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Channel Master DVRs For OTA

363K views 982 replies 152 participants last post by  Gibsons 
#1 ·
This should work in Canada too. My TV guide on my old DVD recorder displayed Canadian TV station content, so this machine should too.

From C-Net:

EchoStar TR-50: An HD DVR for those without cable or satellite
(Credit: EchoStar)

If you think everybody has cable or satellite, you couldn't be more wrong. In fact, if you live in an area that's well-served by digital broadcasters, now's a better time than ever to get your TV over the air (or "OTA," as the cool kids say): yeah, you get only a handful of channels, but they're in crystal-clear digital quality--DVD quality at "worst," uncompressed high-definition at best. The problem--as we're reminded by many an e-mailer--is that there just isn't a good DVR solution for the rabbit-ears crowd, especially if you prefer high-def. (You can opt for a TiVo HD, but you'd still have to pay a monthly fee for their programming guide.) But that may finally be changing, thanks to the EchoStar TR-50. For all intents and purposes, the TR-50 takes many of the features found on Dish Networks' excellent satellite DVRs (such as the ViP622 and 722) and brings them to antenna-based TV viewers.

The unit offers ATSC and NTSC tuners, so it can view and record over-the-air HD digital, standard digital, and analog channels. Dual tuner action means you can watch (and record) one live channel while simultaneously recording a second--or record two channels while playing back a previously recorded show. There's also full control over live TV, including rewind, pause, slow motion, 10-second "instant replay," and--for recordings--30-second skip. The TR-50 also sports a 7-day electronic program guide (using over-the-air metadata on the digital band), which should eliminate the pesky VCR-style manual "timer recordings" (you remember: "8:00-9:00 p.m. / Thursdays / channel 4"). The box also has a full range of outputs, including component and HDMI (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i resolutions supported), as well as standard-def composite and RF outputs for older TVs. Dish hasn't yet specified the internal hard drive size, but the USB 2.0 connector will ensure expandable storage. Perhaps most interestingly, the TR-50 includes an Ethernet port and the ability to decode MPEG-4 video, and EchoStar touts its ability to "access premium Internet-based TV programming via broadband Internet," as well as "DVR management and timer creation via Internet"--though the timeframe for such features wasn't disclosed. Likewise, the exact release date and pricing information remain a mystery. But if it's affordable--and lacks TiVo's monthly fee--the TR-50 may be the perfect fit for TV viewers without satellite or cable who still want to enjoy HD programming on their own schedule.

Separately, EchoStar also announced the TR-40. That model is merely a digital set-top box (no DVR). It will let analog TV owners (or those with HD monitors that lack a tuner) receive digital and high-def signals over the air--a necessity after the scheduled February 2009 analog TV shutdown.
 
#150 ·
Couple of questions for DTVPal owners.

Am I correct in saying that these units are sold by Dish Network?
Isn't this competition for their Satelite systems ?

What does the term "analog pass through " mean ?

thanks
 
#153 ·
Am I correct in saying that these units are sold by Dish Network?
Isn't this competition for their Satelite systems ?
Although sold by Dish Networks, it was designed and developed by EchoStar, which was the manufacturing arm of Dish Networks but is now an independent company. As far as competition, I think Dish Networks views it as an opportunity to expand their market. I have heard rumours that future software updates will allow you to download (for a fee) movies over the Internet from Dish Networks, thus creating an alternate source of revenue.
 
#151 ·
From what I understand, Dish Network encourges costumers to recieve their local channels on their own. But still offers their local channels for a monthly fee. I've seen it done on their info channels. The bulk of their money is in specialty programming sales.

"analog pass through" is the option of connecting a coaxial from the converter to NTSC tuner of your TV for stations that will not be switching to digital soon. This is usually done with a splitter.
 
#152 ·
No splitter is required - this is why it is called pass-through and not bypass.

