Dish Network DTVPal DVR review
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted June 29th 2009 3:39PM
posted June 29th 2009 3:39PM
The Good
- Firmware update over internet is useful took about 15 minutes.
- Reports of stability issues, but our's was fine.
- Setup is easy and quick.
- Picture and sound are on par with what we expect, which is a lot.
- No subscription fees
- Dual tuner
- 250GB HDD
- $250 price tag
- Remote is programmable
- Good ATSC reception
- Has a mini-guide
- Guide as a recording indicator, something all DVRs should have.
- A number of zoom options.
The Bad
- Doesn't record buffer.
- 5 digit channel numbers 028-01 are a pain to direct dial.
- Button layout on remote is whacked, volume is at the top, channels integrated with arrows, and no clue why you'd want a SYS info key.
- Over-the-air only
The Ugly
- The interface is ugly!
- No series recording like every other DVR out there, just "schedules" like a VCR.
- Limited guide data, no where near 14 days.
Dish Network branding huh?
The one thing that really has us scratching our head is why this thing is branded as Dish Network. You might say because it helps build the Dish brand, but since we've never tried out a Dish Network DVR we automatically assume this is how the Dish DVR works -- which isn't a good thing. We just don't understand how branding a bare bones DVR with the Dish Network brand helps the product or the service. We think the only thing it does is cause confusion among consumers and disparage the actual Dish DVR, but what do we know?
Bottom line
The DTVPal DVR is really a no brainer which comes down to a few key questions. Have you just made the switch to digital and you're looking to replace your VCR, but don't want any monthly subscriptions? Well then it's for you. Everyone else can just skip it and get a TiVo. Seriously it really is that simple. The only thing going for this over a TiVo, hardware wise, is the hard drive is bigger, and that is easily remedied. The fact is this box is a glorified VCR and is only a DVR at the most basic sense of the word. Now if you're thinking that although you aren't coming from a VCR, but you are considering going OTA only to save on your monthly expenses, then based on the fact that you're reading Engadget, we'd say set yourself up a HTPC. The bottom line is this only fits the most basics of needs and its biggest advantage, for some, will be the easy setup and low cost. So in other words, our mother-in-law might get one for Christmas from us, but we certainly wouldn't use it ourselves.
Before you invest in this, I'd seriously suggest two things, as there is only two ways to get guide data...
1. Find out if any of your local stations pass along the 'TV Guide On Screen' data stream from the network. Make sure they know you're NOT asking about the PSIP data... It's usually the CBS, sometimes the PBS stations, and rarely the other networks. Or check http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=tvgos
2. Using either a converter box or a digital TV that lets you access the PSIP data, check the accuracy of the show titles, descriptions, and the time-of-day signals sent in the stream. Also check how far out the data goes. One of my local stations has been notorious for the PSIP clock being wrong by 18+ hours. Other stations will only show 'DTV Programming' in the data for weeks.
I would have gone with this over a TiVo HD, given that I don't think I should have to pay $13 a month for guide data for five over the air channels, but I had no choice, it was that or no DVR.
Supposedly the early firmware versions of this device were pretty bad. Most things were fixed with the latest firmware.
The small guide is a limitation of OTA HD not the unit itself. Guide data is downloaded from a specific channel in each market, CBS stations in most areas. The unit does not "dial home" to download a full 10 or 14-day guide. (What do you want? There's no monthly fee.)
DISH Network DVRs are all the good things about this unit plus more good things except the ugly UI. The GUI doesn't improve until the 922 comes out.
And I totally agree that the remote is kinda stupid. I use a Harmony remote with my DISH.
I have had this DVR for about 4 months now ever since I canceled Time Warner.
A few of the things you put as a "bad" aren't really the DVRs fault.
As far as I know the 5 digit channel number is standard on all OTA broadcasts as many stations occupy the same channel number.
Not sure what you mean by "doesn't record buffer" but my unit always records an extra 2 minutes at the end of the show and this can be changed in the settings to record more.
Also the guide data is an OTA service for antenna users and does only go a day or two out but that is a separate service.
The one complaint I have about this device is that it crashes once in a while and reboots. If you are recording or watching anything you will lose about a minute of the show during the reboot. Hopefully the latest firmware fixed this but I'm not sure.
Overall I am impressed with the device and it beats the hell out of paying a monthly fee for something like Tivo or the $100 a month cable bill from Time Warner.
This along with my Popcorn Hour owns my living room.
By buffer, I believe he was referring to the live buffer. In other words, if you're watching something live and you need to walk away, you can't just hit "record" and catch the rest later.
