[smackboy1]

Sorry if this seems a little remedial, but I just had the ViP622 installed and the wrong manual was in the box. I have not a clue how to use the DVR function. Tech support helped a little and their sending me a replacement.

But in the meantime, I could use a few tips. I come from using a TiVo 2 so I'm going to try to use the 622 in a similar manner.

How do I set up a "Season Pass" on the 622 so it records all the new episodes of the Wire only on HBO HD? The tech said to have it record off only 1 channel (and not have it record the Wire across all the HBO channels, SD and HD) is to set up a Manual Timer. But it sounds like a programmed VCR where it won't adjust if the show is pre-empted or moved.

Does DishPass work like a "Wishlist" whereby it searches across all channels for the title, keyword, etc and will record it?

Thanks. It's frustrating. I know what I want the DVR to do, but I can't figure out how to do it.

 

[RWATTS]

The quickest way to do what you want is to activate the guide and find The Wire on the HBO HD channel and press the select button on the remote. This will bring up several options. Move the cursor to New Only and you should get what you want.

 

[CABill]

DishPASS is like a wishlist and uses all channels (but has a check box to restrict to a single channel).

The Guide is quickest if you know when something is on, but another method would be to hit # / Search in the lower right of the remote and enter "Wire", cursor Right and Select Search. Cursor down through the list of times (HBO is in preview so it will list extra copies for a subscriber) until you reach the HBOHD match and hit Select (or Record) there. Any timer created EXCEPT DishPASS will only occur on the channel used to select it from a list, Guide, ...

 

[smackboy1]

DishPASS is like a wishlist and uses all channels (but has a check box to restrict to a single channel).

Is there a difference between setting a DishPASS on a single channel and just creating a timer for a show on a single channel?

Are the timers "smart" i.e. will they automatically record a different showing of the Wire in HD if I set the DVR to record a higer priority conflicting show in HD?

Another question: I set up some timers and in the Daily Schedule I see some shows with a "2". I think it means DVR2, what is the difference between DVR 1 and 2?

Also, does the "New Episodes" switch work? I set up a New Episodes timer for the Unit, but it skipped it. It's a new episode, am I missing something?

 

[RWATTS]

Is there a difference between setting a DishPASS on a single channel and just creating a timer for a show on a single channel?

I don't think there is any difference.

Are the timers "smart" i.e. will they automatically record a different showing of the Wire in HD if I set the DVR to record a higer priority conflicting show in HD?

Yes, it will search for the next showing.

Another question: I set up some timers and in the Daily Schedule I see some shows with a "2". I think it means DVR2, what is the difference between DVR 1 and 2?

That means it is recording using tuner #2. It just means that any live TV viewing while this recording is taking place will be via tuner #1.

Also, does the "New Episodes" switch work? I set up a New Episodes timer for the Unit, but it skipped it. It's a new episode, am I missing something?

Check to see if the info for that show was listed correctly as the current date. If it listed a date prior to that show it may not recognize it as new and ignore it.

 

[CABill]

RWATTS covered the stuff, but with DishPASS, you don't have a choice of New episodes - it is All episodes that match.

You'd be better served to think of TV1 and TV2 as OUTPUTs and not Tuners. There isn't a 1-1 correspondence. It isn't easy to give specific answers to some things because how it behaves may depend on whether you are in Single or Dual mode, and if Dual, how you have other things (Record Plus). My experience would be Dual mode almost exclusively and wouldn't apply the same if you were in Single mode.

Hit DVR until you see the Daily Schedule. If something is going to be Skipped, it will list a reason. My WAG as to why it skipped a New might be because it was a duplicate. That need not mean it was already recorded. If you pick some show that is on twice (DISE and DISW might work well), whichever you setup first will make you skip the second timer (New, Once, ...) and the Daily Schedule should say "This is due to record on channel xxx tonight at 10PM" or the like. If some show satisfies a DishPASS that was created before you found it in the Guide to select as a New, it would skip the New Timer in favor of the existing DishPASS event. "New" need not mean "unrecorded". Must the same as a TiVo's equivalent - Original Air Date is within a week of today, there isn't an entry in Daily Schedule indicating it WAS recorded or is due to be recorded (1st one in wins).

