DVRs, DTVPal DVR firmware update F206 finally resolves issues?
By Richard Lawler 
posted Apr 21st 2009 10:52AM
posted Apr 21st 2009 10:52AM
[Thanks, Jim N.]
DVRs, posted Apr 21st 2009 10:52AM
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For me, I didn't really have any of the major issues to begin with. However I did have some of the minor annoying issues like the DVR refusing to allow me to schedule 2 recordings on two channels at once.
I'd also like to point out that TVGos can can now be disabled if you would rather use the broadcasters PSIP data.
I waited so long for these to come back on the market that the spring tv season is over now and I really have no need of a DVR until fall. Maybe by then some new features will be added to this one (media center features? Netflix? Hulu? Come on, make use of that blasted ethernet port!). As it stands now, I will still need to get DTVPal DVR, Roku box, and Popcorn Hour to get what I want. By the time I pay for all that a TivoHD with lifetime subscription is looking better and better.
I am VERY glad they seem to finally be working and giving us a non-fee HD DVR route, but now I will be waiting a while longer and see what new comes out before the fall season. My fingers are crossed for a new AppleTV uber-box or an updated TivoHD.
Is there going to be a NTSC/ATSC version?
I doubt it will ever support NTSC now though it does output in NTSC if the user would like to view it from an old NTSC TV.
The firmware update has sure helped but its still not 100% fixed. Close but no cigar.
F206 seems to have solved all my rebooting issues and has made the DTVPal DVR much more reliable and responsive in most respects.
The only nagging issues seems to be that TVGOS TVGuide data has been down in Atlanta since about the time of the voluntary switchover in mid February.
Also, about a week after updating the firmware I suddenly have no program data on just one channel! This is 11Alive in Atlanta the local NBC afficliate. It could be a problem with the station having problem with their PSIP data transmission I suppose.
Other than those issues which are probably external to the device I am very pleased with the F206 update. Before the update I had multiple reboots each night.
I ordered a post patch unit as soon as they came available again. Received it within a week. It was pre-loaded with the F206 firmware and I have yet to experience any issues.
If it continues to work out, this unit will have answered my prayers for an OTA HD DVR. Now how about a little competition for DishNetwork to encourage future support and enhancements of this awesome product. I would love to see more subscription-free HD DVRs enter the ring.
F206 introduced a problem where the clock drifts all over the place, rendering the recording abilities unreliable for the most part. This hasn't affected everyone, just some. The speculation it is specific to some locations, perhaps due to PSIP irregularities from broadcasters.
TVGOS is also a sore spot in some locations where less than 100% of the received channels have data. This may be multiple problems. Some of the missing channels appear on other TVGOS devices indicating a problem on the DTVpal. Other missing channels don't appear on other devices either indicating a TVGOS issue - make makes this worse is that support for the TVGOS (from Macrovision) appears to be non-existent.