Genie Gen 3 HR54-500 vs. Genie 2

Hello @gingie7, we're ready to help you choose the best device. Genie 2 (HS17) is the entertainment hub of the home and shares content seamlessly with active clients. Recordings are lost when a customer swaps a Genie/HD DVR for the Genie 2. Since the Genie 2 doesn't attach to a TV, when swapping a Genie or HD DVR for the Genie 2, please order a Wireless Genie Mini to replace the Genie or HD DVR. The HS17 has built-in Wi-Fi, power inserter, and WVB. The HS17 can support up to 8 RVU clients simultaneously, 2 of which can be 4K streams. Store over 450 hours of HD content. Store up to 125 hours of 4K programming. This makes it a perfect upgrade from the HR54 you're using now. We can help you with the upgrade, check your PM to continue Luis, DIRECTV Community Specialist

The HR54 gets the 4K channels but you need a C61K/C71WK mini to watch them.

@gingie7 

The Genie-2 is the newest 'receiver' but is more restrictive.

HR54 has 5 tuners and a 1TB hard drive.

Supports 4K Clients (C61K), only one may use a 4K channel at a time.

Has Picture in Picture (PiP)

Supports external eSATA hard drives (unless revised HR54R1 that removed port)

Works with other receivers (H21 thru H25) and HDDVRs (HR20 thru HR24, and R22)

HS17 is a Headless Server tower that does not go on a TV itself.

Supports 4K Clients, can have two at the same time on a 4K channel.

Has 7 tuners and 2TB hard drive.

Only supports Clients which means tuners and hard drive space are hard capped.

(Very first run had eSATA port, but now no more)

No PiP since Clients only use a single tuner each.

In my opinion a Genie and HDDVRs is the most capable setup. The Genie-2 shines if you are fine with the limited tuners and recording space, but want a 2nd TV using a 4K channel at the same time.

Though if you stream 99% of the time, why do you have satellite TV in the first place?

With all it's warts, I prefer the Genie 2 and Gemini combination. The integration of Android TV and the up-to-date-ness really help.

Also it avoids having to switch between the TV or other device for the streaming apps, which makes the remote control situation much nicer, I have a single remote that controls the TV, apps, receiver, blu ray, VCR (!!), etc.

It also can record more simultaneously.

It's also where all the new development is going, i.e. my opinion is that bugs will be fixed more often than older products.

Greg

I respect the Gemini bridging the gap. But the Genie-2 forbidding receivers is why I still say no to it most cases. My household has needed the 9 tuners because too many overlapping shows. The separate hard drives means we can keep shows sorted a bit better. Plus one box going down doesn't mean every single TV is out (as Clients cannot work without main box).

DirecTV needs to innovate a newer generation of HDDVRs that can work together instead of a Client only setup. Fair enough if only newer models could work with the Genie-2, but a complete forbidding of other receivers is a heavy handed approach.

Agreed, I only "need" 2 "receivers", and normally never more than 4 simultaneous recordings. It's just me, wife, and cat (he watches NASCAR)..

I internally stream/distribute the Mini to the secondary rooms in the house, and output the Gemini to the main viewing room and patio.

By sending channel 3 over the old coax infratructure, and streaming the mini's hdmi over my home network, I cover all the bases, several remotes "reach" the Mini which is in my garage (where  satellite feed and the "home" of the existing cable plant are).

If you need 9 tuners I for sure agree, and also, with more than 3 or so clients, it would make me nervous about the single point of failure in a Genie 2, plus running out of storage (removing the esata was not nice)

Greg

I see that the eSATA meant they could save money by not going too large on the internal, while giving us customers the flexibility of our chosen external if we really needed it. Plus not all eggs in one basket when you had more than one box with a hard drive. Never was happy with the all-in-one setup.

Gemini supporting apps is a nice addition to the Client genre, but I do hope they come back out with full HDDVRs (tuners plus recording space). Still waiting to see what the equipment direction will be for the new co-owner.

I think the Android TV, and more expensive clients will be the future.

You and I think alike on reliability, but I have a complete backup for TV, Internet, TV apps, etc. Basically i have (at least) 2 of everything, even AC generators.

Also, I guess you could not have 2 Genie 2's, because of the WVB issues, although theoretically you should be able to... but then would there be issues with 2 Genie 2's both connected by coax to the lnb? Should not be technically impossible.... just speculating...

Has anyone ever tried?

Greg

DTV only allows 1 Genie on the account.  They tried adding another with their beta testers and found to many problems so only 1 allowed.

Yeah, I get the "party line", but asking more of a technical question, not what DTV allows.

More along the lines that maybe in the future they would allow several Genie 2-Mini or Genie 2-Gemini "pairs" in a household.

(remember when I first came on this forum you guys gave me a hard time about not doing things in a supported manner, let's stick to theoretical and interesting conversations)

***WARNING*** greg is asking a theoretical question, do not try  this at home !!!!

;-)

You could not have two Genie-2s, or any other main Genie, because they work as a server. In testing they tired two Genies, but could not avoid server/client conflicts so have been only one main box since.

You can have multiple external WVBs along with the built-in one of the HS17. Wouldn't want to oversaturate the wireless spectrum so depends on your home on how many and where they are placed.

Don't want to argue, but there is probably a way, useing WBVs and keeping them separate, you can change their names and passwords I believe, so you would have separate wireless networks between the "two" systems.... but it was just speculation, and might not work, but TECHNOLOGICALLY it could be allowed EASILY if DTV wanted to support it.

I thought I gave enough caveats about "just speculating" but I guess not.

Greg

You can't change the password because there is no way to access it. I'm not sure if there is even one as the WVB and minis connect without entering anything.

If multiple main ones could be figured out that would be great. Would solve my dilemma about client only systems.

However, DirecTV has not looked into overcoming the conflict hurdle (as far as we know publicly). And so far, nothing has been mentioned about newer dedicated HDDVRs either.

So we are at a standstill for now.

@shannon:by the way, a simple search will reveal the password on a wvb... no more arguing, perhaps some research?

@juniper, my speculation is that larger or more "storage hungry" implementations could be done, and while using 2 boxes instead of a single DVR, with some simple software changes no reason why you could not have multiple Genie 2, and thus the overall aggregate storage space.

The WVB's have standard IP addresses, use standard 80MHz WiFi 5GHz channels and also have regular SSID's

Mine is on channel 64 at the moment

No physical reason you could not have multiple WVB wireless networks, mine is at address 169.254.7.211

Greg