THSCC Forums

In-depth feature review of the DishNetwork HD hardware:

http://www.avguide.com/review/playback- ... c=Playback

I wholeheartedly agree that DishNetwork has by far the best user interface when it comes to DVR functionality (I haven't used an actual TiVo, but I understand its as good as or better.)

I could have sworn that at one point they were offering two-TV HD hardware that sent 720p to the 2nd TV, but evidently that is incorrect.

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Stacy King
Midlife Crisis Participant

Stacy,

Since the only Dish receivers I have used were many years ago and it wasn't a DVR, I was curious to see what the difference was when compared to the DirecTV DVR that I currently use. Especially with respect to user interface.

But unless I am missing something that article just has a few paragraphs that sound like they are straight from Dish marketing material. Am I missing something? Is there a link I am missing that goes into details about what make it better than the others (TiVo, DirecTV or any of the open source solutions)?

Richard

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Richard Casto
1972 Porsche 914
2013 Honda Fit Sport
2015 Honda Fit EX
http://motorsport.zyyz.com
Money can't buy happiness, but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than a Kia.

Yeah that one sounds more like an advertisement. Cnet did a review awhile back:
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-video-r ... =mncol;lst

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2003 Subaru WRX Sportwagon = daily driver/boost and booster seats
2000 BMW 540iT = wife's kid hauler
2012 Toyota Highlander = the boring reliable vehicle

My experience:
I have two SD Dish Network 2-room DVRs
My in-laws have SuddenLink Cable DVR
My parents have Time Warner Cable HD DVR
My brother-in-law uses DirecTV HD DVRs

Not being at anyone else's houses for very long to really dive deep into the features, the number one best thing about Dish Network's DVR to start is how easy and logical it is to use. Buttons on the remote are positioned well, and they make sense. None of this having to remember what a yellow triangle or red square does.

It's not as pretty as DirecTV's, but its also quicker (no waiting for the next 5 things to scroll up or down... no having to click through multiple menus just to get to your favorites. (Think XP vs. Vista lol)

It's recording / saving options are easy and intuitive to use. Priority settings for all recurring recordings.

It's search function is very powerful (can search title and/or information.)

The dual room function is very useful and saves space. Can be configured to run two TV's completely independently, or in tandem (and it's one-button easy to switch between modes.) In EITHER mode, you can access all recordings no matter which set they were recorded on.

Tandem operation will still transmit the signal to the second TV (it'll show the same this on both TV's.) Has a built-in picture-in-picture function which can be useful sometimes if two races are on or something.

Then again, with the exception of SuddenLink DVR (which I've said before was clearly designed simply to be different, more complicated, and less intuitive than everyone else in spite of themselves) it's probably all in what you're used to.

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Stacy King
Midlife Crisis Participant

Maybe someday I will try out one of the newer Dish DVRs. I am pretty sure you can get to stuff like favorites in one or two button presses on the DirecTV DVR (not the older DirecTV TiVO DVRs), but DirecTV does rely upon generic colored buttons for some features. What the buttons do depends upon where you are at that moment.

If anything I think there are too many buttons on the DirecTV remote. I actually wish they had less buttons at the expense of maybe requiring you to go through more menus. I actually used to love my old DirecTV TiVo DVRs, but my new complaint with the TiVo UI is that while it's user friendly, it's a bit dated. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the new DirecTV DVRs (like Dish, they roll their own vs. using TiVo now). But overall I am liking it now. Others may not find it slow, but for me, it can be a bit slow navigating menus (I am pretty impatient when it comes to my UI experience on any system). So I wish it had a way to indicate that it has received a remote action. That is pretty much the only thing I miss from my TiVo based DVR. It could be setup to give you an audible beep when a button was pushed so if it did take a few seconds to do something at least you know it is doing something vs. maybe you didn't point the remote the right way or hit the button hard enough.

I don't really get the one receiver two rooms thing at all. Especially if you can't do HD on both. But I would like to have a PIP feature on the DirecTV DVR which it currently doesn't have.

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Richard Casto
1972 Porsche 914
2013 Honda Fit Sport
2015 Honda Fit EX
http://motorsport.zyyz.com
Money can't buy happiness, but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than a Kia.

The main benefit is being able to watch recorded programs in either room. I can't imagine being stuck watching something in one room because it was recorded in that room vs another (for example a bedroom and a living room.)

This is even doubly important when two people want to watch different recorded programs... no waiting until the other is done (or suffering through something you don't want to watch.)

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Stacy King
Midlife Crisis Participant

After seeing how "low def" SPEED HD actually appears on my HDTV via Time Warner Cable, I'm reconsidering paying a little more for DISH Network. A few questions for those with DISH network:

1. Do the DISH remotes include programmability / functionality for other components besides the DISH receiver, like TV amp, DVD player, VCR? If so, how many components?

2. How does the second TV get connected to the dual receiver/DVR? Do you have to run a cable from the receiver box to the second TV? If so, is that included for free with DISH's (free) standard installation service?

