From DSS to Dish...a happy transition
Written: Mar 16 '00
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Pros: Nice wedding of TV and Internet content, good price if you shop around and get the rebate, great picture quality, wonderful features
Cons: Webtv still leaves something to be desired, difficult to install on own (although professional installation is often free), turning off Webtv turns off the entire unit.
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| teechur's Full Review: EchoStar DishPlayer 7100 Satellite System |
We purchased our DISH a few weeks ago from a retailer on Ebay. We have been happy DSS customers for years, but then we lost some of our networks and couldn't get NBC back, we noticed that the more channels we got, the more the quality suffered. It was also an older model that was somewhat dated. We started looking into the DISH and decided to go that way.
We ordered the DISH from a dealer on Ebay. Because the 7200 didn't qualify for the current $200 rebate, we were able to pick it up with a second receiver for $216. Fortunately, DISH decided to include the 7200 in on the rebate on the very day we completed the transaction, so before the dealer could jack his prices we had a brand new 7100 with a second receiver for a grand total of $16 after rebate.
We received the package in a timely manner. My husband installed it one evening. It took longer to install than the DSS (which he can install in half an hour...he's just that good). This is not a user friendly installation process. You have to point the dish at two satellites to get all of the channels. No sooner would he lock on one, than he'd lose the other. After about 2 1/2 hours, he had a lock on and the rest was a breeze. (Note: professional installation is suggested. Roy has installed a number of sat dishes for friends and family, so he decided to try for himself. Currently you can get free installation at most places.)
The picture quality is far superior to what we were getting on DSS. This is probably due to the fact that not all channels are crowded onto one satellite. We love the personal TV (which is an extra $10 a month, or $5 a month if you have Webtv) which allows us to digitally "tape" any show to a hard drive. The feature to choose a show you want to watch and have the dish either remind you, or actually change the channel for you is also a bonus. How many times have you realized that you wanted to watch that episode of 20/20 last night, but forgot all about it? Not only can DISH remind you of it, but if you want you can set it up to tape it for your. The personal TV playback is very nice. It does only hold up to 12 hours of content, but you can always manually tape any of those programs to your VCR. (Some have actually cracked the case and installed larger hard drives with success.)
Webtv comes integrated into the program. Personally, I am not a huge Webtv fan. I have a DSL connection and find Webtv painfully slow. However, my husband loves it. The interactive games (Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune) and television shows are kind of adicting. It's a nice 'wedding' of the two technologies that has some room to grow, but is not too shabby in the meantime. Webtv does have the ability to import video and audio, and to print to a printer. A family can have up to five screen names making it a nice solution for family Internet access.
Who should buy this? The TV/movie phile who enjoys access to a great deal of programming. (To me, ZDTV is worth the price alone.) Parents with children who want to access the Internet should consider it. Webtv is the best way to monitor your kids on the Internet and make surfing truly interactive. Many parents are concerned with allowing their children Internet access, and I don't blame them. Webtv is the answer.
One bonus for me, the remote can control the sound on the TV, even on old TVs with <gasp> DIALS! Our old TV in the bedroom can now be muted during commercials! Okay, it's not THAT big of a deal...but I love it.
A few tips we've learned from experience and the newsgroups:
1. Leave the unit on and it won't need to look for the satellite on startup.
2. If you are attempting a self install, read the directions fully, take a few St. Johns Worts, get a good compass (and make sure you know how to read it). Get a friend to help.
3. Install with a small portable TV outside with you, if possible. If not, make sure you have a friend to tell you when you've locked the signals.
4. Read all instructions about setting it up once installed. We didn't and only had half the channels for a little while until we combined the switches.
5. Read the DISH and DBS newsgroups. Ask questions, get answers...learn all you can before you DISH comes. You'll be too busy watching TV once you get it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 16
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Epinions.com ID:
teechur
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Member: Tory Klementsen
Location: Marysville, WA
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Tory is the "penultimate geek" and loves all things computers.
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