 

[smackboy1]

Here's a stupid question, what is Dual Mode? Here's another: can I be recording one HD show and simultaneously be watching a different HD show? Can I be recording both HD shows?

 

[boylehome]

Here's a stupid question, what is Dual Mode? Here's another: can I be recording one HD show and simultaneously be watching a different HD show? Can I be recording both HD shows?

Dual Mode puts the 622 in a two receiver mode. TV2 is it's own entity but shares resources with TV1. Favorites, Locks, and other things in Dual Mode are separate from TV1. You can record 3 HD shows and watch one in HD on TV1 at the same time. While the three tuners are recording HD programs, TV2 can watch an HD or SD program in SD only.

 

[tnsprin]

Originally Posted by smackboy1
Is there a difference between setting a DishPASS on a single channel and just creating a timer for a show on a single channel?

I don't think there is any difference.

Dishpass can match on more criteria then just the title. Also some options don't exist with dishpass.

 

[smackboy1]

Thanks everybody for the help. I'm getting the hang of this and pretty impressed with the ViP622 and and HD so far. What I'm not impressed with is the Dish tech support I spoke to. They don't really seem to know anything about how to use the 622 and gave me a bunch of wrong information that got me really confused. One told me that the 622 has only 1 HD tuner and if I record a show in HD, I wouldn't be able to watch a second show in HD. Another told me that the only way to advance the Guide is to keep pressing the Browse button and go 30 minutes at a time until you get to the day you want (or your thumb fell off). A third told me there was no way to record shows on only 1 channel, that creating a Timer for All Episodes would literally record all episodes of a show appearing in the Guide. Morons.

 

[JSIsabella]

Now I am a bit confused.....

I was under the impression that there were only two tuners in this unit. You can record two programs and watch a program already recorded at the same time. That is straight from the 622 manual.

So how is boylehome recording three and watching a fourth at the same time?

BTW, my unit is in single mode all the time, if that makes a difference....

 

[Ron Barry]

Because he has his OTA hooked up. If you have an OTA antenna, You can record 2 Dish HD/SD streams and an OTA stream while watching a recorded HD/SD stream. Now for the mind blowers. IF you are in Duel mode, you can then watch a 5th recorded stream. Pretty cool....

 

[JSIsabella]

My OTA is hooked up.

I have to go and try this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks!

 

[kevreh]

This thread has been a little more insightful than the manual. Thing I can't figure out... when I'm watching & recording a show, and change the chanel, a prompt asks me if I want to stop recording. Is there something you need to do to watch one channel and record another?

I'm in dual mode right now...

Thanks

 

[JSIsabella]

If you mean that you are watching/recording one OTA HD program, and then switch to another OTA HD program, then that is correct, because the 622 can not handle two OTA HD programs at the same time, as far as I can figure it out.....

And I tried recording two sat programs and an OTA at the same time - it all did work! It is pretty impressive.

 

[Mark Lamutt]

Guys, read the 622 review that is stickied at the top of this forum, and then read the 942 review that I wrote (I believe it's linked from the 622 review). We spent a great deal of time writing all of this up in a much easier to understand format than the manual presents.

Better yet, here's the link to the 942 review directly: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=39968

 

[smackboy1]

I'm a little confused about setting up timers, particularly for shows on HBO e.g. the Wire, where they rebroadcast the new episode during the week and sometimes they rebroadcast a series of earlier shows in marathons:

All Episodes

I think this means it will record "repeats and first run" episodes. I don't think it will record a duplicate of an episode already recorded on the DVR. Did I get this right? What is the "look back period" before the DVR will record a duplicate of an episode it once had in memory?

