DISH Network recently released a pretty significant firmware update for their over-the-air (OTA) dual tuner HD DTVPal DVR ($250, no fees). While there’s really not much in the way of new functionality, quite a few bugs and nits have been resolved. In addition to (hopefully) clearing up the freezing/rebooting issues, the refreshed software also features:
- Trick modes now have a smoother frame rate comparable to other DISH Network DVRs
- Enhancements to skip forward / backwards functionality
- Added option to record entire event in progress
- Trick modes are now functional when 2 recordings are active
- Improved handling of low and no signal
- Added option to switch on/off use of TV Guide data in EPG
- Improved support for disk full
- Addition of a delete button in the ‘DVR event’ screen after a recording has finished
Current owners can download the update over a wired network, as I did, or load it off a USB drive (PDF). Unfortunately, you’ll lose your settings. But not your recordings. I’m still waiting for a more extensive program guide, delivered via the network perhaps, and Season Pass (by show title) functionality.
Last, but not least, DTVPal DVRs are once again shipping direct from the DISH folks. Not sure if they were out of inventory, as I was told, or if sales were halted until the system lockups had been resolved.
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I think people on avsforum.com also have reported that the new firmware supports 1 TB drives (the old firmware maxed out at 500 GB) for those willing to open the box.
Now that I’m moving off of TiVo (in the next year), I’m really interested in having a basic DVR in the bedroom for OTA. I was looking forward to this, then was really disappointed with the reviews, and am now happy to see things might be back on track. I’ll be curious to see what happens.
Dave, are you going to do an updated review with the new firmware?
Geoffrey, I’m torn. Like most folks, the idea of fee-free is really appealing. But the limited guide data and recording I mentioned above stings. Anyone coming from a VCR will love this thing, as will light DVR users. Power users coming from something more sophisticated may be occasionally frustrated. Is it worth $13/mo to minimize the pain? For me, it would be – especially due to Amazon VOD and Netflix streaming, which I do use and enjoy. We’ve debated dropping cable…
But I’m hopeful the Echo/DISH folks will continue to build upon this platform. For example, leveraging their existing relationship with CinemaNow to provide Internet video rentals.
I don’t know if I would use it for more than I would a VCR. What I’ve found is that TiVo (and I assume Moxi) are indispensable if you have cable. But we dropped cable five months ago and I’ve really found TiVo to be overkill for OTA. When I picked up a Samsung BDP-1600 (which has Netflix capability) for the bedroom, I ended up pulling the TiVo HD.
The main thing I miss in that situation is the ability to timeshift the news in the morning. If I miss a traffic report it’s really helpful to back up the recording.
My other TiVo, in my entertainment center, is still delivering Netflix for me… but I’m really not using it for much beyond that. We picked up an Apple TV after canceling cable and, later, set up EyeTV on a spare Mac so that our iTunes purchases and our OTA recordings would be in the same spot.
So, at this point, I’m still 12 months from making a final decision on everything… but I don’t see keeping TiVo in the picture unless there is a drastic change in their pricing structure. Something like the DTVPal really seems to address the more scaled-back needs I have for broadcast TV.
Is that worth $250? It might be. I have to chew on that.
One thing I forgot to mention is: I think TiVo would have made a killing if they had better foreseen the need for converters, and the confusion surrounding them, in the DTV transition.
A simple Series3 (TiVo mini?), with basic capabilities (dual tuner OTA, no CableCARD, inexpensive hard drive at 200 or 250GB, no Netflix, Rhapsody, Amazon, YouTube, TiVoToGo, MRV, etc.), no monthly fee, and a streamlined interface (not TV Guide data – just use the EPG) would have been a great way to get TiVos in front of more people – and they could have continued to deliver their intrusive ads (with less complaints about those ads from their paying customers).
After upgrading to F206, I went from being a totally unhappy user to a neutral user.
The one thing that works poorly is the interface to TVGOS. In my area, I can tune in 24 channels and subchannels, but only 10 have the week’s worth of TVGOS data. The other 14 have (in most cases lousy) PSIP data – some only a few hours worth. That’s useless for setting up recordings.
Now here’s the kicker, a colleague of mine has a TVGOS enabled Sony tv and these mysterious 14 channels appear there, so it’s the DTVpal that’s not picking them up. When I approached Dish’s DTVpal support over this, all they did was blame Macrovision.
Otherwise, the recordings on the 10 channels that do work ok are great.
Was going to place an order today, 4/25, for one of these but after completing the web form, got a message to call a number. Did that and talked with an offshore csr who was going to charge me more than the website indicated. I mentioned that and he said he would negotiate the price. At that point, I said several times to cancel the order. If this is what the csr is doing to add to income, I will not have one of these units. Csr support is nonexistant from Dish and needs restructuring to become a viable player.
I upgraded to version 206 last week and have started seeing a problem. At random times, an error message about “IP not found” pops up and must be manually cleared. I did connect the unit to my home network where DHCP gave it an address for the download, but it’s disconnected now. The network reads all zeros. The message is REALLY annoying.
The real question is why the unit was checking the network at all. It gets the guide OTA, I manually download the upgrade, etc. It’s potentially spyware on my viewing habits.
Anyone else see this?
The new firmware appears to have introduced an issue with the clock jumping – which causes missed or portions of a program being recorded. Sigh. The good news is that I’m not the only one who has experience this as reports of this appear to be increasing.