Reporting in... Happy move from D* to E*

[randym431]

After playing with my 622 and getting back my voom HD channels, I see leaving D* for E* was the best decision I have made in a while. Many on the D* forum warned me not to leave. And that D* would get all this new HD programming (someday?). But I dumped D* and it was the right move. The 622 is a nice HD dvr with lots of little new tricks I discover every day. At first I didn’t like the old horizontal guide system used on E*, where D* dtivos had a vertical listed guide that is far superior, but I have been able to customize the E* horizontal guide to meet my needs.
The 622 is fun to play with and you can do a lot. But I am impressed how much faster the E* guide and response is, over D* and dtivos. So fast, that I often wait for the "lag" I was use to with the dtivo guide, and realize I have already jumped to the next guide page with the 622.
And the 622 user settings/options is never ending. D* could learn a lot from E*, but to be fair E* could go to the dtivo vertical guide format as an listings option. A lot more info per page than the older horizontal guide system (that I have never liked).

I still can't quite figure the local channels. I have my OTA HD listed in yellow, my analog E* supplied locals as the channel that are locally (5, 8, 11, 13 etc). Then I have more E* supplied locals in the 9000's (duplicates it appears). Why?

And when someone sets up a recording on a network channel, they tend to select the OTA tuner for the source. Thats fine unless I want to watch something live or also record on the HD ota station, then the "other" recording is bumped. The other person setting up recordings don’t care about getting it in HD, so I have to figure how to setup their network recordings off the dish channels, not the OTA source, so they will not get bumped. The dual tuners (off satellite) should let them record without getting bumped, like a set OTA recording might.

To sum up... E* good! D*... well, E* good.

 

[Frostwolf]

E* supplied locals as the channel that are locally (5, 8, 11, 13 etc). Then I have more E* supplied locals in the 9000's (duplicates it appears). Why?

Consider them shortcuts to the actual channels in the 8000 and up range.

As for recording ota, I believe teh 622 will allow you to record three things at once, one off each tuner.

I don't have teh newer 622 so I'm not real sure about the setting it up.

As for the guide. I like the E*'s far better than D*. But as an option would be ok.

 

[gopherscot]

Guide

Having had D* ... dish's guide I also feel is far superior. The D* guide was slow and never really liked the vertical guide on D*. I like E* much better than D* in all ways.

 

[BrianB]

Having had D* ... dish's guide I also feel is far superior. The D* guide was slow and never really liked the vertical guide on D*. I like E* much better than D* in all ways.

Being able to record three things at once is HUGE. That reason right there it why I'm loving my 622.

 

[Hall]

And when someone sets up a recording on a network channel, they tend to select the OTA tuner for the source. Thats fine unless I want to watch something live or also record on the HD ota station, then the "other" recording is bumped. The other person setting up recordings don’t care about getting it in HD, so I have to figure how to setup their network recordings off the dish channels, not the OTA source, so they will not get bumped. The dual tuners (off satellite) should let them record without getting bumped, like a set OTA recording might.

The receiver records whatever channel you tell it to record. If you tell it to record the OTA, it does; if you tell it the satellite-feed, it does.

Do you want it to prompt someone who sets a timer for an OTA channel to ask them "would you rather record the satellite-feed of this channel ?" ? Using that logic, if someone sets a timer on a satellite channel, does it also ask "would you rather record the OTA feed of this channel ?" ?

You'll learn to do what I do: I check the timers list every so often and make sure the OTA tuner isn't being used when it doesn't need to be. For example, our kids love Extreme Home Makeover but it's not available in HD, so why record it OTA ?? We did at first, out of habit, but then it conflicted with a 9pm show that was in HD.

 

[rickaren]

RANDYM431

Just recently figured out myself that if you use the Menu Button and hit it twice from dark blue to light blue you loose all your HD channels in the guide. Had been resetting it in the main menu and just thought it was re-setting it's self! Also if you use the skip forward button on the remote when using the Guide it jumps ahead 24 hours. Pretty cool. DirecTV remotes don't work like this. Lots to learn. These things are just like computers. You can do about anything but you never know it until you just stumble across it! Enjoy & Good Luck with DISH!

 

[Hall]

Just recently figured out myself that if you use the Menu Button and hit it twice from dark blue to light blue you loose all your HD channels in the guide.

