# If I want a PVR now, which should I buy?



## ugafan (Oct 7, 2003)

I currently have a Dish 500 and one 301 receiver. My year commitment is up, so I am open to extend if I need to. I don't plan on getting an HDTV until early next year, so I don't think I need an HDTV receiver right now.

So I guess my choices are the 501/508/510 and the 721. The 501/508/510 are the same but with different hard drives, correct? Are there any good deals on the 721 if I extend?

Or I could wait for a 522, but what will the cost be and will E* discount it enough if I extend?

Thoughts and suggestions appreciated. Thanks!!


----------



## Pete K. (Apr 23, 2002)

If you can find a 508...get it. Why? No monthly fee. Of course if you subscribe to America's Everything Pack, the fee is waived. The 501/08/10 are identical except for the size of the hard drive.


----------



## Guest (Oct 7, 2003)

ugafan said:


> I currently have a Dish 500 and one 301 receiver. My year commitment is up, so I am open to extend if I need to. I don't plan on getting an HDTV until early next year, so I don't think I need an HDTV receiver right now.
> 
> So I guess my choices are the 501/508/510 and the 721. The 501/508/510 are the same but with different hard drives, correct? Are there any good deals on the 721 if I extend?
> 
> ...


You are correct with the difference between the 501/508/510, the main difference is the size of the hard drives. However if you get a 510 there is a Video on Demand Service Fee. The VOD fee ranges in price depending on what programming package you subscribe to. E* does offer a upgrade to the 510 if you qualify. You would have to call them to find out.

In regards to your questions about the 721, E* does not currently offer any kind of deals for upgrading to the 721. Bummer! Also there are no official deals out there for the 522 as of yet.

I am sure that once that receiver is officially released there will be some kind of promotion.

I guess it depends on how long you want to wait, and how much you want to pay!

-The Lone Ranger


----------



## boba (May 23, 2003)

What do you mean by extend? All DISH promotions except digital home plan have a 1 year contract after which you are on a month by month basis. DHP is the same except you are still leasing on a month by month basis. Not all receiver promotions require a programming commitment.
As far as which DVR to get the 508 will be the cheapest over the long haul the 510 will be the most available seeing the others have been discontinued.


----------



## ugafan (Oct 7, 2003)

By extend, I meant sign a commitment if they offered a great deal on a receiver. 

Looks like the 508 would suit me, since I have never had a PVR before. Why is there a monthly fee for the 510 if it's the same as the 501 and 508?


----------



## boba (May 23, 2003)

Simply because DISH wants to make more money. They are offering a so so DVR at the same monthly fee as a TiVo from DirecTV except they forgot to put the second tuner in and feel they can charge by the DVR instead of by the account.


----------



## AppliedAggression (Aug 16, 2003)

the 522 will be $400 and have 2 tuners, which if you plan to have it in your living room with other ppl in the house, it's a must.


----------



## tm22721 (Nov 8, 2002)

Wait for the 522 it is E*'s TIVO killer with totally new user interface.

The 510 only has one tuner. The 721 is buggy, abandoned and overpriced. The 921 is overpriced vaporware.


----------



## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

tm22721 said:


> Wait for the 522 it is E*'s TIVO killer with totally new user interface.
> 
> The 510 only has one tuner. The 721 is buggy, abandoned and overpriced. The 921 is overpriced vaporware.


My 721 isn't abadoned. I use it everyday. As far as the 921 it is suppossed to be available Nov 1st. Dish is counting on this dvr to get ahead of Directv 's Hd Tivo which won't be available till spring of next year.

Oha yeah , the software update for the 721 is coming any day now. :sure:


----------



## MikeW (May 16, 2002)

tm22721 said:


> Wait for the 522 it is E*'s TIVO killer with totally new user interface.
> 
> The 510 only has one tuner. The 721 is buggy, abandoned and overpriced. The 921 is overpriced vaporware.


And the 522 will be bug free??? I doubt it! :nono:


----------



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

> Why is there a monthly fee for the 510 if it's the same as the 501 and 508?


Because you have to purchase a 508 and the 510 is free with a commitment. The monthly fee just pays for the hardware over a period of time rather in one big chunk. Of course, after a few years the hardware is paid for by the fees, but the fees continue. I would just look at it as a way to finance the purchase.


----------



## greylar (Oct 31, 2002)

I have to agree with boba, a 510 (with a pvr fee) , is not very good deal when you consider what it costs for directtivo. In the interest of full disclosure I have a 721 and love it but don't think i could ever recommend a 510.

G


----------



## Nightmare (Nov 3, 2002)

THe 721 Rocks. I have had mine for over a year now and only had "real" problems 2 times. The first time I re-booted it during a software update and lost all my shows. Just now one of the receivers is having problems. Dish sent me the replacement and I'm still under warranty.


----------



## TomCat (Aug 31, 2002)

The 721 rocks, when it works the way it is supposed to. The reason that even 15-month-old 721's are still honored under warranty is because DISH has realized just how buggy they are, and shockingly enough, are admitting it. They also are trying to do the right thing by letting those who shelled out 500 clams slide a little. If you have credit-card-auutopay, they will even eat the shipping, so the only cost other than the aggravation is that you have to find a way to offload your recordings if you RMA.


----------



## sorahl (Oct 24, 2002)

Does everyone agree that the 522 is going to be 400 bucks?
I was hoping for a slightly lower price, in the 299 range.
am I dreamin?


----------



## Nightmare (Nov 3, 2002)

Hmm, they said they would charge me for shipping. I think I'll make another phone call. My replacement PVR came with another Smart Card. Wonder which one I should use? Do I keep the extra one?


----------



## rtt2 (Jan 27, 2003)

I've been complaining for a while now that the 522 is overpriced. Granted it has output for two separate TVs; but it still is just a 2 tuner DVR. DirecTivos are 2 tuners and are priced WAY lower than the 522. The DirecTivos do have a smaller hard drive but the price premium for the 522 is not warranted. Don't forget there is a fee on these boxes as well. 2 years of fees and the purchase price is about the same price of a 721.


----------



## aperry (Oct 14, 2003)

The 721 is awesome! Highly recommend it, but it is expensive (~$600).


----------



## tivosmart (Sep 14, 2003)

aperry said:


> The 721 is awesome! Highly recommend it, but it is expensive (~$600).


I've been a Dish Network customer for 5+ years and had the same question... Because what aperry mentioned above, I've decided to switch to Directv.

Their Tivo receiver is light-years ahead of Dish's unit (I actually compared them since I have different friends who had them).

The Directv Tivo unit has less HD space but it's easily expansible (as opposed to Dish's one which is not) and has 2 tuners like the 721, so you can watch live TV while recording a channel at the same time, or even record 2 shows at the same time and watch another recorded one.

All this for a MUCH MUCH MUCH LOWER price. I got my new Directv package with 1 Tivo + 1 Director (non-Tivo, equivalent to Dish 301) + 3-LNB antenna (equivalent to the SuperDish) for $82 installed and after a shipping rebate... Now, this alone costed me less than what Dish was asking for a 510 with 2 years commitment (while, if you're new to Directv commitment is just a reasonable 1 year).

If you're interested on the promotion above (It really took me some time to find it) let me know via PM or e-mail and I'll send you the links to it.

Hope this helps.
Bye.


----------



## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

Apples and Oranges. Yes, Tivo has a better interface and name based recording, but Dish has larger drives so you can store more. You can put in the larger drive but add THAT expense when comparing the two.


----------