Only a guess tho.
1) Firmware version F206 and above can record the live TV buffer.
2) You can just type in the main channel number (28) and it will go to the first sub channel (28-1).
3) If TVGOS is available in you area, the guide data will go to 7 days.
Thanks Allen!
I always have to read the comments from actual users to get the low down.
I am suprised these guys have never tested a dish DVR as they are constantly ranked as the best DVR in the pay tv biz.
@Chris
Dish DVR's are nice but they are also the most expensive. Thats why I cancelled my Dish HD and use DTV & Hulu for the fabulous price of free!
Well, call me crazy, but I love the DVR remote layout (nearly identical layout on my 622 DVR)... light years better than any Cox or Comcast DVR remote I've used.
This thing would be pretty good if it did what it supposed to do. Two major flaws still exist in software version F207.
1) the guide data is supposed to be populated by TVGOS data where available, but it's been proven in several markets it only gets a subset of the list of channels that other TVGOS devices receive
2) the thing can't tell time (critical for a DVR you'd think). The original firmware did this ok but the fixes to other problems introduced a new bug starting with F206.
If these 2 things got fixed, it would be a very nice product for the price.
Over-the-air only, isnt a Bad thing. Thats the market it was designed for.
I second the recommendation for a HTPC. I recently built a Windows 7 based system that has 2 tuners and a 750GB hard drive. We've been using it for months and it is seriously awesome to have that kind of guide data, series recording, etc. all without any kind of monthly fees. Combine that with our free, OTA HD and we have a real winning system, I think. :-)
I was seriously looking at getting one of these. Then the whole firmware crash/restart/crash business popped up about January and did not seem to get resolved until April. The problem was that Echostar would not come out and say "hey, we know some things are not right, so we are pulling them for now", but instead went with the lawyered up "Pre Order Now!" info on their site like nothing was wrong. They would not give an estimated release date or even acknowledge the problems with the then current firmware.
Since they would not give any estimates or give insight on the problems that caused them to pull sales units, I went ahead and decided to just hold out for a Tivo Series 4 and make do with a Roku box until then.
Too bad the DVR Pal won't stream Netflix or have other uses. That might have tipped the scale towards them for me.
Had mine a couple of months. Excellent picture and have had zero crashes. The only flaw I could find is that you record by time period, not by the show title (like a vcr). So if they decide to air your favorite show at a different time than normal, you'll miss it and record whatever happens to be on at that time. The satellite Dish DVR didn't do this, it recorded by the show title.
If you can find a DISH DVR 942 (discontinued) and dont mind having a SAT dish you can get pull down the 9 day programing from the SAT and do name based scheduling for OTA channels all for free.
Only draw back is there is only 1 OTA tuner.
disclaimer: I don't have this yet, but will most likely end up purchasing this soon.
I think the reviewer misses the point with this product...just as many hard-core gamers miss the point of the Wii and spew their venom all over the internet. The DTVPal DVR is NOT FOR YOU hard-core techies...this is aimed more at families who are looking for good value for their hard earned dollars. While I agree that not being able to schedule a recording of shows by title or a series will be frustrating...it certainly sounds like this product offers great bang for the buck.
Now if I can just work this into my budget somehow...hmmm.
I think the commenter failed to read the reviewers review. Particularly the part that says "our mother-in-law might get one for Christmas from us, but we certainly wouldn't use it ourselves."
So no, we didn't miss the point. why would be buy one for our mother-in-law if we didn't think it was a good solution. Maybe we should've said our own mother, as we often forget that many don't like their mother-in-law.
I bought one under their "pre-order now" mention on dtvpal.com, not knowing when or if I'd actually get one. Then my receipt said it should ship in 7-10 days, and it did. So, I've only had mine for about two weeks.
I've never had a DVR, and don't want to pay Time Warner a monthly fee, for what I've enjoyed for free for years. So DTVPal-DVR sounded perfect for me.
So far...I think it's AWESOME!
I have noticed a few glitches in the software, like while watching a recorded show, and fast forwarding with the 30 second skip forward button, it jumped back to the my recordings menu, and I had to start the program over and fast forward to where I left off. That only happened once so far.
As for the timed recordings problem? I don't even know what that is. I simply hit the on-screen guide button, and arrow over to a show I want to record, hit the record button and it is high-lighted with a red icon on the show name in the guide. Sweet!
I like it.
This is a great unit as long as it does not get stuck on the "Load Please Wait" screen. I am on my fourth unit because of this issue. So far this unit is better than the last three.