Converts from DISH -- surprises you will discover
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That's true, but the OP appears to be a failry recent D* customer since he says he switched for all the HD. It you look at his list of surprises they are clearly things that were never advertised or documented as being a feature of the HR20 so they really aren't surpirses just bad assumptions on his part.
Actually, it's FOUR tuners (two OTA, two SAT), which is more than the 622, although you're correct - you can only use two at once.
Again, you should have known this already....
I think I did find a manual and also a post that mentioned recording 3 programs at once, including one OTA.
I would suggest you read my first post more carefully and try to re-interpret what I've posted. I am merely pointing out facts, not "whining"--again read the first post to see why and what my intent was.
I am really glad that I have had such an intense effect on your life and that I have such power to irritate you, when I don't even know you. I don't think I ever said I was "unhappy"--I choose not to be and I choose not to let others "irritate" me.
I merely switched providers and provide the observations I made--some were surprises and some weren't.
I will continue to add more if I find them!
You will also continue to be the only one here suprised by them.
I will continue to add more if I find them!
So, where did you hear this?
Also, if you hear anymore about dates for release, please post.
In all seriousness, this thread could have been useful. If the original post merely described differences in a factual way, it would have been helpful to new converts. Instead, it pointed out any possible perceived (i.e., the completely functional RF DIRECTV remotes) shortfall on DIRECTV's part and failed to list any improvements (of which there are many).
We all know it wasn't in meant as a comparison. This is the reason for the not-so-warm comments.
We all know it wasn't in meant as a comparison. This is the reason for the not-so-warm comments.
I have E*. I might get D*. I found this thread very informative. There are tons of potential gotchas, and to expect that everyone catch all of the durign a research period isnt realistic.
Many of bookwalk's observations will be taken very seriously by me if I decidedto take the D* plunge.
Thanks bookwalk!
Same here! I'm actually still debating whether to go back to E*, back to D*, or just get cable (ugh!). I really wish FiOS was available in my area!
It appears to me that D* has the edge on HD programming as well as overall variety of channels.
For one, I noticed that E* and cable (Comcast) do not offer PBS Kids Sprout, but D* does. While it may be a non-factor for many, moving from an area that did have the channel (Cox cable), my kids are hooked on the channel, and it is nice to have 24 hour childrens programming available - sure beats having to put in a DVD for them at night.
I am not happy with the initial start up costs for D* - $500 for 2 HD DVRs is a little bit much considering I don't own the equipment and still have to pay a monthly leasing charge!
I guess the lease charge is a push considering I was paying additional receiver and DVR charges with E*. Of course, E* gave me the equipment for free!
I swtiched to Direct because I wanted more HD channels and a lower monthly bill, but I knew there would be some trade-offs and here are the ones I have discovered so far. I knew about some of them in advance, but not about others.
1. To watch TV in another room, but have the receivers both in the first room, you will need to buy the R15 DVR so that you can use the remote through walls. Unlike the 622--only needed the one receiver to accomplish this and it had 2 remotes--one being RF.
2. You will have to buy the RF remote, as it does not come standard with the HR 20 or the R15, another unexpected $25.
3. In the HD DVR, you can't see 3 hours of the guide--you are stuck with 1 1/2 hrs only and no way to customize.
4. Since I have to have 2 DVR's, I can't watch on TV 2 what I recorded on TV1.
5. On TV 2, with the R15, I cannot see the HD only channels--they will only be viewable on the HR 20 in Room 1 with the HD Tv. With Dish I could watch the HD channels on TV 2, if only in SD.
6. I can't program the DVR's to autotune to a specific channel only or a reminder--I have to program them to Record and that's it.
7. I do not have all the customizable favorites that the 622 had--I only have 2--Custom 1 and Custom 2.
8. On the R15 standard DVR, the "Channels I subscribe to" does not work--I cannot see only the channels I subscribe to. I have to customize one of my 2 custom favorites list to do that.
9. The DISH 622 RF coax output not only gave me the signal for the Tuner 2 (SD), it also had the Tuner 1 signal that went to my other TV's in other parts of the house. The HR20 has NO RF Coax output--it cannot be fed to anywhere else in the house that is a significant distance using coax.
10. The external Hard Drive you had with your 622 that used a USB port cannot be used with the HR 20 HD DVR--its USB port is inactive.
11. Descriptions for programs do not include the first date that the episode played.
12. I find no Video on Demand that can be accessed directly by downloading from the Direct TV satellite. I was told I could access via the internet, which is impossible for my Satellite (Wild Blue) internet--only allows me 7500-12000 Mb/month.
13. If you are unfortunate enough to get a HR 21, you will NOT be able to integrate OTA locals so that they blend with your guide and are recordable. Imagine that! You'd better have your HD locals coming from Direct to do this. OR you must insist on the HR 20 BEFORE you install or don't accept the install unless they trade out for the HR 20 which does have an OTA input.
Well, this is just a start. Maybe other DISH ditchers can add others. Or maybe Direct veterans can give me work-arounds for the above points.
I will learn to live with this over the next 2 years, but, if DISH gets all the HD Direct has, survives the AT&T take-over, I will probably return in 2 years, but I wanted the HD worse than I wanted a top-notch interface, but I had a few surprises and maybe will have more, as I have only been with Direct for 24 hours. But I hope to spend more time watching HD than fooling with the equipment.
