# 721 Wishlist



## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

Now that we have a "Things I Love about the 721" thread, I thought it might be appropriate to have one on things we wish the 721 had. A few are obvious:
* Name Based Recording
* Season Pass, like TiVO
* Bookmark and Resume feature (pause playback of a recorded program, return to it at a later date and pick up where you left off, rather than restart.)
* Ability to hide the progress timeline when in fast forward.
* Ability to extend recording of a program for more than 90 minutes.


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## treiher (Oct 24, 2002)

I would love to see the channels which are not subscribed to appear in red when programming your favorites like it does with the 501 series, 301 series, etc. Right now it just lists all the channels and you have to escape out and look or write down all the channels you are subscribed to before setting that up. It's such a simple thing, but is really convenient on those other receivers. I would think they could add that with little trouble. Please Dish, give us that feature!


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

I would like to see "one button record" from the EPG like the old (7100 and 7200) DishPlayer have. If you want all the "options" like you get now you would hit "info" first (as you do on the DishPlayers). I would also like to see the ability to save your own "defaults" (like start and end minutes) on the record setup screen.


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## larrystotler (Jun 6, 2004)

Cholly said:


> * Bookmark and Resume feature (pause playback of a recorded program, return to it at a later date and pick up where you left off, rather than restart.)


Uh? It already does this to recorded programs. You just select the resume instead of the start over. Of course, this only works when you watch it from the PVR menu. It won't do it if you are watching the program live, and want to start there later.....would that be what you want?


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## oldanbo (May 20, 2004)

I wish the 721 was cabable of doing a true split screen mode instead of that little PIP. I don't understand why Dish can't do that. My 50 inch Toshiba can do it. But with two feeds into the 721, I can't figure how to split off one of the feeds to another Dish receiver and have both receivers work at once.


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

treiher said:


> I would love to see the channels which are not subscribed to appear in red when programming your favorites like it does with the 501 series, 301 series, etc. Right now it just lists all the channels and you have to escape out and look or write down all the channels you are subscribed to before setting that up. It's such a simple thing, but is really convenient on those other receivers. I would think they could add that with little trouble. Please Dish, give us that feature!


As an adjunct to that, I would like to see the selector auto-advance to the next channel when selecting favorites, like it does on the 811, 311, and other old-style interface models.


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## Big Bob (May 13, 2002)

1) folders. The ability to assign timers to place the recording into a specific folder
2) "Keep x copies of this timer". If you have a repeating timer, only the specified number of recordings would be kept. the oldest would be deleted when a new one is recorded. Would be great for shows like the nightly news, some entertainment-news or talk shows.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

oldanbo said:


> ... But with two feeds into the 721, I can't figure how to split off one of the feeds to another Dish receiver and have both receivers work at once.


If you're talking about hooking up a third satellite tuner (the 721 has 2, any other box is at least one more), you can NOT usually "split" a satellite feed.

Read up on the threads regarding switches to learn more.


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## Unthinkable (Sep 13, 2002)

1) A fix once-and-for-all for NHL Center Ice where the 721 will lock up and reboot after the game feed is abruptly pulled and also for the program guide errors that will occasionally not show all the Center Ice channels. Sometimes channelling up to the next game will bring you right to the start of the NBA package channels skipping right past valid games that are being wrongly blocked out of the program guide for a moment. Something still isn't coded correctly in either the guide data or the way its read which occasionally prompts incorrect error messages to the effect of "this event is blacked out in your area" or "the channel you are trying to access is not currently subscribed". These are often temporary errors which can be remedied without reboots, but are irritating nonetheless when you have to channel up and down a few extra times just to see what you were supposed to have access to the first time around.

Believe this problem also affects some of the other professional sports packages in reading other posts in various forums about this.

2) Bill R. already covered the ability to default your start and stop times for all the people who rarely ever pad events save for the occasional sporting broadcast or shows on MTV for example which may start and end slightly off the hour.

3) While watching TV with PIP enabled, give users the option to default all timer recordings to one tuner or the other so people aren't prompted with a menu asking which tuner they want it recorded to. Personally, I'd like all my timer recordings to default to the PIP window while I watch something live on the main screen, but give us some options here. If you happen to be not watching at the exact moment this popup comes up, you run the risk of missing the first minute of your recorded program while it waits for a user selected response. This really *needs* to be an automated task in the worst of ways. I don't want it asking me how to do its job everytime.


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## finniganps (Jan 23, 2004)

Big Bob said:


> 2) "Keep x copies of this timer". If you have a repeating timer, only the specified number of recordings would be kept. the oldest would be deleted when a new one is recorded. Would be great for shows like the nightly news, some entertainment-news or talk shows.


I like this idea. Add in the name based recording and I'd be even happier than I already am with it.


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

Enable an option to perform of a search by Title AND Description simultaneously.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

larrystotler said:


> Uh? It already does this to recorded programs. You just select the resume instead of the start over. Of course, this only works when you watch it from the PVR menu. It won't do it if you are watching the program live, and want to start there later.....would that be what you want?


