First Look: Dish Network's DTVPal Digital Converter

Does DTVPal have any vent holes (any thermal problems?) and what's deal about the flashes of advertisements for Dish Network?
What flashes of advertisements for Dish Network are you talking about?

Where have you seen these advertisements?

It looks like the DTVPal does not have a vent holes but does have a external power source that should help with heat problems plus the curvature of the box might help a little too.
 
what's deal about the flashes of advertisements for Dish Network?

The only advertisements are the logos on the menu pages, if you look at the reviews:

attachment.php


:eureka Unless you consider that the whole box (name, GUI, remote) is an advertisement for Dish Network satellite service. It gets you used to the Dish experience, thereby (hopefully) making you more likely to select them as your premium service in the future.
 
What flashes of advertisements for Dish Network are you talking about?

Where have you seen these advertisements?

It looks like the DTVPal does not have a vent holes but does have a external power source that should help with heat problems plus the curvature of the box might help a little too.

Last photo on the first message posted to thread.
 
Last photo on the first message posted to thread.
You mean the crawl in the photo "February 19, 2009? Visit DTVAnswers.com or call"

It was either one of these two.
Get ready for the switch to DTV on February 17, 2009. Visit DTVanswers.com or call 1888 DTV 2009.

Are you ready for the switch to DTV on February 17, 2009? Visit DTVanswers.com or call 1888 DTV 2009.

Stations are required to inform people about the transition to digital and that is what that was it had nothing to do with the DTVPal.
 
pabeader did you see that my preorder got canceled?
I think Scott might have known that retailers using Sling Media as their distribution partner were going to be cancelled.

It looks like the DTVPal is now ONLY available through the DISH Network Sales organization?
I don't know any possible retailers that are listed as a NTIA participating retailer and also in the DISH Network Sales organization.

Do you know how to find out who is a member of both?
 
I hope their convertor box receives stations better on channels 3-13 than the Magnavox units do. I can pickup 3 just as well or better than 8 or 11 on analog but it will not pickup 3 at all on the digital box while 8 and 11 come in on the digital box. It is weird.
 
Scott Greczkowski now that the cat's out of the bag about Dish Network only using the Echosphere distribution
do you know if Radio Shack and Sears are where we will be finding the DTVPal?

If you use the Locate Retailer link at Dish Network at the top of every search in bold is
DISH Network is also available at any of your local RADIOSHACK and SEARS stores.
 
Stargazer,

It looks like your channel 3 has a unique situation, currently operating digital 23 with a side mount because their analog 3 antenna has the top mount location -- and it will take them until August 2009 to have the digital antenna top mounted.

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=619027

So I guess that means it gets better, but not right away. ETA: and it looks like it will maybe get worse between Feb and Aug 09.
 
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Malouff, did I miss something? Where were we told that they were only using the Echosphere distribution channel? Sorry, but I'm too lazy to reread through all the posts again...
 
Malouff, did I miss something? Where were we told that they were only using the Echosphere distribution channel?
I think Claude of DishStore.net mentioned it... Malouff seems to be "investigating" this whole fiasco regarding the TR-40/DTVPal quite in-depth.
 
Notes on DTVPal.com site

It looks like the DTVPal is now ONLY available through the DISH Network Sales organization?
I don't know any possible retailers that are listed as a NTIA participating retailer and also in the DISH Network Sales organization.

Do you know how to find out who is a member of both?

What I find interesting at dtvpal.com (which, like dtvpal.net, dtvpal.org, etc., is just masking the real URL www.dishnetwork.com/dtvpal/) are those three big buttons across the page that say "Order your DTVPal," "Get The Coupon," "Contact Us".

First, there's no doubt they're encouraging everyone to use a coupon for purchase, evidenced by the center "Get The Coupon" button.

Second, I suspect that the first "Order your DTVPal" button might be replaced by a working online ordering link in the near future. But if so, are they set up to accept the coupons themselves (NTIA-approved as an online retailer)? If not, it's misleading to put that "Get The Coupon" button right next to the order button. (By the way, although the button links to www.dishnetwork.com/dtvpal/order.shtml, the ".shtml" does NOT mean "secure html"; it just indicates SSI, a server-side scripting language, is being used, so it is not necessarily evidence that a secure online ordering site is coming. All the links on the page end with .shtml.)

