New recording option from Dish

[kjnorman]

Press Release

DISH Network Introduces Pay-TV Industry First with Multi-Room Satellite TV Receiver That Records in High-Definition

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 6, 2005--EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:DISH) and its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service announced today the release of its newest high-definition (HD) satellite TV receiver, the DISH Player-DVR 942. No other pay-TV company offers the innovative combination of HD and digital video recording (DVR) features with multi-room capability like the DISH Player-DVR 942.

Continuing as a leader in HD and DVR initiatives, DISH Network's DISH Player-DVR 942 is the first-of-its-kind dual tuner, HD DVR with the ability to view independent programs -- one in high definition and one in standard definition programming on two televisions at once. It features a massive 250 GB hard drive with a recording capacity of up to 25 hours of high-definition and up to 180 hours of standard-definition content.

"DISH Network started the adoption of cutting-edge consumer electronics products with the introduction of the digital video recorder in 1999," said Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Technologies Corp. "Now we are introducing the next generation of DVRs, including the first and only satellite TV receiver that will let you record HD programming and play it back in HD on the main TV and in standard definition on every other connected TV in the house."

The cutting-edge DISH Player-DVR 942 features rewind, fast-forward, and pause as well as a picture-in-picture feature on any TV and the ability to record Dolby Digital(R) when available. The DISH Player-DVR 942 will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2005 for an incredibly low MSRP of $749, which includes a dish antenna and free standard professional installation for new customers.

The DISH Player-DVR 942 also features:

Digital/analog off-air tuner
Up to 9-day, Picture-In-Guide, Widescreen Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
High-Definition Resolutions: 480p, 720p, 1080i (480i is up-converted)
All DISH Player-DVR functionality, including name-based recording and DVR menu
Records two programs simultaneously in high definition, but programs can be viewed in standard definition on other TVs in the home

The DISH Player-DVR 942 offers convenience and features that customers have grown to depend on, including parental controls, electronic program guide, picture in guide and name based recording.

DISH Network offers ESPN HD, Discovery HD Theater, TNT HD, HDNet and HDNet Movies for $9.99 per month. In addition, DISH Network also offers CBS-HD, HBO-HD, Showtime HD and pay-per-view movies in HD. Under a special promotion, DISH Network is offering new customers six months free of the HD Pak and offering existing customers half off the monthly price for the HD Pak for 12 months.

Please call 1-800-333-DISH (3474) or visit //www.DISHNetwork.com for more information.

[kjnorman]

This actually would be ideal for me, as my requirements are to be able to record HD and SD, and then to run a "two zone" system, one capable of HD the the other a SD feed of two independent feeds.

The one thing it does not state is if the SD output can feed a HD recorded program at SD resolution (i.e. down rez it).

Also I see no mention of ATSC OTA recording. Is this missing?  I hope not.  If it can do OTA and also feed SD versions of HD programs to the second output then I think I would change from DirecTV to Dish (Certainly discuss it with the wife anyway...)

[kjnorman]

This news from PC Mag

Dish Network's Media Ecosystem

Dish Network aims to be the complete digital media ecosystem for the home user, no PC required. The products they announced include two new DVRs, including a new HD-DVR, a portable media player and Dish Comm, which allows users to pipe music around the house.

The new HD-DVR is the DVR 942. In addition to offering high definition support, it can drive a standard definition display in another room using a second, RF remote control. The 942 will ship in Q1 of 2005, and will be priced at $749. The 942 is also Dish Networks' first product with HDMI output, but the company will supply an HDMI-to-DVI converter in the box for users with DVI-equipped sets. The 942 contains a 250GB hard drive, and can record up to 25 hours of high definition content or 180 hours of standard definition content. The electronic program guide (EPG) on the 942 will take full advantage of the wide screen HD format, showing more of the schedule than earlier versions.

The second DVR Echostar announced is the DVR 625. The 625 lacks high definition support, though it offers multiroom capability. The key feature of the 625 is the implementation of Dish Networks' video on demand feature. Part of the hard drive is reserved for VoD content, which is downloaded automatically. Up to 100 hours of content can be pre-loaded for viewer use. Movies will be the first offering. Once activated (bought), the unit will retain the movie on the hard drive for 24 hours after the start of the first viewing. Users can still record up to 100 hours of their own content. The 625

Echostar also gave a sneak peek into future features, including a portable media player and distributed music players. The portable media player will be available in three screen formats, ranging from 2.2" to 7" diagonal. The unit can download content from the DVR 942 via USB, and records at full resolution using MPEG-4. However, once content is on the player, it cannot be extracted in any way.

The music player will use Homeplug networking to receive music piped from a Dish receiver using any of the music channels available on Dish Network, including the Sirius music channels.

Finally, Echostar announced bundling deals, which allow users to buy Dish receivers or DVRs with a 30-inch or 40-inch LCD flat panel HDTV. The 30-inch unit will cost $1,599 and the 40-inch panel will be available for $3,999. Special programming offers will also be included, such as Dish Network's HD Pak for $9.99 per month and HBO in high definition for half-price for one year

[jkane]

I do that now with my new AV Receiver!  It takes all 3 of my DVR's and outputs them on either of 2 seperate outputs.  One is component and the other is composite!    Plus, it takes the 2 DVD players and adds them to the mix.

[kjnorman]

What reciever does that?

EDIT: Never mind, I just saw you signature....:bang:

[jkane]

None of the sales people I talked to understood what I wanted to do.  Most even said I couldn't do it!  When I showed them the zone 2 output, they said it was audio only.  When I pointed out the video output on zone 2, they shrugged and left me alone to figure it out.  :p

After a bit of reviewing, the Denon turned out to be the best for the money.  Sony makes a 3 zone receiver though!  Pretty pricy, but it would have been a sweet solution since my wife is now talking about putting a third TV in another room.  This after we decided last spring while remodeling NOT to wire cable for TV in the walls of that room.  :bang:  Now "we" get to change "our" minds.

Oh well,  I still have a channel 3 and 4 mixer that I will use to get two of the DVR's in that room over plain old RF coax.