Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Any word yet on when DirecTV is going to release their HMC? Last I
heard it was supposed to be mid 2005, but that's come and gone. I've
been holding off getting a DVR because I've been waiting for this one
to come out.... Didn't want to have to use the slow IR channel changer
on the Tivo w/my DirecTV service. Any information would be appreciated.

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

<biter999@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1121438485.245789.47630@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Any word yet on when DirecTV is going to release their HMC? Last I
> heard it was supposed to be mid 2005, but that's come and gone. I've
> been holding off getting a DVR because I've been waiting for this one
> to come out.... Didn't want to have to use the slow IR channel changer
> on the Tivo w/my DirecTV service. Any information would be appreciated.
>

Perhaps Sean could check his home town temps?
If it's "frozen over", it should be any day now.

Luck;
Ken

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On 2005-07-15, biter999@gmail.com <biter999@gmail.com> wrote:
> Any word yet on when DirecTV is going to release their HMC? Last I
> heard it was supposed to be mid 2005, but that's come and gone. I've
> been holding off getting a DVR because I've been waiting for this one
> to come out.... Didn't want to have to use the slow IR channel changer
> on the Tivo w/my DirecTV service. Any information would be appreciated.

Why not buy a DirectTiVo?

--
This is my .sig

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

<biter999@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1121438485.245789.47630@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Any word yet on when DirecTV is going to release their HMC? Last I
> heard it was supposed to be mid 2005, but that's come and gone. I've
> been holding off getting a DVR because I've been waiting for this one
> to come out.... Didn't want to have to use the slow IR channel changer
> on the Tivo w/my DirecTV service. Any information would be appreciated.
>

The Home Media Center wasn't predicted to be available
before the end of 2005. Look for it in early 2006.

The mid 2005 release date was for the DirecTV Interactive DVR.
That machine is the new DirecTV R15 anticipated for dealer shipments
starting August 1.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/abou [...] 1-06-2005D
and
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/abou [...] 1-06-2005E

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

biter999@gmail.com wrote:
> Any word yet on when DirecTV is going to release their HMC? Last I
> heard it was supposed to be mid 2005, but that's come and gone. I've
> been holding off getting a DVR because I've been waiting for this one
> to come out.... Didn't want to have to use the slow IR channel changer
> on the Tivo w/my DirecTV service. Any information would be appreciated.

OT somewhat but has anyone read up on the DVR capabilities of "Media Centers"
from computers makers such as Sony and HP? Out of the box... how do these DVRs
work? Do they have TV program guides? (what service?) Do they do TIVO-like DVR
tricks... like use dual tuners... buffer.... record 2 shows and playback 1 at
the same time...? Are they compatible with DirecTV in the sense they can record
the digital stream? Or are they more like stand alone TIVOs?

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

> OT somewhat but has anyone read up on the DVR capabilities of "Media Centers"
> from computers makers such as Sony and HP? Out of the box... how do these DVRs
> work?

They are highly variable, unless you are *specifically* referring to
Windows Media Center. Otherwise, Sony and Dell, and probably some
others have their own solutions.

>Do they have TV program guides? (what service?)

Most of them do, though the providers vary I think. I don't know them
off the top of my head.

> Do they do TIVO-like DVR
> tricks...

The basic stuff like time-shift and record/playback. But I think stuff
like season passes and the like are mostly absent.

> like use dual tuners...

I've never heard nor seen a PC-based DVR w/ dual tuners. I suppose it's
possible, but it's certainly not mainstream.

> buffer.... record 2 shows and playback 1 at
> the same time...? Are they compatible with DirecTV in the sense they can record
> the digital stream?

No, Directv's digital stream is wholly proprietary, they wouldn't allow
anyone to release a device that could record natively that wasn't owned
or licensed from them.

> Or are they more like stand alone TIVOs?

Certainly closer to SA Tivos, though they lack many of the niceties such
as wishlists, season passes, etc. They are nowhere near as polished.
On the flipside, it's obviously much easier to move and burn shows with
them, due to their more open architecture. At least until the MPAA
forces them to buckle under with DRM like everyone else.

