Is there anything good to say......

[thebrim]

It seems that NO ONE is having a pleasant experience with there 622. It seems the forums are flooded with nothing but negative experiences. Well, I don't know if I should be pleased to announce that I just ordered mine today or not.

If anyone out there is having a positive experience with there 622, I and many other people that have been sitting on the fence since February would love to hear about it. Please share......:)

[GeeWhiz1]

I think you should poke around a bit more. There are plenty of us who have posted great experiences. I said as much about my 622 in about 3-4 different threads.

Here's a thread to get you started... http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=56101

[Ron Barry]

:welcome_s thebrin

There are plenty of people enjoying their 622s. I personally have 2 and I am happy to have replaced my 921.

Here is people experiences comparing current to last version of software
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=55715

You need to remember this is a support area so the users here are discussing issues they are running into, talking about their experiences, and bringing up ideas of things they would like to see added.

As most support areas go, this is where you will see the problems people are having so of course it will be slanted to the negative.

I suggest you take a look at a few of the recent polls. The funny thing I have found about them is that the polls are very contradicting. One poll might look positive while the other looks rather negative.

To get a full picture you need to really wonder around and read a lot of the threads... After reading the main hot threads you should get a good understanding of the main issues with the 622.

[Stewart Vernon]

It might help to think of these forums like a doctor's office. Many people come here looking for help because they are having a problem. Just like you or I go to the doctor when we feel sick.

When was the last time you scheduled an appointment to go tell the doctor how great you feel? :)

Similarly, online forums tend to reflect more negative than positive in many cases.

That said... I wouldn't say I've seen "floods" of complaints about the ViP622. I have seen a bunch, but honestly nowhere near as many as I saw with the 921 and 942.

[wingnut1]

I for one am really enjoying my Vip622.

[jmsteffen]

me too... I replaced some older receivers and we've had several comments that the quality of the picture is much better... even on the SD channels.

Enjoy!

[jcd4878]

I replaced my 921 with the 622 and have had the 622 for one week now and have nothing but good experiences with it. I am very happy with the increased menu speed and responsivness of the remote interface. No video glitches hicups no more. All my timers work and I even have name based recording. Lots of new HD channels. Excellent OTA tuner performance. Improved picture quality (must be a better scaler in this box). The modulated ouput works awesome with my home distribution network, it is so cool to use the DVR from upstairs with a normal analog TV and watch everything HD or not just by tuning to a channel. The list goes on... I am very happy I dumped the POS 921!

So far so good, no complaints. We'll see where we are at in a months time.

-Jerry

[Bill R]

It seems that NO ONE is having a pleasant experience with there 622.

Those of us that aren't having any problems don't post.

As others have noted, if you look around you will find lots of good things that people have to say about the 622.

[Rogueone]

add me to the very happy list. Only issue I've experienced is one it seemed everyone saw this past monday or tuesday, where the guide wasn't updating on it's own, and recordings didn't fire as a result. As soon as the you update the guide, the timers return, but for some of us, that meant a missed recording. Since it was the first time, I chalk that up as bad luck/timing. And whatever caused that seems it would be easy to fix since the box is suppose to update the guide nightly.

[mscroggi]

It seems that NO ONE is having a pleasant experience with there 622. It seems the forums are flooded with nothing but negative experiences. Well, I don't know if I should be pleased to announce that I just ordered mine today or not.

If anyone out there is having a positive experience with there 622, I and many other people that have been sitting on the fence since February would love to hear about it. Please share......:)

A prominance of negative information is normal for these kinds of message boards. The reason many people ever find the boards at all is there is a problem of some kind and they are searching the internet for a way to fix it. The people who have had no problems or questions, never have a need to find the message boards at all.. I am speaking in general terms.. I check this board every day because I am anxious to see a post local HD channels in DFW are turned up..

I can say I got my 622 three days ago and so far I love it..

Some key features that I personnaly love about the 622:
The menus are blazing fast.
The 6.3 remotes have a very very long range.
Both tuners have a separate modulated channel (which means I can watch either sat tuner anywhere in my house)

[mscroggi]

add me to the very happy list. Only issue I've experienced is one it seemed everyone saw this past monday or tuesday, where the guide wasn't updating on it's own, and recordings didn't fire as a result. As soon as the you update the guide, the timers return, but for some of us, that meant a missed recording. Since it was the first time, I chalk that up as bad luck/timing. And whatever caused that seems it would be easy to fix since the box is suppose to update the guide nightly.