Why have a big "Order" button if it won't eventually be used for taking orders? The page it goes to now gives the link to the email signup/survey (which has sent no email except for the acknowledgment which Malouff has quoted), but other than that, it just repeats the information that appears on the button itself ("DISH Network will begin selling DTVPal in late June 2008")! In other words, it's pretty useless now, and that's why I suspect it is intended to become a "real" order button in the future.

Ok, I'm sort-of repeating myself, but as a final point about this button, it's not a "Where can I buy it?" button (and there is no such link on the site), it is an "Order" button. However, if they aren't authorized to accept coupons and sell directly themselves, maybe they will just be providing links to online sellers once it is available, and it really will be more of a "Where can I buy it?" button. There is at least one online seller that apparently still believes they will have some in stock within a week. I don't think it's a sponsor of this site, so I'll just say its name starts with "Solid."

Third, the "Contact Us" button only provides the email press@echostar.com. A former Sling employee has said (Dave Zatz on his blog and at avsforum) that maybe we, as individuals, shouldn't contact the woman in charge of press relations with questions (and I haven't), but a "press" contact is the only one we are being given on the official site!
 
I was wondering if Scott Greczkowski could answer the question if the DTVPal have any vent holes and has any thermal problems?
 
Thanks for the update Claude.

Once you start selling you might want to give us all an update and post a link.
I am sure there will still be people looking for these who have had coupons expire.
The US congress is going to mandate that those with expired coupons be able to re-apply for new ones so just wait awhile and see what happens.
 
pabeader "Where were we told that they were only using the Echosphere distribution channel?"

The retailer where I had my pre-order had Sling as his distribution partner and they cancelled his order not only that but:
If you eMail TR40@slingmedia.com it now has the following at the end.

The DTVPal (TR-40) and TR-50 are now ONLY available through the DISH Network Sales organization.
To receive updates as information becomes available, please sign up for their analog to digital newsletter.
This alone says they are only using the Echosphere distribution channel but to make sure I have sent eMails to other retailers and Dish to find out and will report back once I get a reply.
 
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have you looked at all the Zatz videos? I watched them this weekend and I found myself trying to get him to press buttons and hear me answer his unspoken questions. like when he was searching for the antenna pointer screen. or the page up and down buttons. I almost woke up the wife. :)
 
Direct selling at dtvpal.com

Sorry if my post above got a little long-winded, but does anyone have any insights as to whether dtvpal.com will eventually start taking orders and shipping directly to consumers, or do you expect them to sell only though their network of authorized sellers (apparently called DISH Network Sales and using Echosphere distribution)?

I don't own any DISH equipment yet; I thought others here who do might have more insight. (I know you can place orders for satellite equipment and service by starting at https://customersupport.dishnetwork.com/builddish/land.do but that's just about all I know about their capacity for direct online sales. By the way, don't order from there! Patronize the sponsors of this site! ;) :D ) My earlier post was based on what the dtvpal.com site design appears to be intended for since it has an "Order" button.

Although DISH is not on the authorized sellers list now, that may be only because the DTVPal is not shipping yet, and DISH Network (and/or dtvpal.com) could be added to the list of online sellers at that time.

@pabeader, Re: Zatz videos -- Yeah, I wanted him to type text into the onscreen keyboard using the numeric remote buttons like a cell phone keypad. He later confirmed somewhere that that works.
 
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I got a reply from CEO@EchoStar.com

Malouff,

Thank you for your email. Our records indicate that converter box called the DTVPal should be available this month of June 2008. This DTVPal will be free if the customer has a federal coupon. The DTVPal leverages EchoStar’s award-winning technology and will provide analog-TV owners a TV-viewing experience better than that offered by digital-TV sets. If you want more information about our DTVPal Converter Boxes,please go to www.dishnetwork.com/dt


Analog to Digital Transition Info: www.dtv.gov
DTV Converter Box Coupon Info: www.dtv2009.gov
You may please call our Customer Service at 1-888-DTV-2009 at your convenience for assistance.

We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused you.
Your business is greatly appreciated and we thank you for allowing us to be of assistance to you. If you have any further questions or concerns, please refer to www.dishnetwork.com or reply to this email.

Sincerely,

Nima M.
DISH Network eCare
Pine Brook
 

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