# Getting 2 new R16s next week



## joecool1964 (Nov 20, 2005)

Ok-
I found a local installer who said that the R16 was only for commercial customers currently, but he's going to 'work with me' and give me 2 of the R16s, since the R15 is what made me jump ship to Dish Network nearly a year ago. 

Please tell me that I'll be happier with the R16 - performance and reliability-wise, than I was with the R15? 

It was either that, or go back to Weaknees and buy a couple of refurbed HDVR2 units. I've just not been very happy or impressed with Dish...:nono:


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## Radio Enginerd (Oct 5, 2006)

joecool1964 said:


> Ok-
> I found a local installer who said that the R16 was only for commercial customers currently, but he's going to 'work with me' and give me 2 of the R16s, since the R15 is what made me jump ship to Dish Network nearly a year ago.
> 
> Please tell me that I'll be happier with the R16 - performance and reliability-wise, than I was with the R15?
> ...


I've read some positive feedback from the field trials. Sounds like it's a pretty solid box out the gate although I have not used one as of yet.

What was it about Echostar you didn't like?


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

I have one of the field test R16's, and it has been a solid performer.

However, to put it in context I also have an R15 which has been a solid performer for over 2 years now.

Carl


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## joecool1964 (Nov 20, 2005)

Radio Enginerd said:


> I've read some positive feedback from the field trials. Sounds like it's a pretty solid box out the gate although I have not used one as of yet.
> 
> What was it about Echostar you didn't like?


I was constantly having problems with an error message displaying - something about my 'switch' being bad. I went thru a number of phone calls and even a house call trying to resolve the issue, but it still persists. I also don't like the recording options on their DVR. Sure, it was probably a matter of me getting used to it, but for some reason, I never have. Their customer service folks were nice enough, I will say.


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## lguvenoz (Aug 23, 2006)

My R16 was on par with the latest revisions to my R15s that I have. Now in my case the R15 has been pretty solid for the last 3-6 months so I'm not sure what particular concerns you have.

If I had to compare day 1 with the R15 to day 1 with R16, the R16 was orders of magnitude better, but the my R15s with the latest software are very similar.


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## joecool1964 (Nov 20, 2005)

lguvenoz said:


> My R16 was on par with the latest revisions to my R15s that I have. Now in my case the R15 has been pretty solid for the last 3-6 months so I'm not sure what particular concerns you have.
> 
> If I had to compare day 1 with the R15 to day 1 with R16, the R16 was orders of magnitude better, but the my R15s with the latest software are very similar.


I went thru 3 different R15s - unfortunately, I don't know if they were -100, -500, etc - wish I would have paid more attention to that. Anyway, I was constantly having problems where first-run shows wouldn't record - in particular, a daytime soap for my wife. Every day they were new - but it would only record maybe 2-3 days per week. The other thing that really bugged me was how sluggish the unit was - I could push the Active button (for example), and it would take literally 20-30 seconds for the screen to begin to change - and another 10 seconds at least for the screen to populate. Other times I'd be watching a recorded show, it would lock up, and I'd have to push the 'almighty' reset button. Just not a real positive
experience overall.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

joecool1964 said:


> Ok-
> I found a local installer who said that the R16 was only for commercial customers currently, but he's going to 'work with me' and give me 2 of the R16s, since the R15 is what made me jump ship to Dish Network nearly a year ago.
> 
> Please tell me that I'll be happier with the R16 - performance and reliability-wise, than I was with the R15?
> ...


Someone in another thread said a CSR told them that the R16 is not available yet to regular customers so good luck if your installer friend manages to get them activated on your account.


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## EARTH2JUPITER (Sep 23, 2007)

I have been using the R16 for a week now, I like it better than the R15, no missed recordings, no R)) bug. It is all black (I liked the silver color better), no light ring, and the unit has a internal RF antenna (IMP not as good as the external one).


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## scr (Feb 5, 2008)

EARTH2JUPITER said:


> I have been using the R16 for a week now, I like it better than the R15, no missed recordings, no R)) bug. It is all black (I liked the silver color better), no light ring, and the unit has a internal RF antenna (IMP not as good as the external one).


How did you manage to get an R16 if you don't mind me asking?

Are you a beta tester?

Thanks,
s.


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## qwerty (Feb 19, 2006)

EARTH2JUPITER said:


> I like it better than the R15, no missed recordings, no R)) bug.


Are you sure? I've seen two other post that say it does have the R)) bug.


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## EARTH2JUPITER (Sep 23, 2007)

scr said:


> How did you manage to get an R16 if you don't mind me asking?
> 
> Are you a beta tester?
> 
> ...


Yes, I am.


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## EARTH2JUPITER (Sep 23, 2007)

qwerty said:


> Are you sure? I've seen two other post that say it does have the R)) bug.