Randy S.

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 15:38:25 -0400, "Randy S."
<rswitt@nospam.com> wrote:

>
>I've never heard nor seen a PC-based DVR w/ dual tuners. I suppose it's
>possible, but it's certainly not mainstream.

Actually most PC-Based DVRs support dual tuners. Windows Media
Center Edition was the late comer, adding support in the 2005
version. It can support two analog tuners and one off the air HD
tuner.

Others like Beyond TV, Sage TV, and the linux stuff like Myth TV
have all supported multiple tuner cards for a while.

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 19:18:45 GMT, "DanR" <dhr22@sorrynospm.com>
wrote:

>OT somewhat but has anyone read up on the DVR capabilities of "Media Centers"
>from computers makers such as Sony and HP?

Most, if not all, of the offerings from HP and Sony run Windows
XP Media Center Edition. Probably all are on the 2005 version by
now. You can probably find some detailed product specifications
on their sites or at Microsoft's site.

>Do they have TV program guides? (what service?)

Yup. Windows MCE gets its program guide info from zap2it.com.
But you don't even need to know that. It just downloads it all
automatically after you enter your zip code and pick your
provider and setup, much like the guided setup of TiVo. And
there is no fee for program guide info.

>Do they do TIVO-like DVR
>tricks... like use dual tuners... buffer....

Win MCE buffers live TV, supports dual tuners, lets you program
individual recordings or record a series - all the usual DVR
tricks. The one thing TiVo has that MCE doesn't is the wishlist
function.

>record 2 shows and playback 1 at
>the same time...?

If you have a dual tuner system and XP MCE 2005. Not all XP MCE
2005 systems come with dual tuners.

>Are they compatible with DirecTV in the sense they can record
>the digital stream? Or are they more like stand alone TIVOs?

Like someone else already mentioned, they do not record the
digital stream. If you have set top boxes you have to plug the
analog video outputs of the boxes into the video inputs on the
tuner cards, and use a serial cable or IR blaster to allow MCE to
change channels on the STBs.

Now that I've written several paragraphs that sound like a
product advertisement for MCE, let me list the big thing I have
against it. Reliability. In all the years I've had TiVo it has
only failed to record a show 3 times where I couldn't explain it
away for some reason beyond their control like a power outage or
a ball game delaying a show. The MCE systems I have are no where
near that reliable. I just don't trust them to record the
important can't miss shows. So basically I use them for a
backup to the TiVo and to resolve recording conflicts the TiVo
can't handle.

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

In article <1121438485.245789.47630@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
biter999@gmail.com wrote:

> Any word yet on when DirecTV is going to release their HMC? Last I
> heard it was supposed to be mid 2005, but that's come and gone. I've
> been holding off getting a DVR because I've been waiting for this one
> to come out.... Didn't want to have to use the slow IR channel changer
> on the Tivo w/my DirecTV service. Any information would be appreciated.

How about a DirecTv unit with TiVo built in?

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 18:43:37 -0400, "Randy S."
<rswitt@NOSPAM.com> wrote:

>Carl D. Smith wrote:
>> On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 15:38:25 -0400, "Randy S."
>> <rswitt@nospam.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I've never heard nor seen a PC-based DVR w/ dual tuners. I suppose it's
>>>possible, but it's certainly not mainstream.
>>
>>
>> Actually most PC-Based DVRs support dual tuners. Windows Media
>> Center Edition was the late comer, adding support in the 2005
>> version. It can support two analog tuners and one off the air HD
>> tuner.
>>
>> Others like Beyond TV, Sage TV, and the linux stuff like Myth TV
>> have all supported multiple tuner cards for a while.
>>
>
>Ok, thanks, I stand corrected. I presume that would require two tuner
>cards, correct? Are there any dual tuner single cards out there? I
>think I might have heard of one somewhere.

Yes, it would require two separate tuner cards, or one card with
dual tuners.

One thing to watch out for is that the dual tuner cards often
have only one set of video inputs. So if you want to hook each
card to a separate set top box, you end up having to connect one
STB with the RF output.