HD on all 4 televisions

[tdillon]

I had sent my post to customer support at the same time that I posted here. I got an email answer this morning that I should contact them via phone, because they can replace my two current DVR's with up to four 612 DVRs, which should solve my problem. I guess I need to find out what this is gonna cost me.

 

[STL]

WHy would anyone avoid the 722k? I have one and they are wonderful. I can record 4 shows at one time;2 sat /2 ota. I replaced my two 722 receivers with one 722k...

Unless you actually record four things at once (2 ota and 2 sat) on a regular basis, then it sounds like you could have gotten by with a single 722 too -- unless your locals aren't available via sat (then I can see the advantage for you of the 722k over a 722).

 

[Ozma]

As far as I know only DISH tries to drive two TV's with a single DVR. No current DISH DVR can drive two HDTV's which makes this two TV thing utterly worthless for HDTV users. I stand by my earlier post, two TV's off a single DVR is one of the dumbest things that I have ever seen. The DISH DVR's are NOT media servers.

As far as chest pounding, all that I wrote was the result of experiences over the last 6 months. Conflicting stories from customer service, bungled orders, more phone time than I care to think about, DVR's that require external cooling because of incompetent design, etc. etc. I had some DISH personnel tell me that it was impossible to have 4 722's. I wound up explaining to them that all that was needed was the DPP44 switch to make this possible, this conversation with them was just plain wrong.

I didn't switch to Direct because the BBB shows thousands of complaints against them and rates them as "C" (Comcast and DISH are rated "B").

I've come to regard both satellite providers (and the cable companies) as sleazy buffoons. Their support is crap, their technology is pathetic.

I look forward (maybe in the next 3 - 10 years) to 100 megabit+ Internet being widely available. At that point the whole structure of television will change and the current big 3 (DISH, Direct and Comcast) will cease to exist. They will join history along with the DuMont network. Can't wait.

Wow, talk about chest pounding (on your first post, no less). And your assessment of DVR for two TV's is bewildering at best.

 

[broadcasttheworld]

I disagree! Having the ability to record and watch the show anywhere is priceless! If Dish would come out with a 2 HD output DVR or even 3 I would be first or at least near the first in line...

 

[KAB]

I have 4 HDTV's. I have 4 722's. It was HELL getting them from DISH. I wound up buying two and leasing two more.

That's just plain overkill (and over spending) You could have leased two 612's (maybe more). Why have four duo TV receivers if you are not going to use them as such (and since you don't believe in them)?

 

[rich88]

As far as I know only DISH tries to drive two TV's with a single DVR. No current DISH DVR can drive two HDTV's which makes this two TV thing utterly worthless for HDTV users. I stand by my earlier post, two TV's off a single DVR is one of the dumbest things that I have ever seen. The DISH DVR's are NOT media servers.

As far as chest pounding, all that I wrote was the result of experiences over the last 6 months. Conflicting stories from customer service, bungled orders, more phone time than I care to think about, DVR's that require external cooling because of incompetent design, etc. etc. I had some DISH personnel tell me that it was impossible to have 4 722's. I wound up explaining to them that all that was needed was the DPP44 switch to make this possible, this conversation with them was just plain wrong.

I didn't switch to Direct because the BBB shows thousands of complaints against them and rates them as "C" (Comcast and DISH are rated "B").

I've come to regard both satellite providers (and the cable companies) as sleazy buffoons. Their support is crap, their technology is pathetic.

I look forward (maybe in the next 3 - 10 years) to 100 megabit+ Internet being widely available. At that point the whole structure of television will change and the current big 3 (DISH, Direct and Comcast) will cease to exist. They will join history along with the DuMont network. Can't wait.

Okay, I've read enough of your ranting to correctly judge you as an a$$hole.

 

[Ozma]

Flame on??

I'm curious, are you happy with these providers? Do you have positive experience with their "service"? Do you find their boxes to be anywhere close to a quality product?

I'm in a startup in Santa Clara. We design DVR's. The Internet replacing these guys is a very serious subject with a lot of money behind it. Working on design of DVR's illustrates just how lousy the current product offerings are compared to what they could be.

You say I'm "ranting". All I can say in response is that what I went through to get service for my 4 HDTV's bordered on something out of Kafka. Dish DVR's DO have a heat and power consumption problem (look for a thread on heating at this very forum, www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-technical-discussions/59186-average-622-722-temperature-thread-yours-hot.html
). The BBB DOES list DirectTV as having thousands of complaints and lawsuits against it (look it up).

Why should such a simple thing (getting signal to 4 HDTV's) be so hard? One or two phone calls should have handled this, it took over 20. Maybe I am ranting, but it's all real. I didn't make any of this stuff up. As a consumer these guys piss me off. I want to see more competition for distribution of content and make these customer hostile, mini-monopolies sweat.

Why does this upset you?

Do you work for DISH or something?

I can rest easy now. I've been judged.

Okay, I've read enough of your ranting to correctly judge you as an a$$hole.

 

[Ozma]

Three reasons for the 722's....

