Are you happy with your 921?

[lionsrule]

Hi there,

On my "main" tv (55" HD) I currently have 2 different receivers. I have a 510 for PVR and an 811 for HD. I've never really had a need (YET) to record HD events since there really aren't too many right now. What I am considering is getting a 921 to replace both 811/510 (since I already have 2 seperate lines for the sat, I could utilize the 2 seperate tuners on the 921). I figure that main benefit would be that I could move my 510 to my bedroom (replacing a 301) and I could SELL my 811 and my 301(to help pay for the 921.

Several questions....

1. is the 921 nearly bug free? I do not currently have an OTA, so OTA recordings won't be a problem. I want to AVOID, frequent freezing up and reboots during normal use. (when the 811 was having growing pains, at least I could fall back on my 510....I would no longer have this option)

2. If I had both a 921 and a 510, would I pay TWO!! seperate DVR fees? (If so, that would be a deal breaker for me.)

3. How close is DISHNETWORK to releasing a NEW HD/DVR receiver to replace the 921. It seems like I've read elsewhere that dish was planning to essentially move right past the bug ridden 921 and write if off?

I look forward to some comments and advice.....

[boylehome]

Hi there,

On my "main" tv (55" HD) I currently have 2 different receivers. I have a 510 for PVR and an 811 for HD. I've never really had a need (YET) to record HD events since there really aren't too many right now. What I am considering is getting a 921 to replace both 811/510 (since I already have 2 seperate lines for the sat, I could utilize the 2 seperate tuners on the 921). I figure that main benefit would be that I could move my 510 to my bedroom (replacing a 301) and I could SELL my 811 and my 301(to help pay for the 921.

Several questions....

1. is the 921 nearly bug free? I do not currently have an OTA, so OTA recordings won't be a problem. I want to AVOID, frequent freezing up and reboots during normal use. (when the 811 was having growing pains, at least I could fall back on my 510....I would no longer have this option)

2. If I had both a 921 and a 510, would I pay TWO!! seperate DVR fees? (If so, that would be a deal breaker for me.)

3. How close is DISHNETWORK to releasing a NEW HD/DVR receiver to replace the 921. It seems like I've read elsewhere that dish was planning to essentially move right past the bug ridden 921 and write if off?

I look forward to some comments and advice.....

1. The 921 is not bug free I would say it is about 87% bug free.
2. With the 921 you have two satellite inputs but only one connection fee.
3. People are saying around the first of the year for the 942. I think that the 942 is not going to be nearly as nice as the 921 but the appearance of the enclosure is very appealing. The ability to have two separate monitor functions is pretty cool too.
Conclusion. My 721 was questionable at first. It is solid now. It took a few months of software upgrades to get it solid. Now the 921 with the OTA and the HD DRV is most excellent. If you get it, you will see the advantages even with the bugs. I truly believe that the bugs will be eliminated within six months. I've used my 921 with the SD S-video output mode and I have found that it is exceptional and very comparable to component and DVI output! I hope this helps.

[SimpleSimon]

lionsrule: boylehome pretty much covered it - except that without OTA, you should find the 921 will do the job for you.

[rant=on]
I bitch about mine, because it's still inexcusable to release a product such as this with such crappy software. However, there are workarounds for most all of it.

For example, when resuming from Pause, press Skip Back before Play, and the audio picks right up instead of dropping out for a few seconds. It's just poor design, and a lack of testing (or ignoring the results of such testing). The sad part is the fix SHOULD be trivial, and if it's not, that's yet another indictment of the software design.
[rant=off]

[Mark Lamutt]

Lionsrule - to answer #2 for you, if you kept your 510 and got a 921, you would be paying 2 DVR fees each month, unless you subscribe to the Americas's Everything Package. That's the way it is with Dish.

The 942 is coming, and may be out sometime this year, but it's not going to be a 921 replacement.

[Mike123abc]

My 921 has been flawless on satellite. Only problems I have are OTA, and since you do not have OTA it should be great for your situation. I like the 921 a lot better than my 811 or 6000.

[Jerry 42]

What is the 921 problem with OTA channels?

[DWS44]

what is the difference between the 921 and 942? Will the 942 be available for lease as part of the DHA by any chance?

[SpenceJT]

yes

[Mike123abc]

What is the 921 problem with OTA channels?

It does not have all the bugs worked out with OTA recording. It is not that the functionality never works, it is more that some stations and the 921 do not agree. I have yet to be completely bug free recording one of my local OTA stations (KFDX channel 3 here in Wichita Falls). It always manages to lose the recording, or the recording will not be the full time, or it will lock up playing it, or something else. Other OTA stations here I have managed to record. OTA HDTV has a lot of variables with 18 different formats possible combined with whatever the station feels like they should be sending out with PSIP. The next patch is supposed to address many of these issues, I am going to test it out, but for now I just record the Dish locals since I know they will always work, and they use a lot less disk space than the OTA ones ;)

[Capmeister]

It does not have all the bugs worked out with OTA recording. It is not that the functionality never works, it is more that some stations and the 921 do not agree. I have yet to be completely bug free recording one of my local OTA stations (KFDX channel 3 here in Wichita Falls). It always manages to lose the recording, or the recording will not be the full time, or it will lock up playing it, or something else. Other OTA stations here I have managed to record. OTA HDTV has a lot of variables with 18 different formats possible combined with whatever the station feels like they should be sending out with PSIP. The next patch is supposed to address many of these issues, I am going to test it out, but for now I just record the Dish locals since I know they will always work, and they use a lot less disk space than the OTA ones ;)
Considering all these OTA issues, this box wouldn't be for me.

I'll tell you, if D* had UPN and WB (mine are too far away to pick up OTA), I'd be moving to them and getting an HD-TIVO.

[imhammed]

Ive had my 921 for about a month. really no big problems for the last three weeks. it records everything i ask even ota. I live 60 miles north of philadelphia and recieve all the major networks. I also get stations from scranton (70 miles north). With the new season starting i'm gonna love it more(hard to believe).

[Jerry 42]

I am somewhat at a loss. I get local HD OTA with a large ant & amp. If the 921 has problems (some say it does other it don't) with OTA HD its not for me. In my case I guess I should want until Dec.

I have been with Dish about 10 years but if I loss my distant nets Jan 1, and the Dish HD DVRs are not working 100% and it does not keep up with others re: HD I'll have to see then.

[balanceok]

I've had mine running for two months and I haven't had any problems. I still need to spend more time to see how everything works, but I'm happy, especially with the HDTV.

[ibglowin]

I've had high's and lows on my 921 but for the past couple of months its worked flawlessly. Yes it still has a few things to fix but its working great these days!