Tutor
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13 Messages
Whole Home Equipment Upgrade Path
I was recommented to upgrade the main box (H34) because of issues. Now, if I upgrade, to what extent must I upgrade other parts of the whole home system?
To be clear, this is the list of existing whole home equipment componets: One H34, two H24, one power inserter (120VAC to 21 VDC), one bridge (coax to Ethernet), 1x4 adpader (one coax to four coax), and roof dish. Some of the equipment is co-located in my home's structured (LAN) wiring center.
Additionally, can I self install the upgraded quipment or does the DirecTV service technician do the work?
shannon02
ACE - Expert
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21.2K Messages
1 year ago
You only need to replace the HR34, if you call DTV and tell them it is dead they will send you an HR54 if they still have any left in stock for $20 shipping for self install. If not then you will have to upgrade to the HS17 mini client only system that will be tech installed and starts a new 2yr contract. The HR54 can power the SWM LNB on the dish arm by connecting the coax from it to the red power pass through port on the SWM splitter if you want to remove the power inserter.
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TexasBrit
ACE - Expert
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14.1K Messages
1 year ago
don't get the HS17. You would have to replace the two H24s as well because theywon't work with the HS17. You need to replace the HR34 with the Hr54, I've not see any evidence there are no HR54. Just be persistent.
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Juniper
ACE - Expert
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23.1K Messages
1 year ago
@twmcmi
The HR34 is the 1st generation Genie. Because of later updates it couldn't keep up with, it is known for overheating and system slowness. Just depends on your setup if an upgrade or warranty replacement (which nets a later model) would be the better way to go.
The only TV boxes you have are the HR34 and two H24s? Than you have two reasonable options.
1. Warranty replace the HR34. Get HR44 or HR54 depending on stock. This is $19.95 delivery that you swap yourself.
2. Upgrade to the Genie-2 (HS17). This is 7 tuners (same total you have now) and has a 2TB hard drive (compared to 1TB of the HR34). It is a Client-only setup which means all 3 boxes get replaced with Clients and the Genie-2 sits by itself not on a TV as it is a Headless Server. Comes with a 24 month service agreement and tech install is expected. Those 7 tuners are shared between the 3 TVs as Clients cannot work by themselves (important if you take a box in an RV or such). As Clients only use a single tuner each, you do lose the Picture in Picture (PiP) feature. And just like the HR34 TV, you replace Autotune with DVR.
Either option you go, recordings do not transfer from the HR34 so be comfortably caught up first. Also the HR34 is the last box to use an external CCK to connect to internet by WiFi so if you use that it will need to be removed as all later models have that built-in (which is not just 2.4GHz but supports 5Ghz as well).
I would only go with option 2 if you want to double your recording space and allow the other two TVs to record as well instead of just watching what one TV recorded.
Too bad DirecTV doesn't upgrade to regular HDDVRs anymore. Personally the best setup is HR44/HR54 and two HR24s. No hard tuner limit, each box can work by itself if needed, separate hard drives which helps with sorting (plus each supports using an external hard drive means even more space if needed). But even getting an HR24 through an authorized 3rd party and having DirecTV activate it is not as easy a process as it once was.
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