# Is the time ripe to buy?



## gsusser (Jul 4, 2002)

I've been checking here every month or so to see whether or not it's a good time to get the 921 - hope no one minds that I don't wanna spend the day reading up on everything . 

I'm not into tweaking for days or calling tech support more than once or twice. Is the 921 safe to buy now? Or is there something else in the works that I should wait for? Thanks.


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## guruka (Dec 27, 2003)

The short answer is, yes. It's safe to buy a 921 now.

With the latest software rev. my 921 records everything without a glitch and performs as advertised. I've had no problems at all for many weeks now. I watch and record both sat. and OTA SD and HD and I have a DVD-RW hooked up to it to dump programming off the hard disk to DVD. It's a lovely setup. This three-day weekend CBS has been broadcasting the U.S. Open tennis every day in glorious 1080i HD seven hours per day. I record it all and then watch all the matches I want - slipstreaming whilst recording - and commercial free.

.....G


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

guruka said:


> I have a DVD-RW hooked up to it to dump programming off the hard disk to DVD.


You're not getting HD and DD5.1 are you? If so, what model of DVD recorder do you have?

-Chris


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

If OTA guide data is extremely important to you, wait one more month...otherwise, the 921 is getting to the point that it is a very stable receiver that works just about all of the time.

Moving to Dish DVR forum.


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## gsusser (Jul 4, 2002)

Mark, OTA is important. What's gonna happen in a month?



4HiMarks said:


> You're not getting HD and DD5.1 are you? If so, what model of DVD recorder do you have?
> 
> -Chris


Chris, sorry, not sure what is meant. I don't get HD now, have a HD ready TV and am planning on replacing/moving my 721 with the 921. Was that the question?


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Glenn - I was asking specifically if guide data for your HD OTA channels is very important to you. If it's a deal breaker to not have it, give it another month. If you can deal with manually setting up OTA timer recordings for another month or so, then now's as good a time as any.


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## gsusser (Jul 4, 2002)

Yup, that answers my question. I'm gonna FINALLY get me one. I can't believe I held off this long, joining many of you to be the first on the block to buy the first DVR, 501 or whatever the model, then 721. But I'm relatively happy with the 721.

Anyway, not to digress, is there any reason not to buy it on eBay (from a reputable seller?) I've always bought my eqpt. at Dish Depot, but the 921 is about $100 cheaper on eBay at $900 including shipping.


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## finniganps (Jan 23, 2004)

If buying on e-bay, try to get it from a satellite dealer - that's what I did. I had a problem (a month after buying it) with the unit and they stood behind it, unlike most (I can't blame them) e-bay sellers.


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## gsusser (Jul 4, 2002)

If I buy it new in box with warranty, can't I deal with dish about any hardware problems?


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

ahh the new box is reportedly due out by the hiolidays, why not wait a few more months for a dual output box?


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## gsusser (Jul 4, 2002)

Well, I dunno. I suppose I will wait - I didn't realize the new one is due out soon. I'm also disappointed that the 921 hasn't come down at all in price. Then again, I wonder if the 942 will be the same nightmare that the 921 was when it was released.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

If history is any indicator, the 942 will take months to years to settle in. Look at the bug reports for EVERY other E* DVR. 

That being said, you might want to wait for the 942's release because it might cause a fire sale on 921's - which should be really solid by then - they've improved dramatically over the last few months, although they still do have lots of annoying bugs.


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## guruka (Dec 27, 2003)

4HiMarks said:


> You're not getting HD and DD5.1 are you? If so, what model of DVD recorder do you have?
> 
> -Chris


Nope. But my LiteOn LVW-5005 records one hour per DVD disc at high bit rate and dumping HD at hi bit rate looks a lot better than SD but still not as good as HD on a blu-ray. . . but hey, who has one of those?

.....G


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## Eagles (Dec 31, 2003)

Mark Lamutt said:


> Glenn - I was asking specifically if guide data for your HD OTA channels is very important to you. If it's a deal breaker to not have it, give it another month. If you can deal with manually setting up OTA timer recordings for another month or so, then now's as good a time as any.


