CNET doesn't get along with DISH's DTVPal DVR

by Steven Kim posted Mar 4th 2009 at 10:20PM

We had pretty much put the whole "DVR" versus "PVR" thing behind us, but CNET's review of DISH Network's DTVPal DVR had us flashing back to those old arguments. Even though CNET apparently scored a "good" unit that didn't show any glitches, there were plenty of shortcomings that seem unacceptable in today's day and age, even at the low $250 price. The lack of pretty a UI isn't shocking, the dual tuners and 250GB drive are just fine, and even the spotty guide data is more about your area than the DTVPal DVR itself. But being forced to set up recordings based on channel/time combos and a lack of wishlists is really a step backwards; and when recording conflicts are hard to resolve on top of that, it makes for a tough pill to swallow. DISH is working on solving the technical issues, so we're hoping that the DTVPal DVR's "sold out" status is being used for some retooling.

Filed under: Reviews, DVRs, Others, OTA

Tags: cnet, dish, dish network, DishNetwork, dtvpal, dtvpal dvr, DtvpalDvr, review

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Highly Ranked

PuBeLeSs @ Mar 4th 2009 10:45PM

Honestly can no one proof read these days?

Neutral

bballcards @ Mar 4th 2009 11:29PM

Classic case of wanting for the world for next to nothing. Nobody wants to pay subscription fees, yet they want a perfect DVR device. Just buy the TiVo HD -- worth every penny.

Highest Ranked

Joshua @ Mar 5th 2009 12:22AM

There is a big difference between wanting a perfect DVR device for a low price and wanting a device that doesn't reboot hourly. Many who bought this (including myself) didn't expect it to be as flashy or have all the features of Tivo, but we did expect it to not have hardware/software issues that make is unusable.

Neutral

T-bone @ Mar 5th 2009 8:58AM

So far my has been rock solid and performs exactly how it was advertised to perform. Been using it since 12/26 with no issues.

Neutral

Phoenixfury @ Mar 5th 2009 10:30AM

I've been using mine since mid January with any any real issues. I did have one reboot, but I think that was a scheduled reboot anyway. Otherwise mine's been rock solid as well.

Neutral

Juan @ Mar 17th 2009 11:35PM

I have both the DTVpal and a Tivo HD with a lifetime sub. I have the DTVpal in the bedroom and I must say for what I paid, it works damn well. No glitches whatsoever and hell, it's totally free. I really like the Tivo for my primary living room setup but hey that was about 3 times more expensive (box plus lifetime sub) For what you pay, the DTVpal is a pretty damn great box. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to program it. In fact, it sets up easier than the Tivo.

Highly Ranked

kurtchris @ Mar 6th 2009 12:38AM

I've had the DTVPal DVR since December, and it has been excellent. Perfect HD picture, great dual tuner, easy to use, and no fees. I'm really surprised by the reports of glitches as I haven't had a single one. I live free of any TV fees (no cable, sat or DVR) and enjoy thinking about what I save at the end of the year.

Sure this doesn't have the name-based recording that you pay for with TiVo, but it's a FREE service. The TV Guide data is part of the DTV signal. Those complaining about the lack of features missed the point. It's FREE.

Dream Theater adding even more metal to God of War III soundtrack Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is becoming its own worst enemy OnLive 'works on cell phones too,' says Perlman	Make your small business sound big with Grasshopper Google will factor page load speed into search result rankings Windows 7 RTM "improved" activation bypassed by hackers
Sonos adds a portable music player with room filling sound Psystar dealt crushing blow in ongoing legal proceedings with Apple Apple rejects Unity games on the App Store	Three buyers vying for solar thermal company Ausra Home values could creep up next year Five winners of a weak dollar: SBUX, PEP, AAPL
Fight: Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper Nov. 26 in Europe Tweet about Xbox Final Fantasy XIII, win a mystery prize Band Hero clothing and accessories head to Xbox Live Marketplace	Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Maybe consider taking the bus? REPORT: Ford continues strong sales in European Market New reality series Family Armor combines vehicle bulletproofing and Mormons
Frictional Games gives next game an official title: Amnesia The Dark Decent Mechwarrior 4 free release ready to go; Microsoft behind delays Interview: We chat with the co-creator of Dino D-Day	Ocho Cinco Takes Steelers Fan On a Shopping Spree FanHouse Preview: Bengals at Steelers Dolphins Bench Struggling Joey Porter