Great HD STB
Written: Nov 13 '01 (Updated Jan 28 '03)
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Pros: HDTV Picture Quality, Multiple Outputs
Cons: Internal Line Doubler, Stretch Modes
The Bottom Line: Great for Dish HD and OTA HD. Average for SD content.
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| louisd's Full Review: EchoStar 6000 Digital Satellite System |
Overall the Dish Network Model 6000 receiver is a great receiver for Dish Network satellite programming and the limited HD programming that Dish currently sends via satellite (HBO, Showtime, CBS, Demo loop). In addition, adding the 8VSB module allows you to receive OTA HD broadcasts in brilliant 1080i or 720p resolution. (Check www.titantv.com to see if your local broadcasters are sending HD signals.) HD content output through the HD outputs (component) is awesome and the SD output through SD outputs (s-video or composite) is like all other Dish receivers. The one thing that disappoints me about this unit is the internal line doubler. When watching SD content output via the HD outputs the picture is soft and often has upconversion artifacts. The line doubler in my Toshiba 65HX81 TV is much better at this.
The audio systems on the 6000 are also quite good. It can output the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio stream that is broadcast with many HD signals and with the Dish movie channels digitally (optical) for decoding by your DD compatible receiver.
If you're looking for a reasonably priced HD STB with OTA capabilities and your TV has a good line doubler for SD content then this box can absolutely be the right choice.
Please note: At the time of writing this review you could not use the Dish 6000 without having a satellite hooked up and pointed at a dish satellite (110 or 119). Therefore it isn't useful as OTA HD STB only.
The unit gets an overall "4" for picture quality even though of HD it would be a 5+. The poor SD upconversion brings the picture score down overall.
UPDATE: Please note that this unit has no "secure" outputs for HD content (Firewire or HDCPI). This means that if broadcasters have their way, sometime in the future, this box might not be able to display full High Definition programming. It is possible that all unconstrained analog outputs (like the 6000 has) will be DowRezed to reduce resolution in order to prevent high quality pirating.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 399
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Epinions.com ID:
louisd
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Member: Louis
Location: Ashburn, VA, USA
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
Gadget freak, travel buff and father to be!
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