DirecTV Genie, anyone have this?

[Drako]

I've been contemplating getting my old HR21 DVR replaced or upgraded - had for 5 years now and I think the hard disk is starting to die.

Anyone here have the HR34 (Genie)?

 

[todpod]

Just got it it seems to work ok.

 

[boomhower]

I've got an HR34 non-genie and love it. Only thing I don't like is if your watching something on a remote box you have to set it to record before you can pause it. Some of the management features are also limited on the remote boxes as well. But the DVR works pretty much perfectly. The ability to watch/record five shows on the DVR with the kids doing there own thing in their rooms is awesome. No complaints I can think of. This thing is so far ahead of TWC DVR's it's not even funny. Since you've had yours for so long you should be able to get it at new customer pricing.

 

[smitbret]

I've got an HR34 non-genie and love it. Only thing I don't like is if your watching something on a remote box you have to set it to record before you can pause it. Some of the management features are also limited on the remote boxes as well. But the DVR works pretty much perfectly. The ability to watch/record five shows on the DVR with the kids doing there own thing in their rooms is awesome. No complaints I can think of. This thing is so far ahead of TWC DVR's it's not even funny. Since you've had yours for so long you should be able to get it at new customer pricing.

The HR34 is the Genie. If you can't FF/Rew/Pause on your remote box then you're using a normal receiver instead of a client. If you get connected with HR34 and clients, they will have full functionality.

To the OP, if you have more than one room of service in the home, keep the HR21 and add the Genie, replacing any non-DVR boxes. That way you will avoid boomhower's situation, won't lose any recordings and add storage space. Whole Home DVR is awesome.

 

[Drako]

So I called DirecTV this morning about upgrading. It will be free for me to upgrade except for a $50 installation fee. I guess they have to do some wiring changes to add the "Whole Home" thing. I set up an appointment for tomorrow morning.

 

[Drako]

The HR34 is the Genie. If you can't FF/Rew/Pause on your remote box then you're using a normal receiver instead of a client. If you get connected with HR34 and clients, they will have full functionality.

To the OP, if you have more than one room of service in the home, keep the HR21 and add the Genie, replacing any non-DVR boxes. That way you will avoid boomhower's situation, won't lose any recordings and add storage space. Whole Home DVR is awesome.

Well, we only have two rooms with TVs now, and I think we are just going to get both of our current boxes replaced. Like I said, the HR21 seems like the hard disk is dieing, so it's going to get removed anyway. We don't have much left stored on it anyway other than my wife's Oprah crap .

 

[boomhower]

The HR34 is the Genie. If you can't FF/Rew/Pause on your remote box then you're using a normal receiver instead of a client. If you get connected with HR34 and clients, they will have full functionality.

To the OP, if you have more than one room of service in the home, keep the HR21 and add the Genie, replacing any non-DVR boxes. That way you will avoid boomhower's situation, won't lose any recordings and add storage space. Whole Home DVR is awesome.

I know it's the same box but I got it before they started calling it the genie. The clients are connected just fine with the HR34. You can watch recording, set recordings, etc. You just can't pause a live show on the client. You have to hit record and then pause.

 

[smitbret]

If you keep the HDDVR and the HDD dies you can get it replaced for 19.95. You'll have 7 tuners between 2 rooms and extra DVR space, as well as full DVR functionality at all locations. If you don't have at least a C31 client at the 2nd location, you'll regret not keeping that HDDVR. It won't cost you a penny more on your monthly bill than any other receiver and if you try to make the upgrade later it'll cost a minimum of $100 to do it.

Also, Clients can pause/FF/Rew just like the Genie on live and recorded content. Unlike clients, HD receivers that are being used for remote playback cannot use trickplay features on live tv. Boomhower, if you have a C31 client that won't pause, call tech support and get it fixed.

 

[Drako]

We got an HR34 and a C31 client to replace our HR21 and H21 last week. Pleasantly surprised so far. :thumbsup:

The HR34 is probably 3 times faster surfing the guide, and 2 times faster switching channels. The client upgrade just is obvious.