Weekly

This seems to record 1 episode at a fixed time each week regardless of being a repeat or first run. What happens if that fixed time gets skipped because of a higher priority timer, does the DVR know to automatically record the episode at a later date?

Priority

How good is the priority system alerting me that there is a conflict which I need to fix. Is there a circumstance where a show will get skipped because of a conflict without me knowing?

Clipping Shows

If there is a conflict because a show timer runs 1 minute into another show's timer, is there a way for show 2 to automatically be partially recorded?

Guide Data

How often does the Guide Data get updated? How well does the DVR deal with last minute schedule changes, premptions and sporting events that run overtime?

Live TV Buffer

OK, this has nothing to do with timers, but I noticed that if I switch from channel to channel directly, I lose the live buffer from the previous channel. But if I do a PIP and swap, I can simultaneously be running 2 channels with their own individual buffers. Is there another way to keep 2 live buffers running without going through the PITA of PIP? What is the max buffer time? It's great for simultaneously watching 2 sports events, or 2 news events and skipping all the commercials.

 

[Mark Lamutt]

I'm a little confused about setting up timers, particularly for shows on HBO e.g. the Wire, where they rebroadcast the new episode during the week and sometimes they rebroadcast a series of earlier shows in marathons:

All Episodes

I think this means it will record "repeats and first run" episodes. I don't think it will record a duplicate of an episode already recorded on the DVR. Did I get this right? What is the "look back period" before the DVR will record a duplicate of an episode it once had in memory?

Correct. If the epsiode exists on your hard drive, or I believe was recorded in as far back as your recording history goes (7 days or 9 days I think), then the duplicate won't get recorded.

Weekly

This seems to record 1 episode at a fixed time each week regardless of being a repeat or first run. What happens if that fixed time gets skipped because of a higher priority timer, does the DVR know to automatically record the episode at a later date?

Weekly timers will have their times adjusted up to 5 hours either direction (I think) if their times change, but i don't believe the 622 will record the episode at a later date if it gets skipped by priority. You need to use a NEW epsiodes timer for that to happen.

Priority

How good is the priority system alerting me that there is a conflict which I need to fix. Is there a circumstance where a show will get skipped because of a conflict without me knowing?

If you see red X's next to a show, that means it's going to get skipped unless you do something about it. Most of the time when you first define your timer you'll get warned about priority conflicts, but there are times that a conflict can occur after timers have been defined. To catch those, you need to keep an eye on your Daily Schedule to see what is being recorded and being skipped.

Clipping Shows

If there is a conflict because a show timer runs 1 minute into another show's timer, is there a way for show 2 to automatically be partially recorded?

Not directly if you're using pad time options other than the default of 1 min before and 1 min after. If you are using the default pad times, then the timers will be adjusted to record both back to back shows.

Guide Data

How often does the Guide Data get updated? How well does the DVR deal with last minute schedule changes, premptions and sporting events that run overtime?

Every night during the daily update at least. Last minute schedule changes usually aren't caught if they are made the same day. If they are made the day before, they usually are caught. Sporting events are automatically set to record 60 minutes long to account for overtime.

Live TV Buffer

OK, this has nothing to do with timers, but I noticed that if I switch from channel to channel directly, I lose the live buffer from the previous channel. But if I do a PIP and swap, I can simultaneously be running 2 channels with their own individual buffers. Is there another way to keep 2 live buffers running without going through the PITA of PIP? What is the max buffer time? It's great for simultaneously watching 2 sports events, or 2 news events and skipping all the commercials.

No, there's no way of preserving both buffers without doing the PIP/Swap. You could record both programs and swap back and forth that way, though. Max buffer time is 60 minutes per tuner.

 

[smackboy1]

Thanks for the help Mark. I didn't realize the reviews were so comprehensive, I'm reading them now. Good stuff, they are like FAQs.

 

[Mark Lamutt]

That's why we wrote them that way, so they'd be useful for more than just "this is a great receiver, go buy it".