First Look: Dish Network's DTVPal Digital Converter

[maddawg]

Anyone know if they will be releasing a PVR version of this box?

 

[pabeader]

yes
and we know the current name too.

 

[TalkingRat]

Times have changed, "google" is in the everyday language. The average person looks online for information these days. Lack of converter box availability brought us average folks to forums like these, because that's where the info trail led us.

 

[Malouff]

One other little thing I forgot to mention is this:
They had dealer 1, 10, and 100 piece pricing.
They said on the chat, that they would accept only small orders at first.
No 100-piece orders. For how long? It wasn't clear.

So, while there may be demo units showing up all over everywhere, that doesn't mean folks like Solid Sig nor Radio Shack will have any quantity on Monday or even next week.

WOW, with a shipment like that by the time a person finds a confirmed retailer they will be all gone.

Looks like they will be funneling everyone to order through Dish Network at first. I also don't think they will be ready for the HUGE demand of DTVPal's

I too was hoping for RadioShack so you can return/exchange if you needed to.

 

[pabeader]

I have a question.

Why is passthrough such an important feature? Can't you just connect two splitters up together?

then then only trouble you would have is if you had an analog channel 3 or 4? The CECB would be outputting on one of them but all the rest of the channels would still be available. And you could turn off the CECB to get that channel.

(tried to put in a pic, but not sure how)

 

[partsman_ba]

I have a question.

Why is passthrough such an important feature? Can't you just connect two splitters up together?

then then only trouble you would have is if you had an analog channel 3 or 4? The CECB would be outputting on one of them but all the rest of the channels would still be available. And you could turn off the CECB to get that channel.

(tried to put in a pic, but not sure how)

Signal degradation. Most stations staying analog are going to be marginal for most viewers. I know our local MyNetwork station is hard to view just going straight in. I hope that the Fox affiliate that owns it wil subchannel it, but haven't heard anything along those lines.

 

[Hall]

Why is passthrough such an important feature?

Not all stations have to switch to digital, specifically "LP" or "low power" stations. If you want to continue to receive them, you'll need analog pass-thru capability. If your area has NO low-power stations, or if they do and you've never heard of them, then you don't need this feature.

 

[TalkingRat]

Other things being equal, I just figured the fewer connections, the better. If I want PiP function, I already need two CECBs, plus that lets me watch while I record something else. If one CECB has analog pass through, I split the antenna 2 ways instead of 3. Will that help at all, I don't even know.

 

[pabeader]

wonder what the signal degrad is for pass-through vs splitter?

 

[stone phillips420]

ugh, suprise surprise the rollout of dtvpal has been pushed back until sometime in july

Charlie you stupid f**k, if theses are out by feb 17 2009 you stand to make zero on this product and all these delays do is aggrivate the people with coupons who actually want the dtvpal(suckers born every minute) including me

 

[Whidbey]

if theses are out by feb 17 2008

I hope you meant Feb. 17, 2009, because theirs nothing significant about Feb 17, 2008, unless it was your birthday.

 

[Lifterguy]

I have a question.

Why is passthrough such an important feature? Can't you just connect two splitters up together?

then then only trouble you would have is if you had an analog channel 3 or 4? The CECB would be outputting on one of them but all the rest of the channels would still be available. And you could turn off the CECB to get that channel.

(tried to put in a pic, but not sure how)

I currently feed the coax output from my Dish Network 622 DVR into a combiner that joins the analog feed from the 622 with my OTA feed from my antenna. On the older TV's in the house, this allows me to select between OTA (anlog) channels or the 622 (which is usually running in single mode.) I would like to add converter boxes to my older TVs, so I could continue to select OTA programming or whatever is on the Dish box. A converter with pass through would be the easiest way to make this work. (There are other ways, but signal degredation or complexity would make them less desirable.)

 

[partsman_ba]

ugh, suprise surprise the rollout of dtvpal has been pushed back until sometime in july

According to what source this time?

 

[stone phillips420]

I hope you meant Feb. 17, 2009, because theirs nothing significant about Feb 17, 2008, unless it was your birthday.

not my birthday thats next week, yup simple typo thanks

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

From what I have heard is the first batch of receivers were shipped yesterday to the distributers.

They should be in the chain soon.

 

[stone phillips420]

Your DTV-PAL digital converter box purchase with SolidSignal.com

According to what source this time?

Dear Solid Signal Customer,

Please be advised that Solid Signal has been notified by EchoStar that the DTV-Pal converter box will not be available until sometime in July. We have noted your coupon(s) information on file; however we have not yet redeemed them. Please note - your coupon may expire before Solid Signal is stocked with this product (DTV-Pal). We recommend that you take a look at some of our other converter box models as EchoStar may push out the deliver date again. Our goal is to accommodate you. Please check the expiration date on your coupon(s) and contact us prior to your coupon(s) expiration date to make changes to your existing order if necessary.

SolidSignal.com will not be held responsible for expired coupons.

Thanks again for your DTV Converter Box order!

email above received today

scott look at this!

 

[TalkingRat]

I thought solid signal was not taking coupons until it was in stock? But I do believe the delay for online retailers, if they limit dish retailers to 10 boxes per store.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Thats Solid Signal covering their butt (my opinion of course) as I dont think anyone will be getting the quantites of these boxes they want by the end of June.

There will be some out there by the end of June, but I am going to guess and say that number is going to be very small.

 

[TalkingRat]

wonder what the signal degrad is for pass-through vs splitter?

Electronic switch 0.7dB. I've read that the A/B switch is around 1.6dB and the splitter is around 3dB. NTIA, trying hard to explain why they excluded APT, said 3-5dB.

 

[Malouff]

There will be some out there by the end of June, but I am going to guess and say that number is going to be very small.

I agree especially after seeing Anole's post of dealers ordering 1, 10, or 100.

Looks the the Zatz contest was the closest some of us will get to having had a DTVPal before coupons expire.

I still have some time with mine they expire 7/17/08.

I like others are getting to the point of cutting bait for the DTVPal after reeling in nothing so many times and switching for something we know we can catch like the Zenith or Digital Stream.

Another thing is that Dish has lost getting me and several others from becoming their satellite customers.

We would also be very hesitant to recommend them to anyone.

I wonder how much of the initial boxes will end up in Wilmington N.C. and at $39.99 according to Francie Bauer earlier this month?

Francie Bauer was also the company spokeswoman for the Denver Post article saying that it was $59.99

So who knows maybe there will be a price difference for everyone else except Wilmington.