Forget Replay/TiVo, Dishplayer kicks them both...
Written: Jul 17 '00
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Pros: Integrated unit, great video quality, inexpensive.
Cons: Slow tuning, download mode.
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| mattski's Full Review: EchoStar DishPlayer 7100 Satellite System |
I had a Replay on loan for a while and it completely changed my viewing habits. I found that I couldn't really watch live TV anymore. When I had to give it back I started going into withdrawals.
At the same time I was building a house in an area without cable. I decided to try the Dishplayer and DISH service as a replacement for both the cable and the Replay.
The results are nothing short of excellent. For a little more than I would have had to pay for a normal DISH receiver I got a personal TV recorder and a receiver. I'm not interested in the WebTV service. My normal internet service is much better. The WebTV would be an excellent choice for someone without a computer though.
The tuning is a little slow. Switching channels takes about three seconds, so channel surfing is pretty much out. I don't generally watch TV that way though, so it isn't really a problem.
The only really annoying thing is that when you scroll into an area of the program guide that isn't up to date the player goes into a download mode and you can't watch anything until it is done. This can take up to five minutes and gets a bit irksome.
Most of the time I just watch recorded programs. The remote has a skip 30 seconds button that makes short work of commercials. You can usually watch a 1 hour program in about 45 minutes. I'm sure the commercial sponsors disapprove but I love it.
Another bonus is that you can record pay per view movies and events onto the hard drive. This has the effect of giving you an all day ticket for the price of a normal movie. The ability to pause and rewind movies gives you all the playability of a rented tape without the hassle of going to the store, and the rates are at least as good as Blockbuster.
The best thing for all the hackers out there is that you can upgrade the hard drive yourself for more recording time. You get about 11 hours with the standard drive but drop a 30 gig drive in it and you will get about 25 hours. The unit will automatically format the drive and use it. Look around the net and you will find the instructions.
The $10 a month for PTV service is a little steep but there is a special you can snag that lowers it to $3 if you sign up for a couple of years. I would definitely recommend catching it.
In short, this is a great deal. Having the recorder integrated into the satellite receiver gives you a couple of things you don't get with any of the other PTV recorders (like an accurate program guide).
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 299
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Epinions.com ID:
mattski
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Member: Matt Brandt
Location: Austin, Tx
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 4 members
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