# 501/508/510 Program Guide Variation



## jrb531 (May 29, 2004)

I just noticed on the newer PVR's that when you are in the guide mode in which the live tv is in the upper right corner with the channel display on the bottom half of the screen there is a difference between the PVR's.

On the 501/508/510 you have on the upper left some Dish logo and "fill-in" crap while on the other PVR's you have the program description of the channel you have highlighted.

This is a "great" feature. For those of us who have a 501/508/510 we have to hit the info button every time we scroll to another channel to see the program description while on the the other PVR's this info pops in the corner automatically as you highlight the program.

While I understand that some technical issues prevent some of the more advance features on the older PVR's I fail to see how displaying text is beyond the ability of the 501/508/510's

Seems to me to be any easy fix.

Any thoughts?

-JB


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## toomuchtv (May 17, 2002)

That would be a great feature & I would certainly like to have it on my 510.


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## navychop (Jul 13, 2005)

I agree, I'd like to see it. Why don't they do it? Memory? Distinguishing feature between lesser and more expensive DVRs? Wasn't thought of when 5xx came out, haven't gotten around to adding it yet?

Doesn't matter. All the 5xx models will be gone in 3 years as the transition to MPEG-4 takes hold. As DVRs, I'll bet for all practical purposes they'll be replaced by the end of 2007. It's not worth their time to increase features on these legacy receivers. I daresay very little is being done to 301, 5xx & 721 s/w (my receivers). Makes more sense to put the talent on the MPEG-4 s/w and providing promised features on the 942 (which will probably translate to the 962).


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## jrb531 (May 29, 2004)

But how long would it really take to add? I wonder if this feature will be added with the name based recording that we will see on the 501/508/510 at the end of '04 

-JB

P.S. Considering these "old" 501/508/510 machines have the horsepower to do that 6 screen channel thingy I bet these machines are not as bad off as they would like us to think LOL.


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## Evil Capserian (Jul 28, 2003)

The best damn dvr dish ever made which showed everything nicely was the dishplayer model 7100 and 7200. Nice green colors, showed the info on the right hand or left hand side without hitting the info button on guide mode. The next receiver that even comes close to this is the model 721. All the other receivers as far as in screen guide goes, to put it in dish'es own words, just sucks big time.


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## Jon Spackman (Feb 7, 2005)

since when are 5XX receivers legacy receivers? I thought all 3 digits models were dishpro? Also the 510 is still being updated so is the 6000 for that matter.

I strongly disagree that " 3 years and they will be gone" what is that. Mpeg-4 is coming, but they are not gonna ship out brand new receivers to millions of us. That would put them out of business. Think about it. It just doesn't make sense. Yes mpeg-4 is the future and yes dish will eventually phase out mpeg-2, but 3 years? No way!


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## navychop (Jul 13, 2005)

I think it's reasonable to view all non MPEG-4 receivers as legacy (different use of word), as the end is near for them all. MPEG-4 starts for E* NLT early 2006 with the addition of the remaining Voom channels, per Chats, and will take about 3 years to complete, also per Chats. D* starts their shift over in Nov 2005.

Actually, another way to view it is that NOT having MPEG-4 is the more expensive alternative. If they can about double their offerings by switching to MPEG-4 (& entice more people to pay for the HD tiers), they are losing money by staying with MPEG-2. A faster switch out lets them hold off on another satellite and still increase HD and other offerings. The basic STBs will not be very expensive but the more expensive DVRs might be more cost effective for them- if we use their VOD option or record PPV for future viewing. Either way, it's a trade off between the cost of the STBs and the lost income from not offering more programming (& delaying the next satellite expense).

It's certainly going to be expensive for them to switch, but it may be more expensive for them to delay switching- thereby delaying the benefits (recouping the costs) of the MPEG-4 switchover. Certainly a year from now we'll all have some idea of when we'll likely make the switch- if we haven't already (we do tend to be on the leading edge).


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## jrb531 (May 29, 2004)

But surely someone could take a few minutes to add the few lines of code to do this. I mean it's not that hard to simply add the program description. Yes I know that the newer PVR's that already do this do not use the same programming as the 501/508/510's but the logic is already done and all they would need to do is to convert the code.

-JB


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

navychop said:


> I think it's reasonable to view all non MPEG-4 receivers as legacy (different use of word), as the end is near for them all.


The confusion you would create by doing that is unacceptable. There already are Legacy boxes out there, and we get many questions having to do with the difference between Legacy and DishPro. And counting on capitalizing the "L" won't work either - too many people are sloppy.

Why not just call them what they are - MPEG-2 receivers. Duh.


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## navychop (Jul 13, 2005)

Conceded- with the extension that it actually be "MPEG-2 only" receivers, since for the foreseeable future, the MPEG-4 receivers will also work with MPEG-2.


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## jrb531 (May 29, 2004)

*smiles*

Ok if someone at Dish reads this can you please make it so that the "mpeg-2" DVR's 501-508-510 (linux OS I think?) display the programming info in the upper left hand corner of the guild (with live window) screen like the newer DVR's do?

It is currently filled with "fill-in" crap and that tiny programming change would sure be nice. 

Thanks

-JB


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## Roger Tee (Feb 22, 2004)

IMHO the DIshplayer 7100/7200 have the nicest interface, unfortunately it is slow.

The 721 Almost as good and faster. Poor SLo-Mo

the 501 fastest of the three but need to hit info to see program info. Not as nice a UI.

BTW is it me or did the 721 search get faster?

Well time to clean off all the old programs from the dvrs so I can sample all the new fall lineup on the networks. 

Cheers


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