The Official AVS Dish DTVPal DVR Topic! - Page 13

Replacing the drive is interesting, but IF the USB is one day used for external storage, it will be moot. I suspect we'll be hearing more about this unit at CES.

My HDTV doesn't have a HDMI inputs so how are the others. Which is component and composite, i know it's 3 video inputs vs one. What happens on a power frailer, does it have backup battery to hold info and for how long because i'm sure it's not for ever.

just wondering doe it report errors like windows does when something goes wrong, having a auto or manual bug reporting from the unit would be good and maybe added next firmware update.

does anyone keep it hook to the net all time and what security does it have?

I have one of these drives but I'm not willing to try it until my next DVR shows up (Ordering after I post) . Perhaps if someone in my neck of the woods wants to bring their Pal DVR over and test I'd be game.

Thanks Chuck for testing it.

There were two different M-F timers, I was trying to manually set up yesterday, that wouldn't take. I set several Weekly timers just fine. Well I tried the M-F again today and they took

Still don't know why one timer failed yesterday with 'failed to start' error. Guess I'll have to wait till it comes around again.

You can be the first to load the IR signals up to the Harmony website.

Simply open up the Harmony remote software
- Select "Device" tab
- "Add New Device"
- "Video Recorder"
- then "PVR" ( didn't see a "DVR" listing)
- Select "Dish Network" for the manufacturer
- Then enter "DTVPal DVR" for the name (so the rest of us can find it when our devices arrive)
- Click the "Next" button - you will notice the the icon for the DVR has a pause symbol next to it. (just indicates that the commands are not in the harmony database)
- Click "Next" again and you will be in the Remote learning area.

Then plug your remote into the USB cable, connected it to your computer, and the Harmony Remote Software menu will walk you through pressing all the buttons on the DTVPal DVR remote while you have it pointed to the Harmony remote to learn all the IR signals/codes.

I have the best quality hd picture of anybody I know. OTA or otherwise. I am supprised to hear that the picture is that much better. I am using Monster Cable 1000 M series. To expensive but works well. So in your opinion is the better picture due to the processing in the dvr or do you think it has more to do with strength of signal? Or something else?

Adding external storage does nothing to reduce power consumption of the device. In fact, it increases overall consumption and will even increase INTERNAL DVR temperatures if the USB port is used to power the external drive.

By contrast, replacing the internal drive can both increase storage AND reduce power consumption and internal temperatures at the same time. As a result, I don't consider addition of external storage to be a substitute for replacing the internal drive.

That's my position on the Sony KDS-60A3000 as well I too believe it has the best HD PQ of any set that my friends have and still think Sony should have never dropped the model.

I also use the Monster top of the line cable for my duo player and yes it is expensive.
I just wish I have discovered the Tartan cable first. its that good and cost a fraction.
But since you don't need any cable...

I think it's due to a combination of both processing and signal strength. * Edit
Probably because of a newer generation of tuners?

I did an A/B comparison for several people and all of them said the same thing "OMG what a picture" Every time the A won!
The A being the internal B the DVR tuner
I did not think the PQ could be any better for OTA HD than I already had with the internal tuner which was also an OMG PQ it was and is an excellent picture.
But hands down the external DTV HD tuner has better depth, colors and textures.
The depth is what will really draw you in.
Oh and the Dolby Digital is clearer as well.
And to think all I was expecting was a good HD DVR and got a nice surprise, double bonus, triple if I count the Dolby improvement.

*Edit
Thanks Ken for the clarification

Nice guy...I get to do all the heavy lifting.

Nope, not signal strength. It would all be in the MPEG2 decoder, and downstream processing from there.

bfdtv,

On behalf of AVS, thank you very much for your excellent work on this project.

I see all the talk about swapping out the HDD for a bigger one for various reasons. Is it then possible to swap out the decoder chip for one that will provide an even better picture?

If I had my unit, I would have taken the initiative here. Don't strain your index finger now

I agree, I'm more interested in an expandable external storage solution so I can store a whole season's worth of a show to watch during the summer re-runs. External storage is unlimited. On the other hand, being able to replace the internal HDD is far more than interesting and certainly not moot. Aside from the fan, the HDD is probably the only moving part, therefore the most likely first to fail if there is a failure. Knowing I can replace a failed Pal DVR HDD as easily as I was able to replace a failed HDD on my Panasonic DVD recorder is a huge selling point. Being able to put a bigger one in if I have to replace it is just added frosting.

[quote=sleepyeddie;15384954]
The decoder IC is probably a surface mount that can't easily be changed. Even if it could the circuit would need to be redesigned for the pin out of the new IC. Besides all reports so far are showing excellent picture quality, don't mess with what works.

My biggest gripe so far is the hard drive not spinning down when not in use, hopefully a future firmware upgrade will remedy this. Some consumer electronics devices have a "service mode" that allows changing some settings, perhaps the DTVpal DVR does too...

Capacitors seem to be a high failure item in today's consumer electronics. Keeping temperature down will dramatically increase capacitor life. Hopefully when the caps go it won't take other circuit board parts with it. If a board does go bad hopefully replacement parts will be available.

+1

I'll do it tonight......

Wouldn't this feature enable you to use this device with a cable service?

Set the system up so the TV signal goes from the wall to the cable box (non DVR cable box) to the DTVPal DVR, then the signal goes to the display.

Set cable box (non DVR cable box) to "record" a show Monday at 9pm on Channel 5 (this gets the cable box to turn on and move to channel 5 at that time). Set DTVPal DVR to record for one hour from 9pm to 10pm on Monday. Vioala! You now have a DVR working with your Satellite/Cable provider, but do not pay the additional monthly fee for the cable/satellite company's DVR box.

Is there an obvious reason why this would not work? If I am missing it, please tell me because if I purchased this box, I would be getting it with this set-up in mind.

No ATSC output on the cable box. The DTVpal DVR only records ATSC signals.

No, there are no inputs (other than ATSC) for your cable / satellite device.

Buy a used DVD recorder with a hard drive and save some money.

That is the one thing I didn't like about my Sony either. It was spinning for the last 3+ years until about 2 hours ago when the DTVPal DVR took its place.

I'm also in southern PA, and currently only receiving the Baltimore stations (except for WITF-33 Harrisburg just barely at 61%), most in the range of 81% to 85% (WJZ-13 CBS is at about 83%). I also set to Baltimore's zipcode from my actual PA zip two nights ago and as of today, I'm still don't have any guide info past 10 or 11pm except for one or two stations that go out 24 hours. The TV Guide logo did show up shortly after setting Baltimore's alternate zipcode, just the data is not populating the guide. (I have F202.).

I'm not sure how important this is anyway except for convenience since this DVR only has time events and doesn't have name base recording like my Dish satellite SD DVR's - the TV Guide data is only useful in setting events for the next week and it sounds like it does even have new/repeat or original air date and episode number info like the Dish sat DVRs. I'm currently using the Dish sat's DVR's schedule to manually set events with the DTVPal DVR.

This box will only record an OTA broadcast from the antenna input.

Has anyone actually tried plugging a flash disk or USB drive in the back of the unit? Does it actually recognize the device?

It recognizes the USB drive when you plug it in and out. A message pops up to say that XYZ brand USB device has been connected/disconnected. There just is no way to navigate to the drive once it is plugged in.

I had two programs scheduled to record just to test since some had reported one being canceled. Both recorded OK.

I was viewing live TV. When the red light came on to indicate recording I lost the picture but it quickly came back with (I think) one of the recorded channels so I just pressed analog pass-through and switched back to what I was watching.

In referance to my previous post the scheduling seems to have gotten simpler. When I selected a program the last few times a dialog box automatically poped up so I could specify recurrance etc. Maybe that is because I am starting to get some TVGOS data but still have not broken the code on feeding TVGOS to my E85. I will let it sit until I know I am getting full TVGOS data then abandon that as a useless exercise if it does not work.

Not sure if I am getting all the TVGOS since I have a logo but some channels only show one day's data and it is the same data that the TV gets from PSIP.

Not going to crack the case but good to know we can replace the drive if it goes bad

BUgs me too. It is not like you can undelete them.

[quote=nolim2873;15385277]I'm also in southern PA, and currently only receiving the Baltimore stations (except for WITF-33 Harrisburg just barely at 61%), most in the range of 81% to 85% (WJZ-13 CBS is at about 83%). I also set to Baltimore's zipcode from my actual PA zip two nights ago and as of today, I'm still don't have any guide info past 10 or 11pm except for one or two stations that go out 24 hours. The TV Guide logo did show up shortly after setting Baltimore's alternate zipcode, just the data is not populating the guide. QUOTE]


You have the same siginal strength from WJZ as I have,.... don't know why we're getting different results.
Why don't you start over, go back to the original factory settings and use the same zipcode as I did ( 21207 ) during setup and see what you have tomorrow morning.

Good luck !

I appears that the firmware has greyed out the toggle on the "DVR" choice. I suspect this is where you might have access to select the choice of your external media, once enabled.

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