811 or 921?

[andyev]

Hey guys,
I'm getting a lot of information from this forum but I'm confused a bit on what I need. I currently have a Mits HDTV with an OTA HD tuner and no DVI. I also have the PVR from Dish. Now, I want whatever I need to view HD content from satellite and I still want to be able to record the locals (most is non HD content.)
Can the 921 record non HD content from the local channels? Is the PVR capability the only difference between the 811 and 921? If so, the huge price difference may be too much for the PVR functionality alone.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[KyDave]

The 921 can record DIGITAL OTA channels, regardless of whether that digital channel is transmitting HD or SD.

It cannot record ANALOG OTA channels. This would require an ENCODER which would make the 921 even more expensive.

 

[bradleys]

andyev,

You didn't say which DVR you currently have. If it's a 501 (or 508 or 510 I think) you DON'T have to pay the $5 per month DVR fee. The 921 DOES require the fee unless you get the Everything pack.

The 921 has two satellite tuners, and will record both at the same time (unless you're recording digitial off-air signals, in which case only one satellite will record). You can record any two, and watch a recorded copy of anything on the disk. So, you could get rid of your DVR and not pay the second receiver fee (811 + other DVR). That would also offset the $5 DVR fee for the 921.

So, the 921 has quite a bit of capability beyond the 811. Whether or not it's worth the price is, of course, up to the individual purchaser. Back when the 811 was $400, $1000 for the 921 was, relatively speaking, about right. You got second satellite tuner, and DVR capability. Now that the 811 is $150 (or $200 or whatever), there's more of a distance between the two.

I couldn't survive with out my 501 DVR because I can't sit still long enough to watch an entire 30 minute show. :shock: I need the 921 because it will allow me to also watch HDTV shows over several hours or days.

YMMV