Need advise on purchase of DVR receiver for Christmas

[Netangel]

I need some good advice on which receiver I should purchase from you guys who know this satellite thing inside out.

I have 4 Receivers in my home. Two for my teenagers, one for my living room, one for my bedroom. 501 LR, 7200 BR, and 301's for my two teenagers. They are always watching my 501 in the LR so they can record and pause. I want to purchase a dual receiver for my LR. I have no HD TV. I would then put the 7200 and the 501 in my teens rooms. I will put one of the 301 in my BR.

Until I started reading these forums, I was going to go purchase a 721 for our Christmas. However, I keep reading about the 811 and the 921. I cannot afford the 921 at $999. I can barely afford the 721 at $529, but will do so to get the dual tuner in the LR.

What do you advise I buy. I want the LR TV to be able to record all my shows, but allow my husband to watch his programs at the same time. He is tired of never being able to watch the TV because I have it set to record my shows. Should I get the 721, the 522 (if I can), or the 811?

Will I need another dish to have 4 receivers, one of which has the 2 tuners?

Thanks for any advice.
Loraine

 

[Stargazer]

The 522 would be the best bet because its cheaper, you can watch two different shows at the same time while both tv's have the DVR functionality, there is no additional outlet fee in the 522 if the phone line is connected, and its like having two receivers built in one, and lets not forget that you save $5 in DVR fees in addition to $5 in the additional outlet fee by not being charged for the second tuner, and the 200 foot range DishPro UHF remote range is good as well, along with a new user interface.

Its too bad that we cannot get the 522 yet. I think some are best waiting for it if it is not going to be a long wait. The 721 does have a nice interface as well though but is expensive for something that may not meet your needs or is temporary. If you could get a used one you could possibly resell it for almost as much as you got in it depending on what the market is willing to pay for it when the 522's become available. Also they may have deals for existing subscribers when the 522 becomes available. If you buy a new one you will end up losing money on it guaranteed when going to sell it.

 

[Netangel]

Another dish?

Thanks. What confused me was all the talk about the 522 and Two TV's. I just want to use one TV, but be able to record one channel while I watch another channel on that TV. Maybe the two TV's that is referenced means the first TV channel and the TV in the PIP channel. So from what you said, iI understand that the 522 will do that like the 721.

However, if I get a dual channel receiver, that would mean 5 channels into my home. So will I need another dish? I have the one dish with a dual LNB.

And if I get the 721, will I be charged? I am not charged anything for either my 7200 or 501 accessing PTV. I get all the channels plus all the movie channels, and local channels, so does that wave any fees? I read that somewhere yesterday on one of the forums. That if you subscribe to the 150 channels, all fees are waved. I DO pay $4.95 per month for each extra receiver that is hooked up, but not to access the PTV.
Thanks for the info.
Loraine

 

[Stargazer]

With the 522 you will be charged the $4.99 DVR fee and if you do not connect your receiver up to a phone line you will be accessed a second outlet fee on the second tuner. If you add the 522 onto receivers that are already on your account then there is another $4.99 for an additional outlet fee on the first tuner. This could be a potential total of $14.97 charged for adding this receiver onto the account. It has also been said that you will not be able to use PIP on the 522 for a while either.

The 721 already has the PIP functionality and there is no $4.99 second outlet fee for the second tuner and there is no $4.99 DVR fee either. You save as much as $9.98 with the 721 but do not have a second tv out to watch two different things on two different tv's at the same time like you could with the 522.

 

[Netangel]

Thanks. I think I will go for the 721 before they get gone. Will I need another dish?

 

[retiredTech]

don't know what switch set up you have now, but the 721 requires 2 inputs from your dish.

Since you have ALL the channels acess to most shows at various times,(no DVR monthly fee) the 510 would probably be your best deal.

you can record a channel AND watch any already recorded show while it records.

and I believe you can get it installed with all the switches and hardware to make all your receivers work for $149, and IF you NEED get another 301 for live viewing (a510 & a 301 in the LR)
the 721 will cost $529 + all extra hardware and install if can't do it your self maybe $700
that would pay the $5 extra 301 charge for 9 years

if you get the 721 you are gonna have to get either different switch/lnbs or whole another dish to feed its tuners and will have pay for it all yourself.

really with your setup the only advantage with a 721 would be recording two locals at the same time IF you have locals package.

 

[Stargazer]

The 510 is a lot cheaper even with the $5 DVR monthly fee as it would take as many as 3-4 years before it would equal the cost of a 510 at retail if you got the special $99 deal or 7 years of DVR fees before it equalled the cost of the 721 at a $99 pricepoint + $5 a month.