke that was introduced in the 1980's. While Directv Tivos were still flying off the shelves, Directv got greedy and decided to cut Tivo out and make it's upcoming HDTV boxes in house, through another News Corp subsidiary. News Corp owns Directv. Customers were promised new Boxes that would be even better than the Tivo's customers loved. What we got instead was junk. The first two HR20 DVR's they sent me were bricks. Dead on arrival. One of them smoked, and something inside sparked and then melted. The third finally worked, at least to some degree. Several software upgrades later, I still can not swap tuners. The unit freezes several times a month, has to sit unplugged overnight and loses all recordings each time I have to do a full system reset just to revive the box. The remote control is often unresponsive, and when it does randomly revive itself, it will remember everything you punched to try to bring it back and execute each command before you can do anything with it. Even when the remote does work, changing channels or doing anything is painfully slow. This box is also prone to forgetting what programming you subscribe to. This requires a call to a Directv rep who will read through a 30 minute script, insist on troubleshooting the unit, tell you that your box is fine from where they sit, and argue with you when you ask them to simply reset your programming. It's pathetic when a customer knows a simple fast way to correct a problem, but some dullard management employee insists that all customer service employees ignore what the customer says, and will not deviate from the script no matter what you tell them. In short, please look at every other alternative before choosing Directv, and if you do go with them, refuse to accept the HR20 DVR under any circumstances. I have had at least 5 of these boxes, and each has been dead or haunted by the same demons. I hear Dish network has a good DVR, but I also read that Tivo is suing them over stolen technology. Directv has wasted every bit of good will it created in the early years. I am considering all options, including cable. Yep, it is that bad.
When it's not freezing, it's great August 16, 2008
I have an HR20-700. If it weren't for the almost daily feeezes (necessary resets) this DVR would be fine. I'm please with the interface and quality of the video.
But the freezes are killing me...enough to leave DirecTV after 6 years.
Useless Junk June 18, 2008
This receiver is absolutely useless piece of junk. It crashes about 4 times a day and in my case it takes about 30 minutes for the receiver to come back after each crash.
The best use for it would be a radiator/heater for your living room since it is quite hot when you touch it.
As soon as I am out of contract - or even close to it (since the contract is pro-rated) I am done with DirectTV and going back to local cable.
Constant crashes and other malfunctions February 13, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I own 5 DirecTV TIVO DVRs and have been very happy with them, with only occasional problems. But as soon as I got this new HD DVR, I started having constant problems. The first one they delivered had a bad input, so the DirecTV technician installed a second. However, this one had messed up audio. Since he didn't have any others with him, we kept it for a week, experiencing intermittant audio problems, before finally getting DirecTV to bring a replacement. The third one appeared to work fine for a while until it started crashing. Sometimes, the audio would just go in and out, which is very annoying. I programmed my regular TIVO to record the same show at the same time and it sounded perfect, so I know the problem had nothing to do with the satellite signal. I really don't want to ask for a fourth unit out of fear it will be even worse and am now seriously considering moving all my business to Verizon FIOS TV.
Unit doesn't work as advertised January 30, 2008
I have had this product in Erie, PA for 4 months. The unit has a lot of issues with it. I bought it so I could record the OTA HD channels broadcasted in my area. The unit maps the avialable channels from a list it gets from direct tv. It doesn't look to see what is avialable like you think one would design a unit. Because direct tv has my channels mapped wrong for channel 35, I can't get anything. I have called six times, and they just say "they are not responsible for keeping the list up to date". Who is then? They sell the unit on specific features, but then don't support them.
This unit does not live up to it's calling.
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