My brother has a 921 (a 622 is on order).. He had the same timer issue. It appears the problem isnt related to the particular receiver model. There was some information that possibly the problem was caused by some data streaming changes that could have confused some receivers if the timing was right..

[Charise]

My 622 was installed on February 21, and I really have had no problems with it. There were a couple of times that I thought a timer hadn't fired, but when I checked, it wasn't a "new" episode, so it wasn't supposed to have recorded. It has NEVER missed a recording!

I am extremely happy with mine!!

[dirtydan]

I will "ditto" Rogueone, I had my first failed recording this week, otherwise 622 is spot on.

[David_Levin]

Two for me as well - they are working fine.

Must less grief then the two 921's they replaced.

I would like to add that these are complex boxes (as are most Hi-Def PVRs). The 622 provides a lot of options & flexability. I likes this, but it can be very confusing for people new to Hi-Def and PVR.

Why are my programs being cut off? Why are my timers not firing (pad conflicts)? Why is everything squished? How to I hook up a DVD recorder/VCR? These type of issues generally cannot be blamed on the 622.

[dorsai78664]

My 622 was installed and setup yesterday and so far, I have had very good experiences.

I have had an HDTV in the bedroom for a while for gaming mostly but about 6 weeks ago I bought a Sony 3LCD 50" for the living room. That was when I decided to upgrade. I already had a PVR so wanted to replace it with one.

After the techs had left, all of the cabinets were put back in place, and after I had finally had a chance to sit down and start poking around, I found myself very pleased. Right off the bat, the PQ for HDTV was simply incredible. The Discovery HD channel looked amazing and I happened to catch Herbie Hancock on RAVE (a live music channel). Both the sound and the picture left me with a very satisfying experience. But...of course...no surprise there. Then it was time to look a bit at the features.

I set up my box in Single mode so I'm using this box only on a single TV. I am using component connections and optical for audio. My TV does not have PiP so I started to look at the 622's PiP. In single mode, I was able to hit the PiP button and watch 2 channels at once. My receiver does not perform component video switching so video goes straight to the TV and the optical cable went to the receiver. Hitting the swap button let me swap audio and video between the 2 pictures. Yes! One set of cables is used for both tuners in Single mode. Since the PiP is performed using the HD tuner, the picture is still pretty darn amazing. Even without using PiP, Swap let me switch to another channel. This feature alone blew me away. Just playing around a bit more, I hit the pause button, Swap, and pause again. As advertised, you can use the PVR features for each tuner at the same time in Single mode. Being able to also record 2 shows while watching a recorded show will also be a big feature for me.

On the other features, I found the PiP for all menus to be a welcome change from my 510 and 501. Although it is kind of a small thing, being able to keep an eye and audio from the feed while setting options was very nice. The menu was easy to use and the Help button actually provided useful information. If nothing else, the Help menus are a huge leap forward.

The next big change I found for me was the feature of hitting the right button to get info on the current or other channels without going into the guide. With my previous boxes, I you could only see the current program and next program. With the 622 it appears I can go quite a bit into the future. When watching channels that have quite a few 30 min shows, this will be a useful feature for taking a peek at the next couple of hours. At this point, any buyers remorse ($299 to RENT a box...sheesh...) was fading. Then I started looking at the PVR features that had changed for me.

Another rather nice feature was being able to change the aspect ratio (somewhat) from the Dish remote. The box has a Zoom, Partial Zoom, Standard with gray bars, and Normal (your TV's settings) mode. HD channels with a 4:3 picture seem to normally have a background so that they fill your screen and alert you to the fact you are not watching a 16:9 video signal. Going from standard to HD and back was flawless. Even when using the Swap and Recall buttons.

Now this box is a lot closer to a service like Tivo than a VCR (unlike the 501 and 510). Since this was a new box, I started to set my timers and immediately noticed some differences. The ability to set the box to record only the current season's shows on a specific channel, all of the shows by that name on that channel, or the same options as before. Even the Dish Pass feature is something I will be using in the future. There is a lot more flexibility in how you set the timer, how you record, and what you record.

