Dish DTVPal / Echostar TR40 digital to analog converter

[Timpanogos]

I am surprised that there have been very few posts about the Echostar / Dish Network version of the digital to analog ATSC to NTSC converter. It has VCR timers (blasters?), along with a seven day TV Guide (?) program guide. It was shown at the CES two months ago and the $39 price is attractive. Does anyone have any more information?

[Jim1348]

I, too, am very interested in this one, but I also have not seen much written about it. I think the fact that it is apparently not available yet, nor will it be available until June/July probably has a lot to do with it. I am in no big hurry to get a convertor box. I will quite likely use one in the basement of my home and a second one in the second story. I certainly have been an early adopter of some new technology in the past and sometimes I have had buyers remorse for not waiting and/or doing my research before buying.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/22...-til-june-jul/

[jjeff]

Thanks for the photos, but I've been hearing a lot about the TR-40. Nothing concrete, just people hoping to get one. I'm in that boat, but may have to buy mine since I ordered my coupons shortly after I could, and it sounds like I may be receiving them soon. From what I understand the coupons issued now show a expire date of May 31, too soon for the June/July expected ship date of the TR-40.
And I don't believe the TR-40 has a IR blaster, but a simple 8 event timer to turn on/change channels at a scheduled time. Not as handy as a blaster, but better than nothing, which is what most others announced will have.

[Jim1348]

Do you guys have any idea what stores will carry this locally? It seems as if I have seen Dish equipment at Radio Shack and Sears in the past. Perhaps if I get near Burnsville Center I can stop in and check both places and ask them if they expect to carry them. Although chances are those of us checking forums may just know as much or more than many clerks are likely to know.

[hooskerdoo]

Hey I don't know if this thread is dead or not but...

I would like to know where to buy one too. I've read that they will not be available till June and even then in limited quantity. I got my $40 coupons already and they expire June 4. I have a feeling I will just miss them unless I can swing some kind of a pre-order deal with a vendor.

Anyone got any ideas?

[jjeff]

According to the mgr. at the Burnsville "Ultimate Electronics" they will carry the TR-40, but not the TR-50. Not sure about other stores.

[Rammitinski]

Originally Posted by Jim1348

Do you guys have any idea what stores will carry this locally? It seems as if I have seen Dish equipment at Radio Shack and Sears in the past.

Those would be the most logical places I would think.

[dagger666]

yeah this box was on my list until you hear most people feel it will never come to market or only be available if you taker their dish network. then everyones attention shifted to maxmedia which seams to be the same if it ever comes to market.

[Rammitinski]

Well, I have Dish Network already, so maybe I'll have an advantage.

I don't know if the MaxMedia will have or work with TVGOS like they're saying the TR-40 might though, and that's what myself and a lot of others on this forum mostly want it for.

The other thing is the "VCR Timer", which only the TR-40 will have.

[dagger666]

i sent them an email explaining that most peoples coupons will expire before June so what is their excuse for make it coupon cost when they will be useless when this box comes to market.

[joemama127]

This is the box that I recommended to my father for the OTA crt at his lake cabin...of course his coupon expires on May 29th. I knew this government coupon thing would be a fiasco....only a tiny handful of the boxes on the approved list will be available before his coupons expire.

[dagger666]

i tried to write the coupon people and point this out but no answer. This all stinks and what is OTA?

[DigaDo]

I, too, would like to purchase the TR-40 with my coupons but they expire 5/23/08. I guess I'll be a cash customer.

The reason that the coupons are good for but 90 days is that was what the representatives in Congress specified. It will take an Act of Congress to change that. Contact your Representatives.

OTA means "over the air" i.e., antenna reception.

[dagger666]

The other thing is the "VCR Timer", which only the TR-40 will have. how would this work and why would you need it

[Timpanogos]

The VCR timer is good for someone like me. I have a Hauppauge hardware MPEG-2 encoder on a dedicated PC, being used to record primetime programming onto a hard drive. I use the auxillary input of the card and not the internal tuner. The TR40 would probably be able to change channels by itself.

After I get the programming on the hard drive, I burn DVD+/-RW disks with the shows and watch the programs on a portable DVD player on the 55 minute public transist trip into the city each day, coming and going. Two hours a day on the bus! I presently use an HD set top box with both HD and analog output jacks. The Hauppage takes the output from the analog jacks. The HDTV to analog recordings are in vertically stretched, anamorphic form and when played on a widescreen portable DVD player look GREAT! Just like mini-HD. Very sharp and very clear!

I had a high cost Archos portable multimedia unit (3 inches x 5 inches total size), but the 7" screen DVD player is sized just right for my eyes. I watch 10 hr. of primetime programming every week on the bus. The bus is a long distance transit bus with reclining seats, personal air nozzles, overhead pointable lights, and now even free internet service. Not your inner-city rolling slum bus. It is a "get the lawyers to the city" type bus.

The TR40 would allow me to use the full HD STB in another location, and still get the job done on my recording tasks, this time with channels changing by themselves...

But alas, my government coupons also expire on May 23. Why not let us PRE-ORDER the TR40 box and use our coupons before they expire? I am a long term Dish customer, since 1997, and the VIP 722 can't be beat. Great hardware! Hopefully the TR40 will be the same. I am considering using the internet hookup to a laptop and the Slingbox, but the laptops are really too big compared to the perfect sized 7" , widescreen DVD player that I now use for bus entertainment.