Yep, no R)) bug on the unit I'm using.


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## ProfLonghair (Sep 26, 2006)

I had the R16 in field trials also, and no bugs to speak of. In fact, none of us in the trials had anything really go wrong.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

ProfLonghair said:


> I had the R16 in field trials also, and no bugs to speak of. In fact, none of us in the trials had anything really go wrong.


How nice. A couple hundred folks have beta test R16's with no "R))" bug or series link hassles and MILLIONS of PAYING subscribers have R15's WITH the bug and flakey series link operation.

What's wrong with this picture? Should I spell it out? H-E-L-L-O D-I-S-H N-E-T-W-O-R-K-!


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## Pink Fairy (Dec 28, 2006)

No comment there because it would not be nice.


But from what people have said here, it sounds steady. My R15's are great and have not had problems with them for almost year now.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

Pink Fairy said:


> No comment there because it would not be nice.
> 
> But from what people have said here, it sounds steady. My R15's are great and have not had problems with them for almost year now.


Your series link selections record EVERY episode? Shows you've scheduled in your TO DO list NEVER disappear by themselves? All of the shows tagged with an "R" or "R)))" in your program guide always record?

If you answer "yes", you are a liar, Mr. Fairy.


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## Pink Fairy (Dec 28, 2006)

Well, first, I am not a dude.

Second, I really do not know if it has NEVER done those things....know why? Because it has never happened with the shows that I record - and my roommates don't complain about shows of theirs not recorded. I had both of my R15's replaced in early 2007. Since then, other than issues with a CE once or twice, no issues like that.

Not everyone hates their equipment.


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## joecool1964 (Nov 20, 2005)

ProfLonghair said:


> I had the R16 in field trials also, and no bugs to speak of. In fact, none of us in the trials had anything really go wrong.


That's great to hear!
Although I recall somebody (Earl?) saying that the GUI is exactly the same, it makes me wonder what is different 'under the hood'... 
Wednesday should be interesting - hopefully they'll let me activate both units.
If not, guess I'll be firing up an old HDVR2 I found in my attic, and also getting an R15.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

The GUI is exactly the same.


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## joecool1964 (Nov 20, 2005)

Well, both R16s are installed, successfully activated, and seem to be running well - at least for the last 2 hours! :lol: I had to laugh though - ran into the same remote problem with the new RC64 remote that I had with the old RC23 remote - it won't control my Panasonic TV without moving the top slider over to 'TV'. I suppose if that's the worst thing that happens, it not such a bad day!


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

joecool1964 said:


> Well, both R16s are installed, successfully activated, and seem to be running well - at least for the last 2 hours! :lol: I had to laugh though - ran into the same remote problem with the new RC64 remote that I had with the old RC23 remote - it won't control my Panasonic TV without moving the top slider over to 'TV'. I suppose if that's the worst thing that happens, it not such a bad day!


As that is a REMOTE issue... 
And happens for a lot of TV/AV codes... they are just not setup/configured or what ever.

And since the RC64 is based off the RC32... not surprising


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

joecool1964 said:


> Well, both R16s are installed, successfully activated, and seem to be running well - at least for the last 2 hours! :lol: I had to laugh though - ran into the same remote problem with the new RC64 remote that I had with the old RC23 remote - it won't control my Panasonic TV without moving the top slider over to 'TV'. I suppose if that's the worst thing that happens, it not such a bad day!


Give some of the other codes a try. There are considerably more codes in the 64 series.

The 32 series only had 5 codes listed in the book, the 64 has 17 listed.

10250, 10051, 11947, 11946, 11941, 11919, 11510, 11480, 11410, 11310, 11291, 10650, 10375, 10338, 10226, 10162, & 10055.

If those don't do the trick, you could also bug Edmund the Remote Master. :grin:


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## joecool1964 (Nov 20, 2005)

Earl Bonovich said:


> As that is a REMOTE issue...
> And happens for a lot of TV/AV codes... they are just not setup/configured or what ever.
> 
> And since the RC64 is based off the RC32... not surprising


Agreed - I just thought it was interesting that there still doesn't appear to be a compatible remote code. Thanks to the other poster who recommended some other codes - I'll definitely give them a try!

As for the R16 itself, the schedule on both units appears to have populated fully. I've set a few programs to record - although I'm a little 'gun shy' to select 'first run' only - so I'm selecting 'all' - at least for now. We'll see how that does. Overall - I'm very pleased. Considering this unit is a first cousin to the R15 (which I had a very ugly experience with), the response of the unit when I press a key on the remote, as well as how programs are populating the 'to do' list, are very, very good. One other thing I like is the size of the unit - it's somewhat smaller than the R15. Nice for purposes of having room for air flow around the unit in my somewhat cramped entertainment center.


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