FYI Replay TV clearance sale

[sorahl]

I apologize if this isn't the right place for this. Just wanted to make sure everyone saw it. looks like some great deals!!!

http://www.digitalnetworksna.com/shop/_templates/cat_listRTV.asp?sssdmh=dm12.74772&cat=51


Sorahl

[Bob Haller]

How well does auto commercial skip work?

[alv]

Auto commercial skip does just what it says - it skips commercials on recorded shows. I believe it does this by looking for black screens before and after the commercial block - I also beleive these are mandated by law. My brother had a VCR that did this and it worked well. My also look for volume changes. Should be very nice with a DVR.

[gcutler]

Don't forget, like TiVo ReplayTV this takes COAX or RCA or S-VIDEO from DBS reciever and you will lose PQ. ANd even if it says x Hours, that is probably at the most basic quality. Chances are if you go for highest quality divide the # hours by 1/4. So this is not a perfect replacement for a combo PVR/Reciever.

But this will allow you to keep Dish and have a new PVR/DVR, and avoid the Dish PVR/DVR fees (although lifetime sub is included in the price) At least the cost is more justifiable to some.

[Jacob S]

Would be much cheaper to get a PC PVR but some dont have a PC and it is not as easy and flexible as a standalone or satellite PVR from what some people have said on here.

[gcutler]

The spare PC is often the problem (usually if the system is capable of running a PC-PVR it is the high end system in the house and not a spare). And some of the cheaper PC-PVRs did not offer a IR Blaster (let alone one compatible with as many Cable/DBS recievers as Replay or TiVo)

[Larry]

I have been using a Panasonic Showstopper (ReplayTV) for several years. I did upgrade the hard drive to get more recording time. Then along came the 501 and it was much more convenient to have everything in one box, so the Panasonic (which currently runs behind a 4900) got relegated to second place to only record shows that conflicted with recordings on the 501. To make a long story shorter, I still prefer the picture quality and the capabilities of the Panasonic over the 501, but it just seems easier to do almost everything with the 501.

[Jacob S]

One could get an older PC couldn't they and upgrade the hard drive in it so you would not have to use your daily user PC? I would think that most could use the PC they usually use everyday but for those without a PC they could get a used one but by that time they might as well get the DishPVR/DVR or standalone PVR/DVR product.

[Inaba]

Depends on the PQ you want to record on the PC. If you're doing 5mb/sec (probably minimum reccomended PQ), you'll need a beefier PC to handle the real-time compression. A old 486 or Pentium isn't going to cut it, sadly. If you are tech savvy, you could build a beefy enough system for fairly cheap though, but in the end, it'd run you just about as much as a PVR w/ lifetime subscription after all is said and done.

Another case of six of one and half dozen of the other.

[sorahl]

in addition (i know the software on the pvr's isn't the most reliable) that pc's don't always work the way we want without a lot of tweaking.... that is why I like the PVR even with it's faults because it does what i need it to do with very little interference from me...

[gcutler]

One could get an older PC couldn't they and upgrade the hard drive in it so you would not have to use your daily user PC? I would think that most could use the PC they usually use everyday but for those without a PC they could get a used one but by that time they might as well get the DishPVR/DVR or standalone PVR/DVR product.

I'm just figuring in a family household, you could not have a PVR be on the same PC they use everyday. When mom wants to watch the soap opera and dad wants to record the game and little emily want to AOL instant Message with her pals while writing a paper and printing it out. That is an inherent flaw of the MS XP media edition. They show how everyone can use it in the family, but how well would it work with multitasking the family. Maybe 1 or 2 person household it might work it.

Seeing the hard drive usage when I capture video (with just regular XP Home via a Firewire device), I don't think it could handle playing Vice City at the same time???

[Jacob S]

I am the only one that uses the PC and I just use it to mainly post on these forums, chat on the messengers sometimes, and sometimes browse the internet, thats about it.

[kelliot]

I have four Replay 5040s and they work great with Dish. I'm also not captive to some monthly fee. When HDs get a little cheaper I'm looking forward to 1000 hrs of storage.