DIRECTV officially introduced their Whole-Home DVR yesterday, and from the looks of things this is something you definitely are going to want.
While AT&T U-verse and Verizon FiOS have had total home DVR models for some time, the DIRECTV Whole Home DVR will be able to reach many more Americans. That’s due to the large, national presence DIRECTV satellite has, with 18 million subscribers and counting. Verizon and AT&T each have in the area of 2 million video subscribers each.
So why the big deal over the DIRECTV Whole-Home DVR model? Convenience has to come at the top of the list. Previously if you had a DIRECTV DVR, you had to watch your recorded content on the TV where the digital video recorder was connected. Not a big deal, but it will now be a lot easier to kick the kids off of the main television set if they can go watch the rest of their show somewhere else in the house. Dish Network has offer DuoDVR devices for some time, which allow one HD and one standard definition (SD) set to do this, but with the DIRECTV model you can watch any recorded program in HD throughout your home. The provision here of course is that the other sets are HDTV models.
Cost is another reason to strongly consider the DIRECTV Whole Home solution. With this setup, you pay $10 a month for DVR service, plus another $5 a month for each additional TV where you need a high definition receiver. With Verizon FiOS, you pay $19.95 a month for the Home Media DVR, plus another $9.99 for any HD sets you need connected. With U-verse, high end packages include DVR service on one set, but lower end packages require a $15 fee for the DVR. All AT&T packages have a $7 a month receiver charge for each additional set. Dish Network recently changed their pricing structure on equipment, and you now pay anywhere from $6 for regular receivers on up to an extra $14 for extra HD DVRs.
The latest DIRECTV DVR has all of the latest when it comes to control over your television. Standard features like pausing live TV, rewinding and fast forwarding, and scheduling are all there. The DIRECTV HR24 also comes up huge when it comes to capacity, with space for up to 100 hours of HD or 400 hours of SD content. You can also manage the DVR playlist and recording options from any room, not just the one room where the unit is placed.
The DIRECTV Whole Home DVR (HR24 model) is still subject to the terms and conditions that regulate the service. That means you really don’t own the DVR, it is considered a lease. New customers can get one for no charge with a 24 month service agreement. Existing customers may have to do a little negotiating with DIRECTV for the total home DVR system. Right now, the DIRECTV list price is $199 for the box, though you can purchase them from other sources, possibly at a lower price. If you are past your contract term with DIRECTV, you may be able to negotiate a deal on the new DVR, that is if you are willing to agree to a new 24 month term.
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Help..how can I get my DVR set so that I can watch what I want upstairs while my husband watches football in front of the TV with the DVR?