EXCLUSIVE - DishPlayer DVR 522 Review!

[AJF]

No need to apologize AppliedAggression . EVERYTHING that's been happening lately with Dish has been so damn confusing, from the Superdish debacle to the new receivers that my head is spinning too .

I was hoping you were right anyway because it would make things alot easier for me ( and others ? ) if both could be controlled using UHF .

 

[video62]

...He said the "single" mode nor the PIP function were currently supported, but would be with a software upgrade to be released later.

Will 522 buyers automatically receive this upgrade? I'd love to hear that question asked/answered on a Charlie Chat.

 

[shellbmb]

...He said the "single" mode nor the PIP function were currently supported, but would be with a software upgrade to be released later.

Will 522 buyers automatically receive this upgrade? I'd love to hear that question asked/answered on a Charlie Chat.

Take this for what its worth, but Dish told me today that the upgrade would be done by the end of this week. I'll believe that when I see it and safe to say I'm not holding my breath. But so far I really like the 522 and it will shine once, or should I say if, the software upgrade is complete. But even so, I'd still like to have an extra 522 UHF remote to control from a different room. Right now the 522 can be used on 3 different tvs in my house, so I'd like to have an extra remote.

 

[PerfessorEvil]

This may be a silly question, but...

Will the "single" mode allow you to access both tuners with one connection to your tv set when it is implemented?
For example, I have one line out to my TV in the living room, and one line out to the TV in the bedroom. If I am recording a live show on line one in the living room, can I switch to tuner two on the living room tv to watch another show? Or do I have to change the physical wiring and/or have them hooked up to another input on my TV?
If that is possible to do with the one line, is the "switch" for single mode on the box, or on the remote? If it is on the remote, can it be switched from the bedroom TV? And if you are in single mode, does it disable the connection to the other TV, or is it just limited to what is being watched on the main TV?
Thanks!

 

[Stargazer]

Those that have bought and want to buy a 522 that is not able to view both tuners on one tv output (single mode) the software will be downloaded to all the 522 receivers so there is nothing to worry about.

The switch for single mode is in the receiver. The remote has nothing to do with the modes you can be in. It is software that is preventing that from happening at this time.

It does not disable the connection to the other tv, it just cannot display both tuners on one tv through one output from the receiver to the tv on one wire (like a 721). You would have two wires to two inputs on tv(s) in order to view both programs at the same time instead of viewing both programs with one output on the receiver to one input (three with RCA cables for A/V - yellow red white) on the tv.

If you want to view both programs on the same tv you can do so by connecting the coax up to the television to view it on channel 3 or 4 and connect the RCA cables for A/V - yellow red white - to view on the AUX channel on your television. If you have PIP functionality on the television then you could still view both of them by selecting channel 3 as one of the channels and AUX as the PIP channel.

The thing is without the capability yet to be in single view mode to view both tuners you will not be able to watch two shows at the same time if you do not have a PIP tv and you will not be able to control both shows with one remote, you must have both remotes with you, one for each tuner, to control them. The benefits of doing it this way is that you can control the PIP program (such as view information, change channels, and all functionality that you normally could do) while the show is in PIP mode when you cannot do that if you chose to go single tuner mode to view both tuners when the new software comes to enable that functionality.

 

[DarrellP]

Scott, how well did the remote work for Tuner 2 from another room? I have my 501 in the next room and I have a heck of a time getting it to respond reliably, even with a 6' coax extender on the antenna.

 

[video62]

Right now the 522 can be used on 3 different tvs in my house, so I'd like to have an extra remote.

Battling Remotes royale!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Scott, how well did the remote work for Tuner 2 from another room? I have my 501 in the next room and I have a heck of a time getting it to respond reliably, even with a 6' coax extender on the antenna.

The remote worked VERY well around the house (even outside!) These UHF Pro remotes are VERY cool!!!

Best equipment Dish has made in years.

 

[Stargazer]

What was the distance you could operate the receiver with the DishPro UHF remote that is supposed to go up to 200 feet?

 

[rodb]

Does it actually have a stereo modulator? MTS stereo modulators are a LOT more expensive. Many assume modulators are stereo and most are monaural. Is it actually specified as stereo in the documentation?

