Originally
posted by Ken Stuart in response to a question on the alt.dbs.echostar
newsgroup. Used by permission. As of today (8/6/02), the only advantages of the Dishplayer over the
508:
Better looking interface
Built-in internet access (aka "WebTV")
Possibility of replacing the HD with a larger one.
Ability to record the program you just watched (up to one hour in the
past)
Ability to edit a timer in progress (for example, you notice that your
usual program started 15 minutes late due to a sports event, you can then edit
it's timer to add 15 minutes)
The 508 receiver can record the music channels, and you can rewind a
current playing music channel to hear the song again, and you can record the
song that you just heard by rewinding, pressing record, and then pressing stop
after the song. AND, while with DishPlayer you cannot see the song titles once
the screen saver kicks in (after 15 minutes??), the 508 scrolls the song
titles up and down to save your screen and thus is visible continually.
UHF remote
Search Function has a "history" so you don't have to re-type frequent
searches.
Caller-ID capability
Red "recording in progress" in LED on the front panel (useful for
less-tech-savvy family members)
Readout of approximate amount of recording space left on hard disk
8 1/2 days of guide listings instead of 6 1/2 days (which allows you to
watch a new program's premier, and then if you like it, you can set a timer
for next week's showing - DP requires you to write down a note to do that
tomorrow)
"On Demand" download of guide listings (turning off the 501 will refresh
the Guide back to 8 1/2 days, so you are not dependent on anything happening
just right at 3 am, as is the case with DP)
4x FF speed instead of 2x (one of the biggest advantages, the 4x has equal
visibility to the 2x, but only takes half as long)
10-second replay button instead of 7-second (by the time one picks up the
remote and presses the replay button, several seconds have gone by, so you
always have to press the DP replay button 2 or 3 times to actually get back to
what you just saw)
FF and REW buttons respond instantly (overall much easier to scan for some
small segment you want to see)
Front panel reset button
Software upgrades every month or two instead of every six months or so
HD comes from the factory with 80GB of space ("70 hours" on average)