I don't like my Dish Network VIP 722 DVR

[TSmith8605]

About 2 years after I had to pay $500 for a HD TiVo DVR from Direct TV, Direct TV told me I had to switch to a different VCR to continue to get HD. Turns out that new Direct TV DVR does not receive OTA broadcast, for which I have an antenna.

So I switched to the Dish network and thereby got stuck with a VIP 722 DVR.

I don't like it very much for two main reasons. Maybe someone on here has solutions to these issues.

1. The thing is noisy; mechanical / fan noise is too loud. This thing is installed in a cabinet along with a high-end 2-channel audio system. I don't need the hear this noise. Turning power off makes no difference. What happens if I pull the plug while using the 2-channel audio system?

2. Setting up a DVR timer to record a season of a particular program is difficult compared to my former TiVo. On the TiVo, as you type in the name of the program, a list appears of specific instances of the program. As you type more letters, the list narrows down. You can then select the exact channel for the show - e.g. 1st-run only on HBOHD. You have positive confirmation that the DVR nows about the show you want to record.

On the VIP, you just type in the letters and hope if finds something sometime. Usually, when I try the "exact match" option, the software won't accept enough letters to complete the entire program name. Most of my recording is done from HBO HD, but I cannot specify that exact channel because dish uses channel 300 for HBO East SD and HBO HD. If I say use channel 300, it uses the SD version of channel 300. So I have to specify "any channel" and hope it finds the HD channel.

The result of all this is that the thing records all kinds of crap I don't want to watch.

When I wanted to record the "John Adams" mini series, since I could not specify the exact program, it also recorded "The making of John Adams" at least 30 times.

The other day it recorded Entourage - with Spanish overdub from HBOL (since I cannot specify HBO HD directly). I don't speak Spanish.

I miss my Tivo.

Anybody know how to solve these issues?

[uofmtiger]

You may try looking over at the DBStalk forum.

I stayed with Directv for the new HD channels and my HR20-700 can pick up OTA HD (it is the only way to get the HD version of PBS with Directv in this area). I was not aware that they were making people upgrade for that reason, but I jumped from the HD Tivo into the new box a few months before the new HD package came out.

The Directv HR20-700 is not as easy to use as a Tivo, either. My main complaint is that it does not have the dual tuner buffer that I grew to love, so now I have to record the two programs on each tuner to get the buffer. However, it is a small price to pay for all of the new HD channels.:thmbsp:

[tdst51]

On my DISH HI DEF DVR, all I do is highlight the show I want to record in the guide list, hit enter, and it gives me several different options: daily, weekly, monthly, once, all new, all, etc. :smoke:

[TSmith8605]

On my DISH HI DEF DVR, all I do is highlight the show I want to record in the guide list, hit enter, and it gives me several different options: daily, weekly, monthly, once, all new, all, etc. :smoke:

Which forces you to search through the guide to find the show you want, which can be a pain - especially if you don't know the time schedule as with most stuff on HBO.

[outshined]

My Tivo from DirecTV got fried from a lightning storm. I didn't know it, but Tivo no longer supplies DVR's for DTV.

The Tivo brand is much better in terms of ergonomics and functionality. When I enquired about replacing the Hughes receiver with another Tivo brand, I discovered that while it may (or may not) work with DTV, I would still have to pay a monthly fee to Tivo, even on a used one, if DTV cannot activate the Tivo.

I wish DTV would have left well enough alone. I'm sure money had everything to do with this situation.

[NeedForSpeed]

You have to check "1 time" for your timer set up. Then pick the day/time. I never last until 10pm for CSI:Miami, So Sense its always in rerun on A&E, I had to be specific to make sure I was getting Monday's at 10pm only. BTW, Dish DVR's are rated the best in the HD format. The recordings on mine are better than the first run picture. I've owned TiVo and Comcast. It ain't even close.