722 HD recording capabilities/options?

[haertig]

I'm looking to upgrade my 522 to a 722. I'm having trouble getting technical answers on the 722 - I've tried two different CSR's and one tech support. They answer, but I can't say their answers give me any confidence that they're correct.

(1)
How many HD programs can the 722 record AT THE SAME TIME? This question is only about HD recordings, not SD. Best case would be two on the two satellite tuners plus one on the OTA antenna tuner, for a total of three. Does the 722 do this, or something less? What combinations of inputs (sat/sat/OTA) can be used for these simultaneous HD recordings?

(2)
Can you obtain a 722, decline the $20 additional for HD package, pay the $5.99 for locals, and record those locals in HD (not SD)? If so, does that $6 monthly "enable fee" apply?

(3)
Can you get a 722, decline the $20 additional for HD package, decline the $5.99 for locals, and still record locals OTA in HD (not SD)? This sounds like a scenerio that if even possible, would surely trigger that $6 enable fee. Is that correct?

(4)
The 722 has some upconverting capabilities (I think, please correct me if I'm wrong). Does SD content on the 722 look better than SD content on the 522 when viewed on a 65" DLP 1080p display? Of course the 522 only offers s-video as it's best connection method, so that may be part of it. But for my 1080p display fed with Dish/522/s-video the results are ... yeuch! This same display when fed with DVD/480i/component is amazingly good. I was quite shocked at the good quality, considering it's only 480i, not even 480p, much less an upconverting player.

(5)
According to Dish (first line phone people), the best deal I can get is $99 to upgrade to a 722 (or $49 for a 622) plus a $39.99 fee to enable the usb port for external storage. Is any of this negotiable for existing customers? Are their other, better (cheaper) ways to upgrade?

(6)
How big is the internal drive on the 722? The 622? Are there other significant differences in these two models besides storage capacity?

(7)
Does HDMI work reliably from the 722/622? I've heard hearsay of "satellite company" problems with either HDMI software, or surface mount HDMI connectors that break. Is it Dish/722/622 that these problems are referring to?

(8) Does the 722 simultaneously output over HDMI and digital audio (either coax or toslink ... doesn't matter)? i.e., HDMI will be connected directly to a display while audio is handled by a separate receiver.

Thanks!

 

[n0qcu]

1. Yes, you can record 3 HD at the same time as all 3 tuners are HD.
2. Yes, If you don't get the $20 HD package the $6 HD enabling fee would apply
3. Same as above except without the locals you will not have any guide info for your OTA channels.
4. My opinion is the SD channels look pretty good using HDMI to my 65" 1080p DLP. S-video looks like crap.
5. Those are the best prices
6. 722 is 500 GB, 622 is less (don't know exact). The 722 has a newer (better?) chipset.
7. Dish fixed the surface mount problem.
8. ALL outputs are active at all times.

 

[haertig]

Wow! Thanks for the quick reply. Perfect answers too. Well, perfect would actually be if there was no such thing as that $6 enable fee and the $39-to-turn-on-usb fee, but I pretty much expected to be stuck with those.

I'll probably go for the $5.99 locals plus the $6 enable monthly charges, and the one-time usb turn-on fee. I'm already paying for locals (SD) currently, so I'm thinking my bill will just go up another $6 per month with the enable fee. Much better than a $20 per month increase to give me HD channels above and beyond my locals that I'd never watch anyway (maybe the ESPN ones, but that's about it, and only rarely).

Thanks again. You're much better informed that any of the Dish people I talked to.

 

[garys]

1. Yes, you can record 3 HD at the same time as all 3 tuners are HD.
8. ALL outputs are active at all times.

Just a clarifaction.
1. Two of the programs will have to be supplied by Dish, the third is by OTA.
8. If in single user mode and shared view is disabled, the rf output is disabled.

 

[haertig]

Thanks for the replies!

One more question (for now, maybe even more later!)

(9)
Is there any significant difference in using HDMI vs. component? I know the answer regarding picture quality will be "try both, and decide",which I will of course do. What I'm getting at is the DRM/HDCP restrictive stuff and the upconverting of SD. Has any of that DRM into play yet? Will the 722 upconvert SD to the component outputs, or just to HDMI? I'll have to check my TV on this too - it may natively upconvert SD/component better than the 722 (doubtful, because SD out of my current 522/s-video looks pretty bad on the TV now!)

Thanks

 

[adavis720]

I prefer the picture over component - HDMI looked a little washed out for me plus my TV has an HDMI shift issue.

YMMV.

 

[mike2154]

You might want to check and see if your account qualifies for the 6 month free HD programming offer and if so you would be crazy not to go that route if it is available to you. It should be if you are a first time HD customer and this is your initial upgrade to and HD receiver from a standard digital receiver. I would personally go with the 722 for the extra $50 as your accoung might also be eligible for the $50 rebate so you need to check and see exactly what your account qualifies for before you decide.

 

[haertig]

You might want to check and see if your account qualifies for the 6 month free HD programming offer...

I'll have to check. There is an 18 month commitment required. I'll commit to 18 months at $6 per month, but not necessary at $20 per month, even if the first six months are free.

I am not sure if the commitment is for getting the 722 for $99, of if it includes commitment for a programming package as well. If I'm free to cancel the HD (except for the locals) after the initial six free months without financial penalty I agree, it would be silly to not at least try it out. All's I really want is locals in HD. I couldn't care less if they offer things like "The Basket Weaving Network" in HD. Who actually watches that stuff anyway?!

 

[geekboy2000]

All's I really want is locals in HD. I couldn't care less if they offer things like "The Basket Weaving Network" in HD. Who actually watches that stuff anyway?!

Are you close enough to the locals to pull them via rabbit ears or a "picture frame" type antenna? I live about 15 miles (by air) from the source here (Philly burbs), and found that a set of Philips amplified rabbit ears (in the attic) provided all the local channels in HD.

Mark

 

[GNASH]

I'll have to check. There is an 18 month commitment required. I'll commit to 18 months at $6 per month, but not necessary at $20 per month, even if the first six months are free.

I am not sure if the commitment is for getting the 722 for $99, of if it includes commitment for a programming package as well. If I'm free to cancel the HD (except for the locals) after the initial six free months without financial penalty I agree, it would be silly to not at least try it out. All's I really want is locals in HD. I couldn't care less if they offer things like "The Basket Weaving Network" in HD. Who actually watches that stuff anyway?!

The 18 month committment is for some layer of Dish Network Programming, not necessarily HD Programming. We specifically asked about this when we upgraded. As long as you keep your ATxxx Programming, there will be no cancellation fee (may get a downgrade fee of $5 when you drop HD).

Geoff

 

[haertig]

Are you close enough to the locals to pull them via rabbit ears or a "picture frame" type antenna?

Yes, I can get locals OTA. But the thing is, I wouldn't want to watch any of those without a DVR. The commercials are just too out of control these days.

 

[haertig]

The 18 month committment is for some layer of Dish Network Programming, not necessarily HD Programming.

Thanks. That's good to know. I don't have any problem with that.

 

[jw6351]

722 recording 3 HD programs

I just got my 722 installed on wed. and would like to aks if I need to have it in single mode for it to record 3 HD programs at one time?

 

[Jim5506]

No. It can record 2 from satellite and 1 OTA simultaneously regardless of mode.

 

[KKlare]

It is harder to stop a tuner 2 recording when in dual mode and you are working with remote 1.
In single mode, just select the program from dvr+dvr+find program+info+stop_rec_button, IIRC.
In dual mode, I usually select that input and use remote 2 to stop it.
-Ken