My beloved drv508 offically obsolite
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Neither massive CPU power nor gobs of RAM are required to decode MPEG4 (or MPEG2 for that matter). MPEG decoding is done in hardware.
Nobody said anything about massive amounts. It does in fact still require more of both. What do you think a CPU and RAM are? They are hardware. Granted, decoding doesn't require near the amount that encoding does, but MPEG4 still requires a capable CPU and a sufficient amount of RAM. I understand that when optimized for a certain task, less "power" is required, and I also understand the difference between software and hardware decoding, but that doesn't mean that some other, less capable piece of hardware will be able to do the same task.
The receivers are built with the bare minimum amount of hardware required to do whatever task they are assigned, whether it be MPEG2 or MPEG4, SD or HD. MPEG2 requires less horsepower than MPEG4, and SD requires less horsepower than HD.
The receivers are built with the bare minimum amount of hardware required to do whatever task they are assigned, whether it be MPEG2 or MPEG4, SD or HD. MPEG2 requires less horsepower than MPEG4, and SD requires less horsepower than HD.
No CPU power is required to decode MPEG in a satellite receiver. None. Nada.
For the same reason that the 501 and 508 DVRs can't do 8PSK (handled by the IF demodulator section), they can't be "programmed" to do MPEG4; it has to be done entirely in hardware.
Subsequent DVRs have several decoders to provide up to four streams of MPEG without bringing the CPU to its knees.
Here's the datasheet for the chip used in the ViP622 that includes a block diagram: http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet2/2/05a4tlx00yqfzf6kuk20qwfw93wy.pdf
Note the functional block just above center in the block diagram.
It's funny you should link to that block diagram, because what do you see right in the middle of it? That's right, an MIPS R5000 CPU. It's not called a central processing unit for nothing. All that the "hardware" you keep mentioning does is offload the decoding tasks from the CPU to the decoder. Everything still has to flow through the CPU in order to get to where it's coming or going whether it be RAM, or the video processing unit. Without sufficient CPU power, there would be a bottleneck between the decoder and the video processing unit. Without sufficient RAM, everything would have to hit the swap file on the HDD, which is a LOT slower, and it will again be bottlenecked. Again, the decoder "hardware" just offloads the task, and thus makes a less powerful CPU still capable of doing the task at hand, but it still has to process more information than before.
Anyway, I mainly stated "more CPU power" as the whole thing is an SoC, which means that the CPU and the decoder are on the same die. Fact remains that it still requires stronger hardware than before, and due to the nature of MPEG4, does require slightly more RAM.
We also see one HDMI output 
but 6 video DACS which are apparently able to handle HD signals via component. Why oh why Dish doesn't give us component HD output on TV2 I don't understand.
The "triple PVR" feature is what allows simultaneous recording from 2 sat and 1 OTA tuner.
but 6 video DACS which are apparently able to handle HD signals via component. Why oh why Dish doesn't give us component HD output on TV2 I don't understand.The "triple PVR" feature is what allows simultaneous recording from 2 sat and 1 OTA tuner.
Yep. I believe that intention has been posted here quite a bit. 30% bandwidth usage improvement, IIRC.
I have read that the 8PSK transition would allow ~70 new channels but it was never clarified as to whether that was HD or SD channels. My assumption is SD. I'd presume they'll use the space to add HD channels, or some HD and some SD, or maybe even devote more bandwidth to the channels we already have.
When everything is 8PSK, then Dish could put both HD and SD channels on the same transponder. Might gain efficiency and cram more channels on a transponder that way, too.
I suggest you read up on the concept of Direct Memory Access. The video data does NOT go through the CPU.
As for pointing out the CPU in the block diagram, perhaps you noticed that it isn't part of a pipeline like most the other components are.
I know what DMA is just as I know what bus mastering is. As I have said over and over it still requires some CPU power to perform all tasks inside the chip. Bus mastering just reduces the load on the CPU. The CPU isn't part of a "pipeline" just as the RAM controller, PCI interface, Ethernet. Doesn't mean that they are not being used at all.
With each successive post, your CPU utilization has been reduced. From being the sole determiner to a major bottleneck to something little more than a supervisory role, you're getting there.
It hasn't been reduced in any amount. You just want to see things the way you see it no matter how things actually are. Put in an underpowered CPU, and nothing will get done, period.
I'm sure you're right, but if you're gonna upgrade people anyway , why not take them to mpeg4 capability. It's still that many less receivers to replace down the road when/if Dish dumps mpeg2. Only thing I can think is they don't want to give HD capability for free, or they have a ton of dusty 512s sitting in a warehouse.
I'm $ure there mu$t be $ome rea$on.
But I agree with you, it would seem to make more sense to go to MPEG-4. I'm sure somebody costed it both ways, and stretching it out won.
Any hassles with going back to an owned receiver from a leased 508? I had an owned 7100 for years until they swapped it out for the 508. They made me take the lease for 24 months but now I want to go back to having my own equipment thank you. It appears to me that the swap out would be an easy way to do that and keep a DVR at any rate. I don't need a multi-room unit (multi tuners) I have all my viewing equipment in 1 room. The 211K wold be perfect for me, once I can figure out which drive I can add to it. Is there a list here for that? Can't even see them asking for the 508 back as it is obsolete (or will be shortly) according to Dish. They never made me return the 7100.
We would ask that the smart card for the 508 be returned, but not the whole receiver. You can absolutely purchase, and install a 211 in its place. For an external hard drive, I've seen other members on the forum say that a western digital my book essential was a good one to get.
I'm not sure what dish you have installed right now, but if you want HD, it may need to be upgraded as well.
I'm not sure what dish you have installed right now, but if you want HD, it may need to be upgraded as well.