1) They seemed to have the best reviews and best reliability of the DISH devices (I spent months researching this, got some failure info from the San Jose and Santa Barbara DISH installers, 722's had the least returns).

2) The hard disk is larger than the 612.

3) I like PIP. Use it all the time. Not available on the 612.

As far as overspending I didn't think the delta between 612 and 722 prices was that big a deal given the 722 advantages.

That's just plain overkill (and over spending) You could have leased two 612's (maybe more). Why have four duo TV receivers if you are not going to use them as such (and since you don't believe in them)?

 

[KAB]

I hope you are not putting any money into this "start Up". So Delta that. You are a cocky little one!

 

[TheKrell]

I'm in a startup in Santa Clara. We design DVR's.

That's very interesting. Where do you stand on the Tivo lawsuit with Dish? Does your startup spend Big Bucks ahead of time (seems unlikely) making absoutely certain you don't accidentally duplicate Tivo IP? What will you do when Tivo or ReplayTV slap you with a lawsuit for daring to build your own DVR?

Is my bias showing?

Edit: OK, getting back on topic, what do you see as the reason Dish Duo receivers don't have HD outputs on both sides? We've heard rumors (above?) that somebody thinks there are DRM issues. But if there are DRM issues on TV2, there are the same issues on the HD outputs of TV1, so that rumor makes no sense.

 

[Rey]

Three reasons for the 722's....

1) They seemed to have the best reviews and best reliability of the DISH devices (I spent months researching this, got some failure info from the San Jose and Santa Barbara DISH installers, 722's had the least returns).

2) The hard disk is larger than the 612.

3) I like PIP. Use it all the time. Not available on the 612.

As far as overspending I didn't think the delta between 612 and 722 prices was that big a deal given the 722 advantages.

hey ozma i find your posts very interesting but your avatar is freaking me out my man! what is it anyway?

 

[MikeD-C05]

Unless you actually record four things at once (2 ota and 2 sat) on a regular basis, then it sounds like you could have gotten by with a single 722 too -- unless your locals aren't available via sat (then I can see the advantage for you of the 722k over a 722).

Did you read my post? It details why I like having one 722k vs two 722 dvrs for me and wife. Saves me the extra 5.98 dvr fee and the extra 7.00 additional receiver fee. Beside having the ability to record up to 4 things at one time is great because it gives you more options. Why would anyone object to more options?

 

[Rey]

That's just plain overkill (and over spending) You could have leased two 612's (maybe more). Why have four duo TV receivers if you are not going to use them as such (and since you don't believe in them)?

i just want to know what i have to do to get all that stuff . working hard just isn't enough anymore

 

[Ozma]

I'm on thin ice here. I'm posting as an individual, not a company rep.

We do have attorneys that are all over TIVO. Our product is different.

I have no idea why the Duo receivers don't have two HD outputs. No one was aware of any DRM issue. However, there was an opinion offered by one of the hardware guys that power and heat issues in that form factor and price point might be a problem with two HDMI outputs. As you probably know the 722 already runs pretty hot (one wonders about the 922).

On the subject of DRM we have heard rumblings about the lack of choice and bundling. That is, for example, the only way to record HDTV with DISH is to have a DISH DVR. The consumer has no alternative. A Democrat dominated FCC is not looking at this as a desirable thing. I don't know where this is as a priority but we believe it is on their list.

Getting back to TIVO I don't know the story with UVerse and FIOS. Does anyone know details on this?

That's very interesting. Where do you stand on the Tivo lawsuit with Dish? Does your startup spend Big Bucks ahead of time (seems unlikely) making absoutely certain you don't accidentally duplicate Tivo IP? What will you do when Tivo or ReplayTV slap you with a lawsuit for daring to build your own DVR?

Is my bias showing?

Edit: OK, getting back on topic, what do you see as the reason Dish Duo receivers don't have HD outputs on both sides? We've heard rumors (above?) that somebody thinks there are DRM issues. But if there are DRM issues on TV2, there are the same issues on the HD outputs of TV1, so that rumor makes no sense.

 

[Ozma]

The Predator.

hey ozma i find your posts very interesting but your avatar is freaking me out my man! what is it anyway?

 

[Rey]

we shouldn't turn this into another tivo thread. we will definitely get another thread closed.

 

[Rey]

The Predator.

ahhh.. there we go

 

[Ozma]

I don't know if you noticed but I'm posting from Santa Clara. Home of NVidia, AMD, TIVO, Apple, Intel, Yahoo, Oracle, SUN, etc.

The startup is backed by more than one Menlo Park VC. I wish I could put more money in than I have, but the preferred share price is out of my league.

Investment is no guarantee of success. I don't know if the initial market will be Europe or the US.

I hope you are not putting any money into this "start Up". So Delta that. You are a cocky little one!

 

[Ozma]

I wanted a good shot of a Kzin (Larry Niven books if you're not familiar with Kzinti) but this guy was the closest thing I could easily find.

ahhh.. there we go

 

[Rey]

I wanted a good shot of a Kzin (Larry Niven books if you're not familiar with Kzinti) but this guy was the closest thing I could easily find.

you mean like this guy?