Whole Home acitivation with the flip of a switch and no installation visit?

If both DVRs are already connected to your home network then it may work as is, although how they are networked (hardwired, wireless, powerline) can affect how well WHDVR works. If they're not connected to your home network then WHDVR will not work but you'll be paying the $3/month WHDVR fee.

Using your own network in this way is possible, but not supported by DirecTV, The only officially supported method is to have the WHDVR upgrade installed. Typically, the upgrade costs $99 plus $49 for the installation, although long time customers may be able to get those fees reduced or waived. However, unless you upgrade a receiver (e.g., SD to HD or a regular receiver to a DVR) at the same time, the WHDVR upgrade does not extend your contract.

With that equipment, a "flip the switch" to a Directv supported Whole Home DVR system would be impossible. DVR's of that age would require auxiliary equipment be installed. As Sungam says, you could network the DVR's yourself with Cat5 Ethernet cable from each box to your router. Have you done that? If not, you're the victim of an uninformed CSR.  When you call back, don't forget to tell them you want the Cinema Connection Kit as well.  That will connect your system to your router/Internet.

Thanks.  As anticipated, it did not work.  I bought a wireless adapter for the HR 20 which did not already have one and tried to network them but could not get the adapter to cooperate.  Am now trying to get the installation ordered but the CSR is telling me a) I need at least one HD receiver (he says only having two HD DVR's will not allow him to place the order, both are HR-20's) and b) that the WHDVR requires a contract extension.  Both of these seem counter to what I have seen on these forums.  Another case of an uninformed CSR?

I just called to see about adding the whole house feature.  I have 1 HD DVR, 1 DVR, 1 regular receiver.  I was told I would have to update the older regular receiver at a cost of $99 and the cost for the whole home DVR install would be $199.00.  I'm not spending $300 in order to get this service.  I've been a DirectV customer since 1995. No price break for me on service or equipment.

As far as I know there's nothing that should keep you from getting/having WHDVR with just two HD DVRs, and if there are no receiver upgrades needed no contract extension. I would try another csr and escalate to someone higher up the food chain if necessary.

You need to slow down, you're wasting money.  A DVR networked with a wireless adapter will not work reliable in Whole Home use.  If you're going to network your DVR's yourself, you'll need to run Ethernet cable from each box to your router.

I'm betting you're the victim of asking too many questions, if that's possible.  The $99 to upgrade the old SD receiver is to bring it up to HD so possibly you requested that.  The cost of upgrading it to a newer SD box is $0.  The standard cost of a Whole Home DVR install is $148.

You can run Cat5 to each box for less than $20 total but it will take a bit of elbow grease.

WHDVR services require more then what you currently have. At lease 1 HD/DVR, which you have, and 1 HD receiver or a 2nd HD/DVR. You SD equipment cannot be considered compatible because they are not "Network Compatible recievers", unless the SD DVR is a R22 but then again it is still considered a SD DVR. So you are needing to upgrade at lease 1 of your recievers for a compatible reciever. The charge of the upgrade is only $99 with a installation cost of $49. The cost for the HD receiver could be negotiated depending on how firm you are with the CSR you are talking to.

I find the lack of support for existing customers frustrating. I have had the same system in place for years, only upgrading to add the internet connection.  Now we are getting a better TV for the other rooms and I would like WHDVR but it will cost me AT LEAST $300 in equipment and an installation call to upgrade.  If I were a new customer, I would receive the same package for free.  Even the cell phone companies give deals on new phones to extend your contract, why not DirectTV?  Do I have to cancel Direct and move to Dish?

Considering what it probably costs DirecTV for the average WHDVR upgrade, the $150 charge for the upgrade is a bargain as far as I can see. I'm sure many of them require more than $99 worth of equipment and try to get someone to make a home service call for under $49 these days... On the other hand, for a new installation  most of the equipment is WHDVR ready anyway, so there's little added cost above that of a normal installation. Existing customers often qualify for deals on upgraded or additional equipment too... a while back I added an HD receiver for free and I could currently get another one for half the normal $99.