# Is a 921 really worth purchasing now?



## mattmcg (Dec 12, 2002)

Hello all,

I've been a lurker for some time and have been happy using my 721 with an America's top 120 pack. I've always been looking to upgrade to HD but the $1K price for a 921 was just way out of the ballpark.

That said, I just heard about the 921 deal at $549! Is the 921 really worth purchasing now?

I also took a while to read about the 921 experiences of others and read a number of concerns. Can anyone tell me if these concerns are warranted?
1. The 921 is far more buggy and problematic than the 721
2. Dish will be upgrading to MPEG4 and obsoleting the 921
3. The 921 will force me to pay the VOD fee on AT120 while I don't have that fee on my existing 921
4. The 921 is a piece of junk that should be avoided.
5. You should wait for the next model, whatever that may be.

I'd really like to upgrade to HD but am a little hesitant given the above issues. Thoughts?


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

1. Some would say YES, some would say NO.
2. Yes, eventually - switchover probably won't completely happen until at least 2010, and then EVERY current dish receiver will be obsolete.
3. Yes, $4.99 a month unless you subscribe to AEP.
4. If that's what you really think, why did you even bother posting your question? 
5. That's always an option. Next model is months away at least.

At $549, the 921 is a steal. That's my opinion. I'm just about there to convincing my wife that we need another one.


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## dfergie (Feb 28, 2003)

Mark Lamutt said:


> At $549, the 921 is a steal. That's my opinion.


I've had mine 3 weeks, I agree and want another one also...


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## Mike Russell (Feb 6, 2003)

I'm also wanting another one, but my Mit's only has one wideband component input, so I will need a switcher.
Someone recommend a good switcher to me. I have been reading about the Key and the Zektor.


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## dfergie (Feb 28, 2003)

Mine would go in place of my 6000u with My X1... Use Regular A/v / svideo switch in there...it works.


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## DVDDAD (Dec 21, 2002)

mattmcg said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I've been a lurker for some time and have been happy using my 721 with an America's top 120 pack. I've always been looking to upgrade to HD but the $1K price for a 921 was just way out of the ballpark.
> 
> That said, I just heard about the 921 deal at $549! Is the 921 really worth purchasing now? ... Thoughts?


MATTMCG,

If you don't have an HDTV set yet don't bother. But if you do and don't have a HD PVR yet, it's a great price and well worth it IMHO.


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## Forceten (Jan 31, 2004)

Just got mine yesterday! Works great and was worth the $550! I had watched the 921 when it was $1,000 and was very tempted but waited out the bugs. Glad I did when I heard the price was chopped in half.

Got rid of my 6000 and a 501. I haven't had hi def channels since dish swapped them out and required the 6000 needed that 8k pack. So now with the 921 I get my hi def channels back.

When i called Dish they also gave me my first 6 months of the hi def pack for half price. $5 a month and threw in free cbs HD.


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## Guest (Dec 6, 2004)

Mark Lamutt said:


> Next model is months away at least.


I'm mighty tempted by the $549 offer for the 921 also. But I'm curious if it is worth spending that money when there is another model on the horizon. So, my questions are (and I know they don't all have solid answers):

1. How many months is the next model away from release?

2. How much will the next one cost?

3. What features will the next model have that will make it better than the 921?

4. I've heard of problems recording OTA HD with the 921. Is that true? I get lots of HD over the air, and I definitely want to be able to record it, as well as the satellite HD channels.

Thanks for any advice anyone has.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

1. Nobody outside of Dish knows, or even has a good guess yet. My only very slightly educated guess is June at the earliest, more likely August.

2. No idea if it will even be available for sale - may be a lease only receiver.

3. Based on the 522 software platform, rather than the 721 software platform. Will be able to output SD and HD at the same time, like the 522 now outputs 2 SD channels at the same time.

4. Yes, but just about all of the recording problems should be resolved in the next software version, which will be available very soon now.


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## Jerry 42 (Feb 25, 2003)

Mike R.

A component switcher is available at www.smarthome.com for $ 179.99. I sure there are others. This one auto switch one of the 4 inputs to 1 TV component, it also switches audio (L/R or optical)at the same time.


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## astrotrf (Apr 5, 2004)

In reply to a question about what features a putative follow-on receiver will have that will make it *better* than a 921, Mark wrote:



Mark Lamutt said:


> 3. Based on the 522 software platform, rather than the 721 software platform. Will be able to output SD and HD at the same time, like the 522 now outputs 2 SD channels at the same time.


A companion question would be: what features will it have that will make it _worse_ than a 921? Will it still have multiple tuners? Will it have fewer signal output types? Etc. ...

Terry


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## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

Now that I've experienced L211 and one of my 921's major problems is fixed, I getting a second 921. Ya, now I would say the 921 is well worth it!


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## moviegoerman (Aug 18, 2004)

boylehome said:


> Now that I've experienced L211 and one of my 921's major problems is fixed, I getting a second 921. Ya, now I would say the 921 is well worth it!


Now, that I got the new L211 software and can't watch anything with a black guide window that never goes away... I'm ready to finally cancel my service and buy another 10-250 Tivo! Then I'll have 4 Satellite and 4 OTA tuners. The 921 has been a financial and technical disaster for me and a totally frustrating experience. Even in the $500 range it still doesn't perform even though I shelled out the original $1000...

Below is an Edit/Update for this posting...

I fixed the black guide window issue after talking with support. It was from me having to constantly switch aspect ratios on my TV when changing channels on the 921. Somehow I must have accidently put it in PIP mode on the TV (not sure how, but anything can happen at 3am).

