Switch Hughes
Why is it so hard to get a DVR without cable or satellite company being involved?
I have Directv-just switched from Commiecast and they suck equally. I've had both of their HDDVR's and I want to know WHY they HAVE TO BE involved-if I still had cable I could hand Moxi $800 but I don't And I WOULDN'T! I do have a Hughes NON-HD 40 hr DVR-HNS SD-DVR-40. Directv guy tried to make it work (I have newer 5 LNB slimline dish with 2 cables-and both lines work fine) but NO DICE. There must be some way I can hook this old DVR up and record without the Tivo BS-and why does Directv have to be involved? (I have a feeling it has to do with the second cable from dish) I've looked for a decent hack site-but I'm not a speakerhead-nor can I find anything that directly applies to me. I THINK this DVR I have is a series 2-which appears to be more hackable. Don't care about HD-just want to record inexpensively! Thanks
Unfortunately satellite systems, like digital cable, use a proprietary encryption program. This is mainly to prevent folks from doing what you're trying to do - use generic, or outdated hardware that isn't controlled by the provider to directly record their signal.
I'm guessing that's part of the problem there - the DVR you have is just too old to understand the signal coming off your dish.
The other part of the problem is this is a DirecTivo receiver. The relationship with DirecTV and Tivo ended some time ago (and quite badly.)
Customers who still had a DirecTivo receiver were grandfathered, but once they changed or dropped their service, their receiver was decommissioned - meaning neither Tivo nor DirecTV will recognize or support it.
Pity too. I would have gladly gone with DirecTV just to keep using a Tivo DVR. Neither the one in use by DirecTV now, nor the one from Dish can hold a candle to the functionality, simplicity and reliability of even my old first-generation Tivo unit.
Anyways, if you really can't get that DVR working with your system (and unfortunately, I don't think you will) you can still go and buy a totally stand-alone DVR, which is essentially just a VCR with a hard drive shoved inside. You'll need a standard satellite receiver, and then connect this DVR to that. The DVR will only be able to record whatever channel the receiver is set to at that time. Most receivers have a timer feature which let you change the channel, which used in conjunction with the DVR's scheduling feature allow you to mimic your good old VCR's functionality of being able to record a specific channel at a specific time. Unlike a normal subscriber DVR, you won't be able to set a recording based on the show's title (e.g. CSI). You'll have to know when your programs are on, and program the DVR and Receiver accordingly.
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