http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/ Engadget HD Comments for Dish Network DTVPal DVR review http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
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.]]>Jun 29th 2009 4:18PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
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.]]>Jun 29th 2009 4:22PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
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.]]>Jun 29th 2009 4:49PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
Only a guess tho.]]>Jun 30th 2009 6:30PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/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.
]]>Jun 29th 2009 5:36PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/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.]]>Jun 29th 2009 10:11PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/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!]]>Jun 30th 2009 12:48PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/Jun 29th 2009 7:33PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
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.]]>Jun 29th 2009 9:21PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/Jun 29th 2009 9:25PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/Jun 30th 2009 7:27AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
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.]]>Jun 30th 2009 9:48AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/Jun 30th 2009 9:57AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
Only draw back is there is only 1 OTA tuner. ]]>Jun 30th 2009 11:17AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
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.]]>Jun 30th 2009 1:28PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
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.]]>Jun 30th 2009 1:30PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/
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!]]>Jul 6th 2009 4:01PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/Jul 22nd 2009 7:08PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/http://hd.engadget.com/2009/06/29/dish-network-dtvpal-dvr-review/Jul 22nd 2009 8:46PM