The 942 is HERE!

[csschrot]

Well came back into the office this morning and the format is now working. Weird but with DISH who knows.

The picture is still off center. I called advance tech to see what they would have to say. The woman I talked to was quick to say that when she was trained on the 942 they noticed the same off center picture. So I don't know what to think.

Scott the software version we have is L222.

Shawn

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It is hard to explain my feelings on the 942, it is excitment and disapointment all in one box. It is excitement because everything works out of the box, it is disapointment because this is what the 921 should have been.

Since I am using the 942 only in single mode this thing to me is like a 921 with new menus. In my mind I keep saying to myself this is what the 921 should have been.

My wife likes the new menus as to her the look cleaner and more modern however she does not like the guide she says there are less channels listed in the guide then the 921, which may be the case, I know we can adjust the look of the guide but we have not played with those settings yet.

Since we are using the 942 in single mode I like the fact we can use both remotes in the same room, my wife is prone to losing the remote, this helps solve the problem, I have not updated or tried my Harmony remotes to with the 942.

Last night we added some timers and I was very impressed with how quickly the 942 searched for my shows.

Since I posted my origional notes for Pub members yesterday I have received a lot of PM's from Pub Members asking me if it's worth upgrading from a 921, in my opinion I would say no, unless you really want name based recording and opentv. However if you are looking to purchase your first HD DVR I would consider te 942 a good buy.

One thing I did not like is when I go to bed at night I fall asleep with a certain channel on, my TV automatically turns on in the morning and I am woken by the morning news. This morning when I woke up my TV was on, but the morning news was not, instead I was greated by a screen saver telling me to push select to continue, this was kind of annoying and I need to figure a way to not have this happen.

So in the less then 48 hours I give it a thumbs in the middle, don't get me wrong I like it but this is what the 921 should have, could have and STILL can be, Dish Network however has decided its not worth putting any effort into the 921 which I now consider the modern day Edsel.

More to come, thanks for being a SatelliteGuys member.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Scott the software version we have is L222.

I am also running L222.

 

[StevenD]

So, now what is Dish going to do for us 921 owners? I sure hope they decide to swap out our 921s for 942s. It would be nice to have a box that works!

My 921 locked up again last night during American Idol. The female of the household wasn't too happy that she would have to wait until it was over and I could reboot the box so she could watch it. It still recorded...it just wouldnt let me rewind it or open the DVR menu to Start Over.

 

[mike_johnson]

I believe the reason why they are not calling it HDMI is because the Dish Network 942 port does not pass the digital audio.

Scott,
Is this true? I took another look at the 942 product flyer on the DISH site, and I see they call the port a "HDTV digital audio/video output" compatible with HDMI equipped televisions. I'm hoping that the port does supply audio and that this is maybe just an issue about not wanting to pay the fees to use the HDMI trademark.....

 

[csschrot]

Something else I should report. Here in Lincoln we get the Lincoln, Hastings local stations from DISH. Over the antenna we get the Lincoln and Omaha stations and I'm able to see the guide info from the Omaha stations so I believe the PSIP is working. So from that I don't believe that you need to subsribe to DISH locals to see the guide info.

Hope this helps I saw somewhere that people were asking about that.

Shawn

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Mike I have been told by two seperate folks at Dish that the port does not pass audio. I don't have HDMI on any of the HDTV's that I have so I can not tell you if this is true or not. I am just taking their word for it.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Something else I should report. Here in Lincoln we get the Lincoln, Hastings local stations from DISH. Over the antenna we get the Lincoln and Omaha stations and I'm able to see the guide info from the Omaha stations so I believe the PSIP is working. So from that I don't believe that you need to subsribe to DISH locals to see the guide info.

Hope this helps I saw somewhere that people were asking about that.

Shawn

There appears to be psueo PSIP information working.

On my box I scanned all my digital channels and they all showed up but with no program guide information
http://www.satelliteguys.us/attachment.php?attachmentid=3662

After I had my locals the guide information was there, however for the Springfield Mass DMA which Dish does not carry there was no guide info. But what I found interesting is that out local NBC station carries Weather Plus on a subchannel, and that Subchannel IS listed in the guide as NBC. I don't know where the Subchannel got the listing but it is there.

 

[bryan92]

Can we get this question out of the way if its not been answered. How about the fan noise?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I use to think my 921 was quiet, that was until I unplugged it last night. Boy that sucker was LOUD!

The 942 you can't hear the hard drive but you do hear a VERY faint fan noise. But this noise is a lot more quiet then the 921 was.

 

[bryan92]

Ive gotten used to it but when company comes over the first question "What the heck is that noise". Thanks Scott, I knew someone would ask and I wanted to be first.

 

[bcshields]

I just read in a facts blast that the 942 and 625 will be shipped with DPPSeperators packed... Scott, did yours have one?

 

[gpflepsen]

One thing I don't like; the HDMI-DVI converter. I don't like the size and mass of the adapter along with the attached DVI cable hanging on what appears to be a small (fagile?) HDMI connector.

I'd rather have one of these:

 

[BFG]

That cable is supplied. For whatever reason scott plugged in the adapter that's meant to go on the end of that cable and turn it back into HDMI again for those with hdmi sets.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I just read in a facts blast that the 942 and 625 will be shipped with DPPSeperators packed... Scott, did yours have one?

Yes it did. Found the Dish pro Plus Switch nicely too.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

One thing I don't like; the HDMI-DVI converter. I don't like the size and mass of the adapter along with the attached DVI cable hanging on what appears to be a small (fagile?) HDMI connector.

Thats something I did not like as well, I am sure there is a lot of weight pulling on that port when using that adapter. The adapter actually bends down under the weight of the DVI cable.

 

[gpflepsen]

Thats something I did not like as well, I am sure there is a lot of weight pulling on that port when using that adapter. The adapter actually bends down under the weight of the DVI cable.

Scott, did your 942 come with a HDMI/DVI cable of some sort or just the adapter?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I did not see a HDMI cable. It just had the adapter and a DVI cable (and component cables as well) however I was not looking for it, I will take a look again tonight.

 

[BFG]

well either they changed something or it wasnt packed right.

because look here: http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/product_brochures/942_Prod_SheetWeb.pdf

CABLES INCLUDED
8' HDMI to DVI (TV1); DVI to HDMI adapter

 

[hancox]

Man, that's el cheapo, and quite lame.

Not to sound trollish, but D* gives you an HDMI<-->HDMI and an HDMI<-->DVI cable in the box.

1) Covers both bases
2) Extinguishes concerns of the adapter hanging off the back of the HDMI port.

Stupid move by E*, IMHO