The Official AVS Dish DTVPal DVR Topic! - Page 437

Get a desktop SATA drive, open the case, unplug the original and put in your new. You MAY have to format it (using the DTVPAL DVR menues), but I think it just autoformatted the drive I put in. Instructions for opening the case should be in Post 1 or close to it.

Thanks guys for the update.

On your question about the Logitech Revue....No, it doesn't list the DTVPal's listings when you search for something. It just passes the DTVPal's signal through. But you can view the TV while surfing the net and have the TV picture showing the background or in a PIP box. I haven't tried it with Netflix.

I believe you only have 3 options to get NetFlix on the same HDMI input as an Over The Air (OTA) DVR.

1. The Logitech Revue with Google TV that you have asked about.
2. A HD TiVo (current model is the Premiere).
3. A Home Theater PC (HTPC).

Of the 3 the Logitech Revue is by far the cheapest at about $99 as you would continue to use your existing DVR. If you have a Best Buy near where you live you can try it out as they have a good return policy.

I have several HD TiVos being used for OTA DVRs nice solution but to buy a Premiere with lifetime service if you are a new customer will cost you $600 ($500 if you have a friend who can buy it for you with their existing customer discount) and many people do not like the Netflix app on TiVo (I don't use it).

A HTPC if built correctly would give you the most options but again is going to cost at least $600 and would require substantial involvement in building it and setting it up to work correctly.

Good Luck,

If someone would make this box with a Roku in one unit the way most of us would watch tv would change forever. The Tivo box does this but not on an inexpensive ota unit. It would cost $600.00 to buy a tivo with these functions.

The drive should be designed for AV use, such as these. The AV drives are much quieter and have the firmware designed for better performance in the AV operations.

I guess I really don't understand the issue with changing inputs. I can understand if your TV or AV receiver doesn't have enough inputs but most have more than enough. But even if your's doesn't you can buy a HDMI Switch.

If you want to simplify switching you can also buy a Logitech Harmony remote. I use an older one, just push one button for what ever I want to use. It turns everything on (or off) and changes to the correct inputs on everything (TV and AV receiver).

Thanks,

Yep. I bought a WD10EVVS plugged it in and it worked perfectly at the get-go. Dead silent. No DTVPal formatting.

For some reason the WD10EVVS was removed from the list at the beginning of this thread as discontinued, but it's available now, and still listed on WD's site. (btw.. $65 shipped on Amazon) about $35 less than I paid a couple of years ago.

"No DTVPal formatting. " - umm, TR-50 [Pal] cannot use unformatted disk, it will do formatting by itself, if it will discover necessity.

Didn't mean that. My point was, the new HDD worked with nothing else for me to do other than install it and start up the DTVPal and it worked, I did not see it do a self format, if it did it was done in the background. It has not dumped any unwatched programs to make room for new ones after going to 1 TB which is a big plus, even though the time indicator showed there should have been more than enough space on the old failed or corrupted drive.

How drives working in DVR (checking Seagate 7200.11 models this time) you could see here http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?...postcount=1437

The input thing for me is no issue but I have a 5 year old and a wife who dont do well with tech. It was more of a wish list than anything.

Does any Dish Network remote work with the DTVpal? Does anyone know the remote codes for the DVR.

Anything that uses the DishPro command set and does IR. You can set different remote addresses as well. I imagine you could also use a Harmony remote (with the DVR address set to 1) - I think I've even tried this...

I bought a Dish IR 20.0 Learning Remote for about $15 and it works flawlessly with the PAL-DVR. Just set the SAT remote code to 1 and it works all the PAL-DVR functions. I actually bought it because the original PAL remote would not change TV inputs, this one will learn any code.

There is only one flaw in the 20.0 IR. You can not change the TV input when in SAT (DTVPal) mode. That annoys me every day!!

Agreed! Which requires considerable spousal training and sometimes telephone support for her while I am not at home.

Same with DTVPal 5.3 and Dish 21.0 remotes.

I tried to get a Memorex learning remote to learn the DTVPal commands and it wouldn't work. It indicated stored but wouldn't operate the Pal.

Once you beat it into submission the Harmony remote will operate the DVR and everything else you have connected in the device mode. It is super flexible but you are talking in the region of $150 depending on model and if you can find it on sale.

The Harmony claims to support the DTVPal DVR but it actually supports one of the Dish set top boxes. If you are not using Remote address 1 you have to send it some commands (just like training) so it can figure out what address you are using.

Was wondering if anyone has had this problem before? First off I went thru the first post and searched this thread.

My Pal has recently started occasionally recording with no audio,mostly the Late Show with Leno. Signal strength is 95+. Yesterday I set the timer to record the PGA Champ. About half way in I start to watch the recorded golf and there was no announcer audio but there was spectator and ambient audio (birds,clapping and golf shots). I checked live feed and it it was okay. I stopped the timer recording and recorded the remainder of the show and that recording was fine.

One thing is for sure - stations does not transmit separate streams [PID] for "ambient audio (birds,clapping and golf shots)" and "dialog audible", but they does have separate PIDs for different languages. In last case, it would be pretty easy to verify is only Spanish or both languages mixed into recording (it's one TS file) if the file would be available for analysis.

Is this something I could check and if it is how do I go about doing it?

I mean the verification could be easy by playing the TS file in VLC and get meta-info; a caveat is taking the file from the drive - recently dish issued an expert's statement [in one of recent civil case] about the DVR file system - it's created for defeat attempts to copy data from such drives and the copy action treated as violation DMCA (1201) with hefty punishment.

I have had that problem a couple of times on playback of a recorded program (except I don't remember any sound at all). To get the sound back required going out of play mode completely and then playing again. I can't remember if I had to press the "start" button and then advance to the desired place or whether simply "resume". To be honest, I can't remember if I had to turn off the DVR altogether and turn it back on again, but anyhow the sound returned and played fine. I also remember having rebooted my DVR since then by unplugging, again I can't remember why, but that problem has not reoccurred.

Brian in Atlanta

P-smith,

I never had a real serious problem with the DTVpal DVR, Knock on wood. I am curious let's said I was in the market for a new dvr for antenna tv. Would the DTVpal clone by channel master be the way to go or would I be better off with a home made dvr that I see being made on these forums?

Just curious which type of boxes have the more clinches?

I would check this forum for other OTA recorders. There are better boxes. I liked the DTVPal I had until it died on me. Another brick in the wall.

Yea, HDGal told me about his alternative to the Pal DVR - looks promising; I'd like its openness for many functions...

I would think HDGal is a Her, not a him.

I checked - he is he

His.

DVICO TViX M6620N for $299