Mark- Does this mean L188 will have the OTA guide?


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

No, but it might get in there for L189 (maybe).


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## Eagles (Dec 31, 2003)

Mark Lamutt said:


> No, but it might get in there for L189 (maybe).


So maybe L188 is coming soon to a 921 near you?


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## Cyclone (Jul 1, 2002)

I still have a hard time believing that Dish doesn't consider OTA guide "A number one" item for the 921. This is a DVR, the guide is essential for its operation.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Eagles, that would probably be a safe assumption. We're about at the right time for a release (historical timing wise).

Cyclone, your 2nd sentence is very true, which is why your first sentence isn't. I'd really love to be able to say more than that, but not yet.


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

Cyclone said:


> I still have a hard time believing that Dish doesn't consider OTA guide "A number one" item for the 921. This is a DVR, the guide is essential for its operation.


It's almost mind-boggling, isn't it?


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## Cyclone (Jul 1, 2002)

Well, then its hard to imagine that the "A-Number One" item on the 921 "to do" list takes 10 months to deploy (even longer if you count the pre-release development). Its just hard to accept.

Its not even like they have to figure out how to do it. DirectTV has been doing it for years. Include the DBS channels, and Dish has been doing it for years. Its just hard to imagine that the OTA uniquenesses require at least 10 months of development beyond the original 2+ years it took to get the 921 to market.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Cyclone said:


> Well, then its hard to imagine that the "A-Number One" item on the 921 "to do" list takes 10 months to deploy (even longer if you count the pre-release development). Its just hard to accept.
> 
> Its not even like they have to figure out how to do it. DirectTV has been doing it for years. Include the DBS channels, and Dish has been doing it for years. Its just hard to imagine that the OTA uniquenesses require at least 10 months of development beyond the original 2+ years it took to get the 921 to market.


Lets not forget the added time to get it working "mostly"


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Cyclone, while I'm far from a fan of the 921 software, I believe that most (even all?) of the delay in getting the OTA Guide out there had to do with the TVGuide/Gemstar settlement. I would nto be surprised if E* couldn't even begin on it until then - and remember, it's not just the 921 - it's all the boxes with OTA.


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## Cyclone (Jul 1, 2002)

TVGuide/Gemstar supply data, but the feature should have been coded from the very begining.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

I find it hard to code things until I know the data structures I'm working with.


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## Cyclone (Jul 1, 2002)

Because we all know how radically different the Digital ATSC WTTG-DT 7pm Wednesday program description of the Friends differs from the DBS ch 8073 WTTG 7pm Wednesday program description of Friends.

Look at my Avatar, can't you see I've been thinking about this.


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## LauderDave (Jan 5, 2004)

I have a 510. Does it have OTA capability?


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Cyclone said:


> Because we all know how radically different the Digital ATSC WTTG-DT 7pm Wednesday program description of the Friends differs from the DBS ch 8073 WTTG 7pm Wednesday program description of Friends.
> 
> Look at my Avatar, can't you see I've been thinking about this.


Yes, we discussed that to death some time back - and if E* hadn't been able to get the Gemstar data, maybe it would've been the fallback plan.

But there ARE significant differences at times between the E* and OTA feeds, plus, E* doesn't have the subchannels, so the wait should be worth it.

EDIT: To add quote because of page-crossing and intervening post.


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## Cyclone (Jul 1, 2002)

LauderDave said:


> I have a 510. Does it have OTA capability?


No, not at all.


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## xgrep (Aug 15, 2002)

guruka said:


> ... I have a DVD-RW hooked up to it to dump programming off the hard disk to DVD.


I haven't followed this forum closely for a while, but how does one dump HD content off the 921's disk? I didn't think that was possible.

Thanks for clues.

x


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## Cyclone (Jul 1, 2002)

Its encrypted, so you can't dump it from disk. He likely is just using the S-Video connection to the DVD-RW.


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