3. When hooked up for 2 TV operation (dual mode), can you record more than one show at the same time from the primary TV? I've read you can record one show on the satellite tuner and one on the OTA tuner at the same time, but what does that mean in layman's terms? (like, would you need a second receiver or antenna to utilize the OTA tuner; is the channel line-up any different on the OTA vs. satellite tuners?)

4. I have Vonage for phone service and miss the on=screen caller ID display I used to get with Time Warner digital phone. (I still have Roadrunner and plan to keep it.) Does the DISH HD-DVR receiver offer on-screen caller-ID display? If so, how does one go about hooking up thsi feature? Any wiring needed, etc.?

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Keith Q.
2008 Top Gun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmX8XuZ_DCo&NR=1

It has one AUX input button that you can use to program another component. Honestly, if you want to control more than just volume on your AV receiver (for example) I'd recommend getting a smart remote to control everything (including the Dish unit.)



Yes, you have to run a coax cable to the other TV... and yes, it is included... I think. Obviously, the difficulty of this installation depends on your house set up... if you have a crawl space, or if the rooms & TV's are back-to-back, it's fairly straight forward. If not, it gets a little more complicated (we lived with a coax cable snaked across a hall until we did out re-model (and I had them run dual cable for every TV.)



It works like this:
The receive has two modes... Dual or Single.

In Dual mode, the main TV and the TV hooked up to the "TV 2" output are operated separately. Each using one of the two built-in dish tuners, each with its own remote (included). So... on EACH tv, you can record one program and watch another. You can still record two programs at the same time, but one has to be started on each TV. In fact, you can record two programs, and WATCH two recorded programs at the same time. When setting up a future recording, the Dish unit will appropriate whichever tuner is not already recording something at that time.

In Single mode, the Dish unit works just like any other two-tuner DVR... record two programs, watch a third (recorded.) However, the signal still goes to the second TV, and the second remote retains controls... so you can watch either TV and have access to ALL recordings on the DVR.

This mode can be switched easily with the touch of a button on the unit.

I've never used the OTA input so I can't really speak to its functionality.



I'm pretty sure it does have this option, and is probably a simple menu choice, but to be honest, I've never used it. I believe you'd have to have traditional phone service to use it though (the receiver needs to be hooked up to a phone line for updates and PPV stuff.)

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Stacy King
Midlife Crisis Participant

1. Yes, IIRC there are three additional inputs. I use the remote to control my receiver volume while in Satellite mode. You can see pictures of the remote in the link I posted above.

2. Coax cable. I don't know if it is included or not. I had it done already. I had a line that ran back to my central box and just used a coax barrel to link it to our bedroom line.

3. You can record two satellite channels and (1 or 2) OTA channels depending on which 722 box you get. 722 = 1 OTA, 722K I think is 2 OTA, but you have to buy the addon I think.

You can set sat recordings from either location. OTA only from TV1 when in Dual mode. Basically TV1 uses tuner 1 and TV2 uses tuner 2. If someone is using TV2, you can't force a recording on TV2, but you can set up future recordings. To be honest, we use single mode most of the time and only when we want to watch 2 different things do we switch it to dual mode. In single mode, you have access to everything from both TV remotes.

4. It has caller ID, but I have never tried to use it.

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2003 Subaru WRX Sportwagon = daily driver/boost and booster seats
2000 BMW 540iT = wife's kid hauler
2012 Toyota Highlander = the boring reliable vehicle

1. Yes, it couldn't control my amp though. I ended up buying a Logitech harmony (I *think* 520) from tigerdirect, refurbed for 39.99. This was well worth the money and better than any other universal remote I've used before. Basically, dish gives you 2 remotes and one is "1" and the other is "2". I think it will control up to 5 components on the main remote (TV,Aux,sat, dvd, ?).

2. Mine used a single co-ax feed that was shared through the whole house. On the line was.... signal from the dish, the second TV, and the remote signal. My main TV is next to the box and fed with HDMI. I also kept Road runner, and since my modem is up stairs and I previously only had one line up stairs they installed the second co-ax to the upstairs for free. Upon install they will get two tv's working at no additional charge. If you want to split the second TV you will most likely have to do that yorself later. My installer did help me there as well though.

3. With the dual tuner, you get two tuners you can control from any TV on the network. However, the primary TV is watching tuner 1, and the secondary tv is watching tuner 2. So, yes you can DVR two things from the main tv, but you will be watching what's on tuner 1. I know the OTA tuner adds another, but not sure how that effects the mix here. I believe the OTA tuner will only let you watch what's coming in over the antenna though.

4. I never used this feature when I was with TWC, although I kind of doubt dish has the provisions for this. Could be wrong though....

Lastly, Chris and I both have dish and their is a referral coupon that helps both parties if you decide to go that route. Contact one of us if you want one.

Also, you have up until the point that the installer leaves to cancel. Once you sign and he leaves you are obligated to the two year contract.