AJF, you want what I have, reference your comment about the distribution of both receivers to the whole house. I have four receivers(501s) in a single location running into a four channel Channel Plus modulator. A single coax out carries the modulated channels to a distribution block then distributed to the seven TVs in the house. Watch any receiver in any room. Four in my family, we each have our own remote.

 

[video62]

The spec sheet for the 522 (specs download area) specifically says STEREO modulator, whereas the 322 (dual rcvr, but no DVR) says MONO modulator. Now what the unit really has is anyone's guess.

 

[Stargazer]

What doesn't make sense to me is how they can put that kind of money into the stereo modulators yet not put a little bit of money into making the first tuner DishPro UHF operatable as well.

 

[AJF]

AJF, you want what I have, reference your comment about the distribution of both receivers to the whole house. I have four receivers(501s) in a single location running into a four channel Channel Plus modulator. A single coax out carries the modulated channels to a distribution block then distributed to the seven TVs in the house. Watch any receiver in any room. Four in my family, we each have our own remote.

That's probably the way I'll wind up going rodb . It's just frustrating to me that this new receiver is so close to being able to do it without having to add a modulator/IR system .

Did you use their IR system too ? How did you handle control, did you program some learning remotes and can each remote control all 4 receivers ?

 

[rodb]

I think they have very narrow ideas about application. No imagination or they are just pinching pennys. When I first got dish I had two receivers installed and the installer was dumfounded that I wanted them both installed at one location.

How about a two receiver box with an option to modulate both out and both uhf capable.

 

[rodb]

AJT, the 501s are UHF, so no IR connections. That is an option tho with the Channel Plus modulators. I have two four channel modulators and the second has a DVD and a VCR connected to it. They aren't UHF so no remote control of them but they are distributed.

Each remote controls it's own receiver. Turn to the channel that receiver is modulated on and watch. Never really had the need to control any other receiver than the one I had the remote for. It really is a very nice setup. The audio on mine are monaural. The receivers are located at my entertainment center so direct stereo connections are made there. The stereo versions are almost double in cost. They have a new stereo version that has S-Video inputs.

 

[Stargazer]

501/508/510 are both UHF and IR. I bet a LOT more people would want UHF on tuner 1 and tuner 2 on the 322/522 than wanting the channel modulator. They make the 501/508/510, 721 with UHF and it is being operated in the same room in most cases. I guess they figured that one UHF tuner on a receiver is all thats needed since most likely the room that it is going to be will only need IR in that room and if they want it to operate from another room they can use the second tuner that has the UHF when before they did not have that option.

 

[bsobel]

Stargazer, I just don't follow your logic. Why would 'a LOT more' people want UHF on tuner 1 than want the channel modulator? If you want a true dual tuner, you can buy a 721 or 921 (well, eventually a 921).

Confused,
Bill

 

[Stargazer]

Because a lot more people would find it more useful to have the first tuner be UHF to have more rooms connected up to it to view that tuner just as they can with the second tuner than to be able to select the channel you want to view the second tuner on (unless I am not understanding the functionalities of the channel modulators)

 

[bsobel]

Because a lot more people would find it more useful to have the first tuner be UHF to have more rooms connected up to it to view that tuner just as they can with the second tuner than to be able to select the channel you want to view the second tuner on (unless I am not understanding the functionalities of the channel modulators)

Some people would clearly like the primary tuner to be UHF so they can treat this as a whole house server (maybe even hide it in the closet). That said, the main purpose of this box is to eliminate the second receiver a person would normally need to get in order to setup a two tv house. For that purpose I think the box is setup reasonably (since your likely to want to use the svhs interface on at least one of the tv's and can split and distribute the second output to the 'other' tv's in the house).

Bill

 

[AJF]

AJT, the 501s are UHF, so no IR connections. That is an option tho with the Channel Plus modulators. I have two four channel modulators and the second has a DVD and a VCR connected to it. They aren't UHF so no remote control of them but they are distributed.

Each remote controls it's own receiver. Turn to the channel that receiver is modulated on and watch. Never really had the need to control any other receiver than the one I had the remote for. It really is a very nice setup. The audio on mine are monaural. The receivers are located at my entertainment center so direct stereo connections are made there. The stereo versions are almost double in cost. They have a new stereo version that has S-Video inputs.

Mine will be a bit more complicated since I do want the ability to control any receiver from any zone. ChannelPlus has a nice system to do this which sends the IR on the same cable . But, I'll also need to program eight universal remotes to do so .