First Look: Dish Network's DTVPal Digital Converter

[riffjim4069]

That I dont know but it could always be a feature of the TR50 which is a DVR and needs better guide data.

To be honest, I get the feeling the digital-to-analog TVGOS feature was pulled after finding out it could impact sales of the TR-50. Personally, I know a lot of Sony HD DVR users who will latch onto a dual-tuner TR-50...especially if E* where to dump PSIP in favor of digital TVGOS.

 

[Malouff]

DaveZatz has added two more videos.

Unboxing
Setup, Part 1
Setup, Part 2
Setup, Part 3 ?
Setup, Part 4 ?

He also said Dish Network sent him his DTVPal not Sling Media.

 

[n0qcu]

...

Will E* be offering a DTV Pal that does does digital-to-analog TVGOS conversion in a future model?

That is EXACTLY what the DTVpal does.

 

[pabeader]

That is EXACTLY what the DTVpal does.

huh??

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

No the DTVPal does not decode TVGOS, all guide data is from PSIP.

The DTVPalcan be controled by a TV or VCR which has built in TVGOS but thats all the DTVPal has to do with TVGOS.

 

[n0qcu]

You're right the DTVpal doesn't DECODE the TVGOS.

The DTVpal converts the digital TVGOS to analog TVGOS so that the VCR/TV can decode the TVGOS and then control the DTVpal.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

No it does not do that eaither. Read the manual I posted.

Only thing TVGOS does is if your TV or VCR support it, then it can use an IR Blaster (they call a G Link) to have your TV or VCR with TVGOS change the channels on the DTVPal.

The DTVPal is not decoding any TVGOS signals.

 

[n0qcu]

I have one & have read the manual.

THINK about it......if you have the DTVpal hooked up to you analog recorder how would the recorder get the needed info to change the channel on the pal if it didin't covert the info to analog for the recorder to decode.

 

[Malouff]

The DTVPal is not decoding any TVGOS signals.

I didn't think it would be decoding any TVGuide signals because if they were then wouldn't they have to pay a royalty.

Am I correct in that it converts the Digital PSIP into a analog TVGuide?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The recorder uses the G-link cable which sends IR commands to the DTVPal.

The G Link Cable is an IR Blaster which sends out IR commands. It is not attached to the DTVPal.

I am told by that when you put the DTVPal into TVGOS mode it basically changes the IR signals that the IR receiver on the DTVPal is looking for.

 

[navychop]

THINK about it......if you have the DTVpal hooked up to you analog recorder how would the recorder get the needed info to change the channel on the pal if it didin't covert the info to analog for the recorder to decode.

That's the point. Those of us with analog recorders will NOT be able to use TVGOS analog after 2/17/09. We were hoping the DTVPal would convert TVGOS from the digital format to an analog one. It doesn't.

If your recorder picks up digital stations and the digital version of TVGOS, it (the recorder) can be programmed to send commands to the DTVPal. The DTVPal can understand those commands. That's the extent to which it works. Sadly.

 

[rickc]

Scott, I guess the big question is still:

Where can we presently buy the DTVPal and still use our coupon??

Will Radio Shack, or any other authorized dealer be taking pre orders and letting us use the coupon? My coupons run out early next month.

 

[riffjim4069]

I have one & have read the manual.

THINK about it......if you have the DTVpal hooked up to you analog recorder how would the recorder get the needed info to change the channel on the pal if it didin't covert the info to analog for the recorder to decode.

That was my argument I made in my posts. The TVGOS is a useless feature the way E* implemented it on the DTV Pal. If the connected device already supports digital TVGOS, then this individual really has no use for the DTV Pal since they already have a DTV tuner. Likewise, any attached analog TVGOS device would a) not work after Feb 2009 since it cannot get guide converted from the DTV Pal and b) according to what I read in order for the analog TVGOS to receive EPG the DTV Pal has to be in "Pass Thru" mode or have its own antenna feed (spitter) to the antenna which, as I recall, the Pass Thru mode will affect the DTV Pal from doing digital-analog conversion.

I may be wrong about the last part, but still...saying the DTV Pal supports TVGOS is like saying the E* 622 supports Slingbox. In this example, there is no native "Slingbox" capabiliy contained within the 622, rather it is the Slingbox which controlling the 622 via an IR cable....just like it would support a D* receiver or Cable box.

The DTV Pal still looks like a top-notch CECB, but saying this device supports TVGOS is misleading and, to be quite honest, very confusing consider the attached TVGOS device would be dead-in-the-water come Feb 2009.

 

[riffjim4069]

I didn't think it would be decoding any TVGuide signals because if they were then wouldn't they have to pay a royalty.

Am I correct in that it converts the Digital PSIP into a analog TVGuide?

I thought the same thing, but all it has to do is support DVS-706 which is an open standard and does nothing more than convert a datastream and passing it to the attached TVGOS device. IMO, E* would only be required to pay license fees if they actually used the TVGOS EPG (hardware and software costs), which is why they most likely used PSIP. Using PSIP makes perfect sense for a low-cost CECB. Perhaps it was a "business decision" (TR-50), lack of desire, or they just didn't have the software/chipset to support DVI-706 at release time.

 

[Malouff]

riffjim4069, look at the user guide Scott gave us.
We need to set up the Analog TVGuide device with a new zip code and after hooking up the DTVPal you will get new channel numbers it also shows a listings grid on the second page.

Like I said it must be converting the Digital PSIP to Analog TVGuide.
I also do know of a devices had a G-link The RCA GUIDE Plus+ GOLD TV's.
You would have thought RCA would have also included this conversion.

 

[riffjim4069]

riffjim4069, look at the user guide Scott gave us.
We need to set up the Analog TVGuide device with a new zip code and after hooking up the DTVPal you will get new channel numbers it also shows a listings grid on the second page.

Like I said it must be converting the Digital PSIP to Analog TVGuide.
I also do know of a devices had a G-link The RCA GUIDE Plus+ GOLD TV's.
You would have thought RCA would have also included this conversion.

Thanks! I see what you're saying, but it certainly isn't converting digital TVGOS to analog TVGOS. While this may be of use to an "outdated techie" using a TV/VCR with TVGOS, it doesn't do anything for my Sony HD DVR which already has a digital OTA tuner. Moreover, there is no way for this thing to provide EPG for my gazillion FiOS TV (Cablecard) channels.

Of course, anyone tech savy enough to be using TVGOS with a TV/VCR would have long ago upgraded to a HDTV/DVR.

 

[Malouff]

Anyone tech savy enough to be using TVGOS with a TV/VCR would have long ago upgraded to a HDTV/DVR.

I still have a Guide+ TV. I figured why upgrade to a HDTV when there is no HD in my area.
The only benifit would be for Blue Ray movies.
I have also not upgraded to a Digital DVR for the same reason I have only low power stations in my area.

Using the Guide+ TV and G-Link you can send remote codes to other devices.

Is you "Sony HD DVR"with a digital OTA tuner using PSIP?
If so then you would be getting the same thing.

 

[navychop]

No, that's the problem. The Sony HD DVR uses TVGOS for the EPG and setting the time & date (no manual way to set time & date). The analog version of TVGOS. Soon, there will be no analog version transmitted. So there will be no way to click on a guide to set a recording. And no way to manually enter a day & time to start recording, since the thing has no idea what time or date it is.

 

[ripnbigc]

Any news on the TR50?

 

[partsman_ba]

Another review!

You can see what cnet had to say about the dtvpal now:

Dish Network DTVPal TV/HDTV Tuners & Receiver reviews - CNET Reviews