Home Video Asylum

TVs, VCRs, DVD players, Home Theater systems and more.

Re: DISH Player-DVR 921 or what???

I’ve owned a 921 for the last year. On the up side:

- It does record HD (~24 hours)
- Since it has two tuners you can watch a show and record another

On the down side:
- With every new software release their software quality gets worse (I’m a software engineer and I’d be canned if I produced code like theirs)
- Support is non-existent (standard response for ANY problem is to reboot the box, oh except if it’s really bad, pull the plug)
- They have a “feature” that turns off digital output, huh? I thought that was the point of the box
- Scheduled recording sometimes screw up so you get half or less of the show you intended to record.
- Local channel support is almost non-existent
- ETC. ETC.

Because I’m on a hot roll let me relate to you the last “support” problem I had. While rewiring and changing out my HT (replaced my Jolida 801s with Bryston 7B-SSTs and replaced my Sunfire processor with a Lexicon MC-12B) the digital output from the 921 (DVI and Component) stopped only leaving analog.

I contacted support, here’s the drill; make the phone call, choose option 3 for technical support, go through the usual did you reboot the box, did you pull the plug, OK we’ll send you to “advanced technical support”. Transferred to the advanced tech, did you reboot? Did you pull the plug? OK well we have to get you to engineering; the only way we can do that is send them an email and they will get back to you in 24 hours; Me “Ah email isn’t there a number you can call”, them “no”, Me “can I escalate this to a manager”, them “no”. 24 hours passes and nothing, I call and go through the same process (see above) even after I ask them to see the case notes. Advanced Tech, “Oh well they told you 24 hours that’s not right it can be up to 72 hours”. I’m like WTF, tech “oh we’ll credit your bill”, Me who cares.

72 hours later I get a call from the tech (an adventure in its self since they come in through an unlisted number and I have a feature on my Lan line not to accept unlisted numbers. After the “did you reboot etc.” They discover I have a problem with the box and because I have the extended warranty they send another. Overall problem and resolution time almost two weeks.

Would buy the 921 again no. Right now I’m having trouble justifying Dish.

Good luck..


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