 

[Gunslinger08]

I have an HR34 and 3 H25 receivers in a whole home DVR setup. I have no issues other than what boom mentioned (no trickplay on H25) and that my HR34 is slow as crap. Takes 15 seconds to change channels sometimes and scrolling through the guide is quite slow. Doesn't bother me much since I really only watch recorded shows and football.

 

[smitbret]

Menu --> Settings & Help --> Settings --> Display --> Video --> "NATIVE MODE:OFF"

Menu --> Settings & Help --> Settings --> Display --> Preferences --> "SCROLLING EFFECTS:OFF"

Try that and see if your speeds don't pick up a lot

 

[Gunslinger08]

Menu --> Settings & Help --> Settings --> Display --> Video --> "NATIVE MODE:OFF"

Menu --> Settings & Help --> Settings --> Display --> Preferences --> "SCROLLING EFFECTS:OFF"

Try that and see if your speeds don't pick up a lot

Already have those settings.

 

[Drako]

I have an HR34 and 3 H25 receivers in a whole home DVR setup. I have no issues other than what boom mentioned (no trickplay on H25) and that my HR34 is slow as crap. Takes 15 seconds to change channels sometimes and scrolling through the guide is quite slow. Doesn't bother me much since I really only watch recorded shows and football.

The slow navigation was the main issue I was having with the HR21 that we had. The HR34 we have now is like lightning compared to our old HR21. I would call DirecTV and see if you can get a replacement for your HR34.

 

[ND40oz]

I had to get my HR34 replaced last week, it was having hard drive issues, I'd had it since June. Supposedly the HR44 is coming in March with netflix integration and some other app like features. I don't have any clients, just additional tuners (H25s) and another hddvr (HR24) but they can all watch programs off of each other if they've been recorded. I didn't like the fact the C31 client used one of the tuners in the HR34, sort of like the Hopper from dish, but how often are you going to be using all 5 tuners I guess.

Has anyone setup the RVU on the newer Samsung TVs as a client, I can't find much information on it and most of the DTV people I talk to don't seem to have clue.

 

[Zargon]

We got an HR34 and a C31 client to replace our HR21 and H21 last week. Pleasantly surprised so far. :thumbsup:

The HR34 is probably 3 times faster surfing the guide, and 2 times faster switching channels. The client upgrade just is obvious.

Ill have to call

last time I called, right after I went off contract, they wanted 250 for a genie


did you threaten to get a hopper or did they just offer?

 

[Drako]

Ill have to call

last time I called, right after I went off contract, they wanted 250 for a genie


did you threaten to get a hopper or did they just offer?

They just offered it for free. I've had the HR21 and H21 for 5+ years. I think if you are beyond the 2 year contract they just give it to you for free, plus the $50 install fee.

 

[jaha2000]

Ill have to call

last time I called, right after I went off contract, they wanted 250 for a genie


did you threaten to get a hopper or did they just offer?

I threatened to get hopper, they gave it to me for free...

I have one of the samsung tv's. Its in the same room as my HR34 though.. So i just have it hooked up to it via HDMI...

Thinking about it.. In theory, i could move the HR34 to another room and drop a reciever fee right? Its still unclear if you have to pay for the clients...

 

[Gunslinger08]

I threatened to get hopper, they gave it to me for free...

I have one of the samsung tv's. Its in the same room as my HR34 though.. So i just have it hooked up to it via HDMI...

Thinking about it.. In theory, i could move the HR34 to another room and drop a reciever fee right? Its still unclear if you have to pay for the clients...

The stuff I saw said you still pay for the RVU client access, so it's no savings at all.

 

[jaha2000]

The stuff I saw said you still pay for the RVU client access, so it's no savings at all.

It says without additional equipment though right?
AKA no access card, no fee?

Does the C31 have an access card in it?


**edit**

So apparently is 6$ per month per RVU enable device..
I am convinced that DTV can stay in the black just by lease fees. I still dont get how you have to buy the boxes if you want more, but still pay a lease fee....