For performance, the box changes channels as quickly as my previous ones, and with the exception of only a few channels at certain times (and it could have been because of the weather blowing in), I got some macro blocking that quickly resolved itself. I found even some older movies like Bruce Lee's Game of Death (the Dragon in HD!) looked and sounded good and I even found myself watching Thunderbirds at one point. Even for recordings that are quite old, HD makes a huge difference.

Like many, the only downside I have seen so far is the lack of programming although that will improve over time. I now relish the day all or even most channels will be HD. The other downside (although expected) is that my remaining 510 won't downconvert the HD channels. I actually found some programs I would have liked to watch in the bedroom such as the Kung Fu channel, the live music channel, and various other things. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until I can find another 622 locally (I like a PVR in bedroom also).

Summary: Very nice guide, "nimble" response from remote in accessing features and channels, outstanding PQ and audio on HD channels, very robust PVR features in comparison to 510, HD PiP even on a non-PiP TV, and a whole lot of little small things (like moving that Dish button away from the DVR button) has made my first 24 hrs with the 622 a very pleasant experience.

If you already had the HD package and the other tuner, you might not have as good as experience as I. But for me, it was a huge leap forward seeing as how I went from an SD PVR to an HD PVR and all that that implies... I'm very pleased.

[Rob Glasser]

Welcome dorsai78664 and thanks for the review of your 622.

[TechnoCat]

It seems that NO ONE is having a pleasant experience with there 622. It seems the forums are flooded with nothing but negative experiences.
I haven't written about my 622, which I've had for three weeks, because it's performed exactly as expected. My only gripe is that getting to my PVR'd shows required two presses of PVR, not one, because of the menu-item for "my movies." Other than that, it's great.

[Rogueone]

dorsai, you do realize you could feed the 622's coax output to the bedroom, and watch anything on the 622 on the TV in there, right? (granted, via coax is in non HD). OR, you could run either RGB or HDMI from the 622 to the bedroom if that TV is HD, and when in the bedroom watch anything you wanted just like when in the TV room :)

[dorsai78664]

dorsai, you do realize you could feed the 622's coax output to the bedroom, and watch anything on the 622 on the TV in there, right? (granted, via coax is in non HD). OR, you could run either RGB or HDMI from the 622 to the bedroom if that TV is HD, and when in the bedroom watch anything you wanted just like when in the TV room :)

Hehe...baby steps... I routinely have a bad habit of sticking the whole enchilada in my mouth at the same time so I was taking it a step at a time. For example, the LCD in the bedroom led to a progressive scan DVD player and then some extended VGA cables and then my old PII in the corner and then an KVM so I could also use my notebook to... Well, you get the picture. My "geeky" weekend in the bedroom was fun but expensive.

I have just been reading up a bit on what you mentioned and I'm still a little on the fence. Having access to same my PVR programs is a huge plus. One of the problems I do have however is that my TV in the bedroom is one of the Westinghouse W37-L1 monitors. Monitor meaning that it doesn't have a built in tuner so a box of some kind will be required regardless. Although there are many coax to RCA boxes out there that would do the trick. I'm not quite ready to run a component cable or HDMI through the walls but I did toss that idea around a bit also. The main reason for not wanting too many modifications is that my home is essentially a starter home (1300 sq ft. 3 bedroom) but for a single guy, its been good to me for the last 10 years or so. However, like most homeowners, I'm still looking for that perfect lair. But...I might just be making excuses.

I also need to do some research to find out what (if any) changes in cabling would be required even if I did have a box in the bedroom. It wasn't until after the service order was set up (during that 4 week wait for the box to arrive) that I started looking more into what this box might be capable of doing. I hate to hijack someone else's thread but...

What would I actually need to view SD (as I do now) in the bedroom? Would a second cable have to be run from the living room back into my bedroom? Besides putting the box in dual mode, what other equiptment might I need (such as splitters or amplifiers, etc.)? I'm pretty unfamiliar with this whole aspect of satellite TV.

[davidxlai]

My first 622 rebooted itself a few times a weeks. I sent it back. The replacement has been very good so far (two weeks).

It seems that NO ONE is having a pleasant experience with there 622. It seems the forums are flooded with nothing but negative experiences. Well, I don't know if I should be pleased to announce that I just ordered mine today or not.

If anyone out there is having a positive experience with there 622, I and many other people that have been sitting on the fence since February would love to hear about it. Please share......:)

[drsimnal]

I had a 921 that really had few problems (an anomaly apparently), so upgrading was a difficult decision for me since I'd spent $1000 on the thing. The lure of more HD channels, and specifically Universal with Battlestar Galactica in HD is what pushed me over. I was lucky I guess: I called on April 2nd and got the install the 14th. 622 arrived about a week ahead of the install. The techs didn't realize I needed my Dish 500 upgraded to 1000 (even though I told the CSR that), but one immediately hopped in the truck to get the necessary stuff. I'd bought a DPP 44 off ebay when I installed my 921, so didn't need that. I've had no problems at all with the 622. I love the extra tuner-last night I recorded the pacers game and a discovery channel show at the same time while I watched a network show ota-just because I could! The pip works excellently. I like the ability to set the dvr to just record new episodes. I LOVE how quiet it is-my 921 always sounded like a jet idling in my component rack. I don't regret upgrading at all!

[dougmcbride]

Those of us that aren't having any problems don't post.

As others have noted, if you look around you will find lots of good things that people have to say about the 622.

What he said...

[m00se]

A prominance of negative information is normal for these kinds of message boards. The reason many people ever find the boards at all is there is a problem of some kind and they are searching the internet for a way to fix it. The people who have had no problems or questions, never have a need to find the message boards at all.. I am speaking in general terms.. I check this board every day because I am anxious to see a post local HD channels in DFW are turned up..

I can say I got my 622 three days ago and so far I love it..

Some key features that I personnaly love about the 622:
The menus are blazing fast.
The 6.3 remotes have a very very long range.
Both tuners have a separate modulated channel (which means I can watch either sat tuner anywhere in my house)

I too am enjoying my 622 but check here and other forums daily in hopes of some day soon seeing a message that DFW hd locals are added. Does anyone have a clue when this may happen? I need my HD fix local style!

[m00se]

dorsai, you do realize you could feed the 622's coax output to the bedroom, and watch anything on the 622 on the TV in there, right? (granted, via coax is in non HD). OR, you could run either RGB or HDMI from the 622 to the bedroom if that TV is HD, and when in the bedroom watch anything you wanted just like when in the TV room :)

It was my understanding with the 622 the second tv programming would be in SD only even if one had a HD capable tv for the second monitor and as such the HD channels such as the voom channels would not be accessible on the second tv. Is this not correct then?

[mscroggi]

I'm not quite ready to run a component cable or HDMI through the walls but I did toss that idea around a bit also.
<snip>

What would I actually need to view SD (as I do now) in the bedroom? Would a second cable have to be run from the living room back into my bedroom? Besides putting the box in dual mode, what other equiptment might I need (such as splitters or amplifiers, etc.)? I'm pretty unfamiliar with this whole aspect of satellite TV.

Running HDMI or DVI (or component for that matter) for any kind of distance will need some kind of conversions to run very far.. You can use some converters that will run over CAT5 for example http://www.svideo.com/ext-hdtv-cat5.html

You could, use a modulator (please get a good one not one of the 20$ ones from WalMart. get an agile one that will let you select the channel and also does MTS stereo) and run a coax to the bedroom, and use a VCR to tune in the channel.

[mscroggi]

It was my understanding with the 622 the second tv programming would be in SD only even if one had a HD capable tv for the second monitor and as such the HD channels such as the voom channels would not be accessible on the second tv. Is this not correct then?

No the HD channels are available on TV2, but they are down-sampled to SD.

[borfhead]

Well, don't know if I want to jinx it, but I activated 2 622's this week and they have been pretty rock solid, compared to the 921 I have...the only things I could say I've experienced were that both boxes rebooted themselves soon after I hooked them up to get the latest software before activation...none since (that I know of) and the only other thing I noticed just briefly was the video stutter on a recorded CSI I was playing back, otherwise I'm a happy camper with all the flexibitly, speed and PQ these have to offer.

[rdopso]

My 622 install was done by a very competent young guy in less than an hour and the unit has worked perfectly for all Sat and OTA channels for over a week now. I suspect it's the same old story on the Forums where only those with problems post, while the hundreds of thousands with no issues do not.

[dlhuse]

I too am enjoying my 622 but check here and other forums daily in hopes of some day soon seeing a message that DFW hd locals are added. Does anyone have a clue when this may happen? I need my HD fix local style!

I guess this one went over their heads. The last I heard was HOPEFULLY the end of this month.....oh, it is the end of April:rolleyes:

Is there anyway E* can keep us loyal, long term subscribers informed?

[mscroggi]

I guess this one went over their heads. The last I heard was HOPEFULLY the end of this month.....oh, it is the end of April:rolleyes:

Is there anyway E* can keep us loyal, long term subscribers informed?


On the March 10 Retailer Chat (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=54515) Dish announced the following markets would be launched in the 2nd Quarter of 2006: Dallas, Houston, Miami, Phoenix, Portland OR, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Spokane WA.

[Stewart Vernon]

mscroggi,

I know this is off-topic for this thread.... but when I saw your Barney Avatar... I thought, the expression on his face must have been when he was ordering his ViP622 and was told how long a wait for his install!

:)

I had to say that.

[dpd146]

It seems that NO ONE is having a pleasant experience with there 622. It seems the forums are flooded with nothing but negative experiences. Well, I don't know if I should be pleased to announce that I just ordered mine today or not.

If anyone out there is having a positive experience with there 622, I and many other people that have been sitting on the fence since February would love to hear about it. Please share......:)

I've had my 622 for a week and I love it...

I guess I should mention it won't be installed until the 13th, but the box sure is pretty. :)

[DAG]

So, if the majority of 622 users have perfect receivers, then what does this leave the rest of us to do with our video stuttering, reboot issues? If this is a software bug, why doesn't everyone have the problem? Are they blind? Do they have newer better boxes that don't have any "bugs" at all? Should we all be asking DISH for a second, third, or fourth swap of our 622s?

I tend to think that EVERYONE has the video stuttering but not everyone realizes. More visually impaired than blind.

[dishjim]

add me to the very happy list. Only issue I've experienced is one it seemed everyone saw this past monday or tuesday, where the guide wasn't updating on it's own, and recordings didn't fire as a result. As soon as the you update the guide, the timers return, but for some of us, that meant a missed recording. Since it was the first time, I chalk that up as bad luck/timing. And whatever caused that seems it would be easy to fix since the box is suppose to update the guide nightly.

That was not a 622 specific problem, my 942 did the same.

[knasty2]

So, if the majority of 622 users have perfect receivers, then what does this leave the rest of us to do with our video stuttering, reboot issues? If this is a software bug, why doesn't everyone have the problem? Are they blind? Do they have newer better boxes that don't have any "bugs" at all? Should we all be asking DISH for a second, third, or fourth swap of our 622s?

I tend to think that EVERYONE has the video stuttering but not everyone realizes. More visually impaired than blind.

As a corporate pilot with 20000 hr and having a flight physical ever 6 months (eyes are 20/20) I am not visually impaired. Have had a 622 for over 6 weeks, and it has worked perfectly, also had a 921 replaced with a 942 (power supplied finally gave out after 2 years) and it too has operated with no problems. Can view both through a Zektor DVI Switch on a Sammy 61" DLP and the video does not stutter.

[Ron Barry]

So, if the majority of 622 users have perfect receivers, then what does this leave the rest of us to do with our video stuttering, reboot issues? If this is a software bug, why doesn't everyone have the problem? Are they blind? Do they have newer better boxes that don't have any "bugs" at all? Should we all be asking DISH for a second, third, or fourth swap of our 622s?

I tend to think that EVERYONE has the video stuttering but not everyone realizes. More visually impaired than blind.

First off I can say that every D*, E*, Tivo and Reply etc have bugs. Every receiver in the field as bugs. We all have our tollerence levels and what one would consider major another would consider a minor annoyance. As for the reboot issue, well there is a poll on that issue and it indicates a large percentage of people are having reboots less than once per day. I had a box that rebooted 4 or 5 times a day with minimal viewing. If you only read my posts you would think the 622 was as Alpha quality and in my opinion not even close. A box swap has cured my situation and my opinion is if you are seeing more than 2 reboots a day it is a candidate for a swap.

As to the video stutter. I have seen it. Sometimes it is hard to see other times it is very apparent. Am I visually imparied? Nope and I don't think people that are not experience the video jitters are either. Like a number of other defects reported on the board, lots of times it is use case dependent and we all use the boxes differently.

I have read a number of threads in the 921 area where people have come to the conclusion that the 622 is as buggy and unreliable as the 921 based on the threads in this forum. I have had both and I don't share this opinion. I personally don't think people posting here think the 622 is perfect, but based on reading the posts these folks are happy with its performance and reliability given how they use the box.

Does this mean the 622 does not have any issues? Nope.. It obviously does have some issues and over time I feel these issues will be addressed. It is by no means perfect at this point and given history, this does not suprise me. For me, I am happy with its functionality and reliability. Am I running into some defects, Yep.. Am I happy with the 622 units I have, yep.

I don't necesserly think people here are indicating the 622 is perfect. However, I think people piped up because if you do take a quick look around you might get the impression to run as fast as you can and from my experience that would be a wrong interpertation.

[debpasc]

I've had my 622 for for 4 days and have had a perfect experience to date -- no reboots, timers work, everything is faster and more user friendly, not running as hot as I thought it would in its enclosed built-in, very quiet operation. What I really appreciate: we thought our HD picture on our Samsung DLP was good before, now it is absolutely stupendous! I think the DVR Karma is working --I'm being rewarded for time served with the 921! Also, it appears that my monthly bill is $7 more than it was before. I can hardly believe that so I'll wait and see after all the accounting settles if that's really the case.

[bavaria72]

Add me the the line of happy campers regarding the 622.

[DAG]

. As for the reboot issue, well there is a poll on that issue and it indicates a large percentage of people are having reboots less than once per day.

The poll is flawed. Mine reboots usually once per day. There is no poll option for that value.


As to the video stutter. I have seen it. Sometimes it is hard to see other times it is very apparent. Am I visually imparied? Nope and I don't think people that are not experience the video jitters are either. Like a number of other defects reported on the board, lots of times it is use case dependent and we all use the boxes differently.

I agree with you. It is very apparent at some times, subtle at others, and usually not there at all. It also depends on what the quality of the TV is (SD or plasma), which tuner you are using, etc. If there are people who don't have any stutter at all and no re-boots either, then I have to conclude that this is not a software issue as we are universally told by the DISH reps and it is actually a hadware issue. Time for me to call DISH and ask for a 622 like the readers have here that is perfect. This is my second 622 box and it is much more reliable than the first one which screeched and died daily at least. Perhaps the third box will be the charm?

[Ron Barry]

The poll is flawed. Mine reboots usually once per day. There is no poll option for that value.

Yep forgot that one option. However, Usually once per day would place it under once per day on an average over time. ;) Based on the responses on the poll and combined the numbers (taken the flaw into account), in my opinion box rebooting is not at the level that people looking in to the forum felt it was because some of us (Including myself) got boxes that reboot a lot (4-5 times per day).


I agree with you. It is very apparent at some times, subtle at others, and usually not there at all. It also depends on what the quality of the TV is (SD or plasma), which tuner you are using, etc. If there are people who don't have any stutter at all and no re-boots either, then I have to conclude that this is not a software issue as we are universally told by the DISH reps and it is actually a hadware issue. Time for me to call DISH and ask for a 622 like the readers have here that is perfect. This is my second 622 box and it is much more reliable than the first one which screeched and died daily at least. Perhaps the third box will be the charm?

Well I personally would not come to this conclusion. It might be hardware, but like I said in my post above we all use the box differently and I agree it definitely could be related to PQ and the receiving TV. On a side note, I personally think the jitter issue that is being reported is software related.

As to replacing the box, You seem to have come to the conlusion that there is a group that has a perfect box. Well perfect is of course relative an for their some peoples use cases the 622 may appear perfect. It does not mean that for your use case and your configuration you will acheive the same reliability.

