Tech Chat. What was the big surprise?

The big surprise was that I won a 921.

Actually it was a good chat, they took ALL questions NO HOLDS BARRED!

No big surprises though.
 
No big surprise - E* using the MPAA as a scapegoat in their excuse that 'content protection' was the reason for shutting off the 921 firewire output.

True to form.
 
I think the big surprise was an official timetable for bringing name based to their DVR's. I think that up till now they have been very vague about it, using phrases like; "we're looking into that" etc.
 
tm22721 said:
No big surprise - E* using the MPAA as a scapegoat in their excuse that 'content protection' was the reason for shutting off the 921 firewire output.

True to form.

They could implement 1394 with DTCP (Digital copy protection), like the VHS recorders do, or they could support JVC's HDDVR "D-Theater" copy protection. Both of these have some level of MPAA's stamp of approval.
 
sampatterson said:
They could implement 1394 with DTCP (Digital copy protection), like the VHS recorders do, or they could support JVC's HDDVR "D-Theater" copy protection. Both of these have some level of MPAA's stamp of approval.

That would probably just open a whole new can of worms with the consumer. I am sure we would complain about not being able to copy 90% of the shows because they have copy protection. I can see the MPAA throwing a huge fit over the ability to record.
 
501 Locals

In response to a question I thought I heard them say that you get the locals to play through your 501 and display them on the guide. Did I miss understand this? I thought that wasn't possible. They said that feature was on the 501 already
 
So what was the Name Based Recording time-line you say they spoke of. I'm new to Dish and have the 721. I love the unit but I, like everyone else, miss my Name Based Recording.

/curious
 
They mentioned that name based recording would be coming this summer on the 501/508/511/522 and later this year on the 921 and fall for the 721. What I was wondering, does anyone now if they will offer something the equivalent to the season pass. I can't imagine the number of recordings you would get if you use the name based recording on a program that is syndicated.
 
I'd say the "big" news was all the upgrade promotions. Not everyone reads the forums (like us).

I was certainly impressed with all the questions they took. Essentially, they read off a list of all their major bugs.

They've got a heck of a lot of software to get tested and out in the next two weeks. It'll be amazing if something doesn't slip.

921 Firewire: The content protection argument is a bit off. They should just implement whatever Motorola/Comcast is doing. The Cable companies have signed onto an FCC ruling agreeing to make firewire available.

Echostar sould be able to do the same. If the MPAA sues, they'll have to sue everyone and it'll be a tuff battle.

My opinion (from reading ALL the posts)... There's a hardware design error in the 921 causing problems with the implementation of the firewire content protection.
 
I'm also very pleased with how this chat went. :up In two weeks, I'll check back on how everyone got their software updates and see how they feel. ;)

If all Charlie Chats and Tech Chats were always this candid, I could see the possibility of much better customer feelings over the problems that we have been encountering. Consistancy in the message is always key.

For example: If DishWire had always been related to content protection (MPAA), then this should have been clearly communicated from the get go. I recall several products over the years that could've been stellar, and had their usefullness reduced to MPAA requirements. Back when I was into recording music, I was extremely excited over some of the prosumer (professional-consumer) Digital DAT technologies that were being released. MPAA had the manufactures support a form of content protection that blocked a specific frequency range and would not record if that range existed. MPAA argued that consumers would not notice the difference. As a recording musician, however, I was now burdened with additional hardware needed to ensure I wasn't going to record using that frequency range.

The result of that MPAA issue was that consumers also saw this as a big deal and very few purchased this type of equipment. !protest It would have allowed easy digital recording of audio that was CD quality long before CD-R products had dropped below the $1000.00 range. Now, of course, no one really remembers that erra, due to CD-R/DVD drives lower than $100.00. Of course, the various video recording products on the computer now support "MacroVision" to prevent the ability to digitize content and burn your own CD/DVD of protected content (or at least that is what is supposed to happen).


I know that MPAA wants to significantly cut down on the ability for viewers to be able to record video content and make some possible "long term" recording of the content. DVR's, due to their temporary nature, have been allowed provided that the content is not easily duplicated to a permanent storage. This is one of the many reasons we see all of this content protect over all methods of Digital connection, including the DVI port. MPAA (and all of the multi-billion dollar Hollywood studios that financially support and endorse this organization) will go toe-to-toe even if everyone implemented Firewire and thought that how could MPAA take on everyone in court? It's the battle of the century in their eyes and will be litigated at all costs (including their own solvency) since they believe that lossing will destroy their income base (even if other methods of revenue are available, it's just not recognized).

Sorry for the bunny trail (leaving the original topic with a short diversion).

Again, If E* could be consistant with all of their communications and also be to the point on any issues, from now on, I predict that those who left E* may start to look at coming back when the issues with their equipment had been addressed.

I'll also look at purchasing some of the higher end receivers from E* at that point as well. Currently I'm on the 301 system and have been holding off from the DVR/HD world until these look much more solid. I used to have a Dishplayer, and my Wife loved the features, but the software problems finally had her saying no more except on the basic equipment. :mad: I'm hoping that by the time I've convinced her that the newer equipment is ready for primetime, it really will be. :confused:
 
Seadoo said:
In response to a question I thought I heard them say that you get the locals to play through your 501 and display them on the guide. Did I miss understand this? I thought that wasn't possible. They said that feature was on the 501 already

The way I interpreted the question was that the customer wanted the guide to display OTA guide info on his 811, like the Dish locals appear on his 501.

The geeks behind the desk it to mean the customer wanted to remap DISH LOCALS to local channel numbers, which of course IS already possible.

I wish somebody would have asked specifically about OTA guide info. I still think that customer was asking it, but was too nervous and inarticulate to ask correctly. (Perhaps he banged his head on the low ceiling of his double-wide.)
 
ItamaeChef said:
So what was the Name Based Recording time-line you say they spoke of. I'm new to Dish and have the 721. I love the unit but I, like everyone else, miss my Name Based Recording.

/curious

I have a feeling that Dish's NBR will be a disaster. Imagine setting it to record Friends, Simpsons, Raymond, etc. You'll get every stinkin' rerun in syndication, in addition to the network broadcasts.
 
GaryPen said:
I have a feeling that Dish's NBR will be a disaster. Imagine setting it to record Friends, Simpsons, Raymond, etc. You'll get every stinkin' rerun in syndication, in addition to the network broadcasts.

The only reason I think they may be able to pull it off is that Charlie bought the TV Guide channel which has the technology nec. to do so (metadata, VCR Plus etc.)
BUT, I'm sure it won't be without the usual problems and certainly not as trouble-free as Tivo.
 
Charlie DID NOT buy the TV Guide Channel. He has an agreement with Gemstar which owns the TV Guide Channel. The TV Guide Channel is supposed to come on Dish in the future.
 
Name based scares me a little bit.... I keep thinking about the problems the Dishplayers had with it. The worst was when it ran into a conflict with an existing timer, and couldn't deal with the conundrum properly.

Hopefully, it will figure out a way to properly deal with this without creating legions of new bugs
 
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