[Howard_T]

Anyone got one of these yet?

Very interested as it would fit in with the room layout being so slim.

I've seen a couple of reviews on Amazon, the promised iplayer doesn't seem to have arrived yet and it looks like there are some problems with it?

Clicky

As this is a premium priced box I want to hear a decent review from someone before I take the plunge.

[TallDave]

I've had one for some time. I updated it yesterday with the latest software that adds iPlayer, so I'll wait a couple of days to see if it's cured the main niggle I had with it and report back.

I love the size (or lack of it); a Youview box sat nearby it looks positively antiquated. The Youview EPG display is poor compared with the Echostar's (I want to see more than 6 services listed at a time on my 50" TV!!).

The remote's nice although too "clicky" for my liking. And the HDD "twitters" a bit like a laptop - I wonder if anyone's got one working with an SSD??

Would I recommend the Echostar? - Yes.
Woudl I recommend YouView? - No.

Originally Posted by Howard_T

Anyone got one of these yet?

Very interested as it would fit in with the room layout being so slim.

I've seen a couple of reviews on Amazon, the promised iplayer doesn't seem to have arrived yet and it looks like there are some problems with it?

Clicky

As this is a premium priced box I want to hear a decent review from someone before I take the plunge.

[Howard_T]

I have one on the way, fingers crossed, so I'm looking forward to your comments.

Did I see in the User Guide that it handles the new internet based channels?

[JuSi]

I'm considering going for one of these, but one crucial factor will be the (non-)ability to pad scheduled recordings, to allow for programme underrun/overrun.

So, does anyone know if it's possible to adjust the start/end of scheduled recordings, either (a) manually by directly editing the start/end times, or (b) automatically via default pre-start/post-end padding values?

I've had a look through the user guide and it would appear that the only edit options for a timer event are to delete it or move it wholesale to an alternative showing. Hope I'm wrong ...

[ekimq]

See this thread: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1655421

Jitter on HD channels is horrible and they seem to have lost interest in producing updates :-(

There's no padding for programmes, but then I've never really looked for it.

[JuSi]

Yeah, I'd seen your assessment on the other thread, and I was prepared to overlook the HD jitter issue ... but I think taking all of the niggly stuff into consideration, it's a no-no. Which is a real shame because it's pretty much the only Freeview HD recorder that would pass our aesthetic criteria.

[tin]

Originally Posted by ekimq

See this thread: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1655421

Jitter on HD channels is horrible and they seem to have lost interest in producing updates :-(

Not surprised, HDS-600 is chockablock full of little obvious bugs and no updates at all.

They lost interest way back with the T-101FTA (although some on here disagree, saying they supported it).

I think echostar unfortunately has avoid written all over it then again, so do all the PVR manufacturers!!!

[ekimq]

Life is full of surprises! Echostar sent a new update over Easter and the box is now pretty much perfect!!

The jitter has gone completely as has the occasional lack of sound when you turn the box on. Only little niggle left is where the box sometimes fails to see the remote. It has happened to me twice in the last 10 days and needs a reboot to recover.

I can now happily say that this is now the smartest box you can put under your telly... pity about the price.

[JuSi]

So ... the $64000 question for me remains: can you adjust the end times of scheduled recordings? I think this is still a potential deal-breaker.

[Old Dude]

Originally Posted by ekimq

Life is full of surprises! Echostar sent a new update over Easter and the box is now pretty much perfect!

I bought one of these at the back end of last year because it was offered to me at a very good price. I checked it worked, signed up on the EchoStar web site and then put it in the cupboard until I get round to swapping out the SCART only living room TV.

I received an EchoStar email recently telling me there was a download available on their site and I also found that if I wanted to send them my postal address they'd send me one of the free magic eye extenders that was originally mentioned as an optional extra. I requested one and it arrived about a week later, posted form Germany (I think).

[Old Dude]

Originally Posted by tin

They lost interest way back with the T-101FTA (although some on here disagree, saying they supported it).

There was a lack of promised upgrades until the Split NIT issue of 2008.

My work used to take me in to the EchoStar development place from time to time. I knew the guys who did the support work.

EchoStar provided free upgrade and returns for all T101s until they formally took them off support in March 2012.

They were even repairing the ones that people had broken open in the hope of finding some magic switch inside.

They were amused to find the occasional post on here where someone would convey their intention to put one over on them and blame a long since broken box on a failed OAD. They knew who they were but fixed them too.

I think it's fair to say they supported them. Who else fixes a 7 year old box for free? KIA perhaps?

[ekimq]

Originally Posted by JuSi

So ... the $64000 question for me remains: can you adjust the end times of scheduled recordings? I think this is still a potential deal-breaker.

So I finally sat down and went through the menus and there _is_ an option to adjust the start and end times on recordings. To do this you have to choose "Timed recordings" rather than auto. You can then choose how early and late. The adjustment can be 0 to 10 minutes, defaults being 2 minutes early and 5 late.
But if your programme is 15 minutes late due to a penalty shoot out at the Crucible then you will miss the end! Any initial headaches over Auto adjusting timings seem to have been ironed out for a long time now and it's great to have the programme start as soon as you press play and I haven't had an ending cut off in the last several years of DTR usage.

Hope that helps.