Looking to move from cable to DN-requesting help

[Z06_Pilot]

hi folks,

I currently have two Tivo Series 3 DVR's with cablecards. I have become completely fed up with SDV, and the blasted Cisco tuning adaptors that lockup, reset, and power off consistently.

I have been researching the two carriers and it seems that Dish has an interface that is closer to Tivo's, and I like their external storage setup.

I have a couple of questions if someone would not mind helping me out.

1. is it possible to control two Dish receivers in the same room(both attached to an AV preamp, going to the same TV). Tivo remotes have a 1/2 switch to allow me to set two Tivo DVRs to diferent freqs. to control both from the same remote witout interfering with each other. How can I do that with Dish?

2. Rain fade. I have read accounts that are a couple of years old that rain and thick clouds cause pixelation and outages just as I experienced a decade or so ago with Direct TV. Is that still the case, with a clear view to the sky?

3. External storage option. I am curious about the manual work required to move programs off the DVR to free up storage. Is there a way to batch move programs over, or programatically instruct programs to copy to the external storage, by retention date, for instance?

4. Also, does playback directly from an external drive work well? I am curious since the connection is only USB 2.0, if the transfer rate is quick enough for smooth playback with HD programs?

5. finally, I assume for HD DVR use I would be getting the DVR612. I have checked everywhere and can't find the back panel layout. I assume they use an HDMI 1.3 connection?

thanks very much for the help with making this decision!

Jeff

 

[nsafreak]

1) Yes it's possible. You would have to change the remote address for each receiver but it can be done pretty easily. Just making sure that I understand what you're trying to do with this potential setup. Are you trying to be able to control recording for 4 different programs at once from one location? You are aware that Dish DVR units are dual tuner I hope.

2) Properly installed rain fade is typically not an issue. In the years I've had Dish at two different locations I've only had one weather related outage and that lasted all of an hour.

3) Unfortunately there is not a way to set the external storage option as a default recording storage location at this time. However it is pretty easy to move programs over. You just select which program(s) (you can move multiple recordings at once) and just set them to be sent to archive.

4) Playback directly off the drive, at least the drive I use, works just fine. I see no difference in playback in between using the internal drive and the external drive

5) Yes they do use an HDMI connection (not sure if it is 1.3 or not) along with component and optical outputs.

 

[Z06_Pilot]

Hi NSA,

thanks very much for the reply!

yes, I am talking about the ability to have 4 tuners active, with the ability to record 4 different programs at the same time:

2 tuners in each HD DVR, sitting on top of each other, both connected to my Integra A/V preamp, output to my RPTV.

both DVR's controlled by a single remote control, utilizing different frequencies so I can control each DVR without interfering with the other(as they will be sitting together in my main viewing room)

thanks!

 

[CowboyDren]

1) I'm pretty sure that you can program the AUX button on the Dish remote to control a second address; never tried it myself, but that's what I'd read about in the manuals.

2) Rain fade in the Western Arc happens very rarely. You're in Columbus, so you could wind up with Western or Eastern Arc service. The weather has to be BAD for a properly-installed 1000.2 dish to fade out. If you don't mind spending money, there are ways to further discourage it, too, by buying your own dishes and a multiswitch.

3) You can also tell your timer to record to external automatically, can't you?

4) Full HDTV (MPEG2) is 19Mbit/sec; typical Dish HD bitrates (MPEG4) are less than half that. USB 2.0 is 480Mbit/sec, so it can theoretically support...25 concurrent HD I/O streams.

5) A pair of 621s will fit your needs nicely, but a 722 and a 621 or a pair of 722s would give you a LOT more flexibility.

 

[Jeff0575]

You will be so much happier with dish network.

 

[Z06_Pilot]

thanks.

Cowboy, yes, I have put an order together wth a rep. that I can use when I decide to order. It includes two 722's, with an upfront cost of $200 for the 2nd DVR.

I like the 722 to allow me to attach an output to an SD TV, and the unit will down convert HD programs for SD viewing..

I don't like the way D* handles their external drives either: the internal drive is automatically disabled so you lose that storage space. it's SATA only, so the receiver pairs with the drive, so it can't be shared with other DVR's without formatting.

I don't care for traditional sports, so the sports packages D* has don't interest me.

the only thing I have found in favor of D* so far is that we could see Friday Night Lights as soon as it's available rather than waiting til the first of the year to see the episodes on NBC!

 

[nsafreak]

1) I'm pretty sure that you can program the AUX button on the Dish remote to control a second address; never tried it myself, but that's what I'd read about in the manuals.

2) Rain fade in the Western Arc happens very rarely. You're in Columbus, so you could wind up with Western or Eastern Arc service. The weather has to be BAD for a properly-installed 1000.2 dish to fade out. If you don't mind spending money, there are ways to further discourage it, too, by buying your own dishes and a multiswitch.

3) You can also tell your timer to record to external automatically, can't you?

4) Full HDTV (MPEG2) is 19Mbit/sec; typical Dish HD bitrates (MPEG4) are less than half that. USB 2.0 is 480Mbit/sec, so it can theoretically support...25 concurrent HD I/O streams.

5) A pair of 621s will fit your needs nicely, but a 722 and a 621 or a pair of 722s would give you a LOT more flexibility.

In response to number 3:

If there is a way I haven't found it and I've looked all through the manual and the user interface.

 

[n0qcu]

1) I'm pretty sure that you can program the AUX button on the Dish remote to control a second address; never tried it myself, but that's what I'd read about in the manuals.
Yes that does work

2) Rain fade in the Western Arc happens very rarely. You're in Columbus, so you could wind up with Western or Eastern Arc service. The weather has to be BAD for a properly-installed 1000.2 dish to fade out. If you don't mind spending money, there are ways to further discourage it, too, by buying your own dishes and a multiswitch.

3) You can also tell your timer to record to external automatically, can't you?
That option is only for recording to the PocketDISH
4) Full HDTV (MPEG2) is 19Mbit/sec; typical Dish HD bitrates (MPEG4) are less than half that. USB 2.0 is 480Mbit/sec, so it can theoretically support...25 concurrent HD I/O streams.

5) A pair of 621s will fit your needs nicely, but a 722 and a 621 or a pair of 722s would give you a LOT more flexibility.