It’s been a long time since you had a choice of DIRECTV receiver for commercial use. A decade ago, you could choose the more compatible H24 or the smaller, more efficient H25. It’s been several years since the H24 was removed as an option, though. It’s been all H25 all the time until recently. After a drought of — believe it or not — 11 years, DIRECTV has finally released a new receiver for commercial use. It’s the H44 Commercial Receiver, and you may be thinking of getting one now from Solid Signal.
But wait — the venerable H25 is still around too, also available at Solid Signal. I’m sure this has you thinking, which should you choose? I’m here to make it easy for you with this quick guide.
H25 Commercial Receiver
PROS:
- Smallest size
- Uses the least power
- Compatible with RV and Marine installs
CONS:
- You’re definitely getting a refurb
- Some of the ones coming out are a little beat up
- Older user interface
The H25 Commercial receiver has been around so long that if it were a car it would be considered a beater. Last made in 2011, it’s been the workhorse of the commercial DIRECTV customer base ever since. Chances are that if you have DIRECTV in your bar, restaurant, hotel or whatever, you have an H25.
This thing is a total workhorse. It just works and works and works and never gives anyone any trouble. That is, until it doesn’t. Of the millions that have been made, some are bound to be showing signs of old age by now, and that’s troubling for some people. Luckily, if you activate through Solid Signal, we know how to deal with this situation better than anyone.
The H25 is your only option if you have a single satellite dish like a round dish, King dome, Intellian i3, or KVH TV3. It’s a must-use in that situation. It’s also SWM-only, meaning that if you have a really old install you might be up for some upgrades. But, that’s true of both the H25 and H44.
H44 Commercial Receiver
PROS:
- Will either be new or freshly refurbed
- New user interface
- Clean, modern look
CONS:
- Uses more power
- UI doesn’t look like H25, a problem if you already have H25
The H44 is the new kid in town. It is based on the H44 Genie Lite, a receiver offered by DIRECTV in 2015. This was a receiver that turned into a full Genie DVR if you added an external hard drive. A great idea, but it never really caught the market’s eye. As a result there were a lot on the shelf either unused or lightly used.
New H44s are being made now as well, which means it’s possible you’ll get one that’s never been used before. That puts it ahead of the H25 in general reliability. However, it’s larger, uses more power, and requires professional installation to set it into commercial mode.
Which one’s for you?
Here’s the simple breakdown.
- If you already have H25s and are keeping them, Get another H25.
- If you are putting in a new installation in a bar, restaurant, or other commercial space, Get an H44.
- If appearances are important to you, Get an H44.
Really that’s what it boils down to. If you have more questions, we can help! We’re here for you during East Coast business hours at 888-233-7563. If it’s after business hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you within a business day.
