First let me exclaim… I love TIVO!!! I have been a DirecTV customer for over 10 years and for much of that time I have also owned at least one of the DirecTV TIVO DVR units. Today I have three HR10-250, and one 117 hour (very similar looking) Hughes standard definition TIVO active on subscription.

Therefore, it is my totally biased opinion that the TIVO software interface and the smooth (forward, reverse, pause, resume, etc) operation simply blows away all of the competition that I have seen in any of my many opportunities to observe DVR equipment that my friends and relatives have. This exposure includes those from several cable companies, and the satellite based units from Dish and DirecTV’s new units.

Now… What about the HR10-250? I think it is the very best NOT High Definition Direct TV receiver. If you are looking for a High Definition DirecTV DVR receiver… DO NOT BUY the HR10-250!!! The HR10-250 is not compatible with the current DirecTV broadcast format. So you will not receive DirecTV High Definition programming from the satellite using it.

However, if you do not care about High Definition DirecTV reception… the HR10-250 is the Rolls Royce of DirecTV standard definition TIVO units, AND it provides you with a very competent Digital TV off the air tuner. The very best reason to buy an HR10-250 is because as a standard definition TIVO it stores over 250 hours of programming.

Sadly because DirecTV and TIVO are no longer best friends working together… when I finally decide that I want High Definition TV, I will probably buy a TIVO unit for HD cable (rather than a satellite DVR) Unless Dish or DirecTV once again embraces TIVO.