Potential customer, functionality ?

[SirJeff]

Before I make the switch to Dish, I need to have some questions answered about the receivers.

My current setup is with DirecTV. I have 4 TVs, two of which have DVRs. That allows me to watch one program in the living room, while recording a second. At the same time, my wife can watch a third program in the bedroom, while recording a fourth there. And, the kids can watch seperate programs in their own rooms.

I understand that Dish uses a one receiver/two tuner setup to work on two TVs in seperate rooms.

My question is, will the dual tuner Dish DVR work the same as a DTV DVR on a single TV, IE being able to watch one program and record another, and switch between the two on a single TV?

 

[maxmoto]

It can work one of two ways.


Dual Mode: You can hook up two TVs and have it act like two seperate DVRs. (Only TV 1 in HD)

Single Mode: You can record two shows and yes you can switch between them.

In total you can record 3 shows (2 Satellite and 1 OTA)

 

[Hemi 6.1]

2 Room HD DVR work like this .
1 Room is HD and the 2nd room is SD
There is a single mode and Dual mode.

Single mode By passes the 2nd TV and allows Picture in picture,and lets you record and watch live tv at the same time. Like D* DVRs

Dual Mode Enables the 2nd TV output, say for your bedroom. Both rooms DVR, But If you want to record and watch Live tv at the same time. The room with the TV2 Has to watch what your recording.

So if your watching TV in the livingroom and your Wife is watching tv in the Bedroom, If you decide to record something , She will be forced to watch it.

So my Setup I have a VIP 612 its a single room HD DVR, Just like D* has. I use that in my living room.

I have a 622 thats a Dual room HD DVR. Thats in my Bedroom and it serves my Oldest Daughters bedroom as well. So that works out well.
Now I got a 722 coming That will do my Gameroom,and my Youngest Daughters bedroom too.
So If you going to use a Dual Room receiver, I always use the TV2 on a room I know won't interfear with my recording and someone elses TV viewing.

Yes also anything you record on TV1 or TV2 can be viewed in both rooms.

 

[SirJeff]

I believe that you've answered my questions. Just to make sure that I understand, and everything is SD for the next year or so, I can run one dual tuner DVR in the living room in single mode, one dual tuner DVR in the bedroom in single mode, and one non-DVR receiver in dual mode for the kids. That gives me the same functionality that I have with DirecTV. I'm aware that the initial install will only allow for 4 tuners, with only one of those being a DVR. So, I would have to purchase the second DVR on my own.

Is that correct?

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Dish will allow you to run 4 VIP 612. These are single room HD DVR's , BUT its going to cost you $21 in lease fee's, and 3 DVR fee's at $5.98 ,unless you get the everything pack. Then its $21 only.
But by looking at what you want to do, I would Get 2 Vip 612 One for your Livingroom and one for your bedroom, Then I would get a 625 that a 2 room SD DVR that your kids rooms could share. Or a 222 thats a Dual room HD/SD receiver that doesn't DVR. But that would save you another $5.98 per month. And you wouldn't lose the HD only channels in your kidsrooms.
That would cost you About $25 in fees at the most . And its still 4 Rooms DVR. And now you can record 6 shows at one in your house at once.

 

[SirJeff]

I plan on the everything package. That's what I've got with DTV. As it is, I pay $15/month in "additional receiver" fees. All of my DTV equipment is owned, obtained before they went to the lease model. What really sealed the deal for me is that Dish carries my local channels, DTV doesn't, and DTV wants to charge me $50 each for standard receivers that will include a digital tuner (who knows what they want to charge for the DVRs, I didn't look), and, those would then be leased receivers.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Dishnetwork is leased too. Unless you Buy them.

 

[SirJeff]

Yeah, I know that Dish is leased, but you can at least purchase additional receivers and actually own them. I just don't agree with DTV making me pay $50 each for two standard, non-DVR receivers with digital OTA tuners, that I will never own. Now, if I had to pay for them, and I actually *owned* them, that would be a different story.

 

[boba]

You can buy the Directv receivers just like you can buy the DISH receivers. Directv will sell them to you at the Higher price needed to own them just like DISH charges a higher price for owned equipment. What is the benefit of owning, you need their service to view a picture/the lease fee and the additional outlet fee are the same so it dosen't cost you any more per month.

 

[garys]

Only benefit would being able to sell them if you leave Dish or upgrade equipment. But they may not be worth much if you hold onto them for too long.