DirecTV Digital Video Recorder with TiVo Reviewed by: Jerry Del Colliano November 2004 Introduction In a recent poll conducted as a part of an Audio Video Revolution sweepstakes, a question was asked to the nearly 20,000 respondents as to what AV product they are planning on buying next within the next six months. We asked a very similar question in 2003: for a resounding majority, the answer was an HDTV set. In 2004, the most likely purchase was an HD-DVR (or TiVo). This new AV component category led all others, including HD sets themselves, with 28 percent of our readers saying this would be their next purchase. To say HD-DVR is a scorching hot new category of gear is to understate its importance. To not mention how bad and overpriced the category of HDTV tuners have been since the early adopters started dialing into HDTV would be to forget an important piece of recent AV history. Up until now, nearly every HDTV receiver has been practically pathetic in terms of ease of operation and ability to tune terrestrial stations, and this doesn't even start to discuss the lack of ability to record HD programming. The DirecTV HR10-250 is a $1,000 DVR (digital video recorder) that receives and records both terrestrial and satellite signals - specifically HDTV - and records it using the fantastic TiVo interface. It is not a standard size in terms of width, but it fits nicely into a double-sized opening in most racks. It can take multiple satellite inputs via coax connections, allowing the user to record more than one program at a time or to watch a program while recording another one. It is essential to have your satellite installer give you two satellite feeds and the 3 LMB DirecTV dish needed to perform such a feat. I had lived without the feature until I got a DirecTV HR10-250 and I discovered I had really been missing out. The DirecTV HR10-250 has room to connect your terrestrial antenna, which most people use for off-air HDTV broadcasts. DirecTV has some local HDTV programming, but not as much as what comes over the air. Less than one month ago, the satellite provider announced plans to launch a number of new satellites, which will allow it the bandwidth to start broadcasting local HDTV signals into major markets across the country in the next few years. For now, you still really need an antenna to go along with your satellite. Delivery of local HDTV channels is one of the advantages of many local cable systems. However, with a strong terrestrial antenna and a properly working dish, you should be able to get all of your channels in HD barring any radical topographical problems in your area, like mountains or tall trees in the way of your antennae. The DirecTV HR10-250 has all of the video outputs you will want, including HDMI. HDMI is the latest approved encrypted digital video format that can also theoretically hold audio. If you have one of the latest HDTV sets, you may have an HDMI connection, which is the best way for you to connect your DirecTV HR10-250. I recommend Ultralink's HDMI cable for a somewhat affordable connection via HDMI. The DirecTV HR10-250 also has component video output, which is also no slouch, especially when using Transparent cables for your connection. Since my digital projector is one of the first, it doesn't have an HDMI or DVI input (you can supposedly convert HDMI to DVI with an adapter if you only have DVI for an input). I ran my DirecTV HR10-250 component out to my Meridian 861 preamp, then to my Faroudja video processor and then to my D-ILA projector. You can see how much simpler connecting one HDMI cable to your rear projection HDTV set would be. ... http://revolutionhometheater.com/equip/hdtivo/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways: - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at FreeLists.org - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.