DTVPal DVR

[Will]

Are either of you getting any listings for THIS (58.3)?

Here's what my guide looks like.  58.3 goes out as far as any other channels.  Note the date for the listings right above the channels.

4.1 and 36.1 - 36.4 show "No Information Available" as early as 8 hours out.  All others go the full 7 days.

The TV Guide logo in the upper right indicates I'm getting TVGOS data from CBS.  Again, my theory is that 4.1 and 36.1 - 36.4 use PSIP as it seems to be missing from the extended guide.

[SRW1000]

Here's what my guide looks like.  58.3 goes out as far as any other channels.  Note the date for the listings right above the channels.

4.1 and 36.1 - 36.4 show "No Information Available" as early as 8 hours out.  All others go the full 7 days.

The TV Guide logo in the upper right indicates I'm getting TVGOS data from CBS.  Again, my theory is that 4.1 and 36.1 - 36.4 use PSIP as it seems to be missing from the extended guide.

Thanks for the pictures, Will.

I really like that the Pal shows a full three hours!  You can see the entire prime-time line up in a single window.  The Sony DVR only shows one and a half hours, so you have to scroll to see everything.

It's odd that the digital TV guide signal doesn't have info for 4 or 36 stations, since I'm getting it from their analog stream.  You would think that they would use the same underlying data for both streams, just omitting the analog stations for the CBS digital version.  If I have a chance, maybe I'll try forcing my Sony to use the 58 digital data and see if I have any gaps in programming.

Scott

[wysiwyg]

I received my DTVPal DVR on the 24th and have pretty much the same opinion of it as Will does.

As for the TVGOS, I think that 58 has the signal turned on, but TVG isn't providing any data yet.  So while there is a TV Guide logo on the guide, it's actually all PSIP information.

I compared the guide on the DVR to the guide on my DTVPal converter box in another room (which is PSIP only) and they line up pretty much the same, so I'm pretty confident the DVR guide is completely PSIP based right now.

[Will]

Thanks for the pictures, Will.

I really like that the Pal shows a full three hours!  You can see the entire prime-time line up in a single window.  The Sony DVR only shows one and a half hours, so you have to scroll to see everything.

Thankfully, the font size is user-selectable.  The default was huge to my eyes.  My pictures show the smallest font.

It's odd that the digital TV guide signal doesn't have info for 4 or 36 stations, since I'm getting it from their analog stream.  You would think that they would use the same underlying data for both streams, just omitting the analog stations for the CBS digital version.  If I have a chance, maybe I'll try forcing my Sony to use the 58 digital data and see if I have any gaps in programming.

Scott

That would be a nice data point to have.  If you do, please post results!

I received my DTVPal DVR on the 24th and have pretty much the same opinion of it as Will does.

As for the TVGOS, I think that 58 has the signal turned on, but TVG isn't providing any data yet.  So while there is a TV Guide logo on the guide, it's actually all PSIP information.

I compared the guide on the DVR to the guide on my DTVPal converter box in another room (which is PSIP only) and they line up pretty much the same, so I'm pretty confident the DVR guide is completely PSIP based right now.

Interesting theory; it makes sense if PSIP goes out 7 days for all but 4/10/36.  I have a DTVPal converter box too, and hadn't compared them.  If that's the case, the likelihood is that listings will improve when it goes live.

Happy New Year, all.

[SRW1000]

As for the TVGOS, I think that 58 has the signal turned on, but TVG isn't providing any data yet.  So while there is a TV Guide logo on the guide, it's actually all PSIP information.

Now you've got my curiosity going.

When it was announced earlier on the forum that 58 was broadcasting the digital guide, I did a test with the Sony confirming that it was getting the digital data.  Basically, it involves leaving the DVR on overnight, tuned to 58.  If there's a full guide's worth of data in morning, they're broadcasting the digital data, since the analog guide can only be downloaded when turned off and tuned the analog station.

At that time, digital data was definitely being transmitted by 58, and it covered all the stations.  So, either something has changed with that stream, 58's equipment isn't working right, or the Pal isn't processing the data correctly.

I'll have to try the test again and see what happens.

Scott

[SRW1000]

Just to make this more confusing, I did the test last night and I didn't get any guide info for next week Thursday.  It was pulling in VBI data from 58.1, but the guide was not updated.

I'll have to try it again in a couple of days.

Scott

[SRW1000]

I did another test with the Sony Friday night, and again did not get any listings from 58.1, even though it is still receiving some kind of VBI data.

This may be due to them working on a fix for the Sony and other digital tuners that were designed to use the analog TV Guide feed.

Scott

[Markus]

The TR-50 is available for pre-order at dtvpal.com.  I am so tempted.  Not sure if I want to be first though.  

I ordered my DTVPal DVR on 2 January 2009 from Dish Network (dtvpal.com) and I received it on 21 January.  It came with almost six feet of three wire (red, white, and yellow) coax, but I used my own three wire (red, green, blue) coax and a separate two wire Red & White coax to connect to the component video inputs of my three year old, Panasonic CT-27HL14 HDTV Monitor that also has an analog tuner.

Watched the Inaugural Ball looked great.  Recorded played back the NBC nightly news and it is cool.  On screen TV guide is pretty nice too, never had one before.  Next I'll try to program the remote to also run the TV and maybe the good old DVD.

In September 09' the DTVPal DVR died.  The problem turned out to be the AC power cord's wall plug see details at
  sankaty.homestead.com/DVR.html

[SRW1000]

Just a small update on TV Guide.  This week, a bunch of us with the old Sony DVRs noticed that all of our guide settings were changed.  New channels appeared, and the order was changed.

As of now, I have listings for This TV that go out the full seven days.  I'm still getting the info from channel 10, though, so I can't compare it to what you guys are getting with the DVR Pal.

Have anyone here noticed any changes this week?

Scott

[StarvingForHDTV]

Now that some of you have owned your DTVPal DVR for over a month, are you still happy with your purchase?

[wysiwyg]

I've had mine since Christmas Eve and couldn't be happier with it. This is my first DVR so can only compare it to a VCR, which it blows out of the water. Be aware that many people (but not me) are having serious issues with the DVR, and there haven't been any causes or solutions pinned down yet. Also DISH customer service for this thing is the pits.  AVS forum has tons of information: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1099071

[Will]

Now that some of you have owned your DTVPal DVR for over a month, are you still happy with your purchase?

I absolutely love it.  I don't watch live TV anymore.

I have not had any of the reboot problems that are being discussed on avsforums, nor have any other people from Milwaukee that I'm aware of.  If the avsforum thread were there before I ordered, I'd have had major reservations about buying this.  I ordered in November, so it's a moot point.

I still don't get the full 8-day TVGOS guide data for channels 4, 10, and 36.  For those channels, it uses PSIP data which goes out 12-24 hrs or so.  It doesn't bother me, as I can still set manual recurring timers to record.

I still think this is a bargain at $250, provided you don't have the reboot issues.

[StarvingForHDTV]

Thank you both for your input.  Maybe i will order one and return it if it has the reboot issues.

[ArgMeMatey]

I am wondering if they excluded the QAM tuner for some strategic reason or if they just couldn't include the extra $1 worth of programming and still make a profit.  

I mean, they should already know I am using QAM it's because it's cheaper than Dish Network satellite.  

If this had a QAM tuner I'd already have one.  I am not considering dropping TW Basic until all the OTA channels are on their post-transition freqs, so another 4 months with the DVD recorder for me.  Ho-hum.