After learning that I won't be able to use my 921 as an OTA tuner/dvr because it won't contain the guide if I don't maintain a subscription to the local satellite channels too, then I still feel the same. I'm still a very unhappy Dish customer on multiple levels which I don't think Dish can ever repair the damage... I feel I won't be able to use this box even after I cancel my subscription.

I'll be using L211 more and see how it performs now that it does have most of the guide information. It is closer to what I would have expected back in July, but it still fails to deliver what I need and expect.

I'll be posting anything I find that is still broken or newly broken as I find them. I've only got one main issue which is having to switch my TV's aspect ratio every time I switch from 4x3 to HD content. The failure to use the stop button is another one, but not as bad because I can still stop it using the DVR listings.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Brian, you might edit your post to indicate that the black box was caused by your user error, rather than anything having to do with the 921...you did that in the bug report, but here would be a good place as well.


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## Mike Russell (Feb 6, 2003)

Thanks Jerry 42 for the info, I'll check it out.


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## MarkoC (Apr 5, 2004)

Whether or not I get a a 921 is entirely an issue of programming. If I knew that Dish was going to be adding a lot of HD in the next year I would spend $500 and get the 921. However, I am going to wait a while to see what VOOM does in terms of a DVR and programming. My local TW cable outlet also might be in the mix. Right now they have more HD channels than Dish, including my local FSN, which will be showing a lot of baseball games in HD next seaon and they offer a DVR. Once my HD contract is up with Dish early next year, then I will make a decision based on what the competition is offering. $500 for a 921 seems like a pretty good deal, but buying it now might keep me from switching to a better product when the time comes.


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## Jerry 42 (Feb 25, 2003)

This is just an other option -

Because Dish currently has a limited number of HD channels AND if you can get local HD OTA you might want tp check out the HD Tuner with Hard Drive combo units. The LG machine is currently availabe at Good Guys and other stores/web sites Sony is releasing the same type of machine with bigger High Drive very shortly (check Sony web site for details). While they are not cheap (around $ 799) they have good OTA tuners and get a week + of program schedules to aid in programming recordings. As Dish 921 only has one OTA tuner and the 942 is said to have onely one as well and there is a question of MPEG 4 you could get one of the LG or Sony machines and wait to see what Dish does will HD PVRs and HD channels. If you do ultimately get a Dish HD PVR you could still use these machines or sell them.

Again just an option


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## xgrep (Aug 15, 2002)

Jerry 42 said:


> The LG machine is currently availabe at Good Guys and other stores/web sites Sony is releasing the same type of machine with bigger High Drive very shortly (check Sony web site for details). While they are not cheap (around $ 799) they have good OTA tuners and get a week + of program schedules to aid in programming recordings.


I've been watching the LG LST-3410A for a while, too, waiting for prices to come down. But it's got some annoying weaknesses, too. A big one for me is that while it has a cable tuner, it can't be used to receive or record encoded (subscription) channels, HD or otherwise.

I've also see discussion (in avsforum and elsewhere) that the guide is somewhat slow and lacking in functionality compared to the E* receivers (in fact, I have the impression that even Tivo's guide is slow compared to E*, but wins on some functionality, though I have no personal experience with Tivo).

So the LG machine in conjunction with HD from OTA and/or your cable company may be preferable to E* in some respects, but there just isn't a perfect solution out there, at least not for my needs: I'd probably go with DirecTivoHD except that D* doesn't offer my important foreign content or HD locals. Frankly, for HD satellite, I can't really see why you wouldn't go with TivoHD at the moment (and for at least a couple of years). Or maybe Voom.

x


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## bmciver (Feb 20, 2003)

I'm down to whether I will be paying the $5.99 DVR fee if I upgrade to the 921 from the 721 since I'm not paying it now. E* rep and her supervisor said they couldn't say until I get the box and call to set it up. WHAT!?!?! Is that as good as it gets? I'd like HD, but I'm not too sure taking a chance like that is worth it. Cable here (charter) has the HD package, HBO and DVR (HD the beginning of the year) for 68$ and I won't have to shell out 550$. If E* could find an answer SOMEWHERE in the call center they may have made a sale. I practically begged them to find an answer or forward me to someone who had a clue, and in broken English all I get is repeated cue card statements. Call back? I think I might.

Brian


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## Jerry 42 (Feb 25, 2003)

Xgrep

Yes the LG machine is not the perfect answer but as you note nothing really is. Sony specs make it seam like it has some better features (30 or 60 hour recording, HD-SD output at the same time) but it has not shipped.

I really can not leave Dish - can you say grandfathering distant signals. Getting east and west coast feeds just to good to give up. 

Good luck whatever you do.


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## treiher (Oct 24, 2002)

> I'm down to whether I will be paying the $5.99 DVR fee if I upgrade to the 921 from the 721 since I'm not paying it now. E* rep and her supervisor said they couldn't say until I get the box and call to set it up. WHAT!?!?! Is that as good as it gets? I'd like HD, but I'm not too sure taking a chance like that is worth it. Cable here (charter) has the HD package, HBO and DVR (HD the beginning of the year) for 68$ and I won't have to shell out 550$. If E* could find an answer SOMEWHERE in the call center they may have made a sale. I practically begged them to find an answer or forward me to someone who had a clue, and in broken English all I get is repeated cue card statements. Call back? I think I might.


Did you ever get an answer to this? I am struggling with the same question, and may upgrade from the 721 to the 921, but I don't think I should have to pay that DVR fee, since I don't pay it now on my 721.


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

The DVR usage fee is $4.98 per month per 510, 522 or 921 receiver. The fee is waived if you have AEP. (anti-fee rant snipped for brevity)


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