Brand new Dish Network customer with a couple of questions

[carlsaganfan]

Ok, I think I understand this now. The tuner I am watching is TV 1, if I want to record, I have to use TV 2 or else it won't let me watch another program while I record. Is that correct?

 

[carlsaganfan]

Something else I need to know. If our son is watching TV in his room (which the 722 in our room is providing service to) and we want to record something, we'll have to watch it won't we? You can't have 2 TV's watching different shows and record a 3rd show on a completely different channel can you?

 

[STL]

Specifically, unless they've changed it on the post-622 receivers, all HD will consume less space than indicated, because the recording screen shows estimated time for MPEG2 and all HD is now MPEG4.

That is not entirely true; all OTA HD is still MPEG2. FYI, my 722's estimated space remaining is still based on MPEG2.

 

[STL]

You can't have 2 TV's watching different shows and record a 3rd show on a completely different channel can you?

Depends -- you can do three as long as one is OTA (meaning antenna) and the other two are DISH channels. But the trick with a DVR is to never watch anything live. Theoretically, you could have 2 TVs watching two recorded shows (that are completely recorded already) while the DVR is also recording three other shows (within the contraints I listed above).

 

[am7crew]

Ok, I think I understand this now. The tuner I am watching is TV 1, if I want to record, I have to use TV 2 or else it won't let me watch another program while I record. Is that correct?

easy answer yes. Unless you get a OTA module and antenna which could or couldnt be worth it.

 

[DishSubLA]

I remember another question I had. DirecTV says in their commercials you can program your DVR through the Internet. Do you guys think Dish will ever add this service?

This is a great example of poor Dish marketing. Dish is allowing Direct TV to run away with the notion that they offer remote scheduling, but Dish doesn't. In just about every claim Direct is making in its TV commercials, Dish can claim the same. Charlie, get some good marketing people.

 

[chester77]

While all of you are replying to carlsaganfan's questions, I have a couple of my own:

I recently upgraded to a Dish VIP211. I was told I could add an EHD and get DVR benefits (after a one time fee).
Any recomendations on what kind of DVR works best? I know it is not suppose to be below 300 GB (?) or greater than 750 GB. Any specific reccomendations would be appreciated!

 

[KAB]

Stick with Western Digitals. People are successfully using 1 &1.5T drives.

 

[chester77]

Stick with Western Digitals. People are successfully using 1 &1.5T drives.

I was told to stay away from WD 1T EHD b/c they were not working. this is good to know.