Are there any Tivo/ReplayTV/DirecTV experts here? A few questions

[Arkitech]

I've been dying to get my hands on a DirecTV setup with either one of the newest Tivos or Replays. However I was wondering about the networking capabilities.

I know with the Replay its possible to connect to a PC and transfer data but does anyone know if this feature exists with the Tivos?

Also with the Tivos can I watch/record from 2 different stations at once?

Is there an extra fee for having multiple Tivo/Replay activated?

With the DirecTVs how many receivers can a customer have?


Thanks for any input

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I've been dying to get my hands on a DirecTV setup with either one of the newest Tivos or Replays. However I was wondering about the networking capabilities.

I know with the Replay its possible to connect to a PC and transfer data but does anyone know if this feature exists with the Tivos?

No

Also with the Tivos can I watch/record from 2 different stations at once?

Yes, but you'll need to run TWO (2) DTV cables from your dish to the box. Also, DirecTivo (direcTV receivers with built in Tivo) boxes cannot record or intergrate cable or terrestrial channels with the DTV channels like Replay or straight Tivo can.

For Replay or a straight Tivo box your best bet is to buy a bottom of the line DTV receiver and let the Replay/Tivo box own that exclusively, and use another DTV box for viewing. Either way, you're going to want two DTV cables running to that area.

Is there an extra fee for having multiple Tivo/Replay activated?

Yes, each box is charged a seperate monthly, or a lifetime fee. If you have DirecTivo, and order the top package from DTV, the Tivo fees are free.

With the DirecTVs how many receivers can a customer have?

As many as you want. You'll just need to set it up properly because you cannot simply split cable like you do with cable TV.

Thanks for any input

You're welcome.

 

[Amused]

BTW, if you go the Replay/dedicated DTV receiver route, I suggest an RCA DTV receiver. The RCAs have a data port that allows you to have the Replay box control it through that, rather than an IR mouse. It's much more reliable.

You can use any DTV receiver that tickles your fancy for your main receiver. In my case, my mains are HDTV capable receivers.

For HDTV DirecTV receivers I suggest the Samsung TS-160. For normal DTV receivers that are not dedicated to a Replay (if you don't have HDTV), I suggest Sony the B65 or A65 (A65 offers digital outputs for sound). I've been very impressed with Sony's standard DTV receivers, but not too impressed with their HDTV receivers.

In my experience, the Replay/dedicated receiver route is the best way to go.

DirecTivo is too limited in that you cannot record over-the-air or cable channels. And Tivo, even separate from DTV, will not allow networking.

 

[Arkitech]

I guess I'll probably be going with the replaytv, I did'nt realize the dtivo's could only be used with directv.


is it difficult to network multiple replays to a server

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I guess I'll probably be going with the replaytv, I did'nt realize the dtivo's could only be used with directv.


is it difficult to network multiple replays to a server

I haven't done it, but my brother has. He said it wasn't too hard... but then, networking is (was) his business.

Yeah, both have their advantages, but I'd have to say Replay wins with the ability to record cable and/or antenna stuff, networking/show sharing and auto commercial skip.

Remember, if you want to watch and record different shows at the same time, you'll want to have a dedicated DirecTV receiver for each Replay. And if you link them all together in a network, you can record as many shows at a time as you have Replay boxes and share them to any Replay box in the house. Works great at times like Wed night when South Park and Law and Order are on at the same time

 

[vladgur]

If I were you Id go for DirectTivo series2. The advantage of integrated sattelite pvrs such as directivo or dish 501 is that the sattelite stream is being recorded directly on the hard drive without reencoding. This means that when you playback, not only do you get exact same quality of the satellite broadcast, you also get dolby digital audio if the original broadcast had it(You might even be able to record hdtv content although im not sure about it). Where as replaytv/tivo take that sattelite broadcast which is already compressed, reencode it to often lower quality compression level and lose the dolby digital content. You forget about storing hdtv on replay/tivo simply because they have no such inputs.

Secondly you pay much much less. I dont know if DirecTivo offers lifetime sub, but you only pay $5 a months vs tivo's $13 or replay's 10. Also if you subscribe to some premium packages on directv, the fee is waived all together. Also I think you only pay $5 once for as many directivo receivers as you own where as with replay/tivo you pay the monthly fee for every receiver separately.

Thirdly, I find networking capabilities overrated a bit. Maybe its because I own replay 5040 and there are no user friendly interfaces for the networking part for 5040 right now, but I bought it so that I could upgrade my aging showstopper(which I sold on ebay for the price of replay+lifetime subscribption)...

 

[vladgur]

i must not the problem with this multiple directv receiver/replaytvs scheme is that you pay $5 for every additional receiver anyways, plus you pay $10-$13 a month for pvr functionality
so you end up paying up to $31 a month if you were to have 2 receivers/pvrs and thats in addition to your usual programming.
With directivo you still pay $5 a months for additional receiver, but you only pay $5 monthly fee for pvr functionality, so you will only pay $10 a months if you were two have 2 directivos.
Additionally I believe that directivo has dual tuners so you can watch one broadcast and record another. checkout tivocommunity.com for more detail


One last thing. if you go the way of receiver+pvr there will always be a channel changing lag because the signal first travels to your pvr then to the receiver. Its often done via IR blaster which slows things down a bit.