[Scott Greczkowski]

You do not want to be away from your computer this weekend! As this weekend DBStalk.COM will present our Exclussive DBStalk.COM Review of the New Dish Network PVR-721 receiver!

We will put the 721 through its paces for you and let you know all our likes and dislikes. We will also allert you to any problems we might encounter.

Besides normal screen shots and text our review will also feature actual video from the 721 so that you can actually see the 721 in action! We should warn you in advance to see the video you will need the latest version of RealNetworks RealPlayer. If you do not have the latest RealPlayer you can CLICK HERE to download a free version of the RealPlayer. (Click on the Words "FREE REALONE PLAYER")

We hope you enjoy our review!

Special Thanks to DishDepot.COM for helping us obtain our 721 unit!

 

[Swampthing]

But if you're on a Mac with OS X... you're screwed. RealOne isn't even available for the Mac, so hopefully the videos will be compatible with the old RealPlayer 8 that is still available strictly for Mac OS 9 and below.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I will encode them so that people with RealPlayer 8 can view them.

Enjoy!

Scott

 

[Randy_B]

What time do the festivities begin?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Umm This weekend.

 

[James_F]

I can't wait Scott, great work again!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Like my little Animated Gif? That was my first attempt at doing them.

 

[Guest]

Scott can't wait to see it in action, or de-action

 

[marshalk]

oh boy oh boy...go Scott, you 'da man

 

[Swampthing]

Scott... It would be pretty cool if you could shoot videos of the machine spontaneously rebooting, failing to record while you scream at it, or various other features that don't appear to work yet either! ;> I'm looking for the good and the bad... assuming you have a censor button!

 

[Bill D]

Scott, I am also lookinf forward to the review. A few things beyond everything else... could you confirm the width from the specs on the brochure you posted last week. It says the width is 16". My 4900 (14" wide) just fits into a spot in my entertainment center under the TV. If the 721 doesn't fit, I will have to make room for it with the rest of my equipment, which of course is in an enclosed cabinet with glass doors. There are some holes in the back, I think I will get a small fan I saw at PCpowercooling. Maybe you can do some tests in a cabinet to see if heat is a big factor to be concerned about.
Lastly does it work with only 1 tuner hooked up. It may be a few days until after I get the 721 that I will be able to hookup the 2nd tuner.
Thanks
Bill

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hi Bill, I can answer the question about the 1 tuner operation. No the 721 will not function unless both tuners are plugged in.

An interesting note is the 721 does not seem to work if it is not placed on a flat level surface! (Actually this is a good idea, when the hard drive is level it will get the best performance and least amount of wear and tear)

I wont be able to test in a cabinet as my setup all the A/V equipment is on a AV Rack shelf system. But I will get you the measurements as soon as I can.

 

[kstuart]

You do not want to be away from your computer this weekend!

One can always depend on Scott being inordinately excited by the latest gadget!

If I had $500+ laying around to blow for a cool gadget, I would much prefer a Sony NR70V , the new Sony PDA with a keyboard, camera and MP3 player built-in.

It's Coming!

Well, if it actually had genitalia built-in, they might actually sell a few...

 

[Karl Foster]

I would be careful putting a 120GB PVR in an enclosed cabinet. My 45GB UTVs create a lot of heat. My wife swears she could fry bacon on the bottom of them. The UTV manual specifically states not to put anything on top of it, so be careful of your clearances so you don't fry the unit. I have my Family Room UTV on top of the glass-enclosed cabinet just to be safe.

Are you sure it won't work unless both tuners are hooked up? While I know they are different animals, UTV and D*Tivo will work with only one tuner (obviously not all features work) hooked up. I look forward to your review, Scott.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yes it has been confirmed by a few a few dealers who have them, that in order for the 721 to work both tuners must be connected.

My 721 has made it from Florida and in Kentucky, it will be here tommrow, yippie! (I get a feeling I will be visitng UPS a lot tonight.

 

[Bill D]

Karl, do you think a small cooling fan like this one would help enough to keep it in a cabinet
http://www.pcpowercooling.com/products/alarmandaccesories/silencerfan/index.htm
I may not have a choice if it is truely 16" wide
thanks
Bill

 

[Karl Foster]

I'm not sure, but in reading at AVSForum people have installed them in UTV units and have had success. If you can cut away the area behind where your PVR is going to be located, that would probably help as well.

Here is a link that talks about fans in UTV units - it may or may not differ in the PVR 721:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=1041590&highlight=hot+bottom#post1041590

Good luck and I hope the unit is all it is cracked up to be.

 

[Swampthing]

Well... Personally I think it just plain sucks that the 721 will not work unless both tuners are plugged in because it means *everyone* who gets a 721 will *have* to get new wires installed just to make Echostar's latest "Box o' Bugs" work.

Here's a question... can the second input be from your cable company? My wife currently subscribes to cable in order to view television where we don't have a satellite installed, but the cable company coax is everywhere if I need it.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Look what just arrived at my Desk.

If you will notice on the lower right there is writing, below that there is some blue tape covering some writing, if you peel it off it says "DSL READY"

 

[Craig Fogus]

I'm drooling over here....