811 or DVR-921

[HDTV Rookie]

Hi all
I happen to stumble onto this site while looking for info on the 921 receiver, and I must say that I feel like a kid who just got a new toy. I just finished moving into my new home and got my new HT setup, I have been waiting for the 921 to come out in order to enjoy my new Mitsubishi TV, but it just keeps getting pushed back. I spoke with my local retailer and he can get me an 811 installed tomorrow. My Mitsu has a built in HDTV tuner so I get my locals OTA with a boom antenna in my attic. What would I be missing if I held out for the 921, or should I just go ahead and get the 811 and forget the 921

Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated for this newbie

Thx all

 

[rad]

Hi all
I happen to stumble onto this site while looking for info on the 921 receiver, and I must say that I feel like a kid who just got a new toy. I just finished moving into my new home and got my new HT setup, I have been waiting for the 921 to come out in order to enjoy my new Mitsubishi TV, but it just keeps getting pushed back. I spoke with my local retailer and he can get me an 811 installed tomorrow. My Mitsu has a built in HDTV tuner so I get my locals OTA with a boom antenna in my attic. What would I be missing if I held out for the 921, or should I just go ahead and get the 811 and forget the 921

Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated for this newbie

Thx all

Unless you want the PVR function of the 921, or the extended program guide, I'd say go with the 811. It will probably be less 'buggy' then the 921 and a hell of a lot cheaper if you can live without the recording function. The 811 will also have both the HD and SD outputs active at the same time, the 921 is one or the other but not both.

If the 921 get's pushed back anymore I might just get the 811 since I'm really tired of my 6K's program guide.

 

[ROLLTIDE]

Well with the 921 you can record HD programing with the 811 you can not. It's best to wait for the 921

 

[dmodemd]

I came to the conclusion that there is just not a whole lot of HD content I am going to be DVRing anyway, at least not until content continues to increase, by then there should be a next generation of HD DVRs.

When I first got HD, I say I was watching maybe 30% HD content, but now I have eased back to about 5% once the novelty wore off.

 

[HDTV Rookie]

Thx so far for the advice.

As I have been reading, someone posted a question that might be a solution for me.

I guess I can buy the 811 and keep my 508 on the same TV.
My Mitsu has 3 s-video inputs (1 for my 508, 1 for my Direct Tv, and 1 for my camcorder or PS), I also have 2 component video inputs. 1 for my DVD player and I guess I can hook up the 811 on the available one.

There are a few down sides, I can not record any HDTV programing with this setup and I hear that the 811 does not have firewire and it is not upgradeable

Also can anyone tell me if I will be able to record OTA HDTV programming on the 921. I see myself recording shows like Alias, or any of the the Law and Order shows and CSI

 

[angiodan]

The 921 will record OTA Digital/HDTV broadcasts, but not analog.

 

[ROLLTIDE]

Also can anyone tell me if I will be able to record OTA HDTV programming on the 921. I see myself recording shows like Alias, or any of the the Law and Order shows and CSI

Yes you can !

 

[rad]

The 921 has three 'tuners' in it, two for DBS signals, either SD or HD and one for over the air. You'll be able to record over the air digital signals, either SD or HD but you won't be able to record analog OTA since there's no encoder in the 921. You'll also be able to record HD or SD DBS stations at the same time as the OTA recording. You might want to check out the 921 and 811 spec sheets that are in the download section of this site.

Also, unless you have the Americas Everything Package you'll be paying Dish a monthly $5 PVR fee for the 921 (if you have AEP it's waived) in addition to the standard additional receiver fee.

 

[BarryO]

I came to the conclusion that there is just not a whole lot of HD content I am going to be DVRing anyway, at least not until content continues to increase, by then there should be a next generation of HD DVRs.

Those of us on the west coast have more of a need for the 921, since HBO-HD and Showtime-HD only have the east coast feeds available on Dish. Watching The Sopranos in HD is great, but it's a problem at 6 pm when the kids are still up.

 

[HDTV Rookie]

Thx all for the info

My local retailer has informed me that he can get me a 921 installed by next Tuesday.

But now I have to wonder if I should wait til after the holidays. My biggest fears are that Dish will create some kind of deal for existing customers to drop the price of the unit. I would hate to pay $999 to only have it drop to $799 or so for exisitng customers after the holidays.

