Directv Genie whole home dvr

[bjkiller]

http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/29/d...me-dvr-review/

[panteragstk]

Not bad. Not bad at all. They're actually trying to make their equipment not suck so much.

[paulbeers]

If/when I decide to get cable again (currently going OTA/Netflix/HULU+ route), the whole house DVR from Directv is my choice.

[mkanet]

It looks like they are getting closer and closer to similar functionality as sageTV. I didn't see any information about extending DVR/media playback functionality over Internet client though; similar to how sageTV's Placeshifter works. I use my placeshifter client almost as much as my HD300 lately!

[MattHelm]

I didn't see anything about playback of local media. Did I miss it?

[SteveD]

I just installeg the directv whole home dvr system ( genie and 3 c31-700 clients).The directv eveywhere option takes care of placeshifter. You can watch any episode of a show on a channel you subscribe to from directv website. You can also download thoses shows to your dvr through VOD. I use unraid, plex, and roku boxes to play ripped movies. The dlna server on directv sucks and I could not play my ripped content.

[mkanet]

DirecTV anywhere just plays back some of the popular TV shows, movies, payperviews available similar to HBO GO, Huluplus, etc. Comcast, and Dish have similar services. They market it in a way that makes you think it's the same thing as being in your living room; but it really isnt.

Placeshifter is actually a real DVR with fully integrated media playback. In other words, you can watch any live TV channels such as normal local news, sports or just channel surf just like a real DVR. Its truly an "anywhere" experience (same exact experience you get at home; except with resolution and bandwidth appropriate for Internet streaming). In fact, it's so much like a real sageTV extender, it supports the same plugins as sageTV hardware extenders. Plus, it can be installed on any laptop or PC; even under different OSs. I have Placeshifter installed both on my tablet, work PC, and even in my car.

My brother can do the same thing has I can in SageTV using DirecTV; but ends up having to use at least 3 different unlike software to do something similar (slingbox, airplay, XMBC, DirecTV receivers, etc); with a stack of unlike STBs in each room. Definitely a step backwards for people who already take full advantage of SageTV.

[rwc]

do the 'extenders" work over coax or ethernet? (Or both?)

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by rwc

do the 'extenders" work over coax or ethernet? (Or both?)

Coax only.

[zoso]

After chasing fires caused by Comcast making changes for the last month and a half I have decided to go to Direct TV and just use Genie.

Really like Sage and have been using it for ~10 years. There have been a few times some work has been required to get it working properly, and that is okay. But to have to be tweaking every day just to have it kind of working for what I need has put it at it time to move one.

Will keep Sage running for what is already recorded and movies, but for PVR will be using Genie. Really wish something came out of Google in time for it to be useful to me.

[mkanet]

I'm curious, what is comcast doing differently now? I haven't notice anything unusual other than changing one ot two local tv channel mappings around once every couple of years. I just hit rescan to update. At this point I haven't seen anything from directv yet (nor any othet service provider) that can provide an all-in-one system like sagetv; it may not be an issue for people who doint use sagetv's full capabilities with some irreplacable plugins. I think that's why there are still so many people here hanging on to their elaborate sagetv setups hoping for a suitable replacment. I hear there is something on the way from Sony that may change things..

[PLUCKYHD]

why sagetv is great it is no longer a "all in one". It doesn't do any online streaming with out hacks like playon and the quality is terrible at best with those solutions. Vud,Netflix and Amazon instant are used daily in my house in one shape or form. This was my main reason for leaving sagetv. That and I couldn't get HDPVR to work reliable. IMHO the closest tv solution is DishNewtork's hopper. Add sling to the mix and it gets really interesting.

[mkanet]

I wouldn't call Dish Hopper an all-in-one solution either. While it has great support for Internet streaming services, there's no real all-in-one functionality offered outside the home. AFAIK, Dishnetwork only offers limited media playback through DNLA; unlike SageTV's XMBC-like experience (thanks to Gemstone) and real Bluray disc/ISO/directory rip support on any client. My family (including me) does watch netflix; but only on our mobile devices.

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

why sagetv is great it is no longer a "all in one". It doesn't do any online streaming with out hacks like playon and the quality is terrible at best with those solutions. Vud,Netflix and Amazon instant are used daily in my house in one shape or form. This was my main reason for leaving sagetv. That and I couldn't get HDPVR to work reliable. IMHO the closest tv solution is DishNewtork's hopper. Add sling to the mix and it gets really interesting.

[wbarber69]

I have sage setup with an extender on each tv. Xbox and Onlive and main DTV DVR centralized to a 4x4 matrix switcher to each tv for VOD and services like Netflix Hulu HBOGo and gaming. Harmony remotes and ir extenders bring my whole home setup to every room in the house. Sagetv for those that understand how it works, and wholehome dvr for the in-laws when they visit. Until something else comes out that can interface with my sagetv extenders I'm not changing anything. The playon Plugin helps with using hulu or other services for saving a local copy of shows that might have been missed. But the xbox takes care of all my online video streaming needs, with better quality. And with this setup I can allow other guests to record whatever they want on the dtv dvr and they can stay far away from my sagetv settings.

I've been thinking of moving to MP for my main Server/Client. just for the built-in Bluray support, but I'm staying with sagetv until I cant anymore, they release new version/hardware, or I die.

[simonen]

Originally Posted by SteveD

I just installeg the directv whole home dvr system ( genie and 3 c31-700 clients).The directv eveywhere option takes care of placeshifter. You can watch any episode of a show on a channel you subscribe to from directv website. You can also download thoses shows to your dvr through VOD. I use unraid, plex, and roku boxes to play ripped movies. The dlna server on directv sucks and I could not play my ripped content.

I just took the plunge on this same setup. DirecTV gets installed tomorrow. I am using the AppleTVs for local media playback from iTunes Home Share.

Signed up for $52/month (3 room home DVR system), goes up to $67/month the following year. Less than basic cable here.

First Impressions:
After using it for a few hours, the main DVR is quite nice. It has an ethernet port on the back to pull in online content, which it can record (according to the installer). I do find the clients to be a bit lethargic. Both the DVR and clients have an RF mode for the remote controls; the installer told me not to use it for the clients because they have a tendency to crash and become a brick (need to get replaced). The picture quality is great, it is definitely an improvement over our old cable HD.

The apple TVs are working well. I do need to find a way to groups movies/old TV shows into folders though. Not sure if it is possible or not.

[Mitch G]

Can someone elaborate on how the main genie device and clients are networked?
And what the installer had to do to get things setup so the devices could talk to each other?
I assumed the clients used Ethernet. But coax was mentioned above.

I actually have Directv scheduled for installation but now I'm worried that the installation will be a hack job and/or will remove my ability to use my OTA antenna and/or my Ethernet over coax setup I have in some rooms.

Thanks


Mitch