Good luck, Dish Ditchers, but hey--I love the Smithsonian HD, CNN HD and the native pass-through.
I'm another recent convert from E* to D*. That's a good list.
1&2. Note that the 622 and 722 show only SD on TV2. This is a liability in my book. I have two HDTVs and can't imagine ever buying an SD TV again. Whether I subscribe with E* or D*, I'm still gonna need two HD receivers/PVRs.
4. Being able to watch one recorded show is on two TVs is nice. Not so nice when the recorded show is HD and you are stuck with SD on TV2. It's a wash in my book.
6. There is no excuse for this. D* needs to fix this.
7. Agreed. 622/722 system is much better.
9. It's the SD world again. Alot of people are going to prefer two HD receivers/PVRs connected to two HDTVs.
10. That's really not a problem with D*
11. Yup. Great TV guide from E*.
13. I have an HR20-700 in one room and and HR20-100 in another. The former does OTA and I have an OTA antenna connected. I just might disconnect it since D* does a good job in my area with local channels.
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Where the E* and 622/722 fails.
I don't like the technology. Not only is TV2 SD, I had trouble getting the TV2 remote to work through walls. I had to build a high antenna in room one which looked a bit ugly.
You cannot use a universal controller for TV2. This is actually a pretty big problem that's hard to overlook when you have DVD player hooked up to the second TV. And a game console hooked up. I had remotes everywhere for the TV, the receiver, the DVD player and Xbox 360. Now I use a Harmony 880. It is greatness.
With regard to programming what is there to say here that hasn't been said over and over. When I was a subscriber to E* I used to return my Netflix DVDs every four or five days. Now I'm on the verge of cancelling because I've returned maybe two in three months. The HD content on D* trumps E* over and over. There is no time for Netflix.
E* has given up on MLB Extra Innings. E* will probably give up on the Big 10 network outside the Big 10 states this spring.
In the end, yes you give up some things when you make the switch. But they are rather insignificant in my book when looking at the big picture.
Just make sure you both read the ENTIRE thread (and others talking about the same topics) and don't just take bookwalk's statements as gospel. Many of them are skewed, and some of them are just plain wrong, as has already been pointed out.
I'm another recent convert from E* to D*. That's a good list.
1&2. Note that the 622 and 722 show only SD on TV2. This is a liability in my book. I have two HDTVs and can't imagine ever buying an SD TV again. Whether I subscribe with E* or D*, I'm still gonna need two HD receivers/PVRs.
4. Being able to watch one recorded show is on two TVs is nice. Not so nice when the recorded show is HD and you are stuck with SD on TV2. It's a wash in my book.
6. There is no excuse for this. D* needs to fix this.
7. Agreed. 622/722 system is much better.
9. It's the SD world again. Alot of people are going to prefer two HD receivers/PVRs connected to two HDTVs.
10. That's really not a problem with D*
11. Yup. Great TV guide from E*.
13. I have an HR20-700 in one room and and HR20-100 in another. The former does OTA and I have an OTA antenna connected. I just might disconnect it since D* does a good job in my area with local channels.
-----------------------
Where the E* and 622/722 fails.
I don't like the technology. Not only is TV2 SD, I had trouble getting the TV2 remote to work through walls. I had to build a high antenna in room one which looked a bit ugly.
You cannot use a universal controller for TV2. This is actually a pretty big problem that's hard to overlook when you have DVD player hooked up to the second TV. And a game console hooked up. I had remotes everywhere for the TV, the receiver, the DVD player and Xbox 360. Now I use a Harmony 880. It is greatness.
With regard to programming what is there to say here that hasn't been said over and over. When I was a subscriber to E* I used to return my Netflix DVDs every four or five days. Now I'm on the verge of cancelling because I've returned maybe two in three months. The HD content on D* trumps E* over and over. There is no time for Netflix.
E* has given up on MLB Extra Innings. E* will probably give up on the Big 10 network outside the Big 10 states this spring.
In the end, yes you give up some things when you make the switch. But they are rather insignificant in my book when looking at the big picture.
1&2. Im not sure how E can address this unless they come up with hd through a coax to a module like a cable card but there arent enough tv's with that tech and I see it going the way of the mini disc.
4. Pretty much the same as the above since its related.
The remote problem through walls is an easy fix with two two way splitters and a couple short jumpers and it relocates the antenna from the receiver right to the room the second tv is in but you have to know how to do it to get it to work.
When I hooked up the splitter it degraded the picture. Maybe I had a bad splitter or maybe I was a bit over my head. Because the antenna I was working with on TV2 I also wanted to use as an HD OTA antenna. That's why I tried a switchable splitter. I wanted to try an OTA antenna because the PQ of TV2 was not good. As mentioned, it is a SD connection. And it's a coaxial SD connection which is as low on the connection food chain as you can get.
I can't agree with you more!!! On top of it, subs whom are seriousily considering changing providers want to know major differences and not pet peeves. If you are gonna sit here and whine about the service, why did you switch in the first place?? It sounds like to me; such a person has their own agenda for something else, or maybe never even switched services in the first place.
I hope the subs considering switching do their homework before switching. Afterall, why wouldn't you? You are a user on this forum and don't research the product or service you gonna buy?? Doesn't make sense.
Otherwise, I have four (4) bridges on the island I am living on, for sale and will give the first caller a sweet deal on them
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