Question about the 501,508 and 510

[Jeff003]

I upgraded to a dvr receiver yesterday and they told me I would be receiving either one of these but didn't know which.I have never used a dvr and I was wondering how the playback will look and sound.Does it look as good as it does before you record it?In other words do you loose a little picture quality when it records and also how is the sound on these models?I have a dvd recorder and trying to record from the satellite reduces the picture quality a little and the sound a lot.I have to cut it way up to hear it good.What attracted me to dvr is I don't have to program it.I can just go into the guide and select what I want to see.

 

[JWC]

I have the 501 and the PQ appears as good recorded as it does live. I am using the S video output.

 

[rickc]

I've got the 508, and am very satisfied with the PQ of the programming I've recorded. My 508 has been a workhorse since we purchased it some three years ago.

The latest software upgrades to the 5xx series incorporated VOD and seems to have introduced some problems with lock-ups and occasionaly missing timers. In all, I still like my 508 and am hoping to keep ir until I upgrade to their HD package.

You would likely be happy with either the 508 or 510. Really, the only difference between the three 5xx series is the size of their hard drives. (The bigger the number, the larger the drive.)

 

[RandallA]

"You would likely be happy with either the 508 or 510. Really, the only difference between the three 5xx series is the size of their hard drives. (The bigger the number, the larger the drive.)"

and the DVR fee for the 510. The 508 doesn't have the DVR fee.

 

[Cold Irons]

The PQ will always be just as good as if you were watching the show directly from the satellite. The reason is that the DVR does NOT re-encode & record the show - instead it records the actual digital stream that comes down from the satellite.

So.....when you watch the DVR'd show, it is the same exact quality as watching a show without recording. Hope this helps.

 

[dlsnyder]

I didn't think they still had any new 501s or 508s, since they had been discontinued in favor of the 510 or the two tuner 625. If it is a 501 or 508 it is probably a refurb.

 

[Anole]

fond of 508s

I've run a couple of 508's and really love 'em.
Pix quality is same regardless of live or recorded.
It's the exact same data stream.

As for recording on an external DVD recorder, it is at fault if your DVDs aren't as good as the PVR output.
I make DVDs directly from the data on the PVR hard drive, so mine are identical in quality.
(how to do that is for discussion in other threads - search, if you care.)
They are still a good notch down from the commercial DVD, of course, as the resolution broadcast is not full DVD quality.

I would not accept a refurb 501 PVR, as they have the smallest hard drive. 40gb
508's are a good choice. 80gb ?
510's will have a $5/mo DVR fee, as mentioned above, and a larger hard drive, of course. 120gb.

 

[navychop]

I'm pretty sure the entire 5xx series went out of production years ago. They'll pump out what they have left, probably all refurbs, and keep few if any for warranty exchanges. No doubt in a year or 2 they'll offer attractive upgrades on broken 5xx units- to an equivalent MPEG-4 capable unit.

I expect in about 3 years they'll force a replacement of all remaining 5xx (& other non MPEG-4 STBs) so they can move to using 8PSK & MPEG-4 for all programming. So you'll probably get about 3 years of use out of it, and by then you'll be looking for a more capable unit anyway. Heck, you may have an HDTV by then.