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EchoStar has long been called the other DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) satellite company by some. Many people these days, however, believe that it might be even better than that other satellite company because of improved image quality overall (especially with local channels), and a line-up of more innovative set-top box satellite receivers as well. Within the past year, the other satellite company began offering stripped-down and featureless HD boxes. Happily, DISH Network takes the other road. Even though cable accounts for 70-percent of the viewing public, satellite continues to grow subscribers, which now totals about 25-percent of all U.S households. The rest of the people get their TV signals from over-the-air.
Introduction
The DISH Network HDTV DVR satellite receiver model ViP 622 is a high definition satellite receiver that is capable of recording approx. 25 hours of high definition or 180 hours of programming on a 250GB hard-drive. This is the replacement model for last year's model 942 HD PVR. While having similar features from last year's model, the 622 is now capable of receiving MPEG-4 video signals as well. What that simply means to the you -- the consumer/end-user -- is that it allows you to receive more HD channels including all of the VOOM HD channels (now totaling 15) than before. While older systems used MPEG2 encoding that takes up a lot of bandwidth, MPEG4 encoding takes a lot less thereby allowing more signals meaning more channels.
What really makes model 622 exceptional is the fact that it gives you multi-room capability via one satellite receiver without any additional wiring in your house. Who needs to re-wire anyway? Essentially, you get two receivers in one box so that you can watch TV in two separate locations watching two different programs on two different TVs at the same time. Each room has its own dedicated remote, but the 2nd room does not have a separate receiver. Cool! In the 2nd room, you simply set the TV to a specific channel (normally Channel 60), and you're done. The 2nd room's signals are sent via your house's coax cable wiring. An RF antenna is attached to back of the box for channel change and recording of programs. It could not be easier!
The box also features DISH's Video-On-Demand Service that provides the capability to 'pause' live TV, record any type of DISH Network programming, skip recorded commercials, and create 'instant replays.' Besides being able to 'pause' live TV, the Video-On-Demand service allows you to fast forward/fast reverse at four speeds ( 4x, 15x, 60x, and 300x), skip forward (30-second increments), skip back (10-second increments), and the capability to view shows in slow motion or frame-by-frame. It is sweet!
The model 622 offers several types of recording capabilities. It allows you to set TV1 and TV2, manual/auto event timers and also do quick records. It also allows you to record a 'live' program while watching another pre-recorded program from the hard-drive. If a program is broadcast in Dolby Digital, it will be recorded in Dolby Digital. Of course, to fully appreciate Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, you will have to use the digital optical output tethered to a home theater receiver or processor with the proper number of speakers (or have an HDMI-enabled A/V receiver). There are 50 automatic and manual event timers that can be used to program the 622 to record directly to the hard-drive. You can also automatically set the receiver to tune to a program at a desired time, e.g. ABC at 9 p.m. on Wednesday night for Lost, or to command it to record C.S.I.-Crime Scene Investigation on CBS-HD on Thursdays. You can watch one channel, and record two standard definition channels. Or, you can record one HD channel and a standard definition channel simultaneously.
To assist in model 622's recording capabilities, this unit features an extended Electronic Program Guide (EPG). Simply navigate the cursor over to the desired program to 'record,' and press the 'Select' button. It works in a similar fashion like TiVo or ReplayTV. Then, the system gives your several options regarding your recording from once, weekly, mon-fri, and etc. It is very simple and intuitive. The EPG features 14 days worth of programming, which is stored on the hard-drive for quick and easy access to all listing information. It is clear and concise, and very easy to read from across the room. The EPG is easily navigatable simply by using the cursor key ring, which is centrally located on the universal remote. To find your favorite programs, simply use the Search function, which can be accessed by the 'Menu' key. To access the EPG, simply press the 'Guide' button on the remote.
Outputs include 1 HDMI output 1 component video output, 1 A/V output, and 1 digital optical output. Clearly, to obtain the best images, use the HDMI or component video output. Besides the satellite antenna input, there is also an antenna RF input as well for over-the-air HD signals, which will allow you receive (and record) local high-definition channels also. There's also twin satellite inputs on the back panel of the receiver plus a USB port for unspecified future use, in-distribution jack for 2nd TV, phone jack, UHF remote antenna jack, and an accessory jack (for the attachment of VCR signal blaster).
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