 

[ND40oz]

So apparently is 6$ per month per RVU enable device..
I am convinced that DTV can stay in the black just by lease fees. I still dont get how you have to buy the boxes if you want more, but still pay a lease fee....

I don't get why you have to buy the box but then have to return it to them if you cancel your service. When I had Sky in the UK I sold my boxes when I cancelled my contract. You could also buy a card that gave you freeSAT access, pop it in your box and your done, no monthly fees, sort of like OTA with more channels.

 

[smitbret]

C31 clients and RVU clients don't have access cards and cost $6 each. There is no add'l hardware for the RVU clients.

The HR44 will be available for new customers in March. It won't have NetFlix. No DTV product will ever carry NetFlix as long as they're in the PPV business. It has built-in wireless and they've put the digital optical output back into the box. It's also half the size of the Genie and will work with their new RC71 remote that is half the size of the old one and has greater RF range.

If you call to order an HR44, there's no guatantee as to whether you will get an HR34 ir HR44. They are considered to be the same class of device and you'll get what comes off the shelf. If you have to have the HR44, then you'll need to get it through Amazon or Solidsignal.com.

Joshsquall, if the lag is really bad, make sure your signal strengths are above 85 on the 99(c), 101 and 103(ca) satellites. If they're good and you've had the HR34 for a few months it's probably just firmware clutter from the zillion and one updates they've been doing since last spring. Do a <Reset Everything>. It'll erase all your settings and recordings but it'll flush everything and restore it to off the shelf conditions, including a huge jump in speed.

 

[ND40oz]

I'd hope the HR44 has on demand downloads fixed, my HR34 still can't download stuff without have them pause and skip minutes ahead. I have to do all my downloads on the HR24. It's also supposedly much faster when browsing based on the preview done by solidsignal. I'm not sure if they ditched the cinema connection kit when they went to the Genie branding or if they're just doing it with the HR44, but my installer insisted on installing it instead of just doing ethernet into the back of the HR34.

 

[smitbret]

The internet connection thing can be confusing. With the HR2x devices you have to use a CCK (Extra black box) to get the internet on all of your devices. You can plug the ethernet cable straight into the mack of your HR2x, but it'll disable your whole-home and you won't have the internet on anything but that location. The HR34 has a reverse DECA in it so you can plug the ethernet cable straight into the back of it and keep your whole-home DVR and it'll keep internet on other devices. DirecTV requires technicians to install CCKs on all of them, though and most technical support people think the HR34 is the same as the other HDDVRs.

The HR44 has a wireless CCK with a reverse DECA built in and will not be installed with an external one. In fact, installers will be required to remove them from existing installs if there is an HR44 on the work order.

 

[jaha2000]

The internet connection thing can be confusing. With the HR2x devices you have to use a CCK (Extra black box) to get the internet on all of your devices. You can plug the ethernet cable straight into the mack of your HR2x, but it'll disable your whole-home and you won't have the internet on anything but that location. The HR34 has a reverse DECA in it so you can plug the ethernet cable straight into the back of it and keep your whole-home DVR and it'll keep internet on other devices. DirecTV requires technicians to install CCKs on all of them, though and most technical support people think the HR34 is the same as the other HDDVRs.

The HR44 has a wireless CCK with a reverse DECA built in and will not be installed with an external one. In fact, installers will be required to remove them from existing installs if there is an HR44 on the work order.

umm? Is that from directtv? I have been running whole home since it was released and have never had a DECA box. I had internet on all my boxes, including an HR24 and some std hd recievers.

 

[Gunslinger08]

I'd hope the HR44 has on demand downloads fixed, my HR34 still can't download stuff without have them pause and skip minutes ahead. I have to do all my downloads on the HR24. It's also supposedly much faster when browsing based on the preview done by solidsignal. I'm not sure if they ditched the cinema connection kit when they went to the Genie branding or if they're just doing it with the HR44, but my installer insisted on installing it instead of just doing ethernet into the back of the HR34.

I had this issue until I removed the cinema connection kit and just plugged an Ethernet cable directly into my HR34. Many other people reported the same thing.