Larry, I may be wrong, but -- I have yet to see a resume option on a show that I've paused and gone on to watch something else,then tried to come back to the paused show. Furthermore, the auto standby on the 721 seems to kill anything that was paused. What I'd like to see is a TiVo like function where you can jump back and forth between several recorded shows (if you should want to do this). Leaving one show bookmarks it, and when you go back to it at a later time, you can pick up where you left off. Same is true if you jump back & forth between live and recorded (even on the same show). Nice feature. 
If they could marry the best features of the 721 with the best features of TiVo, you'd have one helluva PVR and people would be beating doors down to get them. It would be great if the 921 and/or 942 could do the same.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Cholly - the 921, which is pretty much the same as a 721, has the Resume feature - and IIRC, most (all?) of the other E* DVRs have that feature too.


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## garypen (Feb 1, 2004)

Cholly said:


> If they could marry the best features of the 721 with the best features of TiVo, you'd have one helluva PVR and people would be beating doors down to get them.


That would be like finding a woman that has the domestic skills of Martha Stewart, the looks of Cameron Diaz, and a deep desire for you.

In other words, it would be very nice, but highly unlikely.


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## Randy_B (Apr 23, 2002)

Consecutive, mutiple playbacks. Select several shows from the events menu and they play back, one after the other.

Resume as the default selection after you have begun watching and stopped/paused playback.

Suspend timers. Both one time only and until suspend is removed.

E* could cut a deal with networks to send reminder e-mails to DVRs with dates and times for premiers (new and returning) and special events. The e-mail would then have a button with built in command to set a timer for the e-mailed event.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

I'd like the ability to change channels on the PIP screen and be able to swap the audio to the PIP. On one of my TVs I was pretty used to turning on the PIP swapping audio to the PIP and surfing the PIP while waiting out commercials. I rarely watch anything on the 721 live, but when I do this is something I'd like to see.

See ya
Tony


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## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

My site (link below) has a lot of features that people have wished for in the past, many have come true, although I think some information needs to be updated.


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## Unthinkable (Sep 13, 2002)

TNGTony said:


> I'd like the ability to change channels on the PIP screen and be able to swap the audio to the PIP. On one of my TVs I was pretty used to turning on the PIP swapping audio to the PIP and surfing the PIP while waiting out commercials. I rarely watch anything on the 721 live, but when I do this is something I'd like to see.
> 
> See ya
> Tony


Yeah baby. I posted the exact same thing like a year ago on one of the older 721 wish lists. Seems like it should be feasible in the software. I've had several Toshiba sets in the past that all allow for this as well.


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2004)

TNGTony said:


> I'd like the ability to change channels on the PIP screen and be able to swap the audio to the PIP. On one of my TVs I was pretty used to turning on the PIP swapping audio to the PIP and surfing the PIP while waiting out commercials. I rarely watch anything on the 721 live, but when I do this is something I'd like to see.
> 
> See ya
> Tony


I'm thinking about buying a 522 or 721 and my question 4 owners os both dvrs is can u use your tv's pip instead on the recievers built in pip?


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## larrystotler (Jun 6, 2004)

With the 721, it is internal in the receiver. With the 522, you can run both TV outputs into 1 TV, and use the TV's PIP. You will need both remotes for the 522 tho.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

daVinci said:


> I'm thinking about buying a 522 or 721 and my question 4 owners os both dvrs is can u use your tv's pip instead on the recievers built in pip?


Yes, you can still use your TV's PIP no problem. You could actually use both the TV's PIP and the 721's or 522's PIP simultaneously and watch three channels at once if you so desired! 

Just hook up the receiver to the S Video input on the TV and you're ready to go.

See ya
Tony


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## blakjak (May 12, 2004)

Here's my 2 cents...

1 - If recording two consecutive shows on the same channel, the 721 uses both tuners for the 1-3 minute overlap. You're stuck on the same channel (both tuners) until the first show stops recording. My UTV receiver is more intelligent in the sense that it knows to use only one tuner for both shows on the same channel, and still records the overlap on both shows (allowing me to continue live viewing in the meantime).

2 - The UTV and Dishplayers have a designated channel for recorded shows (UTV is channel 1020 and the DP uses channel 1, I think) which acts like a regular channel. This is a great feature because I can just hit the recall/last channel button during the commercials of a live show and watch a recorded show (exactly where I left off watching it, btw). With the 721, you cannot press the recall button to go back to a recorded show.

3 - The one-touch recording is the most basic feature lacking on the 721. On the UTV, press record once and it records without any menu popping up. Press record twice and it schedules that show to be recorded every week at the same time. This is as simple as it gets.

OK, so I gave 3 cents worth 

blakjak


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## oldanbo (May 20, 2004)

SimpleSimon said:


> If you're talking about hooking up a third satellite tuner (the 721 has 2, any other box is at least one more), you can NOT usually "split" a satellite feed.
> 
> Read up on the threads regarding switches to learn more.


