721 Vs. 522 Which would you do?

[LER]

Ok, I got one reply with this question buried in a different thread. Let's try this here...

If you didn't have to worry about PVR/VOD fees (I'm an AEP sub), and wanted a dual-tuner [PD]VR, which would you do?

721 ($515 at our favorite (just opened store)
522 ($UNKNOWN/Release Date Unknown).

I'm debating finding the $515, but....

I'm looking for input for this.

Thanks!
LER

 

[Sean Mota]

LER,

I have owned the 721 since the beginning and have found it to performed ok. You probably know about all the different complaints about reboots and software bugs. I use my 721 all the time. 50 timers per week and most of the time I only have 15-20 hours left on the HD. Right now, I am trying to clean house since the MLB playoffs start tomorrow and I won't be home for the Yankees/Twin or Giant/Marlins game. If I had to give a grade to the 721 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the max, I will give it an 8. It is a good receiver but it has problems that will hopefully be solved in future releases.

Now on the 522. We only know what Scott reported and the specifications that Dish has released. The intriguing factor is the feature of watching two TVs at the same time with different channels. This is an excellent feature. In my case, I already have 6 receivers on my account and E* will not let me put anymore (their policy). With the 522, it is my hope to upgrade 3 of my receivers because of this added feature. It will give me sort of 9 receivers without paying extra fee. Right now it is not clear how this unit will perform. Only time will tell. By the way, the 721 will not get replaced.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

While I would love for you to buy from us, that is a decission you would have to make.

The 721 is a great unit, and dispite what someone is posting someplace else the 721 while soon to be discontinued will have a long software upgrade life.

The 522 on the other hand is a NICE receiver, its operation is on par with the 721 however the interface is what makes the 522 great. It is nice because you can make the 522 act like a 721 (with PIP and 2 tuner recording) our you can make it like its own receiver for another room.

So the choice is yours to make, I would hold out for the tech chat and hopefully we will see a short demo of the 522.

Rest assured when the 522 is available we will have it available for purchase.

I would wait for two week before I made up my mind and again check out the tech chat.

 

[LER]

Scott,
Any word on pricing for the 522?

If not, what's your gut tell you?
Will it be less than the store ($515) price on the 721?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The fact that the basic guts of the unit are the same as a 721, but with the agile stereo modulator being the big difference I would expect the 522 to be just a hair higher then the 721 unless Echostar substadizes the 522 a bunch.

 

[Stargazer]

I would say with them being made in bulk and the drop in hard drive prices and so forth that they should make the 522 no more than what the 721 is but we have to just wait and see.

I would say when these new receivers start coming out (311, 322, 522, 921) that there will be a lot of people here that will more likely buy the new products that will come out from this site's satellite store.