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DirecTV HD DVR (HD TiVo)

DirecTV HD DVR (HD TiVo)

John Falcone Senior Editorial Director, Shopping
John P. Falcone is the senior director of commerce content at CNET, where he coordinates coverage of the site's buying recommendations alongside the CNET Advice team (where he previously headed the consumer electronics reviews section). He's been a CNET editor since 2003.
Expertise Over 20 years experience in electronics and gadget reviews and analysis, and consumer shopping advice Credentials
  • Self-taught tinkerer, informal IT and gadget consultant to friends and family (with several self-built gaming PCs under his belt)
John Falcone
2 min read
The DirecTV HD DVR, a.k.a. the HD TiVo, improves upon the popular line of TiVo-powered DirecTV digital video recorders (DVRs) by adding the ability to record HDTV content. But the HD DVR's high-end features come at a premium: this über-TiVo will cost you $999--and that doesn't include the cost of the DirecTV programming and the monthly DVR fee.
Upside: The same winning features found in DirecTV's earlier satellite tuner/DVR combo boxes--the ability to pause and rewind live TV and to record every instance of a favorite show for later viewing, as well as the easy-to-use TiVo interface--are on board, and they're compatible with high-definition programs for the first time. That means, for instance, that HDTV owners who aren't home on Sunday nights can record The Sopranos in its high-definition wide-screen glory. And thanks to the HD DVR's four tuners--two satellite inputs plus two antenna connections--you can watch one HD program while recording another, whether they're originating from DirecTV's satellites or from a local, over-the-air broadcast.
Downside: Be prepared for sticker shock--this puppy's price tag is more than some entry-level HDTVs we've seen recently. And while the mammoth hard disk can hold an impressive 200 hours of standard TV programming, storage of fatter HD content is limited to just 30 hours. That's plenty of room for sitcoms and hour-long dramas, but it could get tight with a few movies thrown in.
Outlook: The HD TiVo is a natural for HDTV owners who already subscribe to DirecTV, and it may lure some new subscribers. We were impressed by our first glimpse of the box back in January, and we'll be seeing how it compares to Dish Network's excellent DVR 921 in a few weeks as part of a hands-on review. Check back soon.