Why buy a 811 and DVHS over a 921

[scottchez]

Would'nt it be better to buy a new 811 with a new DVHS out putting through either the Firewire or Componet Video so you can Keep all your recorded movies FOREVER?

With the 921 DVR you are going to run out of MOvie space a lot and half to dump it to d DVHS any way?

IDeas?

[BobMurdoch]

First of all the cost would be huge. Those blank D-VHS tapes are still pricey.

Second, the tapes fill up fast.

Third, I'm not that organized. I never swapped out VHS tapes that often before I got the PVR and I'm sure I wouldn't again.

[Ken_F]

Would'nt it be better to buy a new 811 with a new DVHS out putting through either the Firewire or Componet Video so you can Keep all your recorded movies FOREVER?

The 811 doesn't have the D-VHS out, and there is no economical option for recording HD component video. If you want D-VHS recording from Superdish content, your only choice is the 921. Even then, it looks like the "Dishwire" (DVHS) output on the 921 may not be enabled when they ship in October/November.

First of all the cost would be huge. Those blank D-VHS tapes are still pricey.With the shipping D-VHS products, S-VHS tapes work just as well (in my experience) as the D-VHS tapes for recording digitally. You can get S-VHS tapes in bulk for $2 to $3 each, or less if you buy used.

[scottchez]

I guess I got confused as someone from the Team Summit claimed to have seen a Firewire port on the back and that it was going to be disabled at first.

Did Dish change the design from the Beta unit to Production, or was someone mistaken?

Here is the link and the pictures

http://www.dishretailer.com/ts2003/

[cicijay]

I have been considering this since Dish announced the DVR fees.

We use the pause and rewind feature the most. We rarely use the DVR to record a movie that we will not be able to view.
Also, with the 921 you will be able to watch a channel and record one at the same time. I am slowly coming to grips with the fact that I will need to purchase the 921 to get the same functionality of our 501.
This is all besides the fact that neither will have functional firewire when they are released.

[John Kotches]

According to my discussions with Dish Network, the firewire port (Dish Wire) will be enabled in a future firmware release and will not be activated out of the box.

I too am looking seriously at the 921 --> D-VHS for building an archive of HD material. Eventually this will work, it's just a question of how long the wait is.

Regards,

Contributing Editor,
Widescreen Review (http://www.widescreenreview.com)

[Mark Lamutt]

John, welcome to DBSTalk! :hi:

That's exactly what Dish has been telling us as well. I suspect that the dishwire ports are going to be a priority for them to get operational (unlike, say network support on the 721...)

[John Kotches]

Mark,

Thanks for the welcome -- I've been lurking for a while. Now that there's some genuinely interesting stuff to talk about I'm being a little more active :D

All of the endless speculation about what and when was getting old ;)

Regards,

[DarrellP]

People on AVSForum are using S-Video tapes. You have to notch them but they work fine. Also, there will be no DVR fee for us cheapskates.

[moooog]

People on AVSForum are using S-Video tapes. You have to notch them but they work fine. Also, there will be no DVR fee for us cheapskates.

Over the past year or so I've been getting DVHS tapes for a bit over $7.00 each - but they have 300 minutes at Standard quality, and around 1000 minutes in LS3 mode - which is nearly identical to DBS quality. An SVHS tape I recorded on only gave me 120 minutes in Standard mode, they'd have to be pretty cheap to make them a better deal than the DVHS tapes.

[Peluso]

Does the SVHS record the digital signal, or only analog?

[tahoerob]

I have been considering this since Dish announced the DVR fees.

We use the pause and rewind feature the most. We rarely use the DVR to record a movie that we will not be able to view.
Also, with the 921 you will be able to watch a channel and record one at the same time. I am slowly coming to grips with the fact that I will need to purchase the 921 to get the same functionality of our 501.
This is all besides the fact that neither will have functional firewire when they are released.

If you are willing to spend $1000 on the the 921, what is the big deal with $60 a year for AT150 DVR fees???
If you go Everything pack, DVR is FREE!

Robert

[Ken_F]

Does the SVHS record the digital signal, or only analog?Most of the D-VHS recorders see or can be set to see S-VHS tapes as D-VHS tapes, without any modifications to the tape required. They record digitally, so you get about 2hours and 35 minutes of HDTV on a standard SVHS tape.

[BobMurdoch]

If you are willing to spend $1000 on the the 921, what is the big deal with $60 a year for AT150 DVR fees???
If you go Everything pack, DVR is FREE!

Robert

I've been wondering this myself. This has been a chinese menu either/or multiple choice arrangement, not a fill in the blank. Choose which deal you like and take it or jump to D* or cable. Hey I'd like to get everything for free too but it doesn't always work that way.

I'll be getting the 921 when it ships while also calling for my Superdish upgrade. The free Superdish upgrade was the shocker of the year for me. I thought they would release it at full price for a few months so early adopters would pay through the nose to get the extra HD channels. Maybe the moving of the secondary local channels had something to do with this, but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

[Peluso]

Maybe the moving of the secondary local channels had something to do with this, but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

The more people who have superdish the more flexibility the company has to move channels around. Personally i like the idea of more physical satellites in the sky that can be seen by one dish.

Just think, technology changes and you shoot up another satellite to take the place of an existing bird. For the transition you temporarily move channels from one satellite to another. transparent to the customer but helps the company greatly. I know it's not that simple, but it's one major benefit to the superdish.

I wonder if they have used this method before, anyone know?

[tahoerob]

I'll be getting the 921 when it ships while also calling for my Superdish upgrade. The free Superdish upgrade was the shocker of the year for me. I thought they would release it at full price for a few months so early adopters would pay through the nose to get the extra HD channels. Maybe the moving of the secondary local channels had something to do with this, but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

NOW, I have a date close at hand to make my waiting tolerable!
I almost got a used 6000 2 months ago. Now I am glad I did not. Since Dish has 6000 for $199 now, all those Ebay 6000s become worthless! Hopefully they will add InHD 1&2 as well as Bravo HD to the line up by the end of the year.
My poor Sony GrandWega has been yearning for HD programming!! I do get some OTA!

Robert :grin: