Dual buffer?? question on hd dvr, deciding between dish and directv

[area123]

Trying to make a decision between the two and I know the directv hd dvr doesn't have dual buffers. At least I think that's what it is called when you can swap between channels and rewind both at any time. I do this with my motorolla cable HD dvr and will miss it.

Maybe there is a way around this on the directv dvr, like recording the show and then being able to swap to the other tuner and rewind at will, I'm not sure and they can't answer my question at the store. Nobody is using the Hd dvr w/ both tuners, go figure.

Anyway, is the dish model capable of dual buffering? Are there any other advantages to the 622 over the directv model (forgot names)? Are either upgradable via usb or sata hdds? The motorolla definitely isn't according to my cable co. They claim all the ports are disabled & it only records 10 hours of HD..

I'm posting this in both forums since it's related to dish and directv and I'll get opposing views that way.

I do like that the 622 is free and that is by far the biggest selling point. And directv wants me to sign a 2 year commitment even though I am paying $200. I think there is a $50 charge from dish if you don't sign a commitment at all (still clearing this up) but even if I have to sign a commitment it is 18 months instead of 24.

thanks very much.

[area123]

Ok, I searched the 622 support forum and found that, yes the 622 does have DLB. But I also found some other unsettling things about the 622, like no external hdd support unless you pay a fee to have it activated.

I like the fact that the 622 is free, and can be had with no contract (by paying a $6 dvr fee), but all these fees seem to get on dish customer's nerves. When I read the directv forums, I don't see any complaints about nickle and dime fees like on the dish forums. Maybe that's how they get the $200 back they stopped charging for the dvr + the extra $10 for HD. And no local hd's for Tulsa, directv is starting to look better to me.

[garys]

There is an 18 month contract, you just do not have to take the HD package. Also the external HD feature is not yet available, word is there is a one-time fee to activate it, no word on how much it will be.

[harsh]

But I also found some other unsettling things about the 622, like no external hdd support unless you pay a fee to have it activated.It is likely that D* will do the same when eSATA support is official.I like the fact that the 622 is free, and can be had with no contract (by paying a $6 dvr fee), but all these fees seem to get on dish customer's nerves.The $5.98 DVR fee is with you regardless of the commitment. To waive the commitment under the right conditions, your $50 install fee is not refunded.When I read the directv forums, I don't see any complaints about nickle and dime fees like on the dish forums.Both have fees. D* has an advantage in the DVR department as they charge only $5.99 per household. OTOH, they charge you the full HD fee whether you want HD programming or not. Dish charges only $6 if you don't want their HD programming.And no local hd's for Tulsa, directv is starting to look better to me.By the time D* gets some serious HD on, E* may (or may not) have Tulsa HD. Either way, neither company offers all the HD channels.

Build a table with all of the must-have programming and price it out. It is up to you to put weights to missing channels and DVR shortcomings. Make sure you throw in your local CATV company for perspective.

[Stewart Vernon]

Ok, I searched the 622 support forum and found that, yes the 622 does have DLB. But I also found some other unsettling things about the 622, like no external hdd support unless you pay a fee to have it activated.

To be fair... Dish has not formally announced the external hard drive support yet... though they have talked about it publically as "coming soon". They have also (Charlie himself) mentioned a one-time activation fee perhaps.

The thing is.. we don't know when this is coming or what the one-time fee could be. For all we know it could be $10.

Unless and until we know what the real scoop is, I wouldn't get too worked up or unsettled yet. IF this feature is important enough to base your decision on... then I recommend waiting a bit, at least until the end of the summer to see if Dish's offering materializes as some have speculated.

[kckucera]

Interesting you did not mention programming in HD, that was the deciding factor for me. High Def locals, VOOM, and the other HD stuff deliverable as opposed to promised made it an easy call when I signed up. I have used both services as well as being stuck with cable for a while and can say that from a customer service point of view Dish wins hands down.

[area123]

Interesting you did not mention programming in HD, that was the deciding factor for me. High Def locals, VOOM, and the other HD stuff deliverable as opposed to promised made it an easy call when I signed up. I have used both services as well as being stuck with cable for a while and can say that from a customer service point of view Dish wins hands down.

I've not paid much attention to actual HD programming, and am not basing my decision on what directv is claiming. There are only a few channels I watch and both will have those, maybe not in HD but I figure they will catch up eventually. HD locals are what I like best about cable, and we watch food HD and maybe discovery HD a little. TNT is also ok but we don't watch much.

These are the channels we watch.

tvland
tbs
biography
discovery
A&E
Food
HGTV
Locals
SciFi
Starz

[kckucera]

appreciate your position, we only watch a few channels as well. Interestingly even with a pretty accurate video setup I find the HD locals on Dish pretty close to the OTA signal. This may not mean much if you are in OTA range but the benefit with the 622 is the ability to record 2 HD/SDs plus an OTA at the same time while watching a previously recorded event.

[area123]

appreciate your position, we only watch a few channels as well. Interestingly even with a pretty accurate video setup I find the HD locals on Dish pretty close to the OTA signal. This may not mean much if you are in OTA range but the benefit with the 622 is the ability to record 2 HD/SDs plus an OTA at the same time while watching a previously recorded event.

If dish had my locals in HD I might have already decided.

I doubt if I can get ota where I'm at.

[lpmiller]

you might, check at http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

[grooves12]

appreciate your position, we only watch a few channels as well. Interestingly even with a pretty accurate video setup I find the HD locals on Dish pretty close to the OTA signal. This may not mean much if you are in OTA range but the benefit with the 622 is the ability to record 2 HD/SDs plus an OTA at the same time while watching a previously recorded event.

The only thing is, I don't really see it as a benefit unless the 622 was able to automatically choose to record OTA if both Satellite tuners were being used.

But, the way it is you have to choose to create a timer for each channel seperately, and know whether that timer is OTA or Sat... and then there are still a ton of issues that come up with it.

I basically just pretend that I only ave two tuners and if it is available from the Sat I record from the sat. The only time I use OTA is for CW programs which I don't get in HD via Sat.

[CALI_WATCHER]

The only thing is, I don't really see it as a benefit unless the 622 was able to automatically choose to record OTA if both Satellite tuners were being used.

But, the way it is you have to choose to create a timer for each channel seperately, and know whether that timer is OTA or Sat... and then there are still a ton of issues that come up with it.

I basically just pretend that I only ave two tuners and if it is available from the Sat I record from the sat. The only time I use OTA is for CW programs which I don't get in HD via Sat.

I can tell you for me, the OTA timer is great.. the reason is I do most network programming on the OTA timer... the reason, I can still watch all my Satellite and HD Satelite locals... and if my OTA is recording, and SAT 1 and SAT tuner 2.. then I can always watch my locals on my tv's tuner.. (but do not get DVR functionality).. but overall a great amount of options!!