# Direct TV HD DVR Receiver?



## brian711 (Nov 20, 2010)

I have just purchased a Samsung Plasma 3D ready TV. Next Wednesday, Direct TV is coming to my home to set up whole house DVR. I have read elsewhere on the net that the High Def HR 20 receiver that is being used in many homes does not support 3D. Supposedly you need a HR 21 or higher receiver to support 3D. When the technician calls to confirm the setup appointment, I am going to ask him what series HD-DVR receiver he will be bringing to setup. My question is, if he tells me it is an HR 20 series receiver, should I tell him I need a receiver that supports 3D (21 or higher series) and cancel the appointment until he can bring the correct receiver or do I allow him to setup the receiver that does not support 3D and take it up with a rep. from Direct TV on the phone. I've heard people having trouble with getting a 3D ready receiver sent to them (Same 20 series sent to their home several times). I live in a rural area so the technician is probably independent contractor. If I send him away without hooking up any service, I may end up going the whole Thanksgiving Holiday without any TV service. But I guess the benefit to that is that without being hooked up to Direct TV they will not be able to charge for a service thus not making any money and maybe a technician will come at a later date with an upgraded 3D ready receiver so that they will get my money. What would you do?


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

When the installer calls be sure to ask if he has the right receiver if not see how long it will take to get the right one if it's beyond your waiting period have him come install what he has (take it up with the comapany first) the installer will get more money from the company haveing to come back twice as i am sure he is a private contractor (most are) and he won't have a problem coming back to install the right one because no matter what he gets paid.:T


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## brian711 (Nov 20, 2010)

Thanks for the input!


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

When the installer arrives, check and make sure he has the correct DVR _BEFORE_ he starts working. If he doesn’t, send him packing and tell him you’ll wait for the right one.

I guarantee you, if you let them install the wrong DVR as a “get by for now” thing, it’s over and done with. You’ll never get the one you want later, or at the very least it’ll be a major hassle. The contractor will have his money from DirecTV at that point, so he doesn’t care. You’ll have a working system, so DirecTV won’t care. 

Voice of experience here. A good buddy of mine had his HD DVR go out, and when they came out for the service call they traded it out with one with half the storage capability (the old “It’s the only one I have on the truck” thing). Over a year and numerous phone calls later he’s still stuck with that thing.

Regards,
Wayne


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

It will definitely not be the HR-20 if you are getting the whole house dvr setup as I believe that didn't become available until after the HR-21 or possibly even the HR-22.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Probably true. I have a HR23, and AFAIK it doesn’t have any whole house capabilities.

Regards,
Wayne


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## brian711 (Nov 20, 2010)

I talked to the Direct TV rep. from Best Buy where I purchased the service and told him to contact the service contractor and tell him that it was an HR 24 or don't show up. He told me he would contact his manager that evening to make sure it was an HR 24 and he would call me the next day for an update. Well, two days later and I don't have that update call. He did say that if it was whole house HD DVR then it would be an HR 24. When the service contractor calls to confirm set up, I will ask if he has the HR 24 and if he doesn't then we will cancel til he can get one. Thanks for helping in this matter.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Best of luck - hope it all works out for you. :T

Regards,
Wayne


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## spartanstew (May 7, 2009)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> When the installer arrives, check and make sure he has the correct DVR _BEFORE_ he starts working. If he doesn’t, send him packing and tell him you’ll wait for the right one.
> 
> I guarantee you, if you let them install the wrong DVR as a “get by for now” thing, it’s over and done with. You’ll never get the one you want later, or at the very least it’ll be a major hassle. The contractor will have his money from DirecTV at that point, so he doesn’t care. You’ll have a working system, so DirecTV won’t care.
> 
> ...


Not quite true. If you have a 3D display and an HR20, when trying to watch a 3D program, there will be a message on the screen letting you know your receiver does not support 3D. If you call D* with that information (and the code supplied on the screen), they'll swap out the HR20 for a 3D capable receiver. I think your best bet is to take whatever they give you so that you can watch TV and get it swapped later.

D* cannot guarantee a particular receiver, because they are all viewed as the same in D*'s eyes. If you get a HR21, for example, it will work with 3D, so D* won't swap it out for an HR24 with a larger HD. Refusing installation, however, is not the best answer either. There's only so many times they'll keep trying to install (and having you refuse), before they just stop trying.

That's why your buddy was "stuck" with the DVR he received. If he would have needed 3D, however, it would be a different story.

That being said, the vast majority of new setups with MRV have been getting HR24's, so hopefully you won't have to worry about it.


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## brian711 (Nov 20, 2010)

I just got the call from the DTV technician and he said that he would be installing an HR 24 receiver which he said was the newest receiver DTV had. So it looks like everything is going to work out great. Thanks for all the input.:clap:


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## spartanstew (May 7, 2009)

Glad to hear Brian, and yes, that's the newest receiver (for now).


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