Baffled at DVR shortcomings

[Tom_M]

The OP raises some good points, although I have to agree that Verizon is hard at work on the DVR functionality, but may be distracted by adding some of the flashier(I'm talking to you Twitter), more marketable functions than the real nuts and bolts that make a great DVR.

Here are some additional points I'd like to make.  I was previously a Tivo Series 2 customer, then had a DirecTivo, and then a DirecTV HR71, so I've seen some of the good and bad that others are doing in the industry. Verizon's DVR isn't the worst (the HMDVR is very cool), but it could be so much better.

1. As was said, 20 hours of HD content is simply not enough. Doubling that is a step in the right direction, but more storage is necessary.  Consider that DirecTV's newest base HD-DVRs holds ~100 hours of HD content.  
2. The ability to expand storage using an aftermarket harddrive (via eSATA or USB port) is necessary, especially when using the DVR as an HMDVR. 
3. Need to be able to modify end times on a program already being recorded. This is HUGE. One can modify a program start or end time before it starts somewhat easily in the View Schedule menu, but one it starts, you're stuck.  You can record as a series to pad the end, but this doesn't help if it's something like College Football which has 15 other programs with the same name that day. 
4. Inside the Series Manager, you don't have the option to see the upcoming schedule for a series you're recording. You can do this in the Guide, but it can be difficult to find a show this way. 
5. One should be able to manage recordings (record, set series, delete, etc) on an HMDVR from the client STBs. One can do this online and from a cell phone, why not from another STB within the home? 
6. HMDVR should be able to share content with a 2nd DVR both ways, ie a second DVR in the home should be able to act as a client STB.
7. This isn't a DVR function, but would be good nonetheless: Would be useful to expand VOD fast forward options.  Currently one can only fast forward at a 2X rate, which is very, very slow.  
8. Option to change 30 second skip to 15 or 20 second skip (so useful for baseball between pitches). Or change to a 30-sec Slip, like DirecTV.

If I think of more I'll post them.

[stevelogan1028]

I was reading in another thread that a lot of this is on Motorola and their inability to develop new software in a timely manner.  I also read that in early 2010, VZ is dumping the Motorola and switching to the new Cisco/Scientific Atlantic DVR.

I wonder how difficult it'll be for those of us stuck with this Motorola unit to upgrade to the newer one when available?

I really like you 8 points about the DVR with my most demanded being extra storage and your #5 - why can't I delete something on my DVR from my remote STB?!?  We have to remember which episodes of shows we've watched to delete them the following moring.  Of course, this wouldn't be critical if this unit had a reasonable amount of storage, but since we're constantly in the 90% full range it's a HUGE issue!