From the DTVPAL DVR Manual:

" To view analog channels, press the ANALOG PASS-THROUGH button on the DTVPal DVR remote control, then change channels on your TV using your TV’s remote control.
When you want to return to watching digital channels using your DTVPal DVR, change back to the correct channel (3 or 4) or input/ source, and press the ANALOG PASS-THROUGH button again."

Basically, it takes the unit out of the way, and allows the antenna feed to pass directly to your TV as it did before you added the converter box.
 
#156 ·
Another Question For DTVpal Owners

Since these units are only available in the USA, is anyone experiencing brokerage or customs fess when they cross the border ?(my last OTA related purchsed incurred a $30 COD when it was delivered).
or
Have you just been lucky ?
 
#160 ·
Since these units are only available in the USA, is anyone experiencing brokerage or customs fess when they cross the border ?(my last OTA related purchsed incurred a $30 COD when it was delivered).
Stay away from UPS Ground delivery when ordering from the US as you will incur a $30 brokerage fee. I have heard the UPS Air includes the brokerage fee (though I don't know that for sure). The best option IMHO is USPS as Canada Post will only charge $5 brokerage if duty or tax is charged.
 
#157 ·
Thanks for the tip Orion250. I too am interested in knowing the duties/shipping finals totals - if you don't mind sharing that info with us!

Stu
 
#158 ·
Info From Other Forums

First thing I found out is that in the Solidsignal website,its nowhere to be found.

Speculation is that Dish as of Feb 18th are not letting any units out of their warehouse,other than replacement units because there is either a lawsuit pending or they are unable to resolve some problems their customers are experiencing with mulitple lock-ups etc (some say it could be a combination of both these reasons).
 
#161 ·
Speculation is that Dish as of Feb 18th are not letting any units out of their warehouse,other than replacement units because there is either a lawsuit pending or they are unable to resolve some problems their customers are experiencing with mulitple lock-ups etc (some say it could be a combination of both these reasons).
That doesn't sound good. I guess I had better hope for plan "B"...the rumour than Apple is adding an ATSC tuner and PVR ability to AppleTV...
 
#159 ·
DTV PAL

The lack of manually setting for the clock and problems recording if the guide info.is incorrect need to be fixed before I get one.MY old 2003 Zenith HDR230 has the manual clock setting.This is required because so many stations have the wrong time being sent out and you lose part of the recording if the unit resets the time everytime it tunes to a different station.The manual recording time should occur regardless of the guide data.
 
#163 ·
I would worry too much about the clock setting rob50312, It gets it from TVGOS what WNED-DT is sending. I've checked it against the clock on my GPS set by satellite signal and it's pretty much bang on. The bad clocks of a number of our local stations don't affect it.

weehaggis - I wasn't charged a penny on mine (came by USPS/Canada Post). Not sure why?! Maybe the guy processing it was an OTAer! :cool: Usually I get changed for pst/gst and that's it.

Any other Toronto?hamilton/Buffalo DTVpal DVR owners - what channels are you seeing TVGOS on your program guide? I get all the US "-01"s, but the only subchannels I get data for are for WNED. The only Canadian channel I get TVGOS data for is CBC and there's no details. All the rest comes from PSIP.

I'm basing the TVGOS/PSIP decision on what stations I have data for 6 to 7 days in the future.
 
#165 · (Edited)
Does anyone have a problem with the EPG either on the Echostar TR-40 or the DTVPal dvr not showing an extended guide? I have 3 TR-40's and a DTVpal dvr in different locations ( 1 is 4 miles away from the others) and the farthest out any of my guides go is about 12 hours. Shouldn't they show about 7 or 8 days worth of programming guide? I do turn each unit off when not in use, not sure if that has anything to do with it. Also, I can be watching a channel and go to the program guide and it will sometimes show "No Information Available" for each of the channels on the screen. I choose 1 of those channels and as soon as the program displays on the screen, I hit the guide button on the remote and the program info is magically there within the program guide for each of the channels that previously said "No Information Available". Anyone else have this problem or know why this happens?
I am in a major city in Arizona so I don't have to receive programming from a long distance away.
 