I think you mean the GUIDE button, not MENU. Each time you hit the GUIDE button while the guide is displayed, it cycles through ALL CHAN, ALL SUB, ALL HD, and then your custom channel lists. Then it repeats.

Also if you use the skip forward button on the remote when using the Guide it jumps ahead 24 hours.

You can press "8" then the FF button to skip ahead (8) hours or type "96" to skip ahead (96) hours and so on. A recent software update slightly broke this feature. You can't go further than (99) hours now.

 

[rickaren]

I think you mean the GUIDE button, not MENU. Each time you hit the GUIDE button while the guide is displayed, it cycles through ALL CHAN, ALL SUB, ALL HD, and then your custom channel lists. Then it repeats.

You can press "8" then the FF button to skip ahead (8) hours or type "96" to skip ahead (96) hours and so on. A recent software update slightly broke this feature. You can't go further than (99) hours now.

YES you are right! I know where the button is in the dark! Just not the correct name! Thanks for the correction.

Never read the manual for anything usually. Just figure things out.

However have not figured out how to mark a recording in progress when you switch between two live events also being recorded, like two sporting events. Using TIVO it is marked "resume"but with the VIP 622 there seems to be no way to mark where you left the live viewing. When you go back you have to start all over again. Any trick to this? Thanks again.

 

[Hall]

However have not figured out how to mark a recording in progress when you switch between two live events also being recorded, like two sporting events. Using TIVO it is marked "resume"but with the VIP 622 there seems to be no way to mark where you left the live viewing. When you go back you have to start all over again.

Even though the events are "live", since you're recording them, start them up from the DVR recordings menu. Pick one from the list and "Start". When you want to flip to the other event, you'll have to "Stop" the one being played back. Go to the DVR recordings list again and "Start" the other event. Stop it when you want. To continue where either one stopped, again access them from the DVR menu. You'll have a "Resume" option as well as "Start over".

 

[rickaren]

Even though the events are "live", since you're recording them, start them up from the DVR recordings menu. Pick one from the list and "Start". When you want to flip to the other event, you'll have to "Stop" the one being played back. Go to the DVR recordings list again and "Start" the other event. Stop it when you want. To continue where either one stopped, again access them from the DVR menu. You'll have a "Resume" option as well as "Start over".

Well I think I have done this and it didn't always work. Will try again. Thanks!

 

[RandallA]

RANDYM431

Just recently figured out myself that if you use the Menu Button and hit it twice from dark blue to light blue you loose all your HD channels in the guide. Had been resetting it in the main menu and just thought it was re-setting it's self! Also if you use the skip forward button on the remote when using the Guide it jumps ahead 24 hours. Pretty cool. DirecTV remotes don't work like this. Lots to learn. These things are just like computers. You can do about anything but you never know it until you just stumble across it! Enjoy & Good Luck with DISH!

Yes it's the guide button. You can actually customize a guide that will include only your favorite channels.

 

[randym431]

Is there a way to list channels on the guide for just one channel?
D* guide has an option to list everything verticle.
My old cable dvr guide was like the E* guide, horzonal, but if you went to the left it highlighted the channel. Then if you hit enter it listed a verticle for that channel only. The E* guide does not let you "left" space to highlight the channel #. That would be a nice update to the guide.

PS. Is there a "tricks" list anywhere around here? (shortcuts)

 

[TBoneit]

Go to the menu and set up a favorites list. it could have just one channel in it. When you hit the guide button you cycle through the preset lists such as All HD, All Sub, All channels and any favorites lists you created. I created one for the HD channels that mostly show movies. I could also have created one called Music that has Rave + HDNet and the Sd music channels such as VH1 Classic.

Good Luck

BTW one reason to record an OTA HD channel vs the Echostar locals would be that it should have a better picture as it isn't taking the Source signal and compressing it for transmission.

 

[Bass Cadet]

PS. Is there a "tricks" list anywhere around here? (shortcuts)

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=64185

I switched 4 months ago and am still happy with it. Even though D* finally released 6.3 (for the HR10), there have been problems with it. I would add a laptop cooler to keep the temperature down. The only other negative with the 622 is the hard drive isn't big enough to record all the HD programs (never a problem for D*).