DirecTV R15 DVR - terrible! terrible! terrible!
Pros:
DVR technology is nice convenience.. when it works
Cons:
Too many problems; unreliable operation
The Bottom Line:
The DirecTV R15 DVR is the worst electronic equipment I've ever owned period.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Back in January 2006, I finally decided get my first ever DVR and as a DirecTV customer took advantage of the rebate offer to basically get a free R15 unit.
Now, I've never had a DVR before and not biased due to previous experience (i.e. TiVo). Overall, I really enjoy the benefits of having a DVR.. the ease to setup recording and then such nice playback control. However, my R15 DVR unit has had substantial problems. In fact, I'm currently on my second unit, sent to replace my initial unit that failed after only 2 months of use. The first unit started having glitches in operation a couple of weeks before it finally died, and tech support decided that it must have been a crashed hard drive. I had pretty good luck working with tech support and getting the replacement unit expedited to me for swap out with failed unit.
My replacement unit is still operational for now going on 6 months as of this writing, but it's still been an adventure of glitches and problems. For myself, having the DVR unit go out is an all-or-nothing situation because the unit is also my only DirecTV receiver unit. So whenver I have problems, it's not just an inconvenience to losing the DVR capability but a total loss of my DirecTV service.
Here's just a short list of problems I deal with on a regular basis:
- Unit has failed to record programs sometimes;
- Playback of a recorded program cues up at the final 2 mins and requires REV scan to get back to start of program;
- Unit intermittently stops responding to remote commands even though front panel indicator shows commands rec'd;
- Poor reaction to commands randomly, occasionally goes into run-away and requires total power disconnect to regain control;
- Video output (picture) will glitch and freeze randomly and intermittently;
- Sometimes extremely slow menu / command response
Needless to say, I'm very very unhappy with this unit and considering just boxing it up and returning it to DirecTV, even if there's some penalty fee incurred. In that case just also completely cancel my DirecTV service.
I've been a DirecTV customer for 8-9 years and this is the first time I've really been dissatisfied with the level of service, equipment and costs.