#167 ·
I use the TVIX R3310 which has an extended EPG. For channels with guide information I get the following, 2-1 8hr, 4-1 8hr, 5-1 7 days, 7-1,2 24hr, 9-1 8hr, 17-1,2,3 24hr, 23-1 3 days, 25-1 5hr, 29-1 12hr, 49-1 12hr, 66-1 12hr. The rest have no programming information. If you're getting more than this, it is not PSIP guide information. I don't understand why some channels don't want to have guide information. I tend to watch the channels that I know what's on, so if they want more viewers, add the guide info. 12 hours or more is nice for PVR.
 
#168 ·
I don't understand why some channels don't want to have guide information.
I don't think it is that they don't want to, it is that they haven't implemented a process to fill in the schedule data. Often they don't want broadcasting equipment on the network for fear that hackers will hack into their broadcast system and manually updating the schedule is time consuming.
 
#170 ·
I have been trying to order another DtvPal dvr for about 2 weeks from SolidSignal.com. The say they are sold out and do not have any idea when they will get more in. I called Dish today and spoke to 3 different people and the first person said Dish is sold out of them as well and did not know when they would get more in. I asked to speak to a supervisor thinking maybe I might have more luck with them. A supervisor told me that the DtvPal dvr is discontinued! He said he didn't know why but they will be sold no more. I pressed him to find out about the software updates and usb future updates for an external hard drive and he transferred me to tech support. A lady at tech support told me that they were not discontinued, just sold out and the updates will still be produced even if it were going to be discontinued. I verified with her about them and she kept insisting they will still be produced and sold. Has anyone else heard anything about this or was this supervisor that I spoke to misinformed?
 
#172 ·
DTVpal DVR "death penalty"

Today, I gave 6 stations the "death" penalty (ie. remove from the channel list) since they have neither:

- usable program information in their PSIP data
- TVGOS data for their digital channel over a digital OTA transmission (ie. WNED-DT for my location)

The six guilty parties are:

- CIII-DT (Global)
- CHCH-DT (E!)
- CITS-DT
- CITY-DT
- Omni1
- Omni2

CFTO-DT has been placed on death row since it sort of has useful PSIP data but since the DST changes a couple of weeks ago, the listing are offset by 1 hour. (c'mon, the March DST transition is harly new anymore! :mad: )

The nice this about this is that my 25 channels are reduced to 18, which fits neatly into 2 pages of 9 in the small font!

The other nice thing - without having to worry about the 2 Hamilton stations, I might just sell my 9521a rotor.
 
#173 ·
New Firmware

The new firmware (F206) is out if you have an ethernet connection. It is not yet available on the web for download. So far, this is working well - much better than F202. :)

I don't normally have mine connected to ethernet, but I set it up temporarily for the download and it worked great.
 
#175 ·
I have heard the following improvements:

- reboot/lockups fixed
- ability to record from the buffer
- better handling of simultaneous/back-to-back recordings
- TVGOS enable/disable switch
- more diagnostics

I haven't been able to give it the full shakedown but I've scheduled a bunch of things to record so I should know pretty soon. :cool:
 
#176 ·
Firmware F206 now available for download

Now available on the web for those that don't have an ethernet connection. My reboot/lockup issues have been solved so far, but I'm not sure that means it's bug free - still watching it for a few more days before I give it the nod.
 
#179 ·
I called Dish Network on Thursday 4/16 to ask about the availability of the DtvPal dvr's and they said they finally got another shipment in (with the new firmware update preinstalled). I also found out from another forum that you can indeed replace the hard drive in the dtvpal dvr with a larger one with no problems. They say it has been done with a 500gb drive and they also give step-by-step instructions. It has a Western Digital 250gb drive in it. They recommend either Western digital or Seagate drives. I just might have to try that because recording in HD really eats up drive space quickly!!! If anyone wants this info, let me know and I will try to find that site forum for you.
 
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