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Let me begin this by saying I really do consider myself provider agnostic. I had D* for many years, moved to a location where I couldn't have satellite - switched to cable - recently moved again and decided to go w/satellite again. I required a provider w/HD, locals, and my regional Fox Sports Net. That left D* or E*. D*'s best HD package for new subs was ~$400, and in 11/03 E* offered the 811 for $0. Choice was pretty easy for me - even though I'd never been an E* sub. I had a disastrous time actually getting my 811 which is detailed over here - so I'll spare the details (except that it took nearly 2 months to actually be installed).
At every moment during that two months I was so angry w/every part of E*'s customer service I kept waiting for D* to offer some competitive offer so I could cancel my E* install and switch over to D* - it never happened. So on 1/23 my 811 was finally installed and running and I've had the weekend to play w/it, and here's my thoughts:
1) There's a fairly large set of bugs that still plague the 811 and they're well detailed in other threads. I had hoped that some of these would turn out to be isolated incidents - they were not. Many of these bugs require a hard reboot, and my unit doesn't usually respond to the holding of the power button. My surge protector is WAY back and requires about 20 minutes of moving stuff to get to it and then moving stuff back so the reboot problems are a major PITA.
2) The E* guide is absolutely horrendous. I'm not trying to be overly critical, but the guide on my 811 actually looks *worse* than the guide on both my first BUD unit and my first D* unit (we had our first BUD *well* over 10 years ago, and our first D* unit nearly 8 years ago I think). It looks like it was a GUI project done by a Junior High programming class. This is a well-documented bug as well, but on the 811 you can't view your guide w/out losing the programming you're currently watching. The "guide window" will occasionally manage to hold the picture of your original channel, but never for any period of time. Lastly, on the guide, there's no means to stretch the guide to 16:9 even though it's an HD receiver. Huh?! As I have a CRT I'm *very* careful to not run 4:3 material on my set, and I shudder when I think of the amount of time I probably spend in the guide. (did I mention the guide often only holds *hours* of information?)
3) I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the actual HD image produced by the 811 is stunning. I have been very, very pleased when I actually am watching an HD program. (sorry, that's about the only compliment I have to pay the 811)
All in all, I picked up the 811 for free w/a 1 year programming committment. The new sub plan I'm on gave me three free months of programming, and I picked up three more months free due to the horrible experience I had actually getting one to my house. So I figure that I've got 6 months free, and I'll be able to EBay the 811 for enough to mostly cover the last 6 months of programming I'm contracted for - ultimately I'll be watching E* for free for one year.
I won't gripe too heavily (yet - if things get worse I reserve my right to gripe
) knowing that it was all free - but I post this as a caution to folks who might be considering paying for an 811. There is no doubt in my mind that the 811 certainly is not nearly stable enough to warrant actually being available for purchase - had I *paid* for one of these I would be *furious*. I feel like a beta tester (which I've done for several companies) - I'm getting to use a product for free, and in return I'm aware there exist many issues which need work.
I will certainly be hopping ship back to D* for an HD Tivo, either immediately if new subs have a great incentive package, or as soon as my 1 year is up otherwise. The whole experience w/E* from start to install to user experience has just felt really really second rate and half-baked - but for free, I'd probably do it again.
Brian
At every moment during that two months I was so angry w/every part of E*'s customer service I kept waiting for D* to offer some competitive offer so I could cancel my E* install and switch over to D* - it never happened. So on 1/23 my 811 was finally installed and running and I've had the weekend to play w/it, and here's my thoughts:
1) There's a fairly large set of bugs that still plague the 811 and they're well detailed in other threads. I had hoped that some of these would turn out to be isolated incidents - they were not. Many of these bugs require a hard reboot, and my unit doesn't usually respond to the holding of the power button. My surge protector is WAY back and requires about 20 minutes of moving stuff to get to it and then moving stuff back so the reboot problems are a major PITA.
2) The E* guide is absolutely horrendous. I'm not trying to be overly critical, but the guide on my 811 actually looks *worse* than the guide on both my first BUD unit and my first D* unit (we had our first BUD *well* over 10 years ago, and our first D* unit nearly 8 years ago I think). It looks like it was a GUI project done by a Junior High programming class. This is a well-documented bug as well, but on the 811 you can't view your guide w/out losing the programming you're currently watching. The "guide window" will occasionally manage to hold the picture of your original channel, but never for any period of time. Lastly, on the guide, there's no means to stretch the guide to 16:9 even though it's an HD receiver. Huh?! As I have a CRT I'm *very* careful to not run 4:3 material on my set, and I shudder when I think of the amount of time I probably spend in the guide. (did I mention the guide often only holds *hours* of information?)
3) I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the actual HD image produced by the 811 is stunning. I have been very, very pleased when I actually am watching an HD program. (sorry, that's about the only compliment I have to pay the 811)
All in all, I picked up the 811 for free w/a 1 year programming committment. The new sub plan I'm on gave me three free months of programming, and I picked up three more months free due to the horrible experience I had actually getting one to my house. So I figure that I've got 6 months free, and I'll be able to EBay the 811 for enough to mostly cover the last 6 months of programming I'm contracted for - ultimately I'll be watching E* for free for one year.
I won't gripe too heavily (yet - if things get worse I reserve my right to gripe
I will certainly be hopping ship back to D* for an HD Tivo, either immediately if new subs have a great incentive package, or as soon as my 1 year is up otherwise. The whole experience w/E* from start to install to user experience has just felt really really second rate and half-baked - but for free, I'd probably do it again.
Brian