Anyone have any ideas of any possible deals after the holidays

 

[TheForce]

It's hard to say. Lot's of people are saying they want the 921 but surveys/polls on the AVS forum indicate otherwise. The perceived popularity of the 811 was far less, especially at the original price of ??? Yes, who knows what that was because it changed often but I believe I can safely say that at $399 it was not at all popular. Now at $149, the lowest price stated so far it is selling but by how much? Probably not enough. It may go even lower as a loss leader product if sales don't pick up.
Never forget that with E* it is about subscriptions, not turning big profits on hardware. Never forget that. Tie in a $100 discount on a receiver and make that back in 2 months if that discount is tied to an AEP package. After that the annual contract will turn a profit. The alternative-- Maybe lose the customer to DirecTV or sell for the $100 profit receiver and only sell the lower sub package. It's all about subscriptions, not hardware cost.

But that does not mean they will give away the product unless it isn't selling.

To date, the only deal I know of for the 921 is no DVR charge if you do AEP. Not such a real deal is it?

Let's say Dish ships 200 921's tomorrow and by next Friday, half are not sold because too many are waiting for user feedback on the rumored buggy operation. It is quite likely that Dish could offer a deal such as AEP + HDTV package for one year and the 921 price will be $799. But I doubt they will do anything if when those first 200 get shipped and in 3 days the stores are clammoring for another shipment because all were delivered to consumers with heavy continued backorders and waiting lists. There would be no reason to offer a deal of a product in back order status.

So, if you want to trigger a Dish Network deal on the 921, don't buy it en masse when you get that call from your preorder dealer to come pick it up and pay up. Tell them you are going to wait for a better deal like the 811 and they can release yours to the next person on the list.
Once all those 921's are approaching the floor plan's due date, the price will be reconsidered to turn the inventory into cash. Afterall it's just TV and it's just business. Finally, it's just about subscription sales, not hardware profits.

 

[HDTV Rookie]

THx Don

I just spoke to Dish and was told that the offer for me on the 811 would be $199. I was thinking about taking that deal and using my 508 with it. I am trying to get more info on the 811 from this site on the first installs and all of the bugs. I also need to get info on my OTA antenna. I need to know if I would just leave it plugged to my TV or would I plug it into the 811. I would assume that the 811 has an ANT input and output coaxial connection If so, plug it into the 811 and then from the 811 into the tv. If so, I would like to know if it makes the picture better this way or does it lose something with the extra coaxial connection

 

[rad]

THx Don

I just spoke to Dish and was told that the offer for me on the 811 would be $199. I was thinking about taking that deal and using my 508 with it. I am trying to get more info on the 811 from this site on the first installs and all of the bugs. I also need to get info on my OTA antenna. I need to know if I would just leave it plugged to my TV or would I plug it into the 811. I would assume that the 811 has an ANT input and output coaxial connection If so, plug it into the 811 and then from the 811 into the tv. If so, I would like to know if it makes the picture better this way or does it lose something with the extra coaxial connection

Your over the air antenna would connect to the 811 and you use it for the tuner. If you have an HD monitor you would be connecting to that via component or DVI connetion, not coax, composit or s-video. You would then be able to watch any over the air HD programming in HD. Even SD material transmitted via a digital OTA station will look much better then analog NTSC.

 

[TheForce]

This is very basic stuff but, no you cannot use the antenna connectio "coax" to send HDTV from your 811 to the HDTV monitor. There are three ways to connect HDTV signals, The 811 may not have the older RGBHV but should have the "Component" Y, Pr, Pb connection. If your HDTV monitor has it you may also connect with the newest DVI digital connection. The olderr coax on channel 3 only works for old fashion NTSC analog TV.

 

[jsanders]

That sounds good to me. Everyone cancell your pre-orders to bring down the 921 price.

It is a win, win situation. You guys get your lower price, and I get moved up on the pre-order list and might have a flying chance at getting one next week!



-Jeff Sanders

 

[HDTV Rookie]

Thx again Don

I do understand that I can hook via component or DVI, guess I was just unsure if I would just leave my OTA antenna hooked up to my tv for my local HD channels or would I pick up my HD locals with the 811.

I have a Mitsubishi 55613, so it has the built in HD tuner. Also has Firewire, but I guess the 811 does not have

 

[TheForce]

Your firewire is best suited for the Mits DVHS recorder. In your case, it is probably best to connect your antenna to the TV but you should try it both ways to see which is more convenient. I don't think you'll see much differencee in quality either way.

Now if you ha the 921 then definitl4y connect to the 921 as it will offer timme shift recording from your OTA channels.

Have fun!