[santia91]

I've searched the forum for a related topic, couldn't find it, so here goes..

I currently have the DVR 625. I LOVE IT. I want to upgrade to the VIP622 receiver. Here are my questions-

TV1 will be the high def TV. We will do most of our recording on this TV. Do we have the option of recording in HD or SD on this TV? I'll use the example of setting a season pass for new episodes of Grey's Anatomy. Does the DVR give you the option of what format to record in? The reason I ask is because we currently have 100 hrs of recording capacity and typically use 40-50 hours at a time. I understand that the new unit only has 30hrs of HD recording available. Obviously, we would like to have the ability to limit the amount of HD recording we do.

Is it fair to say that 1hr of HD programming = 6.5 hours of SD programming?

Are the features on the VIP622 as good or better than the DVR625?

We have the Dish180 package and have found that it will cost $20/month in order to buy the equivalent HD package (gold.) The CSR did advise that we have a $6 add on option also that will provide access to HD programming from the local channels and OTA primetime offered by TNT, ESPN, USA, etc.

 

[William]

Once you experience your favorite shows or films in HD there is NO WAY you will not be able to tolerate seeing them in crapy looking SD again.

Also if you receive network HD feeds over E* they are MPEG4 and HD-Lite (as well as VOOM networks) so they take up less space than full HD so the 30 hours should be conservative estimate. Hopefully we will get USB storage option in the next couple of weeks to incress storage as needed.

If you must record something in SD then tune to the SD network or channel feed. If it is something off an HD exclusive channel like VOOM I don't believe you have a choice.

 

[Ron Barry]

:welcome_s santia91

Q: features as good as the 625?
From my understanding they are and if you can get OTA into your box you have the added benefit of recording 3 HD or SD streams at one time.

Q: Is it fair to Say that 1hr of HD programming = 6.5 hours of SD.
Well since all SD and all HD are not created equal, I would not say it is fair to say. As William indicated, there are a couple of factors working to improve the amount of content one can store. One of them is MPEG4. There is hope over time that the compression will improve and we will see less disk space per minute and the other is the external USB storage. Based on the Tech Chat USB Storage will not be appearing next month and the latest hope is sometime in Q1 of next year. If it is has describe during tech shows, External USB Drive support will be of the archival flavor.

 

[CABill]

The CSR did advise that we have a $6 add on option also that will provide access to HD programming from the local channels and OTA primetime offered by TNT, ESPN, USA, etc.

I was doing OK until that last sentence. TNT, ESPN doesn't go with "OTA primetime". There isn't any $6 add on option. There are MANY $6 fees, but I wouldn't classify any as an "add on option". The closest I could come would be if you CHOOSE to not subscribe to DishHD programming (HD Gold in your example). You would then be charged $6/month for an HD Enable fee. That fee is waived with a subscription to a DishHD package. That would allow you to get OTA digital channels. I don't know what DMA Macomb is in, but I'll assume you won't get Sat HD networks any time soon if you aren't Detroit DMA. They WOULD be included for the $6 HD Enable fee if you subscribe to locals in Detroit. If you pay the $20 to get HD Gold, the HD Enable fee wouldn't be charged and you would qualify for $10/month for 10 months as a new DishHD subscriber.

As an upgrade, you would also be charged $6/month to lease the 622. The $5.98 DVR fee would be a push with what you pay now for the 625's DVR fee. I assume the 625 is replaced and this isn't an additional receiver.

You have control of New episodes of a series. They aren't "season passes" on the 625 or the 622 - just Timers for a particular channel. A DishPASS can match to any/all channels but that's not what you use for "New Grey's Anatomy" (even on the 625). If you are Detroit DMA, there is a WXYZ channel 7 OTA. The sat local channel number may be mapped to 7 in your receiver, but it is really 8030 in the guide as well. The Sat delivered HD version is 6459. You can have the 622 display either SD or HD sat channel in the guide as 7-00. If you have an antenna, you may also get it as 7-01. Whichever one of the three choices you use when you create the Timer will determine whether you record it in SD or HD. It is your call entirely, but I'd suggest you continue to record Grey's Anatomy in SD to save the limited HD disk space for something that would show a bigger benefit. We watch the show, but sometimes leave it unwatched all week until there is time. You just can't afford to do that if it is an HD recording.

6.5 may be a good ballpark number but it can just as easily be 5.5 or 7.5.

 

[santia91]

Thanks for the feedback all. I'm still contemplating whether or not to make the upgrade to Dish HD. I certainly don't want to pay $20/month for the extra HD programming. I'll pay the enable fee of $6/month. I currently receive OTA Locals through the use of an antenna. I just can't use the DVR622. The DVR is really the only reason I would consider making the upgrade. The CSR from Dish did inform me that I could pick up ESPN, TNT, and USA HD programming if they aired HD programming in primetime (this was confusing to me.) The CSR did inform me that I would not receive any other HD programming unless I subscribed to one of the packages.

I'm in the Detroit market for Locals, only about 35-40 miles from MOST of the antenna towers. I can only pick up the HD signals with an amplified antenna.

I read a thread on upgrade promotions from Dish. The CSR quoted me $190 for the VIP622 & Installation. Is there a $100 rebate offer available? I'm currently an SBC (now AT&T) Dish Subscriber. Should I cancel my AT&T Dish and re-enroll as a "New" Dish Subscriber? Just curious.