Thanks for the information. I was thinking to hook up a third tuner, probably my old 5000 unit. I will check the switches thread.

thanks again.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

blakjak said:


> Here's my 2 cents...
> 
> 1 - If recording two consecutive shows on the same channel, the 721 uses both tuners for the 1-3 minute overlap. You're stuck on the same channel (both tuners) until the first show stops recording. My UTV receiver is more intelligent in the sense that it knows to use only one tuner for both shows on the same channel, and still records the overlap on both shows (allowing me to continue live viewing in the meantime).
> 
> ...


Your item #1 is my biggest non-bug peeve with the 921, too - it's SUCH a simple thing to do - at least if the system design is reasonably robust, ad f course, that's always in doubt with the 721/921.

#2 would be quite nice - but they've got too many bugs in areas "close" to this to even consider it right now.

#3 would be nice, too.


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2004)

larrystotler said:


> With the 721, it is internal in the receiver. With the 522, you can run both TV outputs into 1 TV, and use the TV's PIP. You will need both remotes for the 522 tho.


ok so I would have to get a 522 to use the 2 tuner pip built in to my 51" philips, but I was wondering doesn't the 721 have 2 set of rca outs and if I'm correct what are they used 4 if u can only use the internal pip from the receiver?


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2004)

also for the 721 or 522 what more would I need to hook either receiver (ie spittlers, switches, etc....) my present setup now is a two room install with a 510 and 311, the 721 or 522 would be replacing the 311.

I hope that made sense


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## blakjak (May 12, 2004)

daVinci said:


> also for the 721 or 522 what more would I need to hook either receiver (ie spittlers, switches, etc....) my present setup now is a two room install with a 510 and 311, the 721 or 522 would be replacing the 311.
> 
> I hope that made sense


I have a 2-room install also (721 and 301). I am using an SW64 switch which works great and gives me an extra input should I decide to install another receiver.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Note the last digit of the model number. "1" means one output "selection", "2" means well, two.

This only applies to 3-digit model numbers, and now that I've cracked E*'s big trade secret they'll sue me and change the numbering scheme.

EXCEPTION: The 508 & 510. Must've been named by a D* corporate saboteur. They both should have a trailing digit of "1" to fit the model.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

And the 501 & 301  I don't think the naming scheme was thought of back when there was just the 301 and 501. Or mabe it was and they chose 0 as the middle dii for first generation DP receivers.


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## blakjak (May 12, 2004)

My other 2 cents...

Another thing that would be nice would be to be able to use the recall button to jump from one tuner to the other when both tuners are recording (my UTV allows this as it treats both tuners as individual channels in such a case - the 721 has a pop-up asking you if you want to stop recording first). To do this now on the 721, you have to go through the PIP.

It would also be nice if you could set the default for extra start and stop times when recording (it's currently set to 1 minute before and 3 minutes after, by default). If you could set the default at 0/0, it would eliminate any overlap conflicts (tuner disabling) when recording two consecutive shows on the same channel.

(I'm up to a nickel so far  )


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Steve Mehs said:


> And the 501 & 301  I don't think the naming scheme was thought of back when there was just the 301 and 501. Or mabe it was and they chose 0 as the middle dii for first generation DP receivers.


Either that or they don't have ANY tuners. 

But that's why I stayed away from the second digit - even though 1's and 2's have been working lately - 942 sure blows it.


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## larrystotler (Jun 6, 2004)

That's what the red button is for. It allows you to buffer both tuners, or watch both that are being used. Then you use the swap button to jump betwen them.

One thing I would like to see fixed is where you stop a recording, and it goes back to the PVR screen. Well, you can restart it from that screen, but you can't stop it unless you cancel back out to the recording. Very irritating feature.


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## FLY5 (Jun 11, 2004)

"2) Bill R. already covered the ability to default your start and stop times for all the people who rarely ever pad events save for the occasional sporting broadcast or shows on MTV for example which may start and end slightly off the hour."

I'd really like to see this one implemented, so I could stop setting 0/0 manually each time I set a timer to avoid the overlap on two-tuners while trying to watch another live show problem.

Frank


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## veith (Jul 31, 2003)

FLY5 said:


> "2) Bill R. already covered the ability to default your start and stop times for all the people who rarely ever pad events save for the occasional sporting broadcast or shows on MTV for example which may start and end slightly off the hour."
> 
> I'd really like to see this one implemented, so I could stop setting 0/0 manually each time I set a timer to avoid the overlap on two-tuners while trying to watch another live show problem.
> 
> Frank


Ooops, I see I already replied to a post similar to this from you in another thread. What the heck, I'll be redundant. You might consider playing with an aftermarket learning remote. You could then program a macro to an available button of your choice to do all those button pushes for you.

Best regards,
Charles


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## blakjak (May 12, 2004)

I hope some R&D/Engineering people at Dish look through the suggestions on this board. These are all excellent points and should be extremely easy to incorporate into a future software update, making many people happier in the process. May be wishful thinking on my part, but what the heck...


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

They DO look. And some of these things should be easy, but for E* nothing seems to be that way.


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