IMHO, since swap outs can be annoying and painful to do, I would not do one unless I felt really confident that I had a box that has a production issues or hardware issue. If I did not feel confident, I would give it more time to be sure before swapping out otherwise the end result could be that you get a box that has the spontaneous reboot issue or you find that you are having the same issues.

[rdopso]

One issue re operating complex electronic equipment, especially computers and A/V equipment, that has received little attention on this forum is the quality of electrical service in the home. Although I do not have these readily at hand, I have read scores of technical articles about this subject over the last twenty years and the overwhelming conclusion is that a significant percentage of residences do not have sensitive electronic equipment connected to stable or "clean" electrical sources, and that this situation often creates operating problems that can be difficult to diagnose. There are a host of electrical and electronic issues involved here -- most of them technically over my head -- that are known, especially voltage fluctuations and spikes that will disrupt A/V equipment. I do not specifically know if they can cause the types of DVR problems being reported on this forum, but from computer system techs I have known and worked with, voltage and electrical interference problems, especially on non-dedicated power circuits used for computers and A/V equipment can cause very strange and unpredictable operational bugs. Professional computer techs universally recommend high quality surge protectors and, for highend expensive systems, usually recommend dedicated power supply circuits and power conditioners to eliminate electrical line power supply problems. A number of studies have shown that most surge protectors sold for home use are basically usefull for nothing other than providing additional 110V outlets.

Also, it is no secrete that there is a wide range in quality of various A/V equipment used in home theater systems -- you usually get what you pay for, so many of us go for the highest quality A/V receivers, cables, and other accesories that we can afford. This usually does not require spending tens of thousands of dollars, but wise shopping and use of purchase criteria in addition to cost are a good idea.

While it has been recommended on this forum, I doubt that many have their DVRs connected to battery backup power supplies. I have found that even in my newer home, very brief power interuptions (so short they do not affect most appliances and other simple electrical devices) can cause shutdown of computers and some A/V equipment (including DVRs) unless they are connected to battery backup UPS equipment, and I suspect these very short power interuptions could also cause rebooting of DVRs. I have my Dish DVR 622 connected to one such UPS and my large-screen TV and other A/V equipment connected to anothe separate UPS; each UPS is sized to provide at least 20 minutes of battery backup operation. One can also buy higher end UPS equipment that includes an integral power conditioner to minimize voltage fluctuation issues.

I encourage professional computer and A/V techs and electronics experts to comment on the above and expand or correct my statements as appropriate.

[Jim5506]

It was my understanding with the 622 the second tv programming would be in SD only even if one had a HD capable tv for the second monitor and as such the HD channels such as the voom channels would not be accessible on the second tv. Is this not correct then?
Yes and No!

Anything you can see on TV1 is also viewable on TV2 except that TV2 output is NTSC SD via RF or composite/stereo SD. TV2 can view anything that is recorded, but the output is SD, whether your TV2 TV is NTSC or HD.

You can even view the ATSC tuner through TV2's agile RF modulator on a UHF channel frequency assigned at setup. For instance I assigned TV1 to channel 22 and TV2 to channel 26 on the Agile Modulator Output, so whatever station is being watched on the HDTV output TV1 is viewable on my remote TV(s) on NTSC channel 22, and anything being watched on TV2 output is viewable on remote TV(s) on channel 26.

[dpd146]

Yes and No!

Anything you can see on TV1 is also viewable on TV2 except that TV2 output is NTSC SD via RF or composite/stereo SD. TV2 can view anything that is recorded, but the output is SD, whether your TV2 TV is NTSC or HD.

You can even view the ATSC tuner through TV2's agile RF modulator on a UHF channel frequency assigned at setup. For instance I assigned TV1 to channel 22 and TV2 to channel 26 on the Agile Modulator Output, so whatever station is being watched on the HDTV output TV1 is viewable on my remote TV(s) on NTSC channel 22, and anything being watched on TV2 output is viewable on remote TV(s) on channel 26.

Wow, I did not know that but like it. I should be able to work that right into my distribution network.

Is the composite dead if you set up the modulator?

[Ron Barry]

Wow, I did not know that but like it. I should be able to work that right into my distribution network.

Is the composite dead if you set up the modulator?

Nope... All outputs are hot all the time.

[dpd146]

Nope... All outputs are hot all the time.


Thanks, good to know. 2 weeks and counting.