I got the 501 deal "for Mom". I got the receiver for $150 with a self-install.
This would have been a great deal if the thing worked.
Basically I was accepting of the unit, even though it is extremely limited when compared to the Dishplayer, the UTV, or the DirecTIVO.
What I find unforgiving it that recorded events are systematically lost. To me this is the biggest sin that a PVR can commit.
I made direct contact with E*'s project engineer for the 501.
At first he claimed "to know" what the problem is. An apparent fix seemed to eleviate the problem which did rear it's ugly head again some ten days later. Now he says a receiver exchange "might" fix the problem...
...I wonder what happened to "we know what the problem is"?????????
Anyway mom is getting DirecTV and I am keeping my DirecTIVO which is DBS-PVR-HEAVEN!
The Dish Network system will hang out at mom's as a second receiver for $9 per month until that promo runs out. It makes a decent second receiver and gives me a chance to monitor 501 events.
As a DISH stockholder this bugs the living s*** out of me.