[KeithLINY]

.

 

[MikeW]

Keith-Nice-Thanks

 

[John Corn]

Hi Keith, Welcome to DBSTalk :hi:

Thank you for providing us those pictures, the user interface really looks cool.

 

[DDRio]

I want one!!!!!!!!!

 

[DDRio]

What's the deal with the information screen? From what I can see in the screenshots the info screen was not transparent.

I wonder if the search feature is activated? I hope so!!

Looks good!!!

 

[Bill D]

Thanks Keith, I see their our choices for transparency, off, medium and full. Looks great
Does the 721 come with the keyboard, or when you do searches is it easy enough to use the on screen keyboard. I remember the press releases about the award winning keyboard but wondering since no internet right now do you still get one??

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Very Cool Keith! Welcome to DBStalk!

I have known Keith for a long time now, infact Keith helped me install my 10 Foot Dish at my fathers house.

Good to have Keith aboard!

I was hoping to have my 721 today but it didn't come hopefully tommorow or Monday.

So the big question is how do ya like it and any bugs you noticed?

Scott

 

[Adam Richey]

Wasn't the 721 supposed to have some Internet options with it or something? I heard that it would have some type of way to connect to the Internet. Did they scrap that or what?

 

[BobaBird]

Keith,
Thanks, these are great! I like the EPG with 7 channels, PIP, and program info all displayed at once. Can you show us the transparent guide?

Also like the taller browse banner showing both the current and next shows. Can it still be scrolled to the right to see what's on after those 2? If so, how far?

And I am completely astounded to see a program visible behind the menus. Woohoo! :righton:

Bill D,
The keyboard is optional. Without it, you can choose to hunt and peck on the virtual keyboard (alphabetical or QWERTY, thanks Keith for showing that option) or use the remote control for telephone-style alpha entry like searching on the 501 . It may be different on the 721 but that will give you some idea.

 

[Swampthing]

Great job, Keith! I'm relieved to see the interface looks very nice, and almost resembles a cross between the current Dishplayer and regular interfaces.

Just curious... did you purchase this unit through a retailer, or are these shots from beta testing?

 

[Adam Richey]

It looked like the Internet connection options will be available a little later on from the look of the menus. Will Dish develop their own Internet thing or will they get a deal with another company. I'm curious cuz my main reason for even looking into the 721 was because it had PVR and internet.

 

[KeithLINY]

Hi..

I got to play more with the 721 today.
( It's not mine to take home )

1st let me tell you that its NOT READY for Distribution,
it is so buggy. SLUGGISH is the main problem/
The PIP sometimes works. Changing Channels
can go crazy.

- It has a 7 Day Guide

- For some reason it does not get Instant Weather
on ch.9500, but it must have open tv since it
has some games ( via the Interactive Menu )

- The Browse button displays whats playing
NOW and NEXT. No right scrolling is needed.

If I remember correctly a feature I noticed was when
in the Guide you can scroll all around the EPG, but
the new feature was you can scroll into the channel
name (Listed on the left side) and when you do
that it changes channels on the Upper Display...

( I think thats what it did, I forget

But my review so far is IT'S BUGGY....
otherwise its nice, but is it worth $550 ?

 

[Guest]

Has antone else noticed the top banner was showing channel #10 for "remote control help", not channel #101? Is this part of the new mapping for locals. (its the lower left screen shot)

 

[KeithLINY]

That ch.10 is probably an error on my part, I was
not alone when taking the snapshots, so maybe
someone was punching in a channel (ie.105)...

But I do recall today when it was acting up,
there was a channel 77 on the View Banner.
I dont know it its a bug or it was going crazy

 

[Guest]

Keith, did you notice if the locals were in the 8000's or the 2 digit zone? BTW, thanks for the great screen shots. I have a waiting list of past customers looking to order the 721 but after your short review I think I will wait to order them.

 

[KeithLINY]

The locals were in the 8000's..

also I noticed there was no INTERACTIVE WEATHER
Channel on ch.9500

 

[John Corn]

Keith's review is somewhat disappointing, I figured it might have a bug or two............*sigh*..............

I mean changing channels, you would figure they would have that much right..........:shrug:

 

[Dmitriy]

Keith, how did you get access to the 721? Are you a beta tester?

 

[Chris Blount]

Keith,

Thanks for the great screen shots and welcome to DBSTalk.Com :hi:

The 721 looks interesting. Too bad for the buggy software. Seems like Dish has been spending too much time on the merger and not enough on software development.

 

[John Corn]

Based on the 501, I figured software development would have been further along.

E* software developers shouldn't be having anything to do with the merger?