[stpinindy]

Originally Posted by dagger666

The other thing is the "VCR Timer", which only the TR-40 will have. how would this work and why would you need it

I own the first model of the echostar dishplayer. I programed in the code for my vcr. Then looking through the on screen tv guide I pick out what shows I want to record. When the show comes on the dishplayer turns on to that station and sends out the signal for the vcr to turn on, turn to channel 3 or 4, and start recording. When the show is over the dishplayer tells the vcr to stop recording and turn off. I've owned this for 9 years. It also was capable of surfing the internet via phone line and recieving dish network.

[kousikb]

Check this:
http://www.dishnetwork.com/digitaltr....shtml#anchor4

Quote: "This means that you can use your $40 government coupon to get the TR-40 essentially for free (not including sales tax and shipping, where applicable). Our converter boxes will be available in the summer; so please hold-off getting your coupon until the summer as the coupons expire 90 days after they are issued. "

[stpinindy]

tivo won a lawsuit against echostar for patent infringement with dvrs hope that isn't the reason for all the delays. the fact it was cecb approved so long ago and not on the market yet is disappointing.

[dagger666]

hold off until the supply of coupons is done. The goverment isn't giving this away forever, limited supply. bunch of jerks

Originally Posted by kousikb

Check this:
http://www.dishnetwork.com/digitaltr....shtml#anchor4

Quote: "This means that you can use your $40 government coupon to get the TR-40 essentially for free (not including sales tax and shipping, where applicable). Our converter boxes will be available in the summer; so please hold-off getting your coupon until the summer as the coupons expire 90 days after they are issued. "

[Timpanogos]

To make matters worse, remember that the government gives us nothing without having to take it from us first! Bunch of jerks indeed!

[equivocal]

Originally Posted by Timpanogos

To make matters worse, remember that the government gives us nothing without having to take it from us first! Bunch of jerks indeed!

Now that the auctions are complete we now know who the govt takes it from--Verizon, who takes it from you, along with an additional "Converter Box Program & CEO New Yacht Recovery Fee".

[Rick_R]

Originally Posted by stpinindy

tivo won a lawsuit against echostar for patent infringement with dvrs hope that isn't the reason for all the delays. the fact it was cecb approved so long ago and not on the market yet is disappointing.

I think the Tivo patent win was a hollow victory. The win dismissed all of the Tivo Hardware claims against Echostar. Echostar has since modified their software to avoid the Tivo software patent claims. As a result I believe aside from slightly less functional Echostar software ther is nothing left of the "Win".

Rick R

[bmwmick]

Originally Posted by hooskerdoo

Hey I don't know if this thread is dead or not but...

I would like to know where to buy one too. I've read that they will not be available till June and even then in limited quantity. I got my $40 coupons already and they expire June 4. I have a feeling I will just miss them unless I can swing some kind of a pre-order deal with a vendor.

Anyone got any ideas?

I just got this reply from TR40@slingmedia.com

At this time we are working toward final arrangements with resellers as well as creating a Consumer Awareness program to better educate consumers on the products as well as the transition from analog to digital broadcasts on February 17, 2009.

Update: The TR-40 is expected to launch in June while the TR-50 is expected in September. We understand a great number of consumers have already received their coupons from the NTIA and are concerned that they will expire before the TR-40 is on the market. We are currently working with federal agencies to try and augment this process but we do not have any control over it.

Kindest Regards,

Sling Media

Hopefully they'll work something out since this appears to be the best converter on the market (almost).

Mick

[dagger666]

why can't they take orders like maxmedia did. pay now get the box later. i read the goverment is giving credit back to the cards for defective boxes return. hell i'll buy now for delivery later

[DigaDo]

Count me in on a pre-order for the TR-40!

[jjeff]

I too would like to have them accept my coupon now for later delivery, although according to Mosquito on the Maxmedia thread they cannot charge the coupons until they actually have the boxes. Get going Echostar!

[Malouff]

Originally Posted by dagger666

i tried to write the coupon people and point this out but no answer. This all stinks and what is OTA?

dagger666 did you write a letter or a email, and who was it addressed to?

I know people keep saying to contact your representatives in Congress , but have you looked at the dtv2009 BIOS?
These would be two people at the NTIA Coupon Program you may want to contact.

Anita L. Wallgren
Program Director
TV Converter Box Coupon Program
Anita Wallgren (202) 482-6266

Anthony G. Wilhelm
Director of Consumer Education and Public Information
TV Converter Box Coupon Program
Anthony Wilhelm (202) 482-6260

Here is the NTIA Contact Information and Telephone Roster
Look the bottom of that page regarding E-mail Addresses.

Also please calm down and don't be too demanding when contacting these people.
I for one would not like to be in their position as they probably have very little control in the coupon program but may be able to help you.

Good luck

[dagger666]

they started it and i don't think they care what anyone says. I don't even think they read email. A chicken with it's head cut off could have seen the problems this was going to have and ran it right from the begining.

[puddnhead]

A request: if this is meant to be the "main" TR-40 thread (and so far there seems to be no other candidates) please update the title to have proper product name, TR-40. I almost didn't see this thread because I wasn't searching on your "alternative spelling" You can keep TR40 in there somewhere too though, I suppose.

[Rammitinski]

If it didn't say "Echostar", then it might be a bigger deal, but there's only one standalone ATSC tuner (-only) that will be available from Echostar, so it shouldn't be that confusing.