Sony DHG-HDD250/500: Official Thread

Supposedly they will be shipping them out from SonyStyle on the 23rd of May. If you pre-ordered from somewhere else you are probably looking at the very last week of MAy or the beginning of June for the first shipment. I have mine pre-ordered at datavision...

I preordered from Sony Style early in April in the hope that they would be one of the first to ship. If the date of 23 May is correct, that sounds great. I have been wanting a machine like this for five years now. Even though it is expensive, it sounds excellent for me. Unlike many other posters in this forum, I have no use for TIVO and don't want to have to pay for it along with the phone calls that it makes. I have read the manual twice in considerable detail so I am really ready to get my hands on it.

Cynthia

I too have one (the 250) on order from Datavis. I placed the preorder back in Feb., I believe, and just this weekend got an e-mail from them telling me the item had been back-ordered. I placed the order when they were a bit cheaper than the Sony advertised price, so it will be interesting to see what price they eventually come up with on my order.

End of May would be great, but truthfully I'll be happy if this thing comes out (and works as advertised) anytime this summer.

So, how long before somebody cracks one open to find out if it is possible to buy a DHG-HDD250 and upgrade it to a DHG-HDD500? I kind of have some extra 250GB drives just laying about

The Dreamer

Single tuner and no firewire... don't get why someone would want this considering the price tag and available alternatives? Only upside I see is cablecard support along with OTA input - but that's a hefty price to pay.

For me it's just a VCR that can record HDTV. No cable, no satellite, no Tivo, no monthly fees. For that device, there aren't many options regardless of price - at least not without their issues.*

*Certainly not to say that the Sony may not have it's own set of issues, but I've got my fingers crossed.

Yup, all of us OTA people need some good alternatives. Basically we have DVHS decks, the LG deck, or these upcoming Sonys. All about free OTA HDTV.

If history is any guide, expect to see at least some issues.

I was really hopeful about this device, but seeing how weak the software is compared to TiVo or even Media Center, I just can't justify it. I just can't go back to what amounts to a glorified VCR.

Because you've used one already?

Just was checking to see if these things are out yet. If this was available at the beginning of the year, I probably would have considered it. Since it was not, I went ahead and built a MCE 2005 box with a single HDTV tuner in it, with 580gig of disk space. I can add a second HDTV tuner if I need one, but am fine using the tuner in my TV for OTA HDTV when recording with my MCE 2005 HTPC.

It would have saved me the headache of building a HTPC, but then I would not have all the functionality that MCE affords me. We have many digital pictures and video, not to mention 4,000 songs on disk. When you can buy a HDTV ready HTPC it will be a no brainer compared to a single purpose device like this at this price point. Just my .02 worth.
Bryan

I built an MCE 2005 box too. I started out with a chassis, motherboard, proc, RAM, and video card (ATI 9700Pro) already in the box. Spent about 700 bucks or so on two 300GB drives, Serial ATA RAID card, a couple HD tuners and an analog card, and the bugger won't record reliably. It won't record CBS at all because the guide that downloads every day pulls down the wrong physical channel info from zap2it. Called MS, they told me to send an email to zap2it. Five days and I've heard nothing back from them.

Sure the music, pictures, and ripped DVDs are cool. But the picture still flickers on the Sony 34" tube I have it hooked up to. I could roll the dice and spend another couple hundred on a newer video card to see if that helps...

My HDD500 is on preorder with SonyStyle. Hoping they really ship them out May 23.

Gbrock,

Getting a HTPC working properly and reliably is not an easy task and not for everyone. I went through quite an ordeal to get it done, but I was faced with no recording vs wait for something so opted for the do it myself route. You will avoid the headache and save time if you can buy an off the shelf product. Being a new product it may have a few kinks to work out, but will be nothing in comparison to building your own. After my trials and tribulations I have a solid reliable HTPC, but it did not come easily. I have my system images of a working system save in multiple places!

I have a guide problem with MCE as well. The information is correct on Zaptoit, but incorrect within MCE for one channel. I don't know why MCE would change the guide information. There is a workaround for it though. I don't want to hijack this thread as this is about the Sony HDD becoming available.

Good luck with your HTPC if that is the route you continue upon and I look forward to seeing the reviews of the Sony once it hits the streets. We need other reliable HDTV recording options beside TIVO, the LG and the RCA DVR10. While the HTPC is great once you get it working, it is by no means mainstream at this point for HDTV.

Bryan

How is it being sent(UPS Ground???) They are expected to be in SonyStyle's San Diego's hands on the 20th. When you check the tracking number did it say in route???

Looks like Sony's sending them all to SonyStyle right now... my Sony guy (retailer) says maybe mid-June for him.

Mine's scheduled for delivery today.

It looks like you get to be the first to give a review on AVS. When should we expect it? About 9 pm tonite?

-phil

Are you going to use this for Digital OTA, Digital Cable, or both?

On the two units that have already shipped, what date were they ordered? I was waiting until they started shipping to place an order. Just placed the order ! Damn this thing is expensive ! (I ordered the DHG-HDD250)

Sony Style said that they got a limmited number of the first batch. All other orders are on back-order. As for other retailers, it looks like the end of May to the beginning of June. Datavision has not heard anything yet...
SO GBrock fill us in on the initial thoughts!!!

I called sonystyle also and they did not have any information on future shipments. They only know that it is not in stock and should ship by May 21.... I don't think they know anything so we will see what happens with the order I placed today.

Well, it won't be me reporting on it tonight. According to the service agent I spoke to at FedEx, the driver got to the curb, scanned the package, and it had been rerouted by the shipper. So they took it back.

I spoke to an agent at SonyStyle, and she said that the "package was misrouted" and that they would have to cancel my order and I'd have to reorder?!?!?! After telling her that that option was unacceptable and I'd ordered it weeks ago so I'd have one of the first ones they shipped, and that FedEx told me it was someone from Sony that had rerouted the package, she tried to talk to FedEx again to see if they could get the box back (at least that's what she said.) Anyway, after going the rounds for 45 minutes with me doing my best to keep my temper in check, I have to call back tomorrow so I can speak to a supervisor. They didn't have any available.

I've gotta say, I've never been this unhappy with a mail-order/e-commerce experience. And I've had a lot of them.

If I were you GBrock I would have assaulted the FedEx person and took my package with my name on it inside. It worth a night in jail for your mail. Anyway what's the cop gonna say to the fedex guy, when you tell him the fedex guy teased you with a package that had your name on it and you ordered it. (TV Rule of Law) Possession is 9/10th of the law. This is y I deal with USPS as often as I can. If you get a letter or a package from the mailman and Sony wants it back, they are not going to do that, and at worse they leave it at your door. That's y they call it MAIL-order.

GBrock
What did Sony finally say? Hopefully they let you keep the package...I too would be furious as hell if that had happened to me...

GBrock
What did Sony finally say? Hopefully they let you keep the package...I too would be furious as hell if that had happened to me...