DirecTV's HR22 HD DVR filtering out

by Darren Murph posted Sep 14th 2008 at 6:58PM

About a month ago, the DirecTV HR22 HD DVR popped online at Best Buy's website without any rhyme or reason. Four weeks later, we've realized it's not a mistake. The $199.99 unit is listed with capacity to hold up to 100 hours of HD programming (or 400 hours of SD footage), and word on the street puts a 500GB HDD in there. Additionally, our tipster has let us know that without any action on his part, an HR22 showed up unannounced when he had DirecTV installed just a few days ago. Anyone else managed to secure one of these? Any noteworthy differences from its predecessor?

[Thanks, Michael]

Filed under: DVRs, Set-top boxes, Satellite

Tags: directv, dvr, hd dvr, HdDvr, HR 22, HR22, on sale, OnSale

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Highly Ranked

tony @ Sep 14th 2008 7:29PM

Just a bigger hard-drive. Still support SWM and need B-Band converters, just like the HR21.

Rumor is we need to wait for the HR23 before B-Band is a thing of the past.

Neutral

JES @ Nov 23rd 2008 1:23AM

Wrong about the B-band convertors! Just got my HR22 today. Hooked up to a SWM8! Good job DTV! JES

Neutral

gr689 @ Sep 15th 2008 2:31AM

saw this in best buy weeks ago. thought everyone knew

Neutral

Kevin @ Sep 15th 2008 11:35AM

You and me both... I saw the HR-22 @ Costco 4 weeks ago. Check the thread on DBSTalk.com it's old news, come on engadget!

Highly Ranked

JD @ Sep 14th 2008 8:19PM

Who cares..sorry. I'm waiting for the new HD Tivo

Neutral

Nick @ Sep 14th 2008 10:43PM

You and me both brotha

Neutral

Boo Radley @ Sep 15th 2008 10:21AM

Based on the press release it sounds like it's a software update similar to what Comcast was trying to do. The press release calls it a "DirecTV HD-DVR with Tivo service" So it's possible we may all get it.

Neutral

kcmurphy88 @ Sep 14th 2008 8:57PM

B-Band is already a thing of the past if you have a single-wire multiswitch. I thought they were going to solve this with new SWM-enabled dishes, not new boxes.

Neutral

cypherstream @ Sep 14th 2008 11:22PM

So why can't cable companies demand DVR's from their providers with some half decent storage? 120 and 160GB on a DVR that does not allow expansion (Motorola) is AWFUL!

I'd have DirecTV in a heartbeat, but I cannot get a signal where I live. If I move, clairity to the southern side OR Fios availability will be a requirement. Comcast sucks.

Neutral

Donnie @ Sep 14th 2008 11:46PM

Just got my hr22 yesterday from the directv installer. I can confirm they are out there. It works great.

Neutral

GhostDoggy @ Sep 15th 2008 7:56AM

I am surprised that DirecTV doesn't make effort to produce and aggressively market current HD DVR owners for high-capacity units. They could make a limited run of some dual-TB units and have happy clam customers.

And I am not exactly sure why someone would strive to replace the current HR20/21 for a 22 when they could just go buy a 1TB drive for less than $200 and use it as the DVR's drive.

Neutral

Boo Radley @ Sep 15th 2008 10:26AM

How much stuff do people really need to store? I have entire seasons of primetime shows from my locals recorded in MPEG-2 HD and still have well over 50% left on the unit. Now that the MPEG-4 broadcasts have started running on the HDs over 100 the shows take up even less space.

Neutral

Gallo @ Sep 15th 2008 8:43AM

I have two (2) of these receivers which were installed in May of this year.

Neutral

Boo Radley @ Sep 15th 2008 10:23AM

Check the label, I bet it's an HR21, they look identical.

Neutral

Adam @ Sep 15th 2008 10:42AM

The HR22 does not have a built in tuner for those areas that do not have their locals on Directv but the HR20 did. It now costs an extra $50 for a Directv converter box that connects to the HR22. Nice "upgrade"

Neutral

Kevin @ Sep 15th 2008 11:32AM

The HR-21 required the AM21 as well, this isn't anything new to the HR-22... the ONLY difference between the HR-21 and the HR-22 is that the HR-22 has a bigger internal HDD.

Neutral

xzi @ Nov 19th 2008 1:48PM

The bigger hard drive is more likely to facilitate their HD VOD services rather than for storing more DVR content (although it does that too).

Neutral

edtombell @ Sep 19th 2008 10:12AM

HR22 is not the same as either the HR20-700 or the HR21. Fact: HR22 is physically smaller than either of it's predecessors (W 14.88" H 2.75" D 11.56" ) Fact: It has been significantly redesigned to run substantially COOLER. Case has no vents on top- only on the sides. I did not take actual measurements, but will say the the HR22 runs 15-20 degrees cooler than my previous HR20-700. I do not believe it has a fan. Fact: 500 Gig HD- same as HR21 Pro ($600 at Amazon) Fact: Best price on HR22: Costco $170. Fact: HR22 is LEASED UNIT ONLY.The purchase price is the cost to upgrade. D is phasing out customer owned boxes.Fact: HR22 uses a new Access Card. Fact: HR22 currently not available from D. If you got a BLACK box from D, it is assuredly an HR21. HR22's will not likely be available from D until they exhaust their stockpile of refurbed HR20-700's.

Neutral

Michael Ball @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:55PM

I "accidently" bought one at Best Buy (thought it was HR21) about a month ago. Once I got to check out I realized it was HR22 and purchased. Seems to work OK. Uses "Tivo like" recording features. Records series of a specific show, but will not try to guess preferrences by Genre or anything like that.

Dual tuner, but only single output and no multiroom support... WHY DIRECTV!!!!!

Will try use both tuners to record while watching a show but it does give you a heads up. New remote expands supported devices so now I can operate my HP set. They also removed RF remote support on this unit... WHY DIRECTV!!!!!

I still think Dish has better receivers with thier ViP series.

Neutral

scott @ Sep 25th 2008 12:58PM

There is a rf remote with this unit. Had to shut that option off to get my harmony 890 to work with it and set it back to ir.

Neutral

Phil J Leitch @ Oct 6th 2008 6:14PM

Just had an installer come replace a broken HR20 and until I read the story about todays problems didn't even realize there was a HR22. Checking my account it appears I have one. Miss my OTA tuners though.

Neutral

Mike Portland @ Oct 12th 2008 3:24AM

Be careful about purchasing the HR22 at BestBuy - went in last night (Portland OR store) and pointed out to the manager that he did, in fact, have HR22's sitting on his shelf (he had no idea, and the sign read HR21). However, upon closer examination of the demo, it was actually a HR21! Asked the mgr to open a box marked HR22, and lo and behold, the shiny black unit was actually a HR21 sealed in newly marked HR22 box!

Neutral

Dwayne @ Dec 3rd 2008 10:43PM

I work for DirecTV as a Installer (Colorado Springs, co) and I can vouch that the new HR-23's are out there, just in few supply at lest here in the springs, I have installed a few here in the last few weeks and I can say they are much easier to install than the older HR-20's or even the HR-22's. The fact that the HR-23 has built in "b-band converters" is nice...just one more thing that can't go faulty, and the capability to integrate the new SWM capable Dish LMB's is great, it makes the install much easier and less complicated on multi room installs, especially when the customer wants 4 HD-DVRs in their home or more! I just can't wait until the HR-23's are standard, and we move away from the HR-21's and 22's.

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