First, since the OP ONLY cares about SD channels, it makes absolutely NO difference that these boxes are MPEG2 only...what that would have to do with the EPG I have NO clue...
He knows the other (minor) limitations of these receivers & obviously doesn't seem to bother him, for the needs he is looking for. (basically little to no PPV & some missing sports channels/packages)
Have you actually SEEN one of these in operation TODAY? If you did, you would find that they ARE, in fact, a LOT faster than the "current lot" of receivers now. What you are failing to understand, is that the reason for the slowness on some of today's receivers (think H20, 21, etc.) is NOT so much the (lack of a) faster processor...but the fact of all the interactive apps & other "garbage" enhancements, that D* insists on continually shoving down into these newer receivers - some of which that were NEVER originally designed for this complexity! But because D* has stopped trying to "enhance" these older (
non-H/HR) receivers, they are actually able to properly function the way that the manufacturer had intended.
I actually had (& still have) one of the Hughes HAH-SD receivers (the better version of this series of receivers) & IMHO, it IS still one of the best non-DVR boxes D* had. 14-day instant EPG, that you could easily customize MUCH more & better than any of the current boxes. (you can even use or delete the PIP on it!) 2-hours of guide vs 90 min on today's "better" receivers. Better remote control key layout & fast operation of
all receiver functions. It even has
component video outputs (no, I don't mean composite) & optical audio out. Unfortunately they don't get locals here since they went MPEG4 only; I "moved" to Chicago, so it wasn't an issue for me.
I was at our local Red Robin this past weekend to prog some new RF remotes & they had all H25 receivers...
obviously the newest non-DVR receiver that have not been out all that long. Before I could even start doing my work, the manager was complaining up a storm how incredibly SLOW they all were. And when I started doing my work, he certainly was NOT kidding; I simply cannot fathom how D* has "broken" what once were fast receivers & basically turned them into "Pentium ONE" receivers - REALLY, REALLY?