I went and bought a new directv receiver today. It is a Directv DVR model R15. If any of you have this receiver I have a question for you. It has a USB port on the front and the back. What is this for? Can you hook up your computer and download the stuff that you have recorded to your computer? One more thing, the guy at bestbuy said that the DVR service was free. But, when I called to activate the receiver they said it is a $5/month charge. Oh well, I guess it will be worth it.

 

Each additional receiver costs $5 a month. It doesn't matter if it's a DVR, or not.

Sorry, I don't know what the USB ports are for.

Don't you hate it when you buy something and it doesn't come with an instruction manual.

I know I do.

 

According to the manual....
Can be found here...
http://www.directv.com/learn/pdf/Sys...IRECTV_R15.pdf


Page 6
DIRECTV Plus Receiver Front Panel
1. DOOR PANEL, USB PORT – For future use.

Page 7
DIRECTV Plus Receiver Rear Panel
3) USB PORT – For future use.

So I'm guess they don't have the software or licenses to support or use USB yet.

 

The USB ports have power, but are not "enabled"... so, they can't be used for anything.

For more information, I highly recommend the R15/DVR forums at:
www.dbsforums.com
www.dbstalk.com

 

Hmmm ....with word enabled in " " somethig tells me they can be used somehow!

I don't have this reciver I still have the old reciver that came with my dish 500 system umpteen seventy years ago.
We have been talking about geting one we could run to two TV's and watch two stations plus have DVR.
I am saving this thread to look at those links later when I have time to look at "enabled".

 

I used the quotes because the R15 just hasn't been out long enough to be hacked... yet.

I have an older series 2 DirecTivo. These can be hacked to enable a ton of things DirecTV never meant to be used.

 

Do you by chance have any place to find some things that might could be enabled on a DP301?
I did some searches in those forums that you provided, but didn't turn up anything. Since I'm thinking of replacing it any way, I dont care to "experiment" with it. If it crashes... no big deal, it would just justify a purchase.

 

From what I've read, the Dish equipment has not been hacked. Talk is that the new DirecTV equipment may not be hackable either. Only time will tell.

 

http://www.ptvupgrade.com/ <---enables the USB port (i.e. networking) on DirecTV Tivo units...

 

(Added emphasis to "Tivo" in Webmaster's post)

Make sure you have a Tivo-based DVR before trying any hacks. The new R15 from DirecTV is NOT a Tivo-based unit.

 

I have the Brighthouse cable DVR. It has USB and Firewire ports on it. They are "for future use" also.

I was reading that the DVR I have is capable of communicating with other Digital recievers and transmitting the recorded shows to those recievers through the firewire ports. It's just not a technology the Brighthouse is set up for yet I guess. Not to mention you'd have to run the cables all over the house.

 

So should I be looking at TiVo based receivers then?
I do like the idea of putting it on my WLan and being able to schedule, search, etc from http: sure would beat trying to type with the remote if I could just edit using a browser.