best Direct TV HD receiver

Ditto Drrdiamond, Tivo is life changing!!!

The best DirecTV receiver I have ever bought (been through at least 10 in my satellite TV life time including 3 HD models) is the current Hughes HR10-250. It’s a HD DirecTV receiver with HD TIVO. Best price is from ebay. What is even better about this unit is that you can easily add a 2nd hard drive for virtually unlimited TIVO storage. Check out: http://www.weakknees.com/ .

thank you for the time taken to contribute to my couch potatoeness

:^)

Phil

keep em coming!

Billbench,

Do you have to use the Tivo service with the Hughes HR10-250 or can you go through Direct TV? If Tivo, how much do you pay?

have you purchased from weakknees? I have not heard of them... probably no big deal....

thanks THsalmon I will not buy the Direct TV model.

Too bad about Sony. I have a 9 year old Sony SAT-A1 that I bought new. It has an optical digital out, very rare for the time, but it doesnt do Dolby Digital. But it really has great sound quality, which is why I bought it. I really do want to upgrade to a Tivo unit, but have not been floored by the available options out there. Plus HD is in my future. Arrrgggghhhh.
John

Phil, If you have a high enough monthly plan with Directv, the Tivo service is free. However, you technically do not have to ever "use" tivo. But I guarantee that you will. At minimum, you will have it record your favorite few shows. But the other great thing is being able to pause and rewind live TV.

BTW, I also have the Sony HD-200 (1 model before the 300), which is an excellent unit and was almost $800 when new 4 years ago. It has faster menus and a much better channel layout guide than the HR10-250, but no TIVO or DVR service. If money is a concern and you really dont want TVIO, I am sure you could find one of these off ebay for cheap.

I did buy a 2nd hard drive from weekknees. They are a very reliable company and the kits they sell are 100% perfect. They also on their site talk about the DirecTV branded DVR service and discuss the pros and cons. Right now, DirecTV TIVO is the way to go but in the next 2 years, DirecTV will stop selling TIVO and only offer their inhouse DVR Service.