How stable is the 522? Compared to 501/921, etc.

[kluken]

OK I had a 501 for a few years. I found it to be rock solid. I have been through two 921s and as I have seen mentioned before, it truly is the most unrelaiable piece of electronics I have ever owned. So I give up. HD is not for me until MPEG 4 is out. I can't see dropping $1k on DirecTV for less than a year. So I have become addicted to the dual tuner setup, so my question is how stable is the 522? Are many people having issues? I have maybe unplughed my 501 twice in 4 years, yet the 921 gets rebooted at least once a week if not more and has locked up casuing me to loose some recordings that never happened. Where does the 522 compare to this?
Thanks!

 

[reddice]

I am wondering too. I will be most likely switching back to Dish in March or sooner and I am wonderign if I should just go for a 510 or a 522.

 

[kluken]

I am wondering too. I will be most likely switching back to Dish in March or sooner and I am wonderign if I should just go for a 510 or a 522.

Back to Dish from what? Directv? Why? I am looking to jump to Driectv I think as Dish customer service is worse that Directv was years ago. I think any dual tuner DVR from dish is prone to have issues, I think they are under-powered. Look at the posts for 522 dropping audio, my 921 does that all the time! Of course when it is working. It goes back Monday for refund. I'm looking at their 0$ 510 offer right now and lease it for $5 a month.

 

[reddice]

I can't wait to dump DirecTV. We don't like the way DirecTV organizes things and I hate the Tivo. Plus we were getting more channels with Dish and with DirecTV we are getting less.

Anyway I know the 510 is stable so I am wondering if it is better than the 522. I can give up the duel tuning if it means a better reciever.

 

[griz_fan]

I have both a 510 and a 522. The 522 is less stable, but also tries to do a lot more (dual tuner, NBR, etc...). IMHO, the extra flexibility of the 522 outweighs the stability issues.

 

[earth station]

I swap out more 522s than 510s on trouble/service calls. I tell customers that swapping out the box does no good cause the new one will do the same thing, but i do it anyway to appease them. I've swapped out one customers box at least 5-6 times. His 510s are so far flawless, and one of them is in his motorhome where it is freezing and it still works. Myself I'm on my 3rd 522 since August. What a piece of sh*t. A/V drop outs, timers won't fire, lost recordings. I don't see how the features of the 522 out weigh the 510 if they don't work. Why should we pay a VOD fee if the DVR is useless. Anytime I have to make a recording for someone I use a VCR on Live tv in order to get a flawless recording. I would like to know how often TiVo units have problems as I haven't seen much posting regarding Tivo.

 

[dishrich]

I would like to know how often TiVo units have problems as I haven't seen much posting regarding Tivo.

I think you just answered your own question...

 

[andrews777]

I had to swap out one of my 2 522s when I got them off EBay around Thanksgiving, but I haven't had anything I would consider unit-specific since then (thankfully). Sure, the software has problems, but compared to my travails with the 501s (which I got right when it first came out), this is nothing. I like the additional space, and I think it is worth it considering. I could probably have been ok with a 510, but the extra channel of recording does help many times.

I would like to see them fix the hardware/software issues, especially the sound sync ones, but I am happy overall. And I only paid less than $100 after selling my 2 501s, and I have 2 more controllers now.

Brad

 

[KKop]

I would like to know how often TiVo units have problems as I haven't seen much posting regarding Tivo.

I bought two of the first Tivo series 1 recorders (three or four years ago I think). Still have them, never missed a recording, work flawlessly. Only problem was a modem fried by lightning on one of them.

I was considering dumping the Tivo's for 522's, since they have name-based recording. But after reading threads like this, I'm not so sure. Only advantage would be the dual tuner and slightly lower monthly charges ($20 for two Tivos, $10 for two 522's (I can't run both TV's on one 522)).

I think I'll stay with Tivo until Dish works out the bugs (if ever).

 

[dishrich]

Only advantage would be the dual tuner and slightly lower monthly charges ($20 for two Tivos, $10 for two 522's (I can't run both TV's on one 522)).

I'm not sure how you came up with these amounts???

First of all, are you talking about a "standalone" Tivo or the D-Tivo integrated unit? Assuming you are talking about the D-Tivo, the only extra charges you would have would be as follows:
$5 - D-Tivo service for ALL DVR's on your account
$5 - additional receiver charge for the 2nd D-Tivo unit

If you go to two 522 units:

$5 - DVR fee on the first 522
$10 - DVR fee on the 2nd 522, as well as the additional receiver charge for a 2nd receiver

So, since it would actually cost you $5 MORE per month, tell me how you would save ANY money by switching to two 522's???

Now, if you REALLY meant that you have standalone Tivo's, aren't you really paying $13 per box? I understand that they do offer a "family plan" where your 2nd - 5th Tivo's are reduced to $7, which is maybe where you are coming up with the $20 month you claim to be paying now.
Can you clarify this please.

 

[MRUSS]

I say, bring back the 721.

 

[GregH]

I switched from cable to E* with a 522 last September. Since then I've seen some a couple of reboots and some occasional audio to video sync misalignment. But, IMO the 522 is as stable as my cable box was, and the PQ is much better

 

[KKop]

I'm not sure how you came up with these amounts???

First of all, are you talking about a "standalone" Tivo or the D-Tivo integrated unit?
...

If you go to two 522 units:

$5 - DVR fee on the first 522
$10 - DVR fee on the 2nd 522, as well as the additional receiver charge for a 2nd receiver

Well, this is a DISH DVR forum, so yes my Tivo's are standalones, since DTivo's don't like DISH very much

And yes, the charge for two Tivo's is just under $20 ($12.95 and $6.95)

I didn't realize the second 522 would be $10, I do apologize

So, it's even closer than I expected: $20 versus $15. Now I'm really staying with Tivo